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Indianapolis-to-Chicago Amtrak line not finished yet

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – The Indiana Department of Transportation says Amtrak service between Indianapolis and Chicago will continue through April 30 while Federal Railroad Administration officials reconsider a policy.

INDOT announced the one-month reprieve Friday. It says acting FRA Administrator Sarah Feinberg told INDOT Commissioner Karl Browning in a phone call that her agency would reconsider a policy that INDOT has cited in announcing the four-days-pert-week Hoosier State service would end April 1.

Browning says it isn’t clear the FRA will change its mind but wants to give the agency more time to reconsider.

INDOT had said new federal rules would have effectively deemed Indiana a rail carrier even though it doesn’t own any tracks or trains. It says that policy would expose Indiana to more costs, paperwork and liability for the 196-mile line.