Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago Intercity Passenger Rail Service

About the project

The Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago Intercity Passenger Rail Project (TCMC) will add a second daily round trip passenger train on the 411-mile rail corridor (used by Amtrak’s long-distance Empire Builder) between Chicago, Illinois and the Twin Cities.

The project will provide more choices and travel flexibility, with morning and mid-day departures from St. Paul and Chicago. It will also provide more reliable service with better on-time performance for both passenger and freight trains.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation is working cooperatively with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), Amtrak, and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). The LaCrosse Area Planning Committee and the Great River Rail Commission have also provided funding.

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Design, construction and operations

The project is in the final design phase. We anticipate construction to begin in early 2024 and end in 2025. We expect partial service may begin as soon as 2023.

Planning phase

Amtrak feasibility study

This project is based on recommendations of Amtrak’s 2015 feasibility report (PDF) on the proposed service. The favorable ridership and revenue projections identified in the feasibility report supported a more detailed study of the proposed service.

Phase 1 environmental study

MnDOT and its partners completed a Phase 1 study that evaluated alternatives for track and other infrastructure improvements required for a second trip, along with anticipated costs. The Phase 1 scope of work included:

Environmental tasks to prepare a Purpose and Need Statement (PDF) and a Service Alternatives Analysis (PDF) that fulfills state and federal environmental requirements
An operations analysis to evaluate and determine how the additional frequency can be operated most efficiently with freight trains on the Saint Paul to Chicago corridor and integrate with the Hiawatha schedule between Milwaukee and Chicago
Evaluation of railroad infrastructure to determine improvement needs and development of conceptual engineering plans. This will ensure states become eligible for federal funding and allow the project to advance toward implementation
Development of capital cost estimates for approved infrastructure improvements based on the conceptual engineering plans
Stakeholder and public engagement

Phase 2 environmental study

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) has been taking the lead on the final phase of the Project. Phase 2 of the project involves the completion of environmental review and preparation of a Service Development Plan. As of May 2021, MnDOT and WisDOT filed a categorical exclusion with the FRA. MnDOT and WisDOT are anticipating FRA approval by mid-summer. The FRA is also reviewing a draft Service Development Plan.

Capital costs

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Consolidated Railroad Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (CRISI) grant awarded $31.8 million in September 2020 for final design and construction of required railroad improvements to implement TCMC passenger trains.
Amtrak has committed $5 million in funding
MnDOT has committed $10 million in funding
WisDOT has committed $6.5 million in funding

Operating costs

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Restoration & Enhancement Program grant awarded $12.6 million in May 2020 to offset cost of operations for the first three years.
On-going operating costs will be shared between Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois.

Visit the Wisconsin Department of Transportation's TCMC project page for more information on public engagement, funding, location, and the project schedule.