Apr 02, 2010: Hotline #638

Hotline #648
Friday, April 02, 2010

Record rainfall in the Rhode Island has led to severe flooding in the region, eliminating Amtrak service on the Boston-Providence-New Haven segment at least through today.  Also starting today, Amtrak arranged with CSX to operate three Regional Boston-New York round-trips via the “Inland Route” through Springfield and Hartford.

Service was suspended east of New Haven from March 31 due to the severe flooding.  New York-Washington service is operating normally but “passengers should also expect some residual delays in these locations as a result of the disruption in New England.”

Amtrak employees are on the ground in Rhode Island, and will be monitoring conditions.


North Carolina announced on March 30 that a mid-day Raleigh-Charlotte round-trip will commence June 5, bringing the number of state-sponsored passenger trains between North Carolina’s two biggest cities to three daily round-trips.

That means four round-trips between Greensboro and Charlotte, counting Amtrak’s night-time Crescent.

Eugene Conti, head of North Carolina’s Department of Transportation, touted the benefits to would come from giving the public more travel choices in their everyday lives.

“As our population continues to grow, we must provide people with travel alternatives,” said Conti in a press release.  “Train travel also provides environmental and energy benefits through reduced congestion and improved air quality.”

The additional trains are expected to particularly benefit business travelers, students, and seniors.  North Carolina has been aggressive in expanding its state passenger rail program; they currently run Amtrak’s Piedmont and Carolinian under the brand North Carolina’s Amtrak.

You can find out more about the new trains in NCDOT’s press release (PDF).


Talks to increase subsidies to the Washington Metropolitan Transportation Authority (WMATA) to avoid service cuts and fare hikes have run into a serious obstacle, as Maryland transportation officials revealed they won’t even be able to pay money the state has already promised in support of the regional transit system.

Government officials in jurisdictions served by WMATA have been considering increasing their financial support to close a $189 million budget gap for the fiscal year that starts July 1, hoping to avoid drastic fare increases and service reductions.  WMATA reports that riders’ fares typically cover just 68 percent of the cost of each train trip, and 24% of each bus trip. 

Maryland Transportation Secretary Beverley Swaim-Staley said in a letter that the state won’t even be able to pay nearly $29 million that they have already committed towards WMATA’s budget, and will seek to defer payment until 2012.

“Unfortunately, due to the economic recession, revenues supporting Maryland’s Transportation Trust Fund have declined by 13 percent since 2007” wrote Secretary Swaim-Staley.

Despite the budget shortfall, WMATA only asked jurisdictions to maintain last year’s level of support—$574 million each.  Some leaders have called for an additional $74 million to be raised between the jurisdictions served to help close the budget gap and address the maintenance backlog affecting the transit system.

“It’s not chump change,” Christopher Zimmerman, an Arlington County Board member, told the Washington Examiner. “On the other hand, this is a really vital service.”

However, this plan is not likely to go forward unless every jurisdiction agrees to it.  And with Maryland not paying its fair share, chances for a happy resolution seem dim. 

“It is essential that Maryland come up with the funds to keep Metro going without service cuts or unreasonable fare increases” wrote NARP President Ross Capon in a letter to Maryland’s Governor Martin O’Malley.  “It is unacceptable that Virginia apparently is putting Maryland to shame in terms of relative support for Metro.  Public transit is not an option, it is a necessity…That Metrorail peak-hour service reductions are even on the table is outrageous.”

WMATA held public hearings on proposed fare increases and service reductions.  A summary is available online. Capon testified in Rockville, MD, last night.


Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill into law in California on March 22 that will provide around $750 million in much-needed funds for transit systems around the state.

The bill continues the sales tax on diesel fuel, which provides around $350 million annually for the State Transit Assistance program, alongside a one-time appropriation of $400 million.

In a March 24 statement, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency Director and Chief Executive Officer Nathaniel Ford Sr. said, “While Monday’s action by the Governor does not restore all of the revenue we have lost from the state in recent years, the funding will clearly help us provide more reliable transit service.”


In related news, Caltrain officials warned of drastic service cuts that would be necessary if state and local revenues continue to be low.

The commuter rail line between San Francisco and Gilroy, San Jose, Mountain View, Palo Alto, and points in between, may cease operating mid-day and weekend trains, leaving many regular riders in the lurch and stalling development around stations. The cuts would affect an average of 18,211 weekend riders, 5,718 midday riders and 2,082 nighttime riders, officials said.

“This is not an April Fools’ joke,” Caltrain CEO Mike Scanlon told the agency’s board of directors, as reported in the San Jose Mercury News. “This is real. We’re at a watershed moment where there’s a possibility this railroad could go away.”


In a sign of support for an expanded long-distance network, two of President Obama’s nominees for Amtrak’s Board of Directors wrote Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) indicating they would press for refined cost estimates for restoring the Salt Lake City-Portland Pioneer.

The two nominees, plus a third pick, have been approved by the Senate Commerce Committee and are awaiting a confirmation vote in the full Senate.


Amtrak, which began offering 25% reduced fares on travel on select Northeast Regional trains last year, announced this week that they are making these price reductions permanent.

“With ridership up on the Northeast Regional service so far this fiscal year, it is obvious these new low fares are popular with our passengers,” said Amtrak vice president of marketing and product development, Emmet Fremaux.

The reduced fares—which require reservations 14 days in advance—are valid on select travel between Washington and Boston, and south of D.C. to Newport News and Lynchburg, Virginia.  See Amtrak.com for more details.


A recently released study by the Rocky Mountain Rail Authority (RMRA) has demonstrated the feasibility of intercity high speed trains in Colorado.

The 18-month, $1.4 million study looked at Fort Collins-Denver-Vail and Denver-Pueblo services.  The full proposal would cost an estimated $21.1 billion, but RMRA officials are quick to point out that the system could be built in phases.

“It might be 10 to 20 years before we actually build anything, … [and] we do not have to build all of this at once,” Harry Dale, Chairman of the RMRA and a Clear Creek County commissioner, told the Denver Post.  He went on to note that the current recession would add an unnecessary burden to the project.

The study shows that the demand exists in the corridor, and that trains could be carrying up to 35 million passengers a year by the year 2035.  At an estimated fare rate of 35 cents a mile—at that price, Denver to Pueblo would cost $40—the train would generate $750 million in revenue.

Additionally, the RMRA analysis shows the train would provide an estimated $33 billion in long-term economic benefits—from jobs, income, and newly generated economic growth.


Caltrain officials approved plans yesterday to electrify the rail line from San Francisco to San Jose as part of a ten year initiative to create a greener, faster, cheaper, and more efficient train system.

The electrification plan would cost $1.23 billion in total, but would allow Caltrain to expand the number of trains it runs from 90 to 114 each weekday.  Two cost elements: $440 million for new and faster locomotives and $785 million for infrastructure upgrades such as electric catenaries.

Caltrain has set aside $709 million in local, state and federal funds; the rest will come from a 2008, voter-approved high speed and intercity passenger rail bond, and federal high speed and intercity grants.

Construction is expected to last around three years.  The electrified trains will produce 90% less emissions, run and stop more quickly, operate more quietly, and cost less to run.


China’s new high speed rail line has proved to be an instant success, forcing an elimination of air service between the two cities served by the train.

The new line, between the inland cities Zhengzhou and Xian, runs 314 miles, reaches a top speed of 350 kmh (about 215 mph) and takes about two hours.  While the same trip by air only takes an hour, both airports are an hour from their respective city centers.

China is on track to have more than 13,000 km (8,080 miles) in high speed rail by 2012, and by that point almost “60 percent of China’s domestic air market will be affected by the high-speed railways,” Liu Chaoyong, general manager of China Eastern Airlines, told Reuters.


A deadly March 29 terrorist attack on a Moscow subway killed 39 people and injured about 90.  Russian authorities are reporting that the blast came from two female suicide bombers,  believed to be related to the ongoing Chechen insurgency taking place in Russia’s North Caucasian Federal District.

Two days later on April 1, New York City police flooded subways and transit centers in a terror preparedness drill.  Mayor Michael Bloomberg told reporters that the timing is just a coincidence, and is one of many regularly scheduled drills that city law enforcement engages in.


Early this afternoon, Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express trains through Alexandria were halted, apparently because of an armed man barricading himself inside an apartment building near the tracks.  According to The Washington Post, an Alexandria SWAT team successfully extracted the unidentified gunman. 

As of 4:50, local sources indicated that trains were running again, with reports of crowding due to the passenger backlog.

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Apr 09, 2010: Hotline #649

Hotline #649
April 9, 2010

Amtrak is on track to break its single-year best for passengers carried after carrying a record 13.6 million passengers in the first six months of fiscal year 2010, revealed the railroad in an April 8 announcement.

“Americans are beginning to travel again and are choosing Amtrak as an affordable and efficient way to move around the country,” said President and CEO Joseph Boardman, citing a slowly reviving economy, and the attendant rise in gas prices.

Amtrak carried the 13,619,770 passengers between October 2009 and March 2010, a 4.3% increase over same period last year, and about 100,000 riders better than their previous six month best in FY2008. 

The increases have been more dramatic in recent months; ridership for March 2010 increased by a record 2.47 million passengers, a 13.5% increase over the same period in 2009. 

For both periods, the long distance trains bested the system wide average, increasing 5.2% over the six-month period and 16% in March.

Route-specific statistics are at Amtrak.com (PDF).


Caltrain officials warned last week that they likely will have to cut half the current service—including weekends, nights, and some mid-day trips—in the face of dire budgetary shortfalls.  The commuter agency cites declining tax revenues from state and local government, as well as declining ridership—both resulting from the depressed economy.

“This is not an April Fools’ joke,” Caltrain CEO Mike Scanlon told the agency’s board of directors during an April 1 meeting. “This is real. We’re at a watershed moment where there’s a possibility this railroad could go away.”

The popular commuter service—which serves the greater San Francisco and South Bay region—needs to cut $30 million from its $97 million budget.  The cuts have not been finalized, and the agency will vote on specific proposals after a period reserved for public input.

The reductions in service would need to be fully implemented by June 2011, though they could begin to be phased in as soon as this fall.  Caltrain officials estimate that the service cuts would affect an average of 18,211 weekend passengers, 5,718 midday passengers, and 2,082 nighttime passengers. 

The massive cuts would be a blow for workers and families in the area, who rely on the service.  Cities and developers also have been working to transit focused developments around Caltrain stations, which relies on frequent service.

“All the jobs I can do are down here” in Silicon Valley, local commuter John Murphy told the San Jose Mercury. “My wife is in marketing — all her jobs are up (in San Francisco).  Caltrain makes it work.”


A bipartisan attempt to draft a climate bill is drawing fire from a wide variety of critics, and one of the unexpected casualties could be a long term replacement for the surface transportation law that expired last September.

Senators John Kerry (D-MA), Lindsay Graham (R-SC), and Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) [“K-G-L”] have been working to draft a legislative response to concerns about carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S.  K-G-L are considering a “linked fee” that would be imposed at the oil refineries and which might increase the pump price of gasoline 15-20 cents a gallon.  Such a fee would make a subsequent gasoline-tax increase virtually impossible, so there is intense interest in how the revenues would be used.

Graham has gone on record to indicate that a significant portion of a new gas tax in the bill would be repaid to consumers via rebates, and this has some members of Congress (and transportation advocates) worried.  The traditional beneficiaries of the Highway Trust Fund are insisting that the revenues should go into that fund.  Environmentalists are pushing for the revenues to be earmarked for transportation that reduces oil use and greenhouse gas emissions.  And the railroads are aghast at the prospect that still more of their tax dollars will cross-subsidize highway construction, on top of the latest general-fund bailout of the Highway Trust Fund—$19.5 billion enacted March 18, coming on top of a total of $15 billion enacted by Presidents Bush and Obama in 2008 and 2009.

Supporting both the environmental and money-for-transportation concerns, a group of eight Democratic senators—led by Senators Tom Carper (DE) and Arlen Specter (PA)—wrote to K-G-L as follows, “While we support your work to develop comprehensive legislation, we are concerned that your approach may not result in sufficient emission or oil consumption reductions from the transportation sector and may inadvertently hinder our efforts to pass a surface transportation authorization bill this year.”

The eight Senators are sponsors of the Clean Low-Emissions Affordable New Transportation Equity Act (CLEAN-TEA), which guarantees that a portion of the revenue generated by any emission-reduction legislation go towards clean transportation for the purpose of greenhouse gas reduction.  The group is asking K–G-L to include the central provisions of CLEAN-TEA in their climate bill.

Transportation for America—a diverse coalition of more than 400 organizations and officials throughout the country that includes NARP—echoed the call in their own letter to the three Eastern Senators, arguing that since transportation accounts for 70% of U.S. oil usage and nearly 30% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, clean transportation should receive a commensurate amount of money from the emissions reduction program.

“We urge you to include robust investments in transportation in your forthcoming Senate legislation,” wrote the groups, “provided those investments reduce oil use and GHG emissions, as well as cut transportation costs for consumers.”

A separate group of several state organizations, road builders, and labor unions also spoke out against directing fees on transportation for anything other than transportation uses.


A recent survey found that about half of Americans support the Obama Administration’s plan to expand high speed rail.

The survey of 1,005 adults, done by the Angus Reid Public Opinion group, found that 49% of respondents supported high speed rail, and 32% said they would prefer high speed trains to driving or flying.  Only 26% said they actively opposed the plan to build high speed rail corridors.

The politically charged debate around the President’s health care plan seemed to be affecting how people viewed it, with Democrats twice as likely to support high speed rail as Republicans (70% and 34% respectively).  Consider the difference between this response and the results from a recent Transportation for America poll that asked more general questions about transit and trains: 59% of respondents said that the United States would benefit from expanded and improved public transit systems, such as rail and buses, a positive response that bridged urban and rural divides.


Riders of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) light rail system will be seeing major disruptions to their commute starting next week, when the transit agency temporarily closes its central hub at Union Station to rebuild the train platform.

Crews will begin work on April 12, and the project is scheduled to last 45 days, finishing on May 26.  Both the Red and Blue lines will be affected, with DART providing shuttle buses to and from the nearby stop at the Dallas Convention Center.

The construction will raise platforms to allow level boarding, which will provide easier access for passengers with physical disabilities.  DART officials also predict quicker boarding and unloading times for all passengers.

Union Station’s Amtrak service will not be affected.


A fight may be brewing between Japanese and Chinese rail manufacturers, with the chairman of Central Japan Railway firing the most heated salvo yet this week, accusing Chinese firms of stealing Japanese technology and compromising the safety of passengers.

“The difference between China and Japan is that in Japan, if one passenger is injured or killed, the cost is prohibitively high,” Yoshiyuki Kasai said to the Financial Times.  “...But China is a country where 10,000 passengers could die every year and no one would make a fuss.”

The two countries have come into conflict as the market for high speed rail has exploded in the past few years, and corporations have scrambled to secure footing in new markets.  With most of the demand coming from China (which is on track to be the world’s biggest high speed rail network in a mere five years), a vast supply of cheap labor, and the ability of governments to force through new projects over the objections of locals and environmentalists, the country has a decided advantage over its competitors.  Many European corporations have foregone competing with China entirely in favor of partnering with Chinese manufacturers, wary of being locked out of the burgeoning new market.

This state of affairs does not sit easy with the Japanese, who pioneered high speed rail technology.  As the population of the island nation declines, Japanese manufacturers are turning abroad, but finding it difficult to sell their specialized high speed systems—albeit excellent in terms of on time performance, speed, and safety—in the mixed-speed and -technology networks that prevail in the rest of the world.

Sources with China have pushed back on the allegations, arguing that increased investment with foreign firms has allowed for the increase in speed, without compromising safety or infringing on copyrighted technology.

“In Chinese high-speed railways’ construction, China obtained core technology through legitimate technical contracts worth billions of dollars, and made a large number of improvements adaptable to China-specific situations and registered hundreds of patents before the completion of projects,” Wang Mengshu, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, told the Global Times.

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Apr 16, 2010: Hotline #650

Hotline #650
April 16, 2010


House Transportation & Infrastructure Chairman James L. Oberstar (D-MN) and Railroads Subcommittee Chairwoman Corrine Brown (D-FL) today wrote to President Obama urging him to support a dedicated revenue source for planning and development of high-speed rail. Click here to read the release, with a link to text of the letter and its long list of co-signers.


Two NARP members were quoted in an Associated Press article about the service improvement initiatives Amtrak is taking on its long-distance trains. The report focuses on Ohio, where it is hoped that long-distance trains will serve the state at more appealing hours than they currently do.

Beau Tuke, a Cincinnati real estate agent who has recently joined NARP and signed up to distribute our literature in his hometown, and Beth McCray Gill of Ottawa Hills, a devoted Amtrak rider who manages the NARP and All Aboard Ohio presence in the Toledo area, were interviewed for the piece.


Sources indicate that the climate change bill that Senators Kerry, Graham and Lieberman are developing will rely heavily on transportation for revenues but will provide no revenue to transportation. Nonetheless, today the OneRail Coalition wrote to the senators urging them to “ensure the rail sector is in a position to maximize its contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”

Also from the letter: “The OneRail Coalition believes that shifting miles of travel to rail is essential to accomplishing the nation’s climate and energy independence goals. ... Augmenting investment in the U.S. freight rail network, in high-speed and intercity passenger rail, and in commuter rail infrastructure can help accomplish these goals.”

The senators’ draft is expected to be released around April 26.


To add to the 25% across-the-board fare increase to take effect on May 1, New Jersey Transit (NJT) will eliminate off-peak round-trip (OPRT) tickets on its commuter trains, which serve an expansive network radiating from New York City and Hoboken. Round-trip tickets will not be sold after Friday, April 30 and will not be accepted by conductors after Sunday, May 23.

Off-peak, round-trip tickets currently offer a 20% lower fare than buying two one-way off-peak tickets (one in each direction). So, after July 1, riders who once used OPRT tickets will be paying 47% more than they currently do. NARP is concerned that removing an incentive to ride during off-peak hours will lead to further crowding on peak (rush-hour) trains, and that the lower off-peak ridership will feed into arguments for eliminating such frequencies.

NJT tickets are non-refundable, so please be careful if you plan to purchase several OPRTs in advance of April 30 for use before May 23.


Amtrak’s Board of Directors made a special visit to Milwaukee’s new downtown intermodal station to learn of the state of Wisconsin’s plans for high-speed rail from Chicago to Madison through the Brew City.

More than $800 million in federal grants from the Recovery Act are set to go to the project, with an estimated completion in 2013. “If you complete this activity, this expansion, you’re going to have record ridership,” Amtrak President Joseph Boardman told WISN-TV.


The House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials has scheduled a Chicago field hearing, “Stimulus Spending on High-Speed Rail Projects,” for Tuesday, April 20, 9:30 am (Central Time), James R. Thompson Center, 100 W Randolph St., Room 503. Scheduled witnesses include Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, Wisconsin Gov. James Doyle, John Hamilton, president, Electro-Motive Diesel Inc., Illinois DOT Secretary Gary Hanning, Midwest High Speed Rail Association Executive Director and NARP Council Member Rick Harnish, Amtrak Vice President Government Affairs and Corporate Communications Joseph McHugh, Indiana DOT Deputy Commissioner Leigh Morris, Illinois State Representative and Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission Chairwoman Elaine Nekritz, Michigan DOT Director Kirk Steudle, and Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo. The hearing CANNOT be watched online.


Ohio’s State Controlling Board, a branch of the legislature, will vote on Monday on whether to release $25 million to study passenger train service between Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati, the first step towards long-awaited service on the 3C Corridor. Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland has ramped up pressure on the Board to approve the funds. Ohio has already won a $400 million Recovery Act grant, which will only be spent in the state if the study funding goes through.

Five votes are required for capital improvements to pass the Board, which consists of four Democrats and three Republicans. The four Democrats are solidly in favor of 3C, but the GOP members “range from skeptical to opposed,” according to the Columbus Dispatch. One subject of disagreement is the estimated $17 million annual operating subsidy the 3C trains will require, if current ridership projections hold out. Also at issue is whether engineering and environmental study work constitutes a “capital improvement.”


The Vermont legislature is considering a measure to do away with the state’s 11 Regional Planning Commissions, which help local governments manage growth and development and plan transportation. The Vermont Natural Resources Council says this cost-cutting move, part of a legislative initiative dubbed Challenges for Change, would hobble long-term planning in the Green Mountain State.

Regional Planning Commissions have been involved in train station redevelopment projects, consideration of commuter rail service in Chittendon County, and in restoration of Amtrak service to Bennington and Manchester. Under the proposal, the commissions’ work would be swallowed up into nine “Regional Service Centers.”

The Vermont House of Representatives considered the measure this week. The Vermont Rail Action Network has joined with the Natural Resources Council in asking that the Regional Planning Commissions be maintained.


A letter that NARP President Ross Capon wrote to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in late January—shortly after he was sworn in after defeating his predecessor, Jon Corzine, in the November 2009 election – has been posted to our Website. The letter urges Christie’s administration to take a “complete look” at the project to build two new rail tunnels under the Hudson River, which would dead-end in a “deep cavern” station under 34th St instead of connecting with Penn Station.

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Apr 23, 2010: Hotline 651

Hotline # 651
April 23, 2010

NARP President Ross B. Capon wrote to the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies to urge full funding for intercity and high speed passenger trains in the Fiscal 2011 Appropriations.  You can find his statement here.


Amtrak testified at a Congressional field hearing in Chicago on April 20, calling for a “revolutionary, not evolutionary” new surface transportation bill that would finally provide a reliable, multiyear funding source for intercity passenger trains.

Joe McHugh, Amtrak’s Vice President of Government Affairs and Corporate Communications, appeared before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads to talk about the railroad’s needs.  He highlighted that previous incarnations of the surface transportation bill mostly ignored intercity passenger trains as a mode, failing to provide any significant support.

“Long-term, sustainable funding is the key and without it Amtrak and the whole system will continue to limp along failing to live up to the promise of what we know rail can do for the nation,” said McHugh.

Amtrak received a long term budget reauthorization in 2008 with the passage of the Passenger Train and Reinvestment Act, but this law did not provide a source of funding, leaving appropriators the year-to-year challenge to actually find the money.  And the Obama Administration’s commitment to investing in high speed rail adds further funding needs—an initial draft from the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee puts the figure for high speed trains at $50 billion over the next six years.

“[W]e have a real opportunity to give people another transportation choice, to make their lives better and their communities healthier,” McHugh stated.  “[T]he investment in Amtrak is worth it,” he added, highlighting that America’s passenger railroad is on pace to set an all-time ridership record this year.

One of the possible sources of funding—a carbon pricing system being currently being developed by Senators John Kerry (D-MA), Lindsay Graham (R-SC), and Joe Lieberman (I-CT)—is creating discord in Congress, and may delay the release of the Senators climate change legislation, scheduled for next week.

At issue is where the revenue from fees on carbon emissions from the transportation sector—which accounts for about a third of carbon emissions nationwide—will be directed.  Graham has proposed rebating this fee to consumers in the form of tax breaks.  Congressional transportation leaders, however, variously want to see those fees directed to the Highway Trust Fund, or towards “green,” next generation transportation technologies—like building out modern passenger train systems and the development clean fuel.  Transportation leaders from both schools of thought are concerned that imposition of a fee on the carbon in fuels—apparently increasing gasoline pump prices by 15-20 cents—would preclude the possibility of raising the gas tax.

There is also a new current of dissent from some members of congress who are criticizing the means of enacting the fee.  The Kerry-Graham-Lieberman proposal currently calls for the imposition of a fee on petroleum-based fuels, linked to the amount of carbon the fuel contains and the price of carbon pollution credits for the electric utility industry.  The price would be paid at the pump by consumers, which oil companies like because it wouldn’t raise the cost of production.  Some senators are balking, however, saying they won’t support what they characterize as a “gas tax on consumers.”

While Kerry is downplaying the disagreement, Graham has been public in his frustration at securing the support of the opposing interests.

“We’ve got to convince people in the oil and gas industry and people who depend on transportation economy to go to bat for this bill,” he said. “(Edison Electric Institute) has to come forward and tell my fellow senators that this is better for us than doing nothing. They have to be able to convince my fellow senators that the ratepayers are not going to get a spike in their bill.”


Amtrak and the Oklahoma and Texas departments of transportation have announced the nation’s first test of a renewable biodiesel fuel blend used on a passenger train in an effort to reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses and reduce dependence on foreign oil; the pilot program will take place on the Heartland Flyer.

The announcement—which came two days before Earth Day—says the study will be funded by a $274,000 grant from the Federal Railroad Administration and carried out in partnership with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (Okla. DOT); the biodiesel fuel will be provided by a Texas based company that uses a beef byproduct.  The Heartland Flyer runs from Oklahoma City to Fort Worth.

“Improving air quality and providing multimodal transportation alternatives are goals central to Texas transportation development efforts,” said Bill Glavin, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Rail Division Director (which has also been involved in the effort).  “Our partnership with Amtrak and Oklahoma on the Heartland Flyer helps us accomplish both goals - motorists have an additional option for travel between North Texas and Oklahoma City, which not only takes vehicles off the highway, but reduces harmful emissions compared to traditional diesel-fueled locomotives.”

In previous tests on stationary engines, the biodiesel blend (80% diesel, 20% biofuel) reduced hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide by 10% each, reduced particulates by 15%, and sulfates by 20%.  Amtrak will collect data on the emissions from its trains in accordance with Environmental Protection Agency regulations, and Okla. DOT will provide analysis.

“Amtrak travel is already more energy efficient than most other forms of intercity transportation,” said Roy Deitchman, Amtrak Vice President, Environmental, Health and Safety.  “If the test shows this use of a renewable fuel in our locomotive is successful, it’s a home run for our passengers, for our partners and for the planet.”


The continued eruption of an Icelandic volcano has covered much of Europe in a shroud of ash, grounding the continent’s air fleet, and sending passengers scrambling to find alternate accommodations on trains and buses.

“I had a domestic flight booked but have had to get the train instead,” one business traveler said in an April 16 edition of the Financial Times. “I think quite a few people have had to make alternative arrangements today.”

The elimination of ground services radically altered the maximum distance passengers are willing to travel by train, with Eurostar reporting a dramatic increase in trips from London to such destinations as Moscow and Athens.  European train providers are added trains, but admit that they have seen no precedent for this radical spike in demand, and that the passengers seeking tickets far exceeds the train networks maximum capacity.

“All our available resources are being put to work with the greatest urgency to keep inconvenience for passengers to a minimum,” Ulrich Homburg, board member for passenger traffic at Deutsche Bahn, assured the Financial Times.

The last time the volcano—called Eyjafjallajökull—erupted in 1820, it was active for well over a year, emitting millions of metric tons of sulphur dioxide and ash across Europe.  Volcanologists predict that the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull may well be a precursor to activity from the nearby Mount Katla, which they worry would be more powerful and disruptive, closing north Atlantic airspace for months.

While train operators will clearly be a financial winner in this unexpected turn of events, it is a sobering reminder for the global public that—in the long term—a diverse travel network is essential for a functioning, responsive economy.


The abrupt departure of New York’s State Rail Chief has thrown into doubt the direction of the state’s rail plans, and raise questions about the real goals of the Patterson Administration.

Ann Purdue is scheduled to resign on April 30, although she has made no public statement explaining why.  An unnamed source quoted by the New York Post placed the blame at the feet of the Governor David Patterson, saying the “lies” of his Administration created an untenable situation for the Rail Chief. 

Purdue was scheduled to speak at annual meeting of the Empire State Passengers Association in Schenectady, but canceled at the last minute.  She reportedly didn’t want to repeat the Patterson Administration line on what the $151 million in 2009 Recovery Act funds would purchase for riders.  The money is designated to upgrade the route between Buffalo and Albany on tracks owned in large part by CSX.  Negotiations between CSX and the state had reportedly been progressing smoothly, until Patterson demanded that trains operate at 110 mph, rather than an incremental upgrade to high speed at 90 mph.

Some local high speed train advocates have been critical about the very small grant that New York got from the $8 billion in Recovery Act high speed rail funds.

“I can’t describe my disappointment,” Buffalo Assemblyman Sam Hoyt told the Albany Times-Union April 19. “The $151 million, which everyone has tried to portray as good news, is a ridiculous amount of money. I think the state application was a poor one.”

The resignation happened shortly after U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood visited the state to promote the economic benefits that high speed rail would bring to upstate New York’s struggling economy.

“We’re certainly disappointed at Ann’s departure,” Bruce Becker, NARP Northeast Division leader and ESPA president, told the Albany Times-Union on April 19.  “She had brought a wealth of knowledge to the table with negotiations. We would urge all the parties—DOT, CSX and Amtrak—to come to common ground as to how the high-speed rail program” will proceed.


The Federal Surface Transportation Board (STB) has demanded an explanation of Canadian National (CN) Railway following the revelation that the freight rail company has dangerously underreported more than 1,400 blocked crossings.

The STB ordered a third party audit of CN’s compliance with reporting rules as a result of local concern over the company’s actions.  The audit, released April 21, showed that there the railroad is failing to report trains blocking grade crossing, documenting “1,457 instances in just a two-month period on the EJ&E mainline when the crossing had been blocked for a total of 10 minutes or more.”

Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Congresswoman Melissa Bean (D-IL) responded in a strongly worded letter to the STB, urging the board to exercise its statutory authority in dealing with CN’s noncompliance.

“CN should not be allowed to under report the true impact of its operations at roadway crossings,” the Illinois members wrote.  “Community officials and first responders need accurate, complete information to properly plan and implement mitigation efforts to deal with crossings that are consistently blocked for ten minutes or more.  Failure to report these blocked crossings could literally endanger people’s lives.”

CN will appear before an STB hearing scheduled for April 28.


A Congressional hearing held earlier this week addressed shortcomings in the government’s handling of railroad security, identifying ways to better protect passenger and freight from terrorist threats.

Among the witnesses at the April 21 hearing were witnesses from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Amtrak, Government Accountability Office, CSX, and the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). 

The GAO provided Congress with a report that identifies areas of improvement for the TSA.  While the TSA has developed and implemented “targeted, outcome-oriented performance measures” to “enable TSA to better monitor the effectiveness of these strategies and programs that support them,” says the report, the agency needs to do a better job of balancing airport and rail priorities.

“In the United States, the surface transportation system includes more than 100,000 miles of rail, 600,000 bridges, more than 300 tunnels and two million miles of pipeline,” said Stephen M. Lord, the GAO’s director of homeland security and justice issues.

While there have not been any terrorist attacks on domestic rail networks—Amtrak actually provided a critical transportation option in the wake of the shutdown of the air grid following 9/11—foreign countries have experience a number of attacks on both intercity train and transit systems.  APTA is requesting an additional $1.1 billion in transit funding for transit security alone, and more will be needed for intercity and freight networks.

John O’Connor, the Amtrak’s police chief, spoke about the companies increased preventive measures, including doubling the bomb-sniffing dog unit, increasing randomized bag screening, and improved training in cooperation with London’s transit police.

At the same hearing, Howard R. Elliott, CSX’s vice president for public safety and environment, said, “our actions cannot be solely focused on freight rail security.  Given the information we have received from federal intelligence sources, we believe that the greatest terrorist threat to CSXT comes from the approximately 8 million passenger and commuter train miles each year that operate on CSXT-owned rail lines.”

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Apr 30, 2010: Hotline #652

Hotline #652
April 30, 2010

The National Association of Railroad Passengers’ Council of Representatives, meeting this week in Alexandria, Virginia, elected Robert J. “Bob” Stewart as the association’s Chairman. He succeeds George L. Chilson, who had served three two-year terms and did not run for re-election.  The chairman serves as a volunteer.

Steward looks forward further expanding the Association’s influence, saying, “I am particularly interested in growing the association’s membership, continuing to expand strong grass roots efforts across the country, developing future leaders for our association and getting a greater diversity of members on our Council.”

Stewart previously served as Vice Chairman of Mission Accomplishment.  He has been a member of the Association since 1970, joining the board in 2002 and becoming vice-president (later vice-chairman) in 2004.  A past president of the Tennessee Association of Railroad Passengers and member of the Tennessee State Rail Passenger Advisory Council and Knoxville Transportation Advisory Council, Stewart belongs to numerous rail advocacy and historical organizations, including the Florida Coalition of Rail Passengers, on whose board he sits.

Chilson has successfully led the organization since 2004.


NARP was pleased to host the 2010 Dr. Gary Burch Memorial Safety Award on Capitol Hill this week, where House T&I Chairman James Oberstar, and Amtrak’s John Bernal and North Carolina’s Paul Worley received recognition for their work in advancing the protection of train passengers.

The April 27 reception was well attended by NARP leadership and Members of Congress.  Michael Burch, Dr. Gary Burch’s son, was on hand to present the awards to all three men.


Amtrak’s chief executive appeared before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation on April 29 to tout the accomplishments of the passenger railroad, speak of the potential to expand the company moving forward, and warn of the consequences of failing to replace Amtrak’s aging fleet.

Amtrak’s President and CEO Joseph Boardman spoke before the committee—along with Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo—to talk about the funding need for passenger trains in the coming year.  The Amtrak chief pointed to the ridership figures for this year—which are on pace to set an all-time record for the company—as proof that the public needs more trains.

“These numbers reinforce what so many of us know about passenger rail,” said Boardman in his testimony.  “If you provide a safe, reliable, and user-friendly system, the traveling public will use it.”

But Boardman also warned that failing to act now—due to the long lead times involved in creating passenger rail equipment for the American market, which has much different safety regulations than European and Japanese systems—could see the nation unable to provide the capacity needed to meet the demand resulting from rising fuel prices.

“If we continue to delay, we risk a significant worsening of the mechanical problems and failures that degrade our service quality and increase the already considerable maintenance expenses associated with the maintenance and repair of a fleet far past its prime,” said Boardman in his testimony.

The $446 million requested by Amtrak for FY 2011 represents the absolute bare minimum (yearly) investment required to provide a fleet that meets increased public demand for train travel.  Additionally, train manufacturers will need to be assured that there will be a predictable stream of funding, to be continued over many years, so that they can recoup the high cost of designing American-specific equipment and setting up manufacturing facilities within the U.S.—a statutory requirement under federal Buy America provisions.

“We owe it to future generations to not burden them with debt,” said subcommittee Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA).  “But we also owe it to them to continue making the investments we know will strengthen our economy and make our country more competitive long-term.”

You can see NARP’s recommendations to the Senate regarding FY 2011 passenger rail appropriations here.


A report released this week by Caltrain says the commuter rail agency must electrify its network if it is to survive financially.

The projection shows that electrification—and the faster speeds and more frequent service that would result—would attract a greater number of riders, significantly increasing ticket revenue.  The agency’s report puts the figures at a 49% increase in revenue by 2019, with operating costs remaining flat.  Caltrain received certification of the Final Environmental Impact Report and Project Adoption on April 1, clearing the way forward.

“Electrification is the future of Caltrain,” said Caltrain Chair Sean Elsbernd, “and this puts us in an ideal position to pursue federal and state funding. This is a major step forward for our efforts.”

The commuter agency is currently facing a significant budgetary shortfall, and is considering severe, off-peak cuts in service.  The shortfall is a product of the convergence of reduced contributions from regional governments and agencies—the City and County of San Francisco, the San Mateo County Transit District and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority—and reduced commuter traffic in the economically depressed area.

By modernizing the system, Caltrain predicts it can reduce the need for partner subsidization by 45% by 2019.

The upgrades—which include electrification, signal improvements, and new equipment purchases—would cost $1.5 billion.  Caltrain is working with the California High Speed Rail Authority to secure the money, since these tracks also would be used to give high speed trains access to San Francisco.


The Congressional delegation from North Dakota has engaged Amtrak in an attempt to provide a solution to the continued rise of Devils Lake, which threatens passenger train service to the northern part of the state.

Senators Byron Dorgan (D) and Kent Conrad (D), along with Representative Earl Pomeroy are continuing to press the passenger railroad on ways to continue service over a bridge that will be compromised should Devils Lake’s water levels continue to rise.  Last spring, flooding in the region suspended train service to Grand Forks, Devils Lake and Rugby, as Amtrak’s Empire Builder was force to reroute.

During a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation hearing on April 29, Senator Dorgan promised Amtrak President Joseph Boardman that the North Dakotan delegation would work to secure federal funding if Amtrak can come up with a plan to upgrade the bridge in question.


For the Los Angeles region, Metrolink’s board approved a 6% fare-hike on April 26, a response to falling commuter rail ridership and a $17 million FY2010 budget shortfall, while backing off plans to reduce the number of trains through the San Fernando Valley.

While passengers will have to pay more at the fare box, Metrolink decided to eliminate only four trains— two on the Ventura County line, and two on the San Bernardino line—rather than the 12 trains originally scheduled to be cut.

“In some cases, the lines we preserved are the only public transit available for commuters, especially those who live in the Antelope Valley,” Metrolink board member Richard Katz told the Los Angeles Daily News.  “We preserved most of the lines because we want to make sure there is as much service as possible.

Metrolink board members Michael D. Antonovich and Don Knabe both voted against the increase.

“We believe that increasing fares is a detriment to those who are considering using Metrolink as a viable form of commuting,” argued Antonovich’s spokesman, Tony Bell. “We believe this will prevent them from using Metrolink as a way to get to work.”

The fare increases go into effect on July 12, with an average increase in a monthly Metrolink of $12.

“We’re disappointed the service cuts occurred and we’ll be working to figure out how to pair those trains with others and preserve them,” Bart Reed, executive director of The Transit Coalition, told the Daily News. “But we are happy that Metrolink reached out and preserved mobility rather than having people on the roads, which would be a major hit to employers in Burbank and Cal State Northridge if those lines had been eliminated.”

Declining ridership—due to high levels of unemployment in the area, which depress commuter traffic—is the biggest problem for the agency.  Metrolink has been forced to reduce trains, which makes the service less convenient for passengers, which further depresses ridership, involving the transit agency in a deleterious cycle.

The motions to continue funding six of the ten trains saved from the block will have to receive individual approval from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Orange County Transportation Authority, and Riverside County Transportation Commission, before final re-approval by Metrolink’s board.


Amtrak paid freight railroads 16% more for right-of-way privileges last fiscal year according to a U.S. Department of Transportation report, largely as a result of better on-time performnce.

The USDOT report puts the total figure in carrier payments at $115.4 million—or $4.44 per train mile.  That accounted for 3.3% of Amtrak’s total operating cost in FY2009.

The improved on-time-performance is related to provisions in the Passenger Rail Improvement and Investment Act of 2008—which gave the Surface Transportation Board the power to assess damages against host railroads that unreasonably delay passenger trains.  Decreased freight rail volumes may also be a factor, although on many routes, on-time performance improved dramatically right after October 2008 enactment of that law, while freight traffic did not drop until the start of calendar 2009. 


Passengers traveling on the Sunset Limited between New Orleans and Los Angeles can now download a Podcast that provides an informational narrative for the journey.

A partnership between Amtrak, the National Park Service, and Texas A&M University, the podcast covers topic as diverse as the Creole culture of Louisiana, the history of the oil industry in south Texas, and the Mexican influences on New Mexican cuisine.

“We are excited to provide passengers the opportunity for a self-guided tour of one of America’s great railroad journeys,” said Emmett Fremaux, Amtrak’s vice president of marketing and product development, noting podcasts for other long-distance routes are being considered.

The podcast covers the truncated 22 station, 2,000 mile route between Louisiana and California—leaving out information about the full route that extends east to Florida (a segment Amtrak has not operated since Hurricane Katrina closed the CSX rail line east of New Orleans for a few months).  The podcast can be downloaded for free at AmtrakRailGuide.com.


Cardinal to get Checked Baggage.  Starting with the departure of train 50 from Chicago on Tuesday, May 11, checked baggage will once again be accepted on the Cardinal, which travels three days a week between New York and Chicago.

Restoration of this service was a key initiative identified by Amtrak’s Cardinal team led by Brian Rosenwald in Product Development.  Indianapolis will not get checked baggage service immediately, and it has yet to be publicized when New York and Newark will get the service.

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