COLUMBUS, Wis. — From the most die-hard train enthusiasts to everyday commuters, travelers from across Wisconsin came together Tuesday to experience the first run of Amtrak’s Borealis service in the state. 

Borealis runs between Chicago and St. Paul, with intermediate stops throughout Wisconsin, including Milwaukee, La Crosse and Portage. The Borealis doubles the frequency of trains on the route, adding more service to supplement the existing Empire Builder which continues on to Seattle. 

Dennis Hamilton is a self-described train fan. Dennis Hamilton and his wife Gayle Hamilton took the train from Milwaukee to the Wisconsin Dells on the inaugural run. Dennis Hamilton worked for Amtrak for years but has since retired. He said getting to see this become a reality means a lot. 

“It has been 20 years since I worked for the company but even back then we were talking about adding an extra frequency up to the Twin Cities, so this is it. This is finally it. It is a good feeling,” he said. 

Others on the first trip are glad it will help meet their transit needs. Joe Drees lives in Columbus, one of the stops along the route. Drees regularly rides the train between Columbus and the Milwaukee Airport. He said he hopes Borealis will cut down on his layovers. 

“The wait was three hours from the time I would drop the car off at the airport, and then head downtown. I would have to wait three hours in order to go west. That was an all day thing. This is an afternoon,” said Drees. 

Local businesses in Columbus hope the added Borealis service will be good for their bottom line, too. Julie Hornbacher owns Julies Java House directly across from the train station. She said she believes the new service will help drum up business around town. 

“I am sure it is going to increase business all over town. We send people if they want burgers, we send em to the burger places. Mexican restaurants, fast food stores,” said Hornbacher. 

Amtrak Borealis service will run one train in each direction, seven days per week.