Rail links to our future

Iowa Gov. Chet Culver is determined to be the governor who brought passenger rail lines from Chicago to Iowa City and Dubuque. And with the federal government dangling big stimulus bucks to cover much of the cost, it's tough to question his enthusiasm.

Culver rode the rails in a special train last weekend to highlight his affection for expanded rail service. The train took him to a Midwest rail summit in Illinois, where eight governors signed an accord promising to cooperate on completing a new passenger rail network in the heartland.

They have their eye on $8 billion in federal economic stimulus dollars set aside for rail projects across the country. But they're certainly not alone. More than three dozen states are floating scores of rail projects worth more than $100 billion. The competition promises to be fierce.

Upgrading a rail link from Iowa City to Chicago carries an estimated price tag of $57 million. Iowa's share would be $34 million, with $3 million annually for operations.

Two round-trip trains each day would carry 187,000 passengers annually, according to an Amtrak study. A ticket would be about $42 one way and the trip would take about five hours.

We support giving Eastern Iowans another transportation option, especially one that could take a bite out of interstate traffic and the air quality concerns it spawns. For students and others drawn to Chicago for many and any reason, riding the rails may be an attractive idea, especially if gasoline prices ever spike again.

Still, we are disappointed that the train to Chicago has left behind another idea we think has merit: creating a light rail commuter line between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City.

That stretch of Interstate 380 is jammed to its shoulders, and light rail could be an attractive safety valve that's far cheaper upfront than expanding the highway. It could be an attractive option for commuters, especially in the winter, and also could carry passengers to attractions and events at both ends of The Corridor.

But instead, the Chicago route is priority one.

We hope that the lofty predictions for passenger traffic hold true, because the future of a corridor light rail link now may depend on the success of the new Amtrak route. If the Iowa City-Chicago route falters, the likelihood of future rail projects may fizzle with it.