South Dakota Rail Project Receives Governor’s Support

Written by Carolina Worrell, Senior Editor, Railway Age
Sisseton Milbank Railroad (SMRC) operates 37 miles of line between Milbank and Sisseton, South Dakota. SMRC serves the communities of Sisseton, Peever, Wilmot and Corona, SD.
Sisseton Milbank Railroad (SMRC) operates 37 miles of line between Milbank and Sisseton, South Dakota. SMRC serves the communities of Sisseton, Peever, Wilmot and Corona, SD.

South Dakota’s Senate Transportation Committee on Feb. 8 unanimously voted to endorse legislation that would provide $6.25 million to the Sisseton Millbank Railroad Company (SMRC) from the state government’s general fund to rebuild a railroad in northeastern South Dakota, according to a SiouxlandProud.com report.

The state funding request also has South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem’s support, as well as State Transportation Secretary Joel Jundt.

Gov. Kristi Noem (SD-R)

According to the report, the Committee has endorsed the concept of helping SMRC, which is owned and operated by Twin Cities & Western Railroad Company (TC&W), in an upgrade that would allow trains to run at speeds up to 25 mph (the line currently is rated at 10 mph) and forwarded Senate Bill 16 (SB-16) to the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Appropriations that oversees the state government’s budget.

The money, according to the SiouxlandProud.com report, would match a federal grant request of nearly $25 million.

The Sisseton elevator, SiouxlandProud.com reports, plans to add a 110-car loading facility and the Sisseton Wahpeton Sioux Tribe will start bringing in propane if the project moves forward, according to SMRC President Mark Wagner.

Two years ago, the Legislature approved $20 million to help repair parts of the rail line between Fort Pierre and Rapid City.

According to the report, Republican Sen. Randy Deibert “called for the Committee to endorse the Sisseton-Millbank funding.” “I see this as an investment as much as an expenditure,” he said.

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