IOWA ASSOCIATION OF RAILROAD PASSENGERS
3349 Southgate CT SW #108
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52404-5424
(319) 362-6824 Voice, (319) 362-7734 Fax
www.simpson.edu/~iarp
or Henry Wulff 515-276-8888 henrywulff@aol.com


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10/31/00


Burlington Mayor Praises Depot Rehabilitation at State Rail Passenger Group 
Meeting


(Burlington, Iowa) Burlington Mayor Tim Scott praised the efforts of 
volunteers and city staffers to rehabilitate the Burlington Railroad Depot 
at a meeting of the Iowa Association of Railroad Passengers (IARP). Scott 
said the efforts saved the building following flood damage and put it well 
on its way to being an intermodal center and business development asset to 
the area.

Mayor Scott told members IARP at the meeting that the depot rehabilitation 
is a priority with the City of Burlington. "There is a broad base of 
support for the project," he said, and it is anticipated that funds to 
continue work on the depot rehabilitation will be included in the next 
fiscal year budget of the City of Burlington.

Scott also noted that even though there is no Amtrak ticket agent at the 
Burlington Depot, during the past three years the number of persons 
boarding trains at Burlington has increased. Last year, about 8,000 persons 
boarded Amtrak trains at the Burlington Depot.

Scott noted the building was abandoned and in a complete state of disrepair 
following the '93 floods. The city took over the building in 1994.

Keynote speaker at the meeting was the director of the Iowa Department of 
Transportationās Modal Division, Neil Volmer. The Modal Division, which 
Volmer directs, is responsible for aviation, public transit and freight and 
passenger rail transportation in the state.

Volmer discussed the significance of the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative, 
a nine-state effort toward improved passenger rail service across the 
region. Volmer said the State of Iowa is a full partner in trying to 
improve rail passenger service to the Midwest, along with the eight other 
states, Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration.

Volmer told that group that Iowa's position on the Midwest Regional Rail 
Initiative will be "measured and cautious."

Volmer said that the Director of the DOT, Mark Wandro, is actively pursuing 
various transportation enhancement possibilities around the state.

Scott and Volmer spoke at the fall meeting of IARP held this past Saturday 
at the Depot.

IARP President Henry C. Wulff of Urbandale said members and guests enjoyed 
a full weekend of activities in Burlington and became acquainted with the 
City's rich railroad heritage. The Friends of the Burlington Depot provided 
tours of the facility. The group dined at Big Muddy's, a former freight 
house. They had a reception at the Perkin's Mansion where they viewed 
historical artifacts from the City's past.  Sunday's activities included a 
tour of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe locomotive shops.

Wulff says IARP is a statewide group that supports rail service,  both 
passenger and freight. Wulff also says the group meets at various locations 
throughout the state.

Previous recent meeting sites have included Amana, Des Moines, Iowa City, 
Davenport and Cedar Rapids. The group was also a co-sponsor of a 
multi-state meeting on rail passenger service in Chicago last April.

Membership information is available from the Iowa Association of Railroad 
Passengers, Inc., 3349 Southgate Court, SW, Suite 108, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 
52404-5424. Membership information will also be available at the meeting. 
Information about the organization is available on the Internet at 
http://www.simpson.edu/~iarp.

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