HUTSHINSON Kan. — An announcement has been made that Kansas has been approved for a Tiger grant totaling more 
than $12 million for Amtrak’s SW Chief. US Senator Jerry Moran’s office in Washington confirmed to Eagle Media and hutchpost.com that the funding has been approved
The money is part of an effort to fund track improvements and maintenance across three states to keep the Chief on its current route. Amtrak and BNSF had threatened to move the long distance passenger train to a more southern route if the funding was not made available, cutting off service through out western Kansas including Hutchinson. Legislation has been introduced in both Colorado and New Mexico that could push the rest of the funding through and keep service as it is. Amtrak and BNSF gave the three states until the end of the year to come up with the funding.
BNSF hasn’t used the line the Chief runs on in New Mexico in more than four years due to the steep grades and the Raton Pass tunnel which prevents intermodel traffic from using the line. The line has deteriorated so bad in western Kansas that Amtrak is forced to run well below the 80 mile per hour speed they desire.
If everything falls together the money would help renovate and maintain the line over a ten year period.