Even Amtrak was surprised by the instant popularity of its new Chicago-Twin Cities route

The success of the new Amtrak Borealis bodes well for other regional train routes.

The Amtrak Borealis, a new rail line connecting Chicago and Minneapolis-St. Paul, has only been operating for about a month, but already thousands of passengers have taken the trip. That ridership has exceeded Amtrak’s expectations—and hints at the growing desire among Americans to travel by train.