To the outside observer, the simple solution to all this providence would be to expand the airport, improve its facilities and bring in bigger airplanes. Both Fandrich and Kjergaard agree that is unlikely. The City of Williston owns the airport. As the city has grown, an airport that used to be outside the city is now in the middle of it, and the land it sits on has a high development value. "They could make a killing off the land here," said Fandrich.
The other problem is the airport's main runway: While it is 6,600 feet long, it has a weight limit of just 25,000 pounds. "About the biggest thing we can bring in here is a Saab 340," Kjergaard said. Bigger aircraft can land at Minot, a two-hour drive away, but that airport is also under stress. Designed for 100,000 passengers annually, Minot has seen its traffic grow from 5,000 commercial enplanements per month to 19,000. The FAA recently estimated that North Dakota airports affected by the Bakken boom would need $400 million worth of new investment over the next five years just to stay even with demand.
Given these limitations, the prospects of capital improvements at the current Williston airport are remote. "Nobody is going to sink money into this site if we have to relocate," Kjergaard acknowledges
Also of interest should be this New York Times column by Gail Collins, which can best be described as 'sophistated New Yorker visits the Oil Patch':
Right now you are probably asking yourself: 'What would it be like to live in a place with an unemployment rate of 1 percent?'
Me, too! So I went to Williston, N.D., to find out. There are certain things that journalists do as a public service because you, the noble reader, are probably not going to do them for yourself — like attending charter revision meetings or reading the autobiography of Tim Pawlenty. Going to Williston is sort of in this category. The people are lovely, but you’re talking about a two-hour drive from Minot.
Somehow I'm willing to bet that The Times' travel desk's knowledge of Amtrak extends about as far as Acela. 'Empire Builder? what's that?'. Of further interest is where did Ms. Collins stay? It appears that the 'high end' is Holiday Inn Express and Hampton Inn, which are to me 'as low as I go'. There is no such a thing as a 'full service' hotel in town, i.e. Holiday Inn, Marriott, Hilton, Westin, however, I'm certain that will change in the foreseeable future.
yukon11 Member # 2997
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I would also think, Mr. Norman, that there would be difficulty with landing and takeoffs during the harshest winter months. Northern Montana has a long winter period. When I lived there, many years ago, we had snow as late as early June and as early as late Sept.
Richard
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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Richard, I was with the MILW '70-'81; it is a 'been there done that' to drive US12 through Montana during January.
palmland Member # 4344
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How about a private enterprise solution. The oil companies pay the tab for a couple surplus commuter cars on the EB and carve out a small area for drinks and fast food. They'd be handled as a charter cars on weekends and located safely between the baggage car and transition car.
From the stories I've heard the oil workers are aptly named 'Roughnecks' - wikipedia definition; "roughneck is a slang term for a person whose occupation is hard-manual labour, typically in a dangerous working environment. The term applies across a number of industries, but is most commonly associated with oil rigs." The companies could well afford it and used as incentive to keep workers on the job (free transportation and all the beer you can drink!).
Vincent206 Member # 15447
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The cost expanding the EB consist is larger than it appears at first look. The EB runs a 5 trainset rotation, so any additional car(s) on the train have to be multiplied by 5. IIRC, new cars cost about $4 million each which would require $40 million to add 2 additional cars to every EB.
RRCHINA Member # 1514
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Vincent206, Businessmen, not government or Amtrak, will find a way if it is feasible. BNSF may be willing to assist if, for example, passenger cars were to be set out and picked up - not part of the Chicago to Seattle Amtrak consist, perhaps between crew change points east and west of Williston.
Tanner929 Member # 3720
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I agree with Palmland. Yes the unemployment rates are down because of fracking which is I'm sure burns The Times and the only reason to go to Montana is to visit Ted Turner's Bison farm. I'm sure the roughnecks can find there way to and from the fields. By the time Amtrak gets around to hiring consultants having a study comes up with a plan that like many of their past studies is antiquated by the time implemented.
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