Tuesday, April 7, 2009
When students return home during breaks and the occasional weekend, most of them either drive or take a plane. One option students rarely consider is taking the train. Although commuters often travel by rail in more densely populated regions of the United States, such as New England and the West Coast, students in Kansas are generally unaware of the financial viability and environmental benefits of passenger trains. Soon, it will become much more convenient for students to travel by rail in and out of Lawrence.
The Amtrak train station in Lawrence will receive $600,000 as part of the American Recovery Act passed by Congress this year, according to a recent article from the Lawrence Journal-World. The ARA has allotted $1.3 billion for the Secretary of Transportation to give grants to Amtrak for investments. This plan aims to build infrastructure that will help the economy in the long run. Amtrak said in a press release March 25 that it would use $40 million of this money to upgrade and improve accessibility for disabled persons in more than 200 stations across the country. The Santa Fe depot in Lawrence will receive funds to build a new passenger platform that will comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Amtrak trains stop at six stations in Kansas: Lawrence, Topeka, Garden City, Newton, Hutchinson and Dodge City. Amtrak recorded 4,000 boardings and alightments at the Lawrence station during 2008, which reflects a relatively low number of passengers. These low numbers show a lack of awareness about the station’s availability.
Matt Stiles, Lawrence junior, said he liked trains but did not know there was a station in Lawrence.
“I would rather take a train because they’re better for the environment and the community,” Stiles said. “You don’t need directions.”
Despite the apparent lack of awareness about the Lawrence train station, rail travel is becoming more popular nationwide. Amtrak states on its Web site that the company has seen an overall increase in its number of passengers nationwide in each of the past six years. Amtrak trains stop in more than 500 cities.
Ticket prices are one of the benefits of taking the train. Train tickets generally cost less than airfare. A trip from Lawrence to Chicago costs $192 by train, but with US Airways it costs upward of $200, not including baggage fees and depending on how far in advance you book your flight. Flying may take less time, but you’ll see more of the United States traveling by train now than you would otherwise. Amtrak offers a student discount of 15 percent after you purchase a $20 discount card, so if you take multiple train trips in a year, purchasing a discount card could save you money.
Claire Hinrichsen, Lecompton sophomore, used EuroRail trains to travel around Europe during a high school trip. She said people in the United States should utilize trains more often.
“It would cut down on cars and gas usage, and there would be less pollution,” Hinrichsen said. “I don’t know why we don’t use them more.”
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