Update: Eisenbahn Trail remains a potential route for Amtrak

On Thursday, the Federal Government announced that they are granting the Wisconsin Department of Transportations request to fund a study for the viability of running an Amtrak line from Milwaukee to Green Bay.  

Since preserving the Eisenbahn trail is a priority for me, I immediately reached out to our legislative liaison, who contacted the State Department of Transportation to see if the Eisenbahn Trail was still a potential route.  

Initially, based on somewhat vague information published by several news media outlets, it looked like the study would focus on a route through Slinger and Allenton, using existing rail lines. Unfortunately, we received word back late Friday afternoon that the study would not exclude the Eisenbahn trail.  So the County will need to continue its efforts to preserve the Eisenbahn trail.  Here is the response from the D.O.T.

Key aspects of the planned rail route:

Proposed Route Basics

• It would take 2 hours and 50 minutes to traverse the route by rail.  this compares to 1 hour and 45 minutes by car, according to google maps.
• It is planned to make 3 round trips daily.
• Two likely routes between Milwaukee and Fond Du lac are the existing rail line through Slinger/Allenton and the Eisenbahn Trail.
• If the Eisenbahn Trail is selected as the route, it appears that it would be the only new section of rail needing construction, as the remainder of the route would likely use existing rail lines.
• Several interchanges north of Appleton might need signal upgrades.
• Amtrak currently runs a bus service between Green Bay and Milwaukee, called Amtrak Throughway Connection Service, 2 times per day and averages 38% occupancy.

Proposed Stops

• It would have stops in Fond Du lac, Oshkosh, and Appleton.
• No stop is currently planned for West Bend.
• A previous version of this plan included a map showing the potential for stops in West Bend, Grandville Station (Milwaukee's northwest side), and Kaukauna.
• American Family Field wants a railroad station, although that station would have the option to service one or more routes from a couple different potential or existing routes.
• Any additional stop will likely add 10-20 minutes to the total travel time (per additional stop) between Milwaukee and Green Bay).

Eisenbahn Trail

• The Eisenbahn trail follows a decommissioned rail corridor, as part of the "Rails to trails" program.
• The Eisenbahn Trail is about 25 miles long, with about 13 miles in Washington County.
• The Eisenbahn Trail officially opened in 2006.
• The Eisenbahn Trail has been a cornerstone for economic revitalization for West Bend, with several major developments built just footsteps from the trail, and will likely be central to Kewaskum's efforts to revitalize their downtown.

The Passenger Rail Study

• The feasibility study is 100% federally funded.
• After the study is complete, any construction would be funded by a federal grant and would likely require some state funding.

Other Relevant Information

• Passenger rail service from West Bend to Milwaukee was discontinued due to low ridership.
• In 2023, Commuter Bus service from West Bend to Milwaukee was discontinued due to low ridership.
• Once the study is complete, if tis project is approved by the legislature and Governor, it would take 6-10 years to implement the proposed rail service.

It should also be noted that passenger rail line proposals that have been built have generally failed to come close to meeting ridership projections.

*Note-As I think of key details related to this issue, I am adding them to this post.