Support Amtrak by supporting Daines

To the editor:

I, Merlin Louis Marlowe, have lived most of my life in south central Minnesota. I grew up in a conservative Republican household. When I was 13 in 1969, I fell in love with train travel. I became a railroad travel advocate.

In the 1970s, I became a member of the National Association of Railroad Passengers (now called Rail Passengers’ Association). “TORTA Territory” consists of western Minnesota (current Congressional District 7), North Dakota and South Dakota. I will always possess the belief that Amtrak railroad passenger service is a vital transportation necessity throughout the entire United States of America.

Amtrak connects big city, America to small town, America!

I call myself a combination pro-Amtrak Republican and “right-wing” Democrat. Amtrak is supported on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., by virtually every Democrat and roughly a third of Republicans. Thus, Amtrak benefits from bi-partisan support.

As for all ground passenger transportation, I hope that in the years ahead that more bus routes (Greyhound or otherwise) will be more and more connectible with Amtrak routes. There are already many cities where buses and trains share facilities.

Therefore, I wholeheartedly endorse the re-election of Republican U.S. Sen. Steven Daines.

Merlin L. Marlowe

Fairfax, Minn.