Beech Grove Amtrak workers worry about future
BEECH GROVE, Ind. (WISH) — The Indiana Passenger Rail Alliance and Amtrak Midwest held a press conference in Beech Grove Wednesday aimed at appealing the defunding of the Hoosier State train line.
Amtrak announced in April the Hoosier State train line would be suspended starting July 1.
The announcement came after Indiana’s budget did not include the funding needed for Amtrak to continue the operation.
Stopping the line has the hundreds of employees at the Beech Grove Amtrak maintenance facility worried about their jobs.
“We hear much talk about Hoosier jobs and Indiana’s effort to attract quality jobs and it only makes sense that we work equally as hard like those here at Amtrack’s Beech Grove facility,” said Crawfordsville Mayor Todd Barton.
The Hoosier State line currently receives $3 million a year in subsidies from the state under the current budget, plus a combined $500,000 from five local communities along the route.
News 8’s Julia Deng will have continuing coverage tonight at 10 p.m. and 11 p.m.