The Daily Republic, Mitchell, SD 4/2:
LETTER: Bring railroad passenger services to S. DakotaBy Merlin Marlow
To the Editor:
I write this article as a public notice.
The topic? Intercity railroad passenger service, namely Amtrak. Amtrak has been operating most of the nation's passenger train routes for 45 years on May 1. Among the 48 states, only two are Amtrak-less: South Dakota and Wyoming. I wish to see a change in South Dakota's current passenger transportation status. As a railroad travel advocate from Minnesota, I have started an organization called "TORTA": Tri-Otas Railroad Travel Advocates." We are a daughter chapter of the National Association of Railroad Passengers, which is based in Washington, D.C.
TORTA consists of South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota's current seventh Congressional District. Three states ending with the letters O-T-A, thus Tri-otas.
A platform has been written up outlining the possibilities of railroad passenger service for the state of South Dakota. . . .
Continue here.