Remember learning about the Transcontinental Railroad in school and how they drove the golden spike when the two lines, the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific finally met in Promontory Summit, Utah? Well, a new Transcontinental Railroad is in the works. A new coast-to-coast train service is being proposed that would run through the Sunflower State and give passengers a new way to see the Continental United States. Ameristar-rail has proposed a new passenger train route called “the Transcontinental Chief” to operate between Los Angeles and New York in partnership with Amtrak. The line would also offer logistics support at rail-ports where truckers can drive their entire tractor-trailers onto railroad flatcars. The service would help truckers get their federally mandated 10-hour rest periods and give them a place to relax. The proposed route would stop through: Garden City, Dodge City, Hutchinson, Newton, Topeka, Lawrence and Kansas City on its trip across the Nation.
The proposal was shared with President Donald Trump, United States Department of Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy, the Federal Railroad Administration and members of congress. The route would be privately funded through its partnerships. The proposed launch date for the Transcontinental Chief is on National Train Day, May 10, 2026.
