521:-like service linking the Twin Cities and Rochester using electrified trains operating at speeds up to 185 mph (298 km/h). In this study, the trains would carry a mixture of passengers and cargo, allowing the Rochester airport to take over some of the air freight capacity of MSP. In the leading example, a rate of 20 passenger trains per day was proposed, plus 4 freight trains in the overnight hours. The passenger estimates were made not based on projected market demand and supply but on a simplified model that if X number of seats were available, Y percentage of those seats would be filled at a Z price. The cost estimate for building the electrified line was $ 869 to $ 933 million (2002 dollars), largely depending on whether an entirely new route was used or if the line would closely follow Highway 52. The analysis claimed that the line would eventually pay for itself with passenger and cargo revenues more than covering the capital and operational costs over a 30-year period.
643:, a rail advocacy group based in Rochester. This study is partly a rehashing of the Tri-State II study, but with greater detail in examining the speeds possible along the current Amtrak route along the Mississippi River versus what would be possible by going through Rochester. There are many segments along the river that can only support 90 mph top speeds or lower due to curvature.
29:
646:
The study asserted that 220 mph service via
Rochester, which is a higher speed than what has been recommended in other studies for a publicly funded system, would be the best option and would be the most profitable. The study authors noted that the amount of funding available for the project in
162:
Route No. 4, southern corridor: Chicago to
Milwaukee, then straight west to Wisconsin's capital city of Madison, then north to Portage, west to La Crosse and on to Rochester, then turning north to the Twin Cities. This route was studied at 125 mph (201 km/h) (a so-called "Amtrak upgrade"),
183:
The study concluded that the "Amtrak upgrade" 125 mph option on the southern corridor through
Rochester had the best direct return on investment, and was the best option for a capital-constrained public endeavor. In all cases, the southern corridor outperformed the northern corridor in the long
501:
In contrast to the previous two studies, the 2003 Rochester Rail Link
Feasibility Study focused on a line to Rochester from the Twin Cities, but avoided discussing the merits of the city's presence on a line to Chicago in significant depth. The routes recommended in that study had one terminus at
178:
Route No. 7, northern corridor: Chicago to
Milwaukee, then continuing north to the Green Bay/Fox Cities region, and westward through Spencer and Eau Claire before reaching Minneapolis–Saint Paul. No passenger rail exists on this route beyond Milwaukee, and it was only studied at 185 (TGV/ICE) and
158:
Route No. 1, Amtrak's current route: Chicago to
Milwaukee, then northwest to Portage and Tomah, then west to La Crosse before crossing the Mississippi and mostly running on the west side of the river to the Twin Cities. The "Amtrak upgrade" option for the southern corridor would make use of this
323:-powered trains, in comparison to diesels and electrics. It concluded that gas turbines operating at 150 mph were the best option. Development could begin at 110 mph, but the study authors stated the corridor should be developed to 150 mph standards to allow faster trains later.
647:
Minnesota is constrained. Because of this they suggested a diesel-electric powered 110 mph service via
Rochester. They claimed this would be profitable. They called for the route to allow for future upgrades and improvements that could be done over time.
304:
The Tri-State II High Speed Rail
Feasibility Study was commissioned by the Minnesota and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation and built upon the previous Tri-State study, plans from the
968:"Tri-State II High Speed Rail Feasibility Study" (February 2000). Transportation Economics & Management Systems, Inc. for the Minnesota and Wisconsin Departments of Transportation
1085:
1080:
914:
148:(hence the "Tri-State" name) and was completed in 1991. It examined the feasibility of train services on several routes, narrowed to two by 1990. The current route of Amtrak's
1011:
97:
approved an
Omnibus Transportation Bill which repealed the gag order imposed on studying ZIP rail in 2016. This also overturned a long-standing study ban on the
511:
979:
952:
870:
1058:
874:
90:
775:
851:
305:
503:
1050:
779:
640:
396:
1018:
1010:
Transportation
Economics & Management Systems, Inc. for the Southeastern Minnesota Rail Alliance. (September 2009).
927:
57:
316:(DMU) technology (described as "incremental" by the study authors), this was used as the base case for the study.
308:(MWRRI), and a 1997 study looking at the Chicago–Milwaukee corridor. Since the MWRRI plans advocate 110 mph
44:
86:
In 2016, the Minnesota Department of Transportation discontinued its study of the proposed Zip Rail project.
120:. This routing was not chosen, largely due to the added costs of routing via Rochester versus the existing
113:
986:
910:
313:
154:
was among those discarded and not studied in detail, but it was listed as a simple route comparison.
117:
65:
887:
899:
172:
136:
The Tri-State Rail Study was commissioned by the Departments of Transportation for the states of
98:
1054:
168:
125:
94:
80:
150:
1074:
1042:
803:
309:
185:
785:
Rochester was served by many numbered trains. Named trains included the following:
83:
line on the same route. This is a separate proposal not connected with Zip Rail.
507:
320:
145:
141:
73:
61:
28:
137:
978:
Transportation Economics & Management Systems, Inc. (January 2003).
639:
The Tri-State III High-Speed Rail Study of 2009 was commissioned by the
798:
109:
184:
term. The study made mention of "newly introduced Swedish Railroad '
121:
953:"Preliminary Findings, Tri-State Study of High Speed Rail Service"
933:. Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois Departments of Transportation
79:
North American High Speed Rail Group (NAHSR) proposed building a
517:
The study examined three motive-power options and recommended a
193:
1991 study alternatives (southern corridor, Chicago–Twin Cities)
69:
782:
railways. Rail passenger service to the city ended in 1963.
518:
164:
76:. The project was previously branded as Rochester Rail Link.
506:(RST) at the southern end, and examined linking to downtown
985:. Minnesota Department of Transportation. Archived from
774:
Rochester previously had passenger service run by the
171:-class service), and 300 mph (480 km/h) (
116:High Speed Rail (HSR) routing, through the city of
40:
35:
21:
108:Previous to Zip Rail, supporters had pushed for a
56:is a proposed passenger train that would link the
526:2003 study alternatives (Minneapolis–Rochester)
1086:High-speed railway lines in the United States
652:2009 study alternatives (Twin Cities–Chicago)
328:2000 study alternatives (Chicago–Twin Cities)
16:Proposed passenger rail line in Minnesota, US
8:
875:MnDOT suspends its work on Zip Rail project
801:–Chicago, the final iteration of the
512:Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
1081:Transportation in Minneapolis–Saint Paul
649:
523:
325:
190:
980:"Rochester Rail Link Feasibility Study"
863:
188:' technology", but it was not studied.
886:Representative Jess Hanson's Twitter,
871:Minnesota Department of Transportation
18:
1012:"Tri-State III High-Speed Rail Study"
898:Representative Andy Smith's Twitter,
7:
641:Southeastern Minnesota Rail Alliance
770:Past passenger service to Rochester
64:metropolitan area with the city of
91:Minnesota House of Representatives
14:
951:TMS/Benesch (December 19, 1990).
928:"Tri-State High Speed Rail Study"
852:Midwest Regional Rail Initiative
306:Midwest Regional Rail Initiative
27:
958:. Tri-State Steering Committee.
504:Rochester International Airport
163:185 mph (298 km/h) (
1:
1051:University of Minnesota Press
841:(Twin Cities–Rochester)
835:(Twin Cities–Rochester)
829:(Twin Cities–Rochester)
473:Downtown Rochester, elevated
815:Rochester Minnesota Special
47:Regional Railroad Authority
1102:
1049:. Minneapolis, Minnesota:
789:Chicago and North Western:
776:Chicago and North Western
679:
676:
671:
668:
663:
660:
657:
548:
545:
542:
539:
534:
531:
497:Rochester Rail Link Study
353:
350:
347:
344:
339:
336:
333:
319:This study also included
216:Net consumer surplus NPV
215:
212:
209:
206:
201:
198:
26:
926:TMS/Benesch (May 1991).
625:$ 5.6– 5.9 billion
602:$ 869–933 million
579:$ 697–769 million
448:New Rochester alignment
423:Rochester, existing ROW
821:Chicago Great Western:
546:Capital cost (2002 $ )
213:Capital cost (1989 $ )
179:300 mph (maglev).
58:Minneapolis–Saint Paul
911:Minnesota Legislature
780:Chicago Great Western
669:Yearly ridership est.
540:Yearly ridership est.
345:Yearly ridership est.
207:Yearly ridership est.
89:On May 21, 2023, the
395:Rochester, existing
314:diesel multiple unit
118:Rochester, Minnesota
877:(January 27, 2016).
680:Benefit/cost ratio
654:
635:Tri-State III Study
622:31–39 minutes
599:39–43 minutes
576:45–48 minutes
551:benefit/cost ratio
528:
354:Benefit/cost ratio
330:
195:
650:
524:
326:
300:Tri-State II Study
191:
99:Dan Patch Corridor
1060:978-0-8166-5449-9
833:Rochester Special
767:
766:
696:Mississippi River
677:Capital cost ($ )
632:
631:
494:
493:
370:MWRRI river route
351:Capital cost ($ )
297:
296:
169:Intercity Express
126:Mississippi River
51:
50:
1093:
1065:
1064:
1039:
1033:
1032:
1030:
1029:
1023:
1017:. Archived from
1016:
1007:
1001:
1000:
998:
997:
991:
984:
975:
969:
966:
960:
959:
957:
948:
942:
941:
939:
938:
932:
923:
917:
908:
902:
896:
890:
884:
878:
868:
655:
529:
331:
196:
124:route along the
95:Minnesota Senate
31:
19:
1101:
1100:
1096:
1095:
1094:
1092:
1091:
1090:
1071:
1070:
1069:
1068:
1061:
1041:
1040:
1036:
1027:
1025:
1021:
1014:
1009:
1008:
1004:
995:
993:
989:
982:
977:
976:
972:
967:
963:
955:
950:
949:
945:
936:
934:
930:
925:
924:
920:
909:
905:
897:
893:
889:(May 21, 2023).
885:
881:
869:
865:
860:
848:
772:
673:
665:
637:
550:
536:
499:
341:
302:
203:
134:
132:Tri-State Study
106:
81:high-speed rail
17:
12:
11:
5:
1099:
1097:
1089:
1088:
1083:
1073:
1072:
1067:
1066:
1059:
1043:Scribbins, Jim
1034:
1002:
970:
961:
943:
918:
916:(May 20, 2023)
903:
901:(May 21, 2023)
891:
879:
873:News Release,
862:
861:
859:
856:
855:
854:
847:
844:
843:
842:
836:
830:
818:
817:
812:
771:
768:
765:
764:
761:
758:
755:
753:
750:
747:
744:
740:
739:
736:
733:
730:
728:
725:
722:
719:
715:
714:
711:
708:
705:
703:
700:
697:
694:
690:
689:
686:
682:
681:
678:
675:
670:
667:
662:
659:
636:
633:
630:
629:
626:
623:
620:
617:
614:
611:
607:
606:
603:
600:
597:
594:
591:
588:
584:
583:
580:
577:
574:
571:
568:
565:
561:
560:
557:
553:
552:
547:
544:
541:
538:
533:
498:
495:
492:
491:
488:
487:$ 8.27 billion
485:
482:
480:
477:
474:
471:
467:
466:
463:
462:$ 3.66 billion
460:
457:
455:
452:
449:
446:
442:
441:
438:
437:$ 3.10 billion
435:
432:
430:
427:
424:
421:
417:
416:
413:
412:$ 1.26 billion
410:
407:
405:
402:
399:
393:
389:
388:
385:
382:
379:
377:
374:
371:
368:
364:
363:
360:
356:
355:
352:
349:
346:
343:
338:
335:
301:
298:
295:
294:
291:
290:$ 5.45 billion
288:
285:
282:
279:
276:
272:
271:
268:
267:$ 3.02 billion
265:
262:
259:
256:
253:
249:
248:
245:
242:
239:
236:
233:
230:
226:
225:
222:
218:
217:
214:
211:
208:
205:
200:
181:
180:
176:
160:
151:Empire Builder
133:
130:
105:
102:
68:, also in the
49:
48:
45:Olmsted County
42:
38:
37:
33:
32:
24:
23:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1098:
1087:
1084:
1082:
1079:
1078:
1076:
1062:
1056:
1052:
1048:
1047:The 400 Story
1044:
1038:
1035:
1024:on 2014-02-08
1020:
1013:
1006:
1003:
992:on 2009-05-30
988:
981:
974:
971:
965:
962:
954:
947:
944:
929:
922:
919:
915:
912:
907:
904:
900:
895:
892:
888:
883:
880:
876:
872:
867:
864:
857:
853:
850:
849:
845:
840:
837:
834:
831:
828:
825:
824:
823:
822:
816:
813:
810:
807:and then the
806:
805:
804:Minnesota 400
800:
796:
795:Rochester 400
793:
792:
791:
790:
786:
783:
781:
777:
769:
762:
760:$ 6.6 billion
759:
756:
754:
751:
748:
745:
742:
741:
737:
735:$ 3.3 billion
734:
731:
729:
726:
723:
720:
717:
716:
712:
710:$ 3.2 billion
709:
706:
704:
701:
698:
695:
692:
691:
687:
684:
683:
656:
653:
648:
644:
642:
634:
627:
624:
621:
618:
615:
612:
609:
608:
604:
601:
598:
595:
592:
589:
586:
585:
581:
578:
575:
572:
569:
566:
563:
562:
558:
555:
554:
530:
527:
522:
520:
515:
513:
509:
505:
496:
489:
486:
483:
481:
478:
475:
472:
469:
468:
464:
461:
458:
456:
453:
450:
447:
444:
443:
439:
436:
433:
431:
428:
425:
422:
419:
418:
414:
411:
408:
406:
403:
400:
398:
394:
391:
390:
386:
384:$ 940 million
383:
380:
378:
375:
372:
369:
366:
365:
361:
358:
357:
332:
329:
324:
322:
317:
315:
311:
307:
299:
292:
289:
286:
283:
280:
277:
274:
273:
269:
266:
263:
260:
257:
254:
251:
250:
246:
244:$ 940 million
243:
240:
237:
234:
231:
228:
227:
223:
220:
219:
197:
194:
189:
187:
177:
174:
170:
166:
161:
159:right-of-way.
157:
156:
155:
153:
152:
147:
143:
139:
131:
129:
127:
123:
119:
115:
111:
103:
101:
100:
96:
92:
87:
84:
82:
77:
75:
71:
67:
63:
59:
55:
46:
43:
39:
34:
30:
25:
20:
1046:
1037:
1026:. Retrieved
1019:the original
1005:
994:. Retrieved
987:the original
973:
964:
946:
935:. Retrieved
921:
906:
894:
882:
866:
838:
832:
826:
820:
819:
814:
808:
802:
794:
788:
787:
784:
773:
743:220 mph
718:110 mph
693:110 mph
651:
645:
638:
525:
516:
500:
470:185 mph
445:150 mph
420:150 mph
392:110 mph
367:110 mph
327:
318:
303:
275:300 mph
252:185 mph
229:125 mph
192:
182:
149:
135:
107:
104:Past studies
88:
85:
78:
53:
52:
702:4.3 million
573:2.4 million
570:1.4 million
508:Minneapolis
376:2.9 million
321:gas turbine
238:8.1 million
235:5.8 million
114:Minneapolis
1075:Categories
1028:2014-02-08
996:2010-02-09
937:2010-02-09
858:References
809:Dakota 400
1045:(2008) .
827:Blue Bird
746:Rochester
721:Rochester
674:(Express)
672:Trip time
543:Trip time
348:Trip time
210:Trip time
146:Minnesota
142:Wisconsin
74:Minnesota
72:state of
66:Rochester
62:Minnesota
846:See also
839:Red Bird
778:and the
749:electric
610:220+ mph
590:electric
587:180+ mph
564:150+ mph
476:electric
255:electric
138:Illinois
54:Zip Rail
36:Overview
22:Zip Rail
799:Mankato
567:turbine
549:30-year
514:(MSP).
510:and to
451:turbine
426:turbine
293:3190.7
270:3851.3
247:3004.8
110:Chicago
1057:
724:diesel
699:diesel
664:Motive
613:maglev
535:Motive
401:diesel
373:diesel
340:Motive
310:diesel
278:maglev
232:diesel
202:Motive
173:maglev
144:, and
122:Amtrak
1022:(PDF)
1015:(PDF)
990:(PDF)
983:(PDF)
956:(PDF)
931:(PDF)
763:2.25
738:1.86
713:1.60
666:power
661:Route
658:Speed
628:0.56
605:1.38
582:1.35
559:2030
537:power
532:Speed
490:1.34
465:1.68
440:1.62
415:1.01
342:power
337:Route
334:Speed
224:2024
204:power
199:Speed
41:Owner
1055:ISBN
757:3h11
732:5h26
707:5h19
685:2020
556:2010
502:the
484:3h11
459:4h14
434:4h59
409:5h34
387:N/A
381:5h27
359:2020
287:2h15
284:12.2
264:3h15
261:10.6
241:4h20
221:2000
186:tilt
93:and
70:U.S.
752:7.7
727:4.7
619:4.3
616:2.4
596:2.8
593:1.6
519:TGV
479:5.9
454:4.9
429:4.2
404:2.8
397:ROW
312:or
281:8.5
258:7.5
165:TGV
1077::
1053:.
913:,
688:?
362:?
175:).
140:,
128:.
112:-
60:,
1063:.
1031:.
999:.
940:.
811:)
797:(
167:/
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
