"Walker has done a very good job in taking the Chicago - St. Paul proposed service, and characterizing it as simply a Madison to Milwaukee train. The news media have not challenged his mischaracterization in a vigorous fashion, thereby leaving large portions of the general population misinformed. This is to be one segment of an improved rail network that would connect Detroit, Kansas City, Omaha, St. Louis, Louisville, Cincinnati, St. Paul, and Chicago. By focusing upon the Madison to Milwaukee segment alone, and ignoring any mention of the other cities, Walker has prevented any discussion of the positive effects of the improved rail network.
“The crux of the problem with this framing is that MWRRS planning shows that once completed, the Chicago hub HSR will be second to only the profitable NE corridor in terms of potential ridership. While if you just look at the first link between Madison and Milwaukee, the numbers don't justify that effort in isolation.
Walker has masterfully framed this issue in a way that has prevented the public from being exposed to the information that shows the larger benefits of the system. But the irony is that in doing so, he is destroying a great opportunity to grow the regional economy. Short term political gain seems to be canceling out long term prosperity.”
If Walker is successful in his efforts, this will be a serious defeat to getting rail service to Madison, and may even result in Amtrak re-routing the Empire Builder away from Wisconsin completely. "
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