Railroads are a critical part of the regional economy. Unlike many other rural areas, the region has preserved rail service. BNSF operates a line that parallels the Mississippi River. Union Pacific operates a truck of this line with a switching yard in Ste. Genevieve. Viburnum, on the far western border of the region, is served by BNSF. Another UP line with Amtrak service enters the region from the north. The new Amtrak station opened in Arcadia in Iron County in 2016. The region’s first passenger service since the 1960s.