MISSOULA — The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority is hoping a bit of homegrown celebrity will help efforts to bring passenger rail service back to Montana's "southern route.”
Musician David Simmons had already penned a new tune "All Aboard Montana" to help kick off the first Passenger Rail Summit in 2020, where counties and other jurisdictions launched the effort to restore Amtrak service across Southern Montana.
The goal is to restore the line which ceased operations in the late 1970s.
During Wednesday's meeting of the Rail Authority, the board unveiled a revised version of the video, with David's Academy Award winning brother -- and insurance pitchman -- JK Simmons joining on the chorus.
The Rail Authority plans to use the video in future presentations and other efforts to advance the push to restore rail service on the route that includes Billings, west to Missoula and Idaho.
