By Marshall Griffin, KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – Amtrak service between St. Louis and Kansas City will continue for at least another year.
State House and Senate budget negotiators agreed to spend $8 million to fund the twice-daily passenger trains that also stop in Jefferson City and other towns along the route.
Gary Nodler (R, Joplin) chairs the Senate Budget Committee.
"Without funding at that level, you'd have to reduce to one train per day, and I think there is general agreement that you really need a morning train going each direction and an evening train going each direction to give that system any meaningful purpose between St. Louis and Kansas City," Nodler said.
The Missouri House had initially cut the funding for the trains in half, which would have forced one of the daily trips to be eliminated.
House members complained that heavy freight traffic is causing too many delays for Amtrak passengers.
The Senate maintained that cancelling one of the trains would have inconvenienced travelers and caused a large drop in rider-ship.