Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority

What Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority does

Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority (BSPRA) is a regional rail authority established under Montana state law (MCA 7-14-16) by participating counties to restore passenger rail service through southern Montana and the broader Greater Northwest Region. The authority was created following the 1979 discontinuation of Amtrak's North Coast Limited/Hiawatha route, which severed passenger rail access to the largest cities in Montana and North Dakota and left more than 2,000 miles between the Great Lakes and the Pacific without rail service. Headquartered at 100 N 27th St, Suite 600 D, Billings, Montana, BSPRA operates as a government entity governed by a board of county commissioners, with Dave Strohmaier serving as Chair.

BSPRA's core activities center on advocacy, corridor planning, and stakeholder coordination rather than technology development or commercial service delivery. Its primary program is the Federal Railroad Administration's Corridor Identification and Development (CID) Program, for which BSPRA engaged a consulting team led by David Evans and Associates with Quandel Consultants, KLJ Engineering, and Steer Group to support planning for the Big Sky North Coast Corridor (BSNCC). CID Step 1 work is underway through 2026. The authority also offers Business Partnerships and Government Partners Programs, publishes newsletters and engagement reports, and hosts annual conferences including the Greater Northwest Rail Summit.

BSPRA's revenue model is non-commercial and government-adjacent. Funding streams consist of optional financial or in-kind support from participating Montana counties under MCA 7-14-16, tax-deductible public donations processed through its website, and a state-law-permitted mill levy that could be placed before voters. The authority does not sell products or services, and pricing is not publicly disclosed. Customer segments are geographic communities in the Greater Northwest Region lacking passenger rail access and the county governments that participate in the authority's governance structure.

Name

Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority

Legal name

Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority

Website

https://bigskyrail.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority is a Montana government regional rail authority formed under state law by participating counties to advocate for and plan the restoration of passenger rail service through southern Montana and the Greater Northwest Region, currently executing FRA Corridor ID Program work through 2026.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Billings

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. County Financial Support: Under Montana state law (MCA 7-14-16), participating counties may provide financial or in-kind support to the authority. Counties are under no obligation to do so but may choose to contribute to regional rail planning efforts.
2. Donations: The authority accepts tax-deductible donations from the public to support rail restoration efforts. Donations are processed through the organization's website and are used to fund advocacy, community engagement, and planning activities.
3. Mill Levy: State law allows the authority to place before voters in participating counties a mill levy for authority operation, providing a potential mechanism for dedicated funding if approved by voters.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BSPRA is a regional passenger rail authority created under Montana state law (MCA 7-14-16) by participating Montana counties to restore long-distance passenger rail service through southern Montana and the broader Greater Northwest Region. It pursues this mission through participation in the Federal Railroad Administration's Corridor ID Program, multi-county coordination, public engagement, and studies such as the North Coast Hiawatha Restoration Study. It supports its work via donations, business/government partnerships, and prospective county funding mechanisms such as mill levies.

Product overview

Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority (BSPRA) is a regional rail authority established under Montana state law (MCA 7-14-16) to restore passenger rail service to southern Montana and the Greater Northwest Region. Rather than a technology company with software products, BSPRA operates a portfolio of advocacy programs including the Corridor ID Program (in partnership with consulting firms David Evans and Associates, Quandel Consultants, KLJ Engineering, and Steer Group) for planning the Big Sky North Coast Corridor restoration, Business and Government Partnership programs for stakeholder engagement, Publications/Newsletters for public communication, and donation/mailing list tools for supporter engagement. The organization functions as a governance structure to investigate, analyze, seek funding for, and facilitate implementation of long-distance, inter-city rail service.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FRA Corridor ID Program participation (North Coast Hiawatha corridor)
• North Coast Hiawatha Restoration Study

Quantifiable outcome

• $327 million annual economic return to the U.S. from the Empire Builder in 2023

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• David Evans and Associates (DEA)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2025DEA leads a consulting team supporting planning and analysis for restoring long-distance passenger rail service on the former North Coast Hiawatha route, now referred to as the Big Sky North Coast Corridor (BSNCC). CID Step 1 work is underway and expected to continue through 2026.
• Quandel ConsultantscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPart of the consulting team led by David Evans and Associates providing planning and analysis support for the Big Sky North Coast Corridor identification program.
• KLJ EngineeringcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPart of the consulting team providing engineering and planning expertise for the Big Sky North Coast Corridor identification program.
• Steer GroupcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPart of the consulting team providing strategic analysis and planning support for restoring long-distance passenger rail service on the Big Sky North Coast Corridor.
• Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBSPRA was selected for the Federal Corridor ID and Development Program, with FRA support for restoring long-distance passenger rail service. The authority submitted the North Coast Hiawatha Restoration Study and is engaged in CID Step 1 work continuing through 2026.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission: Multi-state compact advancing intercity passenger rail in the Midwest. Comparable as a regional/multi-jurisdictional entity focused on passenger rail expansion through federal program engagement and stakeholder coordination.
• Southern Rail Commission: Multi-state commission working to expand passenger rail service across Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama. Directly comparable as a multi-jurisdictional passenger rail advocacy and planning body working through federal programs to restore or initiate service.
• Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority: California joint powers authority governing the Capitol Corridor intercity passenger rail service between Auburn/Sacramento and Oakland/San Jose. Comparable multi-county governance model for intercity passenger rail planning and oversight, though already operating rather than purely planning.
• All Aboard Northwest: Regional rail advocacy coalition covering the Pacific Northwest including parts of Montana. Highly comparable advocacy-driven stakeholder organization working to expand passenger rail service in the same geography as BSPRA.
• Rail Passengers Association: National membership-based passenger rail advocacy organization that engages in federal policy, Corridor ID Program advocacy, and grassroots organizing. Comparable advocacy and stakeholder mobilization function at a national scale.
• Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority: State-created regional passenger rail authority that supports Amtrak Downeaster service in Maine and New Hampshire. Most structurally comparable to BSPRA as a government entity established by statute to advance regional passenger rail service through multi-jurisdictional collaboration.

Others

• Federal Railroad Administration: U.S. federal agency administering the Corridor ID Program that selected BSPRA and providing funding/oversight for long-distance passenger rail planning. Key ecosystem partner rather than competitor; its program decisions drive BSPRA's forward path.

Broad incumbents

• Amtrak: National passenger railroad operator that would actually run any restored service on the Big Sky North Coast Corridor. Cited throughout BSPRA materials as the operator of the historical North Coast Hiawatha and current Empire Builder; the entity whose decisions and federal funding ultimately determine restoration feasibility.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat1 record

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bigskyrailmt
• Facebookfacebook.com/BigSkyRail
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bigskyrail

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority