Phoenix–Tucson passenger rail
 Charter train at Phoenix Union Station in 2001 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Overview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Service type | Inter-city rail | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Status | Proposed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Locale | Arizona | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current operator(s) | Amtrak | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Route | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Termini | Phoenix Tucson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Distance travelled | 115 miles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average journey time | 2 hours 25 minutes[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service frequency | 3 daily round trips[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Phoenix–Tucson passenger rail is a planned inter-city passenger train service to be operated by Amtrak in the Arizona Sun Corridor between Phoenix and Tucson, the two most populous cities in Arizona. As proposed, the train would run from Buckeye to Tucson with major stops in Downtown Phoenix, Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, and Tempe.
As of December 2023[update], the project has received at least $4 million in state and federal funds for the planning phase.
History
[edit]Background
[edit]The last train to run between Phoenix and Tucson was the long-distance Sunset Limited. In June 1996 the train was rerouted 30 mi (48 km) south of Phoenix to Maricopa, leaving the Arizona state capital as the largest city in the United States to lack direct inter-city rail service. Tucson remains served by the Sunset Limited just three times per week.
Proposal
[edit]In 2011, the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) began a Passenger Rail Corridor Study for the Phoenix–Tucson route.[2] They published the Tier 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement in September 2015[3] and the final Record or Decision in December 2016.[4]
In spring 2021, Amtrak included the Buckeye–Phoenix–Tucson route in its 15-year "Amtrak Connects US" expansion vision.[5] In July 2021, Amtrak President Stephen Gardner and CEO Bill Flynn formally announced plans for the service.[6] The proposal calls for three round trips per day with a one-way trip time of 2 hours 25 minutes. Intermediate stops are listed as Goodyear-Avondale, Downtown Phoenix, Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, Tempe, Queen Creek, Coolidge, and Marana. The option is given for future expansion west to Los Angeles.[1]
In June 2023, Amtrak and ADOT submitted the Phoenix–Tucson project to the FRA's Corridor Identification and Development Program. The program provides money for planning studies and prioritizes routes for future federal funding.[7] The corridor was accepted into the program in December 2023 and ADOT was granted $500,000. ADOT had already acquired $3.5 million in state funds to go toward the planning phase.[8]
In February 2024, Republican legislators drafted a bill blocking the progress of the train service between Phoenix and Tucson, and presented it to the senate. The bill threatens to remove all funding from ADOT if it accepts any public money for the construction of the train line.[9][10]
Route
[edit]As proposed, the service would use existing freight rail lines owned by the Union Pacific Railroad:[1]
- Phoenix Subdivision from Buckeye through Phoenix to a junction east of Eloy
- Gila Subdivision from the junction to Tucson
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Tucson – Phoenix". Amtrak Connects US. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
- ^ "Passenger Rail Study: Tucson to Phoenix". azdot.gov. Arizona Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on October 3, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
- ^ Nunez, Jenifer (September 9, 2015). "DEIS for Tucson to Phoenix passenger route released". Railway Track and Structures. Archived from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
- ^ "Arizona Passenger Rail Corridor Study Tucson to Phoenix: Record of Decision" (PDF). Federal Railroad Administration. December 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
- ^ Landers, Jamie (April 2, 2021). "An Amtrak station might be coming to Phoenix. Here's what that could mean for the city". The Arizona Republic. Archived from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
- ^ Rash, Wayne (July 28, 2021). "Amtrak Announces Plan To Begin Passenger Service Between Tucson, Phoenix And LA". Forbes. Archived from the original on February 23, 2024. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
- ^ Kavaler, Tara (June 8, 2023). "Could Amtrak passenger trains return to Phoenix? Why Rep. Greg Stanton is pushing for it". The Arizona Republic. Archived from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
- ^ Stone, Kevin (December 6, 2023). "Arizona gets first federal funds for Amtrak train project". KTAR.com. Archived from the original on December 16, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
- ^ "Arizona GOP lawmakers move to derail chance for Tucson-to-Phoenix commuter train". Arizona Daily Star. February 12, 2024. Archived from the original on February 16, 2024. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
- ^ "Bill seeks to block Arizona from accepting funds for passenger rail service". Trains. February 13, 2024. Archived from the original on February 21, 2024. Retrieved February 21, 2024.