Sheehy pushes federal support for passenger rail plans in Montana

HELENA — As airports grow more crowded, U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy told Montana residents on Wednesday that passenger rail could help fuel more tourism and economic growth in the Big Sky state.

Sheehy, a Republican speaking at the Greater Northwest Rail Summit, also gave an update on legislation that would remove federal match requirements by local governments for long-distance passenger rail corridors during the planning and development phases of those projects. Planning phases, and the resulting improvement projects, would be expensive — and the legislation, introduced earlier this year, would shift the responsibility for funding to the federal government.

Sheehy said that legislation likely would be attached to a larger federal bill.

“I think we have a good shot of that passing,” Sheehy said.

That legislation would matter for the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority, a multi-jurisdictional Montana government group that’s dedicated to bringing back increased passenger rail service from Chicago to Seattle or Portland. The Great Northwest Rail Summit, a three-day event, has brought over a hundred people from multiple states and countries to discuss railroad issues.

That route, called the Big Sky North Coast Corridor, would go through seven states, including all the way across Montana, with much of the proposed service running through rural areas with small tax bases. The route has locally been called the “southern route” as passenger rail does hit much of the Hi-Line through the Empire Builder train.

Sheehy pointed to the potential economic benefits of the service during a conversation with Missoula County Commissioner Dave Strohmaier, who leads the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority.

Members of the rail authority have pointed to the potential benefits for Montanans, such as moving from city to city for medical appointments, shopping, recreation and even employment. It’s also being looked at by Sheehy as a potential massive boon for tourism, with the senator joking some Montanans may prefer to see the state’s borders closed.

“The reality is, it’s a huge industry,” Sheehy said. “It’s good for the state economy, and then they’re not going to stop coming. I mean, look out the window. Everyone wants to come here, as they should.

Out-of-state visitors to Montana spent roughly $5.6 billion in 2025. About 1-in-11 Montanans have jobs directly supported by tourist dollars.

But Sheehy also pointed to another industry he’s heavily involved in — aviation. Airports are overcrowded, and the demand for air travel is only increasing, he said.

Cars are one solution, Sheehy said, but so is rail — existing easements and railway infrastructure are already in place, which is how the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority has approached expanding train service.

“We’re not trying to build a new railroad, we’re not trying to blow new tunnels through mountains, we’re not trying to create a new ecosystem,” Sheehy said. “What we’re saying is we already have the route here. The route exists. The authorities are there. Let’s utilize the existing infrastructure we have. Obviously, some investment will be needed, but this could be a model for helping to do it around the country.”