Coming Soon: Passenger Rail
Author: JB Howick, Townsend City Council - Ward 1
Coming Soon: Passenger Rail
Imagine the energy of Broadwater County buzzing with new opportunities, interconnected as never before with surrounding communities and the nation! That's the promise of a restored passenger rail service along the proposed Big Sky North Coast Corridor, a modern passenger rail system that will provide predictable transportation in bad weather, convenient commuting and increased tourism. But what would this mean, really?
Passenger rail service along the southern Montana route was discontinued in the mid-1970s. Increasing use of automobiles combined with slow growth made the service difficult to justify — but the times, they are a changin’. The traffic along both Highway 12 and Highway 287 has become noticeably greater in recent years. Even if people aren’t stopping to enjoy our restaurants, bakeries and bars, there are plenty of people moving through the area.
So it’s little wonder that southern Montana passenger rail service is desired and on the fast track for completion. The Big Sky Passenger Rail Association has secured approximately $15 million in donations and federal grants to fund route planning, infrastructure planning and stop planning. They estimate passenger rail trains will start moving through Townsend sometime in 2033-2034.
But do we want to be a stop? I admit that I’m biased. A well-planned passenger station can be a powerful economic stimulus. Studies estimate that restoring the Big Sky North Coast Corridor (formerly the North Coast Hiawatha) could generate an annual economic benefit of $44.6 million for Montana, according to a 2021 report from the Rail Passenger Association. This includes job creation, boosted tourism and support for local businesses.
Add to this the benefits of accessibility such as access to out-of-Broadwater services for the members of our community who can’t or don’t drive, and improvements to rail infrastructure that would make Broadwater County and its cities more desirable for rail freight. In addition, Black Butte Copper overcame its final legal hurdle last year and is working toward digging as we speak. They’ll need a rail head to transport ore, and the options are Livingston or our own Townsend. Should the jobs go to Livingston?
And before we forget, passenger rail produces less pollution per-passenger, requires less transport surface per-passenger, has a better record for safety per-passenger and can move through weather no sane person would drive through.
But that’s my opinion. As much as I want a small, quiet town, my family’s business (and most other area businesses) requires people to help us grow. Growth allows us to repair and upgrade aging buildings, to offer jobs to our neighbors, increase the goods and services that keep you from having to travel just to shop or find entertainment.
Restoring passenger rail to our county is not just about bringing back a past form of transportation; it's about investing in a vibrant future for the region – a future with more economic prosperity, stronger communities, and a healthier environment for everybody. And this is no longer a question of “if” passenger rail will pass through Townsend, but “when.” The wheels are rolling, stop selection is in-process, and the 2033-2034 ETA is a lot closer than you think! We have the opportunity to benefit from this coming project, but to do it, we need time to plan, build and execute.
What do you think? Visit this week’s survey at https://howick.org/survey or send an email to keithjr@howick.org. I apologize that I included the wrong email address in my first article. I promise this one works! I’ll include the results of both this survey and the 2026 Semiquincentennial Independence Day survey with my next article. Also, please remember that while I am a member of the Townsend City Council, these opinions are my own and do not reflect the opinion of other council members or any policy of the city.
Local government works best when it hears from the people! And this is one of the many ways we’re trying to hear everyone’s voice. Thank you!
JB Howick
Townsend City Council, Ward 1
