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Hundreds of supporters of high-speed passenger rail in Fort Wayne cheered on the prospect of bringing trains back to the Summit City.
But organization leaders told the crowd that won’t happen without their help. Geoff Paddock, a member of the Northeast Indiana Passenger Rail Association, told those present to contact their legislators and the governor to make it a reality.
“We need your help in order to make this service work,” he said.
About 400 people packed into the historic Baker Street Station on Friday afternoon to learn about efforts to bring passenger rail to Fort Wayne and the Midwest. Investment in high-speed rail was touted as being environmentally friendly and good for local jobs.
While President Obama has pledged billions of dollars for rail initiatives throughout the country, Indiana could be left out because it has yet to make preliminary rail investments.
Derrick James, senior officer of government affairs with Amtrak, said the state still needs to develop a state passenger rail plan that shows how it would like its cities connected to one another and to other states.
He said Ohio, Michigan and Illinois are pushing hard for rail investment but that Indiana has yet to do so. The plan wouldn’t have to be expensive, James said, noting that Minnesota is developing one with its existing staff.
City Councilwoman Karen Goldner, D-2nd, told the crowd it must act now to bring rail back to the area. She told supporters to e-mail their legislators and write Gov. Mitch Daniels telling them rail is important to them.
The crowd was given pre-written postcards addressed to Daniels asking him to support rail.
Dick Teets, vice president and general manager for Steel Dynamics’ Structural and Rail Division from Columbia City, said his company’s products are perfect for new investment in rail.
“We can and we should provide additional transportation options to Americans,” he said.
