Hoosier State Rail Service Extended One Month

INDIANAPOLIS – The Amtrak Hoosier State service between Indianapolis and Chicago will continue through the end of April.

The announcement follows a Federal Railroad Administration phone call with INDOT Commissioner Karl Browning, during which Acting Administrator Sarah Feinberg committed to reconsider the position that would force the Hoosier State service to end.

“It is not clear that the FRA will change its mind,” Browning said in a statement. “Because Ms. Feinberg committed to reviewing this, we want to give the FRA another opportunity to consider the problems Indiana has been airing.”

On March 6, INDOT announced that the Hoosier State service would end would April 1 because of new federal requirements the department said will be too costly.  

The Federal Railroad Administration’s decision defines Indiana as the railroad carrier.  With that came new requirements, including potential liability for the state of up to $200 million per incident.

State officials said they didn’t anticipate what they called the “perplexing” federal decision. 

For the past year, INDOT has been working on the Hoosier State line, negotiating long-term passenger rail agreements with Amtrak and Iowa Pacific Holdings.

Under the proposal being considered, Amtrak would serve as the primary operator, working with host railroads, providing train and engine crews, and managing reservation and ticketing. Iowa Pacific would provide the train equipment, train maintenance, on-board services and marketing.