WINONA, Minn. – Mayor Scott Sherman proclaimed Tuesday as Borealis Day to honor the maiden run of a second Amtrak passenger train, the Borealis, through Winona. Sherman will lead the welcome party at the Winona depot at 12:45 p.m. to await the five-minute stop of the train from St. Paul. Several local railroad enthusiasts, including train buff Leone Mauszycki, will be boarding in Winona, for the 36-minute $8 segment to La Crosse. Arriving on the Borealis from St. Paul:
> Chris Meyer, chair of the Great River Rail Committee.
> Paul Schollmeier, former City Council liaison to the committee.
> Caitlin Crouchet, publicist for the Minnesota Marine Art Museum.
The new Borealis train is sponsored by the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois. The train is one of 29 state-supported regional routes in the country.
Verbatim
Roger Harris, Amtrak president: “We are working with grantees on dozens of other possible new Amtrak routes, Thanks to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, interest from state transportation departments and others for new or expanded Amtrak service across the country is at an all-time high.”
> Amit Bose, Federal Railroad administrator: “This is a win for passenger rail expansion in America. More importantly, it’s a win for a growing number of Americans who rely on passenger rail. Investments in rail have long helped Midwesterners and the region’s economy. We applaud the strong partnership between the states and Amtrak, and through President Biden’s infrastructure package, we know even more progress is underway.”