A Vision Tracked: Senator Ty Masterson’s Long-Term Commitment to Kansas Passenger Rail
- Deborah Fischer Stout
- 7 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 7 days ago
For those of us at the Northern Flyer Alliance, the dream of a fully connected rail corridor from Kansas City to Fort Worth has never been just about "trains." It’s about economic growth, regional connectivity, and the foresight to build infrastructure that serves the next generation of Kansans.
While many are just now hearing about the progress of the Heartland Flyer Extension through the federal Corridor ID program, there are leaders in Topeka who have been laying the tracks for this moment for well over a decade. Chief among them is Senate President Ty Masterson and his fellow Senators.
The Groundbreaking Foundations: 2010
To understand the current momentum, we have to look back to 2010. At the time, then-Representative Ty Masterson and Senator Dick Kelsey recognized a gap in our state's transportation portfolio. Together, they co-sponsored what would become a legislative cornerstone of Kansas infrastructure: Kansas Statute 75-5089, also known as the Passenger Rail Program Act.
This wasn’t just a symbolic gesture. This legislation authorized the Secretary of Transportation to:
Enter into cost-sharing agreements with Amtrak and other states.
Establish the Passenger Rail Service Revolving Fund.
Develop intermodal terminals to meet federal safety and efficiency standards.
By creating the legal and financial framework for passenger rail in 2010, Senators Masterson, Kelsey, McGinn, and later, Senators Dietrich, Corson, Petersen and others joined the effort to ensure that when federal opportunities—like the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law—eventually arrived, Kansas wouldn't be starting from scratch. We were "rail-ready" because of his and their early leadership.
Consistent Leadership from the Senate President's Podium
Fast forward to today. Now serving as President of the Senate, Senator Masterson’s support has transitioned from foundational to transformational. Under his leadership, the Kansas Senate has consistently advanced legislation to move the Heartland Flyer Extension from a plan on paper to a reality on the ground.
In the last three legislative sessions alone, we have seen a steady drumbeat of progress:
2024 (Senate Bill 349): Overseeing a critical year of alignment after the Heartland Flyer was officially accepted into the FRA’s Corridor ID program in 2023, a first-ever $5M General Fund Transfer to the Passenger Rail Revolving Fund meant that Kansas was serious about the Heartland Flyer Extension.
2025 (Senate Bill 86): A continued push to solidify the intercity passenger rail service program and ensure the original statute, 75-5089 was positioned well within KDOT’s Budget - not only as KDOT’s responsibility but also as a peer to highways and aviation with a first-ever “no limit” funding assignment.
2026 (Senate Bill 357): The current session’s continuation of last year’s “no limit” funding assignment within KDOT’s budget. This year’s addition ensures Kansas is on-par with other Midwest states who have comparative operational support set-asides.
Why This Matters
First and foremost, Kansas must do more than simply complete requisite documentation. The competition with other states is stiff, as the FRA will give priority funding to those states who also have significant operational support set-asides. Legislative "wins" often feel like incremental paperwork, but for the Northern Flyer Alliance, these bills represent the difference between a "maybe" and a "when." Senator Masterson’s persistence proves that passenger rail is not a partisan issue; it is a Kansas growth issue.
By connecting Wichita and Newton to Oklahoma City and Fort Worth to the south and Kansas City to the north, Kansas is opening its doors to economic development, population growth, tourism, and ensuring our businesses continue to grow and our universities remain competitive in a connected world.
In The News
On Sunday, May 24, 2026, President Donald Trump announced his support for gubernatorial candidate Senator Ty Masterson. “It is my Great Honor to endorse Ty Masterson, a fantastic Candidate running to be the next Governor of the Great State of Kansas, a place I love and WON BIG in 2016, 2020 and 2024!” Trump posted on social media.
Read more at: https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article315878210.html#storylink=cpy
A Heartfelt Thank You
The Northern Flyer Alliance extends its deepest gratitude to Senator Ty Masterson and his colleagues such as Kansas Rail Caucus Chairs Senator Brenda Dietrich and Senator Carolyn McGinn. His 16-year journey—from a Representative co-sponsoring the initial Passenger Rail Program Act to a Senate President championing the latest funding bills—is a masterclass in long-term vision.
As we move through the next phases of the Corridor ID process, we are proud to have a leader in Topeka who knows that the best way to predict the future is to build it.
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