j POCATELLO - Amtrak's CEO Alex Kummant reassured Sen. Mike Crapo, Rep. Mike Simpson and other lawmakers in a Nov. 13 letter that a feasibility study on returning passenger rail service to Southeast Idaho will move forward.

What Kummant's letter didn't mention is that he wouldn't be moving forward with Amtrak. Kummant submitted his resignation on Nov. 14.

Crapo's press secretary, Lindsay Nothern, said he expects Kummant's replacement or another representative will make good on the promise to visit Idaho to determine the feasibility of the return passenger service.

In September, Crapo, Simpson and three Oregon lawmakers sent a letter to the chairs and ranking members of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and Senate Committee of Commerce, Science and Transportation explaining the lack of passenger rail service in the Northwest and asking that Amtrak be ordered to complete the Pioneer study.

The Pioneer route connected Salt Lake City and Seattle, with several stops in Idaho, Oregon and Washington state. When Amtrak terminated the route in 1997 because of low ridership, it left much of the Northwest with no passenger rail service. The only Idaho city currently served by Amtrak is Sandpoint.

The Oregon lawmakers who signed the letter are Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden, Democratic Rep. Earl Blumenauer and Republican Rep. Greg Walden.

The letter also states that the lawmakers have been trying for many years to restore the Pioneer and the route provided many people with their only transportation link to major cities.

The lawmakers hope that the feasibility study is included in the Amtrak legislation so that the entire Pioneer route or parts of it can eventually be reinstated. The Senate version of the legislation includes the Pioneer study, thanks to an amendment by Crapo, while the House version does not.

Kummant's letter to the five lawmakers assured them Amtrak intends to meet the Oct. 16, 2009 deadline for completing the study. It did not give any hints as to when Amtrak officials might visit Idaho or Oregon.

Kummant resigned Friday after two years on the job and following unspecified differences with the board of the national passenger railroad.

William Crosbie, Amtrak's chief operating officer, will serve as acting president and CEO. Kummant's resignation is effective immediately, but he will participate in the leadership transition, Amtrak said.

Amtrak spokesman Cliff Black declined to comment on the specific reasons for Kummant's departure, but said the executive and Amtrak's board "had differences in strategic direction and management philosophy."