To Mr. Ken Buehler

I have been to Duluth from the Twin Cities at least a zillion times! I love Duluth and Superior an everything up the shore! I came across a tote bag recently with the map proposed for the Northern Lights Railroad Express line from the TCS Metro to Duluth/Superior. I talked about it at a recent visit with my sister, Julianne Raymond (formerly known in the Twin Ports as Julie Moen).

Now that the new "Infrastructure" Plan is a viable, I hope that could help with your idea, that is sorely needed. As I said, I go to Duluth a lot, but with traffic on I-35 seemingly doubling whenever I go, and my age creeping up, I would love to ditch my car and travel in comfort when the NLX becomes a reality! 

I wish there were a way I could help you on the TCs end, because a speedy train system would be a boon to our state. If Mr. Biden can travel to DC by train to work for 90 minutes (one way) maybe people in Minnesota could do that on a speedy train with several "stops" from smaller cities to all three cities at the ends of the proposed line. If not to go to work, then to go to play!! It would reduce weekend traffic on I-35 by a lot, unless most people need to tow a boat or haul canoes and skis each time they go to God's Country. Even that could be addressed by allowing a car on the train to haul that for them. Duluth would have to beef up its rental car and taxi service, I imagine. I'm sure there would be people up North who could benefit in their home town businesses by supporting your train. And some might find a way to live in Duluth/Superior and work at least some of the time in any of the towns including Minneapolis or St. Paul.

By now you probably think I'm crazy to get so excited about this possibility, but maybe it could even help people on both ends of the ride, and in between, to find out what we all love about Minnesota. Julie and I took the scenic route by road up to Two Harbors in my most recent visit in October. I wanted to see the leaves up the shore and I had not been to Two Harbors since she and her then-husband lived there when her first child was born. 

Anyway, I know that you are the guy who supports all things railroad up north, so I just wanted to tell you how exciting I think it would be for the NLX to become a reality.

Good luck. And take care. The world needs all the people who have brilliant ideas!

Gayle Raymond 
Bloomington, Minn.