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Jul 02, 2010: Hotline #661Hotline #661 Early Fiscal 2011 funding numbers from the House of Representatives signal that passenger train supporters have their work cut out for them, and Amtrak’s plans to acquire new cars and locomotives may be sharply reduced. Intercity passenger trains received a total of $3.2 billion in Subcommittee Chair John Olver’s (D-MA) “mark,” which was approved July 1, including $1.4 billion for high speed rail and $1.77 billion for Amtrak. The subcommittee numbers for Amtrak and for state grants are higher than the Administration requests by $151.5 million and $400 million, respectively, but the Amtrak number is $833 million (32%) less than Amtrak’s request. At the same time, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development increased highway spending 10% or $4.1 billion above the Obama Administration’s request and $3.1 billion above this year’s level. The subcommittee provided $1.4 billion for state grants for high speed and intercity passenger, $1.1 billion below this year’s level. “When you have multiple objectives, it makes sense to give priority to programs that address them,” said Ross Capon, president of the National Association of Railroad Passengers, in a release issued shortly after the mark-up. “We appreciate that the subcommittee has strengthened passenger train investment compared with the Administration’s budget request, but the rail levels fall short when considering the sharp growth in proposed highway investment and the public interest in promoting transportation that is energy efficient and environmentally benign and which gives Americans expanded travel choices that they want and need. Today’s action is the first step in a long process, which people interested in balanced transportation investment should work to influence.” Things could have been worse; Ranking Minority Member Tom Latham (R-IA) offered an amendment that would have cut state grants back to the Obama Administration’s $1 billion level, eliminated completely the TIGER grant program (in which rail has fared well) and dramatically reduced the transit New Starts program. The amendment was defeated by Chairman Olver on a party-line vote of 8 to 5. NARP’s release noted that “all this comes when Amtrak is seeing record ridership and is critical to the push to create a national high speed rail network that would transform the way Americans travel. For the first eight months of fiscal 2010 (October-May), Amtrak ridership was 5% above the year-earlier level, with strong increases nationwide. May was even stronger, with long-distance trains as a group showing the biggest gains – 9% in ridership and almost 12% in passenger-miles compared with May, 2009. (A passenger-mile is one passenger traveling one mile.)” The Democratic senator from West Virginia was the longest-serving member in the history of the Senate, at 51 years, and on Capitol Hill, at 57 years including six in the House. He was also a passionate defender of the Amtrak. “Amtrak carries people between our biggest cities and our smallest communities” said Byrd in an interview he gave in 2005. “Without Amtrak, many regions of rural America would return to isolation.” Byrd championed Amtrak’s Cardinal—which crosses West Virginia en route between Chicago and the East—in an era when passenger trains were in constant threat of seeing their funding cut. Passenger train opponents and key Amtrak bureaucrats thought the Cardinal was history when the train ceased operation September 30, 1981. But Byrd’s appropriations amendment returned the train permanently on January 8, 1982—extended from Washington to New York City though reduced to thrice-weekly. Byrd’s passing also throws the fate of climate change legislation into doubt. Proponents of Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Joseph Lieberman’s American Power Act had a staunch advocate in Byrd, whose seniority and influence among his home state’s coal industry would have been an invaluable asset in moving the legislation forward. “To deny the mounting science of climate change is to stick our heads in the sand and say ‘deal me out,’” wrote Byrd in a much publicized op-ed in 2009. “West Virginia would be much smarter to stay at the table.” The bill—which would put a price on the carbon in fuels and use the resulting fund to develop domestic sources of renewable energy and invest in energy efficient technology like trains—would need 60 votes to overcome the threat of a Republican filibuster. With six Democrats coming out against the proposed legislation—including Byrd’s fellow West Virginian, John Rockefeller (D)—Byrd’s potential “yes” vote was crucial. “He deserves a lot of credit for exhibiting this leadership towards the end of his career in the Senate,” Daniel J. Weiss, of the Center for American Progress, told Congressional Quarterly. “It’s very different from other coal-state senators.” West Virginia’s Governor, Joe Manchin III (D), told reporters he has no timeline for appointing a replacement to Byrd’s seat. Here is the relevant paragraph from the June 28 White House fact sheet:
The Federal Railroad Administration announced June 28 that they are now seeking applications for the second round of funding for the high speed rail, with $2.3 billion in grants to be awarded this fall. “This important step builds on the $8 billion for high-speed rail that President Obama announced last January,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “The President’s bold vision for high-speed rail is a game changer for U.S. transportation. It will not only create good jobs and reinvigorate our manufacturing base, but also reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.” The fiscal year 2010 budget provides $2.5 billion in grants to continue the development of high-speed intercity passenger rail corridors, with another $245 million available for individual construction projects within a corridor. Applications and proposals will be due back to FRA by August 6, 2010. The FRA is scheduled to announce which applications have been selected by September 30, 2010. “We are excited to move the President’s vision on high-speed rail forward and are working quickly to get money in the hands of states,” said FRA Administrator Joseph C. Szabo. “These new funds will allow the states to further advance their high-speed rail plans and represent a commitment to developing a world-class transportation network.” Tampa City Council member Mary Mulhern announced June 30th she will work with Hillsborough’s Metropolitan Planning Organization to pursue funds to include the connectivity of the line. “People don’t realize there is an option for more (high-speed) stops so they aren’t speaking in favor of it,” Mulhern said. “I’m working to rally our business and political leadership to seize this opportunity before it passes us by. Florida received final environmental approval from the federal government in May to start spending Recovery Act grant money to design, obtain land for, and begin building the high speed rail line between Orlando and Tampa. “We’re reviewing any options we have, but it’s going to be very difficult to come up with our 20 percent match,” PennDOT spokeswoman Erin Waters told the Tribune-Review. The state is facing a $472 million transportation budget gap in the upcoming year, and maintenance may take priority over new build projects. A cautious approach to funding rail would be another blow to the state’s manufacturing sector, which is already in decline. A report commissioned by the Apollo Alliance—a coalition of labor, business, environmental, and community leaders working to rebuild the American economy around clean energy and good jobs—found that a solid foundation of rail manufacturing exists in the U.S., and could be catalyzed by a significant investment in passenger rail. “Our research found that there is a healthy chain of U.S.-based suppliers that manufacture components and systems for rail cars, and many of them are located in Pennsylvania,” said Marcy Lowe, senior research analyst at the Duke University Center on Globalization, Governance & Competitiveness and the report’s lead author. ““It’s not at all as if we’re starting from scratch. We have a very extensive base already” Pennsylvania received $26.4 million in the first round of high speed rail funding from the Recovery Act, most of which will go to make incremental improvements to the Harrisburg-to-Philadelphia. PennDOT has yet to receive the money, but the head of the U.S. DOT has expressed confidence that the money will start flowing soon. “Pennsylvania has a real chance to be at the center of America’s 21st century rail manufacturing industry,” said Phil Angelides, chairman of the Apollo Alliance. “Our nation needs a new transportation policy that invests in expanded public transit and more energy-efficient transportation, including rail. Done right, these investments could mean a windfall of manufacturing jobs for Pennsylvanians.” But early numbers coming out of Congress signal that investment in passenger trains will decline from last year’s budget, and there is a real worry that Amtrak and state intercity rail programs won’t have enough to invest in equipment and network expansion. And with other states facing similar economic hardships, Pennsylvania might have company in choosing to sit this round out, forced to leave job creation on the table. “All play a critical role in increasing awareness and improving preparedness,” she said, noting that an attack on Times Square in New York City was recently foiled by an alert street vendor. Napolitano’s decision to hold the event at Penn Station, one of the busiest train stations in the world, wasn’t happenstance. The Department of Homeland Security recently released a report that said, while there weren’t any specific threats, transit systems are desirable targets as critical pieces of U.S. infrastructure. It is not yet clear which transit and highway projects will be affected. The rescinded money, approved in last year’s budget, would be used for deficit reduction if the bill passes both houses of Congress. “For Madison, this location not only means a successful high speed rail line downtown, but it also means an exciting redevelopment of the surrounding blocks,” said Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz. “This site brings tremendous potential for an intermodal station as well as economic development.” Rep. C. A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger (D) announced at a press conference today that he will introduce legislation called the Commuter’s Bill of Rights. The bill would require public transportation operators to provide water and services to passengers that are stranded in the even of a mechanical breakdown, and would require a set time frame for crews to allow passengers to leave a disabled transit vehicle. At a “Meet the Managers” event in Union Station in response to the incident, Amtrak CEO Joseph Boardman described to upset passengers the nine changes the railroad has introduced. The main change will be the scheduled availability of an extra diesel locomotive on hand in Washington during peak commute times, which will be able to provide emergency assistance to a disabled train. Amtrak will also keep water and other amenities on hand for passengers. “I thank Joe Marie for his service to the state of Connecticut and wish him well as he pursues other opportunities,” Rell said in a written statement Wednesday. “Joe made a significant contribution to DOT over the last two years, and his leadership will be missed. I have full confidence that Jeff Parker will continue moving the DOT in the dynamic new direction that I have set.” “There’s going to be a new governor, and a new governor’s going to bring in a new team,” Marie said when contacted by reporters, adding that it was difficult to balance work and family when you had the pressure of looking for your next job. Marie was given good marks both by passenger train advocates and by U.S. DOT Secretary Ray LaHood, who said the state “had its act together” while predicting “it would do well.” However, the timing of the announcement comes just days after the second round of high speed rail funding. Deputy Commissioner Jeffrey Parker will fill the head position for the rest of Rell’s term. Members of the military will receive a 10% discount—in addition to Amtrak’s everyday 10 percent discount for troops and their spouses and children—on tickets purchased the week of the July 4 weekend (July 1 to July 9). The discount will eligible for travel between August 21 and November 12. “As a former member of the military, I know first-hand, the sacrifice made by members of the military and their families,” said Joe Boardman, Amtrak’s President and CEO. “As we celebrate Independence Day, Amtrak applauds the efforts of the men and women who wear our nation’s uniform and welcomes them and their families on board.” A current active duty United States Armed Forces ID Card is required to receive the discount. Find out more at Amtrak.com At the center of the dispute is a proposal to power stretches of a streetcar line, currently under construction, with overhead wires. A letter sent last week by L. Preston Bryant Jr., chairman of the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), opposed a $25 million federal grant that the D.C. Department of Transportation (DDOT) is counting on to complete the $1.5 billion system. Bryant is concerned that using overhead wires would run afoul of a late 19th century law intended to preserve the appearance of areas surrounding key federal buildings. Gabe Klein, director of the DDOT, has responded with his own letter to Bryant, demanding a retraction, claiming that the NCPC has no authority over the project, and questioning the chairman’s grasp of key details of the use of overhead wires. “This use of apparent blackmail is troublesome since NCPC appears to be attempting to sidetrack a rare funding opportunity for a key transportation project that lies beyond its authority and jurisdiction,” wrote Klein. “It also appears that you are seeking to inappropriately expand your strictly advisory role related to projects in the District.” Klein went on to clarify that the stretches of the streetcar that would use overhead wires would not overlap areas that the 19th century laws protected. “DDOT has never planned to use overhead wires along the National Mall,” Klein wrote. “Moreover, this segment is not located in a region of the District within NCPC’s jurisdiction.”
Jul 09, 2010: Hotline #662Hotline #662 Thanks to $35 million in Recovery Act awarded this week, mobilization work has begun on a 28-month project to extend Amtrak Downeaster service east to Brunswick, Maine. The line, which currently boasts five daily round-trips between Boston’s North Station and Portland, Maine, will add stops at Freeport and Brunswick. The grant money went to the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority. “This project is a great example of what the Recovery Act is all about,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood in a DOT news release. “We’re giving travelers better options while putting people in Maine back to work and improving New England’s rail infrastructure. That’s a win for everyone.” “The expansion of passenger rail service north of Portland has been a priority for my administration,” Maine Governor John Baldacci said. “Working with our federal partners, we will reach Brunswick and open the gateway for further expansion.” The new trains will stops will be Ashland, Fredericksburg, Quantico, Woodbridge and Alexandria. The new northbound departure from Richmond is at 7:00 AM (between existing 6:00 and 8:00 weekday departures). The new train will arrive Washington, DC at 9:30 AM and continue to New York on weekdays and through to Boston on Sundays, The new southbound train will depart New York at 12:05 PM, leave Washington at 3:55 PM and arrive in Richmond by 6:00 PM, running between existing weekday Regional trains that depart Washington at 2:30 and 5:50. Scheduled to launch last December, the new service was delayed as infrastructure improvement work was completed, a process hampered by the area’s record snowstorms over the winter. The new service is part of a three-year pilot program. The long-range future is unclear, even before considering changes in federal policy that require Virginia to pay for all its Regionals by 2013. Thelma Drake, Director of Virginia’s Department of Rail and Public Transportation was quoted by Progressive Railroading saying “The demand for more transportation choices continues to grow in Virginia, but without a dedicated source of operating funds we will not be able to sustain or expand Amtrak service in underserved areas, such as Hampton Roads and southwest Virginia, in the future.” Read all about it on the NARP Blog. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) estimates that the next 10 years will see 1.8 million trucks added to the nation’s roads. In addition to more highway spending, the report recommends improvement in intermodal connectors “If we want to keep our country moving, we’ve got to keep freight moving. It’s as simple as that,” Iowa Department of Transportation Director Nancy Richardson told the Sioux City Journal [the report was released in Des Moines, IA]. “If there are bottlenecks and there are condition and capacity issues on our road system or our rail system in other parts of the country, those ultimately affect us and our ability to move our product out in a timely way, efficiently and effectively,” she added. The report by the University’s Institute of Transportation Studies – requested by a state Senate oversight committee chairman – said the Authority’s patronage models were too flawed to accurately predict whether or not the operation would generate a surplus as planned. Authority officials portrayed these estimates as realistic. The company that developed them said they “incorporated solid science.” The Authority will continue to refine its projections as decisions are made on the location of stations and pricing of tickets. Meanwhile, the Authority’s Board agreed to revive a construction option that would have the new rapid trains share track with existing passenger rail systems between Los Angeles and Anaheim, reducing the need to acquire new land in the heavily built-up corridor but likely increasing travel times. The intersection of BNSF and Union Pacific (UP) main lines sees 100 freight trains per day and Amtrak’s Texas Eagle and Heartland Flyer. Currently, many trains wait 30 minutes or more at the crossing while others pass. The state is seeking a $66 million TIGER-II grant from the Office of the US Secretary of Transportation. Grants from this pot will be awarded in the fall, and work could be completed in 18 months after the grant is finalized. BNSF and UP will also contribute funding. In the Washington, DC area, MARC and VRE commuter trains ran at reduced speeds and were delayed as host railroads sent inspectors over the tracks to look for heat kinks in the rail. Metrorail operated more slowly than usual for the same reason. New Jersey Transit canceled some trains and delays abounded. Heat-related speed restrictions also delayed Amtrak trains, but there were no reported incidents of trains losing power and air conditioning. State Representative Christine Sinicki and state Senator Jeff Plale want $250 million to be taken from the rail project to fix the Hoan Bridge, where falling concrete forced the state DOT to install netting to protect drivers passing underneath it. The DOT says the bridge is safe and in no danger of collapsing, though, and plans to make a long-term decision on its future within a year. The $1 billion project is part of the Southeast High-Speed Rail (SEHSR) corridor, which will connect Washington, DC, Charlotte and points south with trains traveling at up to 110 mph. “I feel good about it overall, but there’s a lot to be determined,” NC DOT Rail Division director Patrick Simmons told the Triangle Business Journal. If North Carolina can land the necessary funds, construction could begin in 2014 or 2015 and would take three to five years. The state won $545 million in Recovery Act rail improvement grants early this year.
“We’re driving more miles but paying less for the privilege,” they write. “Motorists hate taxes, of course, and politicians regularly bow to their resistance. But the truth is that few measures would generate more public benefits in return for less sacrifice.” In the US’s most intense scrutiny from the IMF to date, the agency – loosely affiliated with the United Nations, but headquartered in Washington, DC – suggested that the country could improve its finances by raising the gasoline levy, in addition to reducing Social Security payments and home mortgage assistance. Germany: Deutsche Bahn, the state-owned railroad, is planning to invest $51 billion (US) in its rail operations over the next 4 years. 75% of this will go towards rail infrastructure and station modernization and the rest will buy new cars, locomotives and trainsets.
Britain:: National train operator Network Rail will undergo reform under the new coalition government, according to the Transport Minister. This comes after reports surfaced that the railroad’s senior management received high bonuses while other public sector workers had their pay frozen. The Minister promised that reform would make the railroad more responsive to passengers.
China: Just days after new high-speed train service between Shanghai and Nanjing began, ticket sales were suspended from Sunday onwards for certain city pairs. This comes amid complaints that the line’s Shanghai terminus, located a considerable distance from the center city, is poorly connected to local transit. Amtrak has begun a new sweepstakes to give away four round-trip tickets between any two stations in the system, and other prizes. The contest, a tie-in with the release of the children’s movie Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore, ends on July 30. Click here to enter.
Jul 16, 2010: Hotline #663Hotline #663 The Fiscal 2011 appropriations process moves forward next week. The full House Appropriations Committee marks up its transportation/housing bill Tuesday, July 20, at 3 PM. Also Tuesday, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies will mark up the Senate version of the FY 2011 funding measure that includes all Transportation. A full Senate committee markup is possible Thursday, July 22. Senate Appropriations Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-HI) said yesterday that his panel will work with a fiscal 2011 spending cap $8 billion less than President Obama’s request. The State-Foreign Operations and Defense bills will sustain a total of $4.7 billion in cuts, with the balance spread among the other 10 bills. [Update] As many readers pointed out, Cantor’s website does not offer the option to vote in support of Amtrak. NARP is not advocating for participation in the poll—to vote for other items on the list to “save” Amtrak—but is merely bringing to light this attack on passenger train service. “President Obama’s bold vision for high-speed rail is a game changer for U.S. transportation,” said LaHood. “We’re improving North Carolina’s transportation infrastructure while putting people back to work. That’s a win for everyone.” The money will be used to refurbish passenger coaches and locomotives, which will be used to expand rail service across North Carolina. The Federal Railroad Administration continues to work actively with the state transportation agency to finalize distribution of the rest of the funds. “Today’s announcement means North Carolina can begin work on developing a first-class, high-speed passenger rail that will make traveling across our great state easier and more efficient,” Senator Kay Hagan (D) said. “High-speed rail will help ease congestion on our roads and lessen our dependence on foreign oil. Most importantly, this project will create jobs—my number one priority.” “This investment by the Obama Administration in our nation’s communities will create jobs, boost economic development and recovery, and further reduce our dependence on oil,” Secretary LaHood said. “Our goals are to provide cleaner, safer, and more efficient ways to get around.” The Livability Initiative is designed to better integrate transportation and housing planning, to minimize the need for car trips, maximize neighborhoods’ ability to be navigated on foot and by bike, and increase development around train stations and transit nodes. DOT’s definition of livability is in its Draft Strategic Plan, and quoted on page 3 of NARP’s July newsletter. The $293 million will be distributed through two competitive grant programs, the Urban Circulator Grant Program and the Bus and Bus Livability Grant Program. “Streetcars are making a comeback because cities across America are recognizing that they can restore economic development downtown – giving citizens the choice to move between home, shopping and entertainment without ever looking for a parking space,” said FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff. “These streetcar and bus livability projects will not only create construction jobs now, they will aid our recovery by creating communities that are more prosperous and less congested.” Six projects were selected for the Urban Circulator program, from 65 applications that totaled over $1 billion. The cities selected include Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas; Chicago, Ill.; St. Louis, Mo.; Charlotte, N.C.; and Cincinnati, Ohio. You can find a complete list of projects at the FTA’s website. The 3C project—funded in part through a yet-to-be-finalized $400 million ARRA grant for high speed rail—would connect Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Columbus with 79 mph train service, slated to start service in 2012. The state announced a $7.8 million contract with engineering firm AECOM to determine route alignments for future 110 mph service. The routes to be studied were identified as Detroit-Toledo-Cleveland; Cleveland-Pittsburgh; Toledo-Columbus; and Cleveland-Columbus-Cincinnati. Ohio is waiting for the Federal Railroad Administration to sign off on $25 million—the first installment of the $400 million—that would be used to do preliminary design and engineering work. Ohio’s rail development commission is predicting that the approval will come through within a few weeks. At a meeting between Amtrak officials and local Maryland stakeholders held on July 9, Amtrak announced their plan to add space to transport passengers’ bicycles to trains 29 and 30 within a year. While bicycles have been enjoying a waxing profile in the national conscious for the last decade, the move makes particular sense for the Capitol Limited, which runs through towns along the Great Allegheny Passage bicycle trails in Maryland and Pennsylvania. “This is fabulous news for the trail users and good news for Somerset County,” said Allegheny Trail Alliance President Linda McKenna Boxx to the Daily American. Amtrak has been pressed by bike groups from across the nation to be more accommodating to cyclists—with a few exceptions (state-sponsored lines in Maine, Illinois, Washington, California, and North Carolina) Amtrak will not take bicycles except in boxes as checked baggage—arguing that bikes provide an ideal solution for the “last mile” problem of how to get passengers from the train station to their final destination. While Amtrak is under severe financial constraints in its ability to redesign cars, this announcement is a welcome sign that the company is listening to passenger voices. Florida received $2 billion in Recovery Act funds for an Orlando to Tampa high speed route. Current plans have the train running from Orlando International Airport and terminating in downtown Tampa. Tampa’s Council is worried about connectivity, though it’s possible a voter referendum in November could provide money for a light rail line from downtown Tampa to the airport. “People think it’s too late to request an additional line from downtown to the airport” said Council Member Mary Mulhern, who has been the driving force in bring about the resolution. “I don’t think that’s true.” No alignments or stops for the rail line have been finalized. “I don’t expect anything but a smooth transition Monday,” Steve Townsend, executive vice president of Keolis’s local operation, told the Washington Post. “We have a very committed group of conductors and engineers who are excited to work on the system.” There were initially tensions between the two operators, as Keolis sought to hire away Amtrak employees who had been running the VRE trains. However, eventually a resolution was arrived upon, with Keolis employees shadowing Amtrak engineers during the week prior to the transition. And while it came two weeks later than scheduled, Keolis took the reigns from Amtrak this week, under the supervision of FRA, Norfolk Southern, and CSX supervisors. “We’ve been helpful to provide a smooth transition and have been true to our word,” Amtrak spokesman Steve Kulm said. “We appreciate the opportunity we had to serve VRE passengers over the years.” The District of Columbia has already begun construction of the first line of a planned streetcar system. Candidate Mary Kane—running mate of former Governor and current candidate Robert L Ehrlich Jr.—is arguing for a cheaper (in terms of up-front costs) transportation solution for the capital city’s Maryland suburbs. “As [former] Governor Ehrlich said—and I support him wholeheartedly—you’ve got to be honest with everyone… we cannot afford a [light-rail] Purple Line” Kane told the Gazette. “We need to look at things we can do. And a rapid bus transit system is something we can do.” This view contrasts against current Governor Martin O’Malley’s support for light rail—shared by many business leaders in both D.C. and Maryland—who point to the benefit that a streetcar line will bring to the economy, in terms of increased business and real estate development. The national resurgence of streetcars has also been a central piece of the White House’s Livability Initiative, and the recipient of grants from the U.S. DOT, the Housing and Urban Development Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency [see the second story]. “If you’re not ready to match [federal investment], there are plenty of projects across the country that will leap over you,” said Donald C. Fry, the president and CEO of the Greater Baltimore Committee. The deal was finalized during Argentine President Cristina Kirchner’s trip to Beijing to meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao and discuss possibilities for economic partnerships. The $10 billion will be spread among 10 different projects over the next two to five years, including a $2.5 billion rail renovation project in the nation’s capital of Buenos Aires. China’s government, flush with cash surpluses and no longer interested in U.S. Treasuries, is looking for capital investment opportunities abroad, and is particularly interested in developing new markets to export its burgeoning high speed rail technology to. Argentina—which, due to a rocky financial past, has had problems finding foreign creditors—will pay back the $10 billion investment over the course of 19 years. President Kirchner praised the Chinese, saying they are offering low-interest financing “that doesn’t exist anywhere in the world.” China has expressed interest in providing financing for American high speed rail projects, such as the one in California. However, strict Buy American provisions may make the U.S. a less enticing investment opportunity for China, which is looking to further develop its already formidable domestic manufacturing sector. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva announced that bids will be selected based on who can give the lowest fare price—with the ceiling for fares set at the rate of around 49 cents per kilometer. Brazil had originally hoped to have the line up and running by the next World Cup in 2014, but has set the schedule back to the spring of 2016, in time for the summer Olympics taking place that year. Jul 23, 2010: Hotline #664Hotline #664 Fleet renewal would enable Amtrak both to accommodate rising public demand for trains (the railroad set a new record for ridership for the first half of this fiscal year), and to revitalize the U.S. passenger railcar production industry, creating much needed domestic manufacturing jobs. Senator Christopher Bond (R-MO), the Transportation subcommittee’s fiscally conservative ranking member, acknowledged yesterday the necessity of Amtrak’s fleet request, while expressing disapproval of the manner in which it was presented. Jul 30, 2010: Hotline #665July 30, 2010 The U.S. House of Representatives passed a $79.4 billion transportation funding bill for Fiscal Year 2011 on July 29, after defeating an a “kill-Amtrak” amendment on a 293-129 vote. The amendment, initially offered by Michele Bachmann (R-MN)—but finally offered by Jeff Flake (R-AZ)—technically would have eliminated the bill’s $1.2 billion for Amtrak capital investment and debt service. But, in a letter House yesterday, Amtrak President & CEO Joseph Boardman outlined the catastrophic consequences of the Bachman/Flake amendment:
The vote on the amendment can be found here. There were other amendments offered by Republican members of the House that, in seeking to cut spending levels generally, would have reduced the amount of money that the House Appropriations Committee directed to Amtrak and/or high speed rail in the committee mark-up—$1.77 billion and $1.4 billion, respectively. All the amendments in question were defeated. One of the amendments aimed at all funding levels above the President’s request. Significantly, Obama’s Office of Management and Budget yesterday released a statement strongly supporting the bill, specifically mentioning high speed rail even though the bill’s HSR number was $400 million above the Administration request. [NARP Members: Click here to see how your Congressman voted] Generally the bill, which passed by a 251-167 vote, is being touted as a mini-stimulus, with increased spending on infrastructure for most modes. As reported in our July newsletter, highways are the big winners, with an increase to $45.2 billion (a 10% increase over FY 2010). The Federal Aviation Administration would see a jump to $16.5 billion (a 16% increase over FY 2010). Transit aid would increase $11.3 billion (a 5% increase over FY 2010). Amtrak funding would only increase to $1.77 billion (a 13% increase over FY 2010, but 32% below Amtrak’s request). Passenger train advocates were also disappointed to see high speed rail figures actually dropped, down to $1.4 billion (a 56% decrease from FY 2010). It is uncertain when the Senate will take up consideration of their version of this bill, which the Senate Appropriations Committee approved on Highways are the big winners, with an increase to $45.2 billion (a 10% increase over FY 2010). The Federal Aviation Administration would see a jump to $16.5 billion (a 16% increase over FY 2010). Transit aid would increase $11.3 billion (a 5% increase over FY 2010). Amtrak funding would only increase to $1.77 billion (a 13% increase over FY 2010, but 32% below Amtrak’s request). Passenger train advocates were also disappointed to see high speed rail figures actually dropped, down to $1.4 billion (a 56% decrease from FY 2010). It is uncertain when the Senate will take up its version of this bill. “President Obama’s bold vision for high-speed rail is a game-changer for transportation in Wisconsin and the United States,” said Secretary LaHood. “This undertaking is not only creating good jobs and reinvigorating our manufacturing base, it’s also going to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.” The $46.5 million will go to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, and will be used to complete preliminary engineering and final design work and complete environmental management plans for the Milwaukee to Madison line. Service on the corridor will reach speeds of up to110 mph. “The construction of the Chicago to Madison line will create thousands of jobs over the next few years. Because of everyone’s hard work, and because of President Obama’s vision and investment, Wisconsin will see the long-term economic benefits and thousands of new jobs from the construction of high speed rail,” said Governor Doyle in a prepared statement. Between now and Labor Day, Amtrak will add a fifth car to the typical four-car consists of at least six of the busiest trains that serve the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, and the San Joaquin Valley. The change will allow an additional 88 passengers per train. In 2009, the San Joaquin carried 977,000 passengers, making it Amtrak’s fifth busiest route. Amtrak expects the added capacity could push the ridership figure above a million for the first time. The NTSB cited these contributing factors:
“The layers of safety deficiencies uncovered during the course of this investigation are troubling and reveal a systemic breakdown of safety management at all levels,” said NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman. “Our hope is that the lessons learned from this accident will be not only a catalyst for change at WMATA, but also the cornerstone of a greater effort to establish a federal role in oversight and safety standards for rail transit systems across the nation.” Accompanying the findings will be NTSB recommendations for WMATA, which will cover safety oversight, equipment inspection and maintenance guidelines and procedures, and targeted equipment removal and replacement. The full report will be available on the NTSB’s website in a few weekd. WMATA this week finalized an order for new cars, including those that will replace the oldest cars cited by NTSB in its report. “Specifically,” wrote the GAO, “while there is a shared responsibility for securing the passenger rail environment, the federal government, including Transportation Security Administration, and passenger rail operators have differing roles, which could complicate decisions to fund and implement explosives detection technologies. For example, TSA provides guidance and some funding for passenger rail security, but rail operators themselves provide day-to-day-security of their systems.” “In addition,” argued the GAO, “risk management principles could be used to guide decision-making related to technology and other security measures and target limited resources to those areas at greatest risk. Moreover, securing passenger rail involves multiple security measures, with explosives detection technologies just one of several components that policymakers can consider as part of the overall security environment.” The report, titled “Explosives Detection Technologies to Protect Passenger Rail,” can be found on the GAO’s website.
Councilmember Mary Mulhern had pushed a resolution requesting that state officials seek funding to do the necessary planning to extend the Orlando to Tampa line and add a stop at the airport. Current plans call for the line to terminate in downtown Tampa. The council voted against the resolution, 4-3, upon realizing that the federal high speed rail grants only cover capital costs, not planning. “There’s no money, so what good is this going to do?” Council Chair Tom Scott asked. If the airport stop fails to materialize, city planners are relying on a planned light rail or bus rapid transit service to get passengers to the airport; both projects hinge on the passage of a 1 cent sales tax by Tampa voters in November. NARP previously reported unofficial statements signaling China’s intention to speed up plans to invest $300 billion domestically in high speed trains between now and 2020 (see Hotline #658). This week’s announcement that the country will look to build 3,730 miles of new-build high speed track by the end of 2012, however, came from Ministry of Railways chief economist Yu Bangli, confirming a high-level commitment to accelerating the program. Some financial institutions have questioned the debt the rail ministry is taking on, with China’s Minsheng Bank releasing a report putting the debt-asset ratio at around 55%, and projects that—at the new investment levels—it will reach 70% in 2012. Yu dismissed the concerns, telling reporters “I can tell you in a responsible way that currently our balance sheet is very good.” Previous reports have been the source of much controversy, specifically the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2007, whose report was found to contain some errors. However, this recent report is based on new data not available for the 2007 analysis. The two reports come to the same broad conclusions about the warming effects of greenhouse gasses on the Earth’s climate. In a July 29 front page story, the Washington Post reported that the study, compiled by 300 scientists from 48 countries, focused on 11 crucial indicators of climate. Seven showed clear signs of rising: air temperature over land, sea-surface temperature, marine air temperature, sea level, ocean heat, humidity, and tropospheric (the layer of the atmosphere closest to Earth’s surface) temperature. Four indicators demonstrated decline: Arctic sea ice, glaciers, spring snow cover in the northern hemisphere, and stratospheric (mid-level of the atmosphere) temperatures “The whole of the climate system is acting in a way consistent with the effects of greenhouse gases.” “The fingerprints are clear,” said Peter Stott, head of climate monitoring for the United Kingdom’s Meteorological Office, in the July 29 Financial Times. “The glaringly obvious explanation for this is warming from greenhouse gases.”
Motorcoach bus service will be substituted on these trains. |
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