NEW MEXICO'S LEGISLATIVE SESSION ENDED WITHOUT ANY AGREEMENT TO FUND AN EFFORT TO KEEP AMTRAK'S SOUTHWEST CHIEF RUNNING ON ITS CURRENT ROUTE. STATE REPRESENTATIVE DENNIS ROCH OF LOGAN SAYS THAT'S A CONCERN. BUT HE SAYS THE GOOD NEWS IS, AMTRAK'S LEASE WITH B-N-S-F DOESN'T EXPIRE UNTIL THE END OF 2015.
UNDER A PROPOSED PARTNERSHIP, NEW MEXICO, COLORADO AND KANSAS WOULD EACH CONTRIBUTE 4-MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR FOR TEN YEARS TO SAVE THE SOUTHWEST CHIEF.
ROSH SAYS THERE WILL BE ANOTHER ATTEMPT IN THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION TO FIND A SOLUTION TO THE FUNDING PROBLEM.
