Nov 02, 2007: Hotline #525

S. 294, the bipartisan Lautenberg-Lott bill to improve passenger rail, passed the Senate on Tuesday by a veto-proof 70-22 margin.  If all senators had been present, had the six absent Democrats (most of them in Philadelphia for their Presidential candidates’ debate) voted yes, and had Senators Sessions (R-AL) and McCain (R-AZ) voted no, the outcome would have been 76-24.

The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act was approved without any of the damaging anti-passenger amendments that some Senators had proposed.  Sen. Wayne Allard (R-CO) planned—but ultimately withdrew—an amendment that would have reinstated the devastating self-sufficiency requirement for Amtrak that was in the last authorization (Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act of 1997).  The Senate also defeated by wide margins two damaging amendments, just as it did last week.  One from Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) would have impractically required Amtrak to print each passenger’s share of Amtrak’s federal appropriation on their ticket.  The other, from Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), would have required the suspension of food service for two years on any route whose food service loses money.  Noting that food and beverage is an important loss leader, S. 294 co-sponsor Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS) declared, “If you wipe out food service, you might as well terminate the route.  I’ve learned from past experience: Don’t mess with people’s stomachs.”

The New York Times published an editorial yesterday praising the passage of S. 294, and cited NARP as the source for statistics highlighting the superior energy efficiency of passenger rail.

NARP applauds the Senate’s work on S. 294, which authorizes (but does not appropriate) $11.4 billion for passenger rail over six years, including an average of about $555 million annually for Amtrak operations, and $1.4 billion in new matching grants for states.  Click here to see how your Senators voted.  We have also updated the Senate voting charts on the members-only section of the NARP web site.

S. 294 now goes to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.  Please urge your Representative to push for the swift introduction of a House version of S. 294.  Go to our Action Alert Center for full details.

NARP Executive Director Ross B. Capon appeared on The Diane Rehm Show on National Public Radio on Tuesday morning to discuss S. 294 and other Amtrak issues.  He debated former Rep. Ernest Istook (R-OK), who worked to oppose passenger rail funding while he was chair of the House Appropriations Transportation Subcommittee.  Derrick Cain, reporter, Bureau of National Affairs also appeared.  As well, S. 294 sponsor Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) called into the show.  Callers from the general public largely supported having quality passenger rail service in their communities.  You may listen to the segment online.

Amtrak was the highlight of the Travel Industry Association of America’s latest Industry Performance Indicators report.  According to the IPI report for September 2007, domestic air passenger enplanements rose 1.8 percent over the previous year and year-to-date, while the demand for motor gas rose just 0.2 percent and 0.9 percent respectively.  However, Amtrak boardings increased 8.4 percent for the month and 7.1 percent for the year-to-date.  This demonstrates that public demand for the rail travel option is now growing faster than that of the travel industry as a whole, even while the supply of seats on Amtrak is constrained in many markets by limited frequencies and/or shortened train consists.

The National Mediation Board yesterday released Amtrak and the nine unions that had rejected arbitration last week.  As we reported last week, this action sets into motion a 30-day period during which President Bush is likely to appoint a Presidential Emergency Board.  Then the PEB would have another 30 days to submit a recommendation, and the parties would have 30 days after that to reach agreement.  With the parties having been released yesterday, a strike could hypothetically come around January 29.  There is a danger that this process will play into the hands of those in the Bush Administration who seek to permanently shut down much of the Amtrak network.

The price of a barrel of oil (West Texas Intermediate) reached a record level of $96.24 on Wednesday amid continuing strong demand and weak supply.

MBTA opened its long-awaited Greenbush Line on Wednesday, returning commuter rail service on the 18-mile route to Greenbush in Scituate, MA.  The last passenger train on the New Haven Railroad (former Old Colony) line between Scituate and Boston ran on June 30, 1959, shortly before a fire of suspicious origin destroyed the Neponset River bridge.  Until the early 1970s, the Boston transportation establishment leaned toward destroying the entire commuter rail network in favor of “South Shore-style” heavy rapid transit extensions that would terminate at huge Route 128 (Boston’s Beltway) parking garages, and bus-only service to more distant suburbs.  At last, all three of the South Shore (Old Colony) lines are running again, and the worst outcomes of the old, misguided planning assumptions have been laid to rest.

The North Carolina Railroad is undertaking a capacity study to examine possible commuter rail service between Greensboro and Goldsboro.  NCRR is funding the $400,000 study out of its own revenues.  The study will complement another study the Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART) is sponsoring to explore commuter rail between Greensboro and Winston-Salem.

A 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck near San Jose, CA on Tuesday night, disrupting rail service in the San Francisco Bay Area.  BART and Caltrain experienced minor delays.  However, Amtrak suffered serious disruptions along Union Pacific tracks waiting to be inspected.  Capitol Corridor service experienced hefty delays, while northbound Coast Starlight train 14 was held for over eight hours between Salinas and San Jose.  This was the largest earthquake to strike the Bay Area since the deadly 7.1-magnitude Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989.

» back to main hotline page

Nov 09, 2007: Hotline #526

Amtrak and other government programs continue to operate at Fiscal 2007 levels as Congress has yet to send any Fiscal 2008 appropriations bills to President Bush for signature.  The current continuing resolution (CR) runs through mid-November and it appears that another CR will be required at least through mid-December.

However, H.R. 3074, the Transportation-HUD bill, passed both houses and last night a Conference Committee settled the two versions (both houses still need to approve the conference report).  Amtrak will receive $1.375 billion ($475 million for operations, and $900 for capital projects and debt service).  An additional $75 million will be allocated for 50-50 matching capital grants for state investments, for a total of $1.45 billion for passenger rail programs.  President Bush remains committed to vetoing the $50.9 billion bill, which is $3 billion above his budget request.  Please urge your Senators and Representative to work for and vote for this bill.  (A vote could come by next Wednesday, so phone calls are needed.)  If the bill does not pass with a veto-proof majority, the final result is likely to be lower numbers for Amtrak.

Meanwhile, S. 294, the bipartisan Lautenberg-Lott bill to improve passenger rail that also serves as a six-year Amtrak reauthorization, passed the Senate last week by a veto-proof 70-22 margin.  Please urge your Representative to work for passage of a House counterpart to S. 294.  Go to our Action Alert Center for full details.

Passenger rail received more favorable press recently as Parade Magazine showcased the rail travel alternative as its cover story last Sunday.  A poll on the article web page asking, “Should Congress commit more money to America’s trains?” has seen 97% of nearly 10,000 respondents answer “Yes” so far.  Several newspaper editorial boards this week praised S. 294’s passage in the Senate.

The Wall Street Journal  published a lengthy, sympathetic article on Amtrak October 31, reporting on the passage of S. 294, under the headline “For Amtrak, the Climate Changes; With Oil Soaring, Senate Approves Big Spending Boost.”  The appearance of this headline in the Journal arguably symbolizes the business world’s growing awareness both of climate change and rail’s relevance to it.

Amtrak presented its annual President’s Service and Safety Awards last week.  New this year is a State Partner category, for which Amtrak President Alex Kummant has honored Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority Executive Director Eugene Skoropowski (Skoropowski is also a NARP Director and Executive Committee member).  Kummant also conferred State Partner honors on California Department of Transportation Division of Rail Chief William Bronte and Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority Executive Director Patricia Quinn.

U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams, Jr. has ruled in favor of letting construction proceed on the controversial, costly Intercounty Connector (ICC) toll-road in Maryland.  Particularly given the state’s budget crisis, transit supporters are concerned that there will not be adequate funding for both the Purple Line light rail intended to link Bethesda, Silver Spring and College Park/New Carrollton and the ICC, and that the verbal commitments of Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) and other politicians to build the Purple Line will turn out to be hollow.  Today, the Maryland Senate directed Gov. O’Malley to cut $515 million from the state budget as a $1.5 billion shortfall is projected this year.

Amtrak on November 1 was honored by PENJERDEL, a Delaware Valley business orgazniation.  Amtrak President and CEO Alex Kummant spoke briefly at the Philadelphia luncheon where Amtrak was presented the award for Company of the Year.

Amtrak’s Vice President for Security Strategy and Special Operations is Bill Rooney, who was appointed in the summer, succeeding James McDonnell III.  Rooney spent much of his career with the FBI but most recently worked for Amtrak’s Office of Inspector General as Chief of Security Evaluations and Intelligence.

Be sure to book your Amtrak tickets as far in advance as possible for Thanksgiving week travel.  Amtrak has published a special Northeast timetable (PDF) for Thanksgiving week, also available inside Northeast station.  On the Cascades between Seattle and Portland, Amtrak will operate additional frequencies between November 21 and 25 using Horizon equipment.  There will also be special direct Thurway motorcoach service between the University of Oregon at Eugene (station code EUO) and Portland.  An announcement is forthcoming regarding future regular service to the University campus.

A number of freight, commuter, and tourist railroads will operate “Santa Trains” and other holiday specials this season.  On November 23, Santa Claus will ride Amtrak San Joaquin train 712 between Fresno and Hanford, CA.  At Hanford, families who present two items of canned, non-perishable food will be allowed to ride on Freddie the Fire Truck to Hanford’s Fox Theatre for a screening of The Polar Express.  A Christmas parade will follow.  On December 1, Amtrak’s Carolinian and Piedmont will host Santa between certain trains in North Carolina.

Amtrak will offer seasonal Thruway service from Rutland, VT to Okemo, providing connections to/from the Ethan Allen Express.  The service will run November 23, 2007 to April 6, 2008.  The Okemo stop location will be the Inn at Jackson Gore.  The one-way fare is $10; request station code OKO.

Effective November 15, schedules are changing on Thruways operated by Texas, New Mexico & Oklahoma Coaches.  The biggest and least passenger-friendly change is that the Denver connection to/from the Southwest Chief will be provided at Albuquerque instead of Raton, meaning the ride to/from Denver will double from four hours to eight.  Additionally, TNM&O is cancelling one of two Albuquerque-El Paso round-trips.

CSX and Norfolk Southern trackwork will affect service in North Carolina on November 10 and 11.  On those dates, the Carolinian will not operate between Charlotte and Washington in either direction.  Northbound Silver Star train 92 will skip Southern Pines, Cary, and Raleigh on those dates.  Cary and Raleigh passengers will be bussed to/from Rocky Mount, with no alternative transportation provided to/from Southern Pines.

Several Keystone trains will operate will modified schedules beginning December 3 to accommodate ongoing track rehabilitation in Pennsylvania.

» back to main hotline page

Nov 16, 2007: Hotline #527

Amtrak and other government programs continue to operate at Fiscal 2007 levels as Congress has yet to send most Fiscal 2008 appropriations bills to President Bush for signature (with one vetoed so far).  The current continuing resolution (CR) will tide over government programs until December 14.

The conference report for Transportation and Housing appropriations (“THUD”) passed the House on Wednesday 270-147, eight votes shy of the super-majority required to override a promised veto from President.  The bill would provide $1.45 billion for intercity passenger rail ($1.375 billion for Amtrak and $75 million to match state investments).  Read the news release describing the entire bill (PDF).

Please urge your Senators to work for and vote for this bill and to resist any attempts to reduce passenger rail funding.  If both houses are unable to override a presidential veto, the final result is likely to be lower numbers.  However, it is also possible that most Fiscal 2008 domestic spending will be folded into a combined Omnibus bill.  Yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said Democratic leaders are considering a package that would split the difference between levels proposed by Congress and the White House.  If that were applied to individual programs, it would result in Amtrak getting less funding than in FY 2007.

Please also urge your Representative to work for passage of a House counterpart to S. 294, the bipartisan Lautenberg-Lott bill to improve passenger rail that also serves as a six-year Amtrak reauthorization.  Go to our Action Alert Center for full details.

The White House yesterday announced that President Bush intends to nominate three people to the Amtrak Board.  Nancy A. Naples of New York is the former Motor Vehicles Commissioner of New York State (under the George Pataki Administration, 2006-2007) and former County Comptroller of Erie County (1994-2005).  Denver Stutler, Jr., of Florida is the former Secretary of Transportation for Florida (under the Jeb Bush Administration, 2005-2007).  He held other positions in the Jeb Bush Administration, including Bush’s Chief of Staff and Chief of Staff of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.  He also worked for former Sen. Connie Mack III (R-FL) in the 105th Congress.  He now runs the Stutler Strategies consultancy.

President Bush also nominated Thomas C. Carper, who was mayor of Macomb, IL (1991-2003).  From 1991 to 2001 he served on the Amtrak Mayors’ Advisory Council (under Amtrak Board appointment, according to the Quincy Herald-Whig) and chaired the Council in 2000-2001.  When Amtrak was in danger of running out of cash in mid-2002, he led a Macomb City Council resolution (that NARP helped to circulate among Amtrak communities) urging federal investment in passenger rail service.  (Carper is not related to the Delaware senator, former Governor and former Amtrak Board member.)

The White House news release shows only the three names (at the end of a long list of other appointments).  Also see Sen. Richard Durbin’s (D-IL) release on the Carper appointment.

At its meeting last week, the Amtrak Board elected Donna McLean as Chair to fill the slot of David Laney, who will step down from the Board when his term expires later this month.

FRA has awarded a Railroad Rehabilitation & Improvement Financing (RRIF) loan to Virginia Railway Express, the first such loan to a commuter rail operation.  The $72.5-million package (along with $20 million contribution from Virginia) will allow VRE to purchase 50 new bi-level cars.

The St. Charles streetcar line in New Orleans reopened last Saturday for the first time since Hurricane Katrina.  The six miles in service along St. Charles (along with the Canal Street and Riverfront lines) represents a phased reopening; New Orleans Regional Transit Authority hopes to have the remaining seven miles of the St. Charles line back in service by next Spring.

Albuquerque, NM has allocated $160,000 to combine and improve its Amtrak and Greyhound stations.  While Greyhound is situated in the recently-built Alvarado Transportation Center, the small, run-down Amtrak station remains next door.  Amtrak has committed $500,000 to move into (and possibly improve) the Greyhound station and convert the current station into an expanded Amtrak crew base.  If H.R.3074 (Fiscal 2008 Transportation appropriations) becomes law as written, a $510,000 federal grant would be earmarked for the project.

Indio, CA has entered into a contract to privately develop a new transportation center and transit village.  City officials hope in the long-term to bring Amtrak back to Indio, which was served until 1998 by Amtrak’s Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle.  The station stop was shuttered after the Palm Springs station opened 23 miles to the west.

Next week’s Hotline will be posted on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving.

» back to main hotline page

Nov 21, 2007: Hotline #528

The Senate adjourned for the Thanksgiving recess without taking final action on the Fiscal 2008 Transportation-HUD appropriations bill.  Many scenarios for avoiding a Presidential veto have been discussed, some of which include lowering the spending level of this and all other appropriations bills.  The effect of these cuts would fall hard on Amtrak.  Contact your Representative and Senators and urge them not to cut Amtrak funding in the final bill.  Click here for more information in our Action Alert center.
Climate Change and Passenger Rail: On December 5, the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee plans to consider (“mark up”) S.2191 America’s Climate Security Act of 2007, whose lead sponsors are Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) and John Warner (R-VA). It is important that passenger rail benefit from the bill’s cap and trade regime that may be created as well as other aspects of the bill. The bill’s “findings” notes that “additional policies external to a cap-and-trade program may be required, including with respect to—(A) the transportation sector, where reducing greenhouse gas emissions requires changes in the vehicle, in the fuels, and in consumer behavior…” The bill also refers notes the importance of “an aggressive program for deploying advanced energy technology.” The danger is that the bill will be dominated by automotive interests and provisions aimed specifically at automobiles, overlooking the fact that more efficient use of energy (and energy-efficient transportation like trains and buses). Please urge your senator to work for a balanced approach in this bill which gives full weight to the benefits of incentives for people to park their cars and “leave the driving” to those running Amtrak and commuter trains and transit trains and buses.

With regard to the nine unions released from mediation last week, it is expected that President Bush will appoint a Presidential Emergency Board before the end of November. This PEB would be charged with making recommendations by December 30 for new contracts. Then there would be a 30-day “cooling off period” during which the parties can negotiate further. In the past, when such negotiations have failed, laws usually have been enacted which either (a) implemented the PEB’s recommendations, (b) mandated binding arbitration, or (c) extended the cooling-off period. In one case involving the airline industry (also covered by the Railway Labor Act), Congress created its own PEB, but the President vetoed this legislation and Congress failed to override the veto.

One of the unions involved, the Transportation Communications Union announced this week that its members would support a proposed strike against Amtrak.  TCU International President Bob Scardelletti told Railway Age that, “though it is likely that a Presidential Emergency Board will be appointed before the December 1 strike deadline…We will be ready, whatever happens.” It is technically correct that, should President Bush fail to appoint a PEB, a strike would be legal after midnight November 30.

However, we are optimistic that service will not be interrupted because the relevant Congressional committees are alert to these issues and already examining what legislation may be needed. Indeed, your executive director plans to depart Los Angeles on the Southwest Chief on January 29, less than 12 hours before a “post-PEB” strike would become legal if negotiations failed and Congress and the President did not act. 

The results of a study about commuter rail between Galveston and Houston have been released. The study was favorable and found that passenger rail service, “is economical, will reduce air pollution, ease traffic congestion and provide an evacuation route if a hurricane threatens.”  The study was funded by the City of Galveston and performed by Goodman Corp.  The company’s Barry Goodman said, “If we fail to take advantage of a system that is as cost-effective as this, then we have truly dropped the ball.” The project can now more forward into the alternatives analysis process.

The Piedmont Rail Summit was held last week in Charlottesville, VA. Among the speakers were Pat Simmons, Director of the North Carolina DOT Rail Division and Kevin Page, Director of Rail Programs for the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation.  The event was organized and presented by CvilleRail, a young advocacy group based in Albemarle County that promotes more and better rail service between Charlottesville and Washington, DC.  Meredith Richards, chairman and founder of the group, told the Culpepper Times, “We are learning that, in state after state, when existing routes are expanded or new intercity service is created, ridership explodes…Clearly, people are ready for a better alternative, and trains offer a comfortable, safe and environmentally responsible way to travel.”

NARP wishes you and your families a safe and happy Thanksgiving Holiday.  The NARP office will be closed tomorrow, but open Friday.

» back to main hotline page

Nov 30, 2007: Hotline #529

The Senate adjourned for the Thanksgiving recess last week without taking final action on the Fiscal 2008 Transportation-HUD appropriations bill.  Many scenarios for avoiding a Presidential veto have been discussed, some of which include lowering the spending level of this and all other appropriations bills.  The effect of these cuts would fall hard on Amtrak.  Contact your Representative and Senators and urge them not to cut Amtrak funding in the final bill.

The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on Wednesday, December 5, is likely to mark up S. 3121, “America’s Climate Security Act.”  Since the climate change impact per passenger-mile of commercial airlines is two to three times greater than Amtrak’s, provisions that encourage passenger rail development are logical to include in this bill.

Please also urge your Representative to work for passage of a House counterpart to S. 294, the bipartisan Lautenberg-Lott bill to improve passenger rail that also serves as a six-year Amtrak reauthorization.  Go to our Action Alert Center for full details.

President Bush has appointed a Presidential Emergency Board to investigate the ongoing dispute between Amtrak and nine of its unions.  This PEB will be charged with making recommendations by December 30 for new contracts.  Under the Railway Labor Act, a 30-day period for negotiations follows issuance of the recommendations, so January 31 is the earliest a strike could come if the PEB requested no extension and the parties did not reach agreement.  Congressional committees already are considering legislation that would be needed to prevent a strike.  Besides the possible Congressional actions outlined in last week’s Hotline, a hybrid law is also possible, enforcing some PEB recommendations but sending others to arbitration.  Other variables are whether or not the bill sets a date certain for arbitration to be finished and when that date.  Another factor is that, whereas House jurisdiction for Railway Labor Act matters is with the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, Senate jurisdiction is with a committee not otherwise involved with railroading (Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions).

CSX has agreed to sell 61 miles of track to the State of Florida just in time to qualify the Central Florida commuter rail project for $180 million in federal funding.  Florida plans to improve the railroad it now owns between DeLand, Orlando, and Poinciana.  The first phase between DeBary and Sand Lake Road (in the southern part of Orlando) should be operational by 2010, with the full DeLand-Poinciana system up and running by 2013.  17 stations are expected.  CSX and Amtrak will continue to operate over the state-owned trackage.  In expressing support for the project, Rep. John Mica (R-FL) also noted that the Sand Lake Road station will allow intermodal connections to Orlando International Airport using shuttle service.

Amtrak and Wisconsin officials dedicated the new Milwaukee Intermodal Station on Monday after completion of a $17 million renovation.  Besides providing greater amenities for Amtrak Empire Builder and Hiawatha passengers and improving the appearance of the station, the improvements have allowed Greyhound and other intercity bus operators to relocate from a remote station where Amtrak connections had required a lengthy transfer by bus or taxi.

Amtrak Pere Marquette train 371 rear-ended a Norfolk Southern freight train on the South Side of Chicago this morning.  The engine telescoped onto the rear well of a single-stack container car, while the three Superliner coaches remained on the track.  Amtrak has reported 30 injuries, including five crew members who were seriously injured.  Most of the 187 passengers and the other crew member left the train on their own power, and those who were injured suffered only minor injuries.  Amtrak train service between Chicago and Michigan has been suspended, at least for the rest of the day.

After December 9, all Denver-Cheyenne-Casper Thruway service will be discontinued, ending the only connecting Amtrak service to Wyoming.  Powder River Transportation is abandoning the service, and at this point we are not aware of any carrier willing to take over the service.

Service to Newport News, VA will be disrupted on December 12 and 13.  CSX will replace ties in single track territory.  Regional trains 66 and 67 will not operate south of Washington (no alternate transportation), train 94 will originate in Richmond (bus service from Newport News and Williamsburg), and train 95 will operate through to Newport News (the equipment will immediately turn and deadhead back to Richmond to be the next day’s train 94).  Train 95 is subject to delay due to slow orders from the new tie installations.

» back to main hotline page