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Original Painting by Marc Desobeau available at Highlands Station, LLC |
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Copyright 2009 - 2010 by the Pioneer Restoration Organization |
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April 10, 2009
Jonathan Hutchison Government Affairs Director Amtrak West 530 Water Street Oakland, CA 94607
Dear Mr. Hutchison,
The Pendleton Chamber was recently informed about the research going into the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act. It is with great enthusiasm the Chamber, with full support of our executive board, would like to voice our strong support for restoring the Pioneer route. Passenger trains coming to and through Pendleton have played a large part in our history and growth, and we believe it can do so again.
Tourism plays a large role in our local economy and reinstating the Pioneer would be mutually beneficial to both the community and to Amtrak. Crowds of people come to Pendleton for the Round-Up rodeo each September, and Wildhorse Resort & Casino just 4 miles to the east has become a year ‘round destination. More and more conferences, conventions, meetings, trade shows, and sporting events are choosing to site at several venues here in Pendleton and bring thousands of visitors. We are beginning to see an upsurge in international travelers to Oregon and to Pendleton specifically who are accustomed to rail travel and have asked many times for information on rail service to and through the area. Reinstating the Pioneer would open doors for additional tourism growth that Pendleton is willing and eager to accommodate, since we anticipate these events and attractions, and others, to be a ready source of riders for the train. Moreover, Pendleton acts as a gateway to much of the interior of the region and many communities could benefit from the return of rail travel.
It is not only tourism that would benefit from restoring the Pioneer. Pendleton has only limited regularly scheduled intercity transportation through Greyhound and SeaPort Airlines. Rail service would provide another option for residents in the community as well as regionally, an option that is environmentally friendly and a continuation of Oregon’s “green” initiatives. We have heard of many families who wish for an alternative mode of getting their children to and from college, and there are some folks with physical challenges who find travel by bus or air difficult or impossible. The Pioneer would really open the world for these residents. Additionally, winter conditions make travel by road in Eastern Oregon very difficult. Re-opening the Pioneer would give travelers and residents alike an alternative to driving in dangerous conditions and would enhance rail service’s value to the public.
The Chamber invites you and Amtrak to send representatives to visit Pendleton to assess the possibilities that abound for restoring the Pioneer. We would enjoy the opportunity to work with you to make it a very successful venture. It would even be exciting to restore the Pioneer as part of the 100th celebration of the Pendleton Round-Up in September 2010. Please call if I can assist in facilitating the visit or in forwarding more information.
Sincerely,
Leslie K. Carnes, IOM, ACE Executive Director |
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