State support of the federal passenger rail line, Amtrak, in the state has doubled in cost per passenger over the past two decades from about $16 to $32 a passenger. Brian Weiler, Director of the State Transportation Department’s multi-modal division, says that money is being scrutinized in these tight budget times. Weiler says one of the two roundtrip lines between Kansas City and St. Louis will have to shut down at the end of this month unless state lawmakers are able to come up with some last-minute money. He worries if that line is lost for several months until the new fiscal year starts, it will have a hard time recovering ridership that would be lost.
