National Association of Railroad Passengers: www.narprail.org

Hotline #394

Amtrak removed all Acela Express trainsets from service today. Routine inspections have revealed hairline cracks in parts of the disc brake mechanism. All Acela Express service is cancelled through Wednesday and future service will be dictated by the speed of repairs. Much more will be known after engineers have a chance to further study the problem this weekend. To partially compensate for the loss of Acela service, Amtrak is adding cars to Regional service and running some extra trains.

An Amtrak authorization hearing is set for Thursday, April 21, at 9:30 A.M., before the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine, of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. The hearing, under Chairman Trent Lott (R-MS) will be webcast on the Subcommittee’s website.

The Amtrak Board has been working on a plan for the company which is expected to be unveiled in advance of that hearing.

House Transportation & Infrastructure Chairman Don Young (R-AK), Ranking Member James Oberstar (D-MN), Railroads Subcommittee Chairman Steve LaTourette (R-OH), and Ranking Member Corinne Brown (D-FL) yesterday introduced an Amtrak reauthorization bill, H.R. 1630, and a high speed rail bill, RIDE 21 (H.R. 1631). They are identical to the bills Young and Oberstar introduced in 2003.

The Bush Administration, for its part, released its Amtrak reform proposal to the general public yesterday. The bill looks similar to the Administration’s 2003 bill. However, the legislation continues to authorize only “such sums as may be necessary,” to come from general funds. It is well known in Washington, however, that an authorization is merely a “begging license” and no assurance of actual funding. Consistent with recent DOT statements, the bill contemplates shifting all operating expenses to the states, which NARP believes is a death sentence for passenger rail. The bill would divest Amtrak of “unneeded real estate and other facilities,” which could deprive the railroad of income that has helped to reduce operating grant requirements.

Secretary Mineta, in his April 13 letter transmitting the new bill to Congress, laments there is “no prospect of an end to increasing subsidy” without acknowledging the main reason for the increase: the Northeast Corridor capital program that he claims to support. He draws largely irrelevant analogies between what he proposes for Amtrak and what has happened with the Alaska Railroad, mass transit and commuter rail, and ownership of Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National and Dulles International Airports.

The Senate Commerce Committee held a confirmation hearing for Joseph H. Boardman to be the new head of the Federal Railroad Administration on Wednesday. Boardman, who is currently the head of New York State’s department of Transportation, defended Amtrak and said that zero subsidies are not the way to solve the railroad’s problems. “If confirmed, I believe we have to work in collaboration, it will not be zero. If we can reform and make the changes necessary to support rail transportation, that will not occur,” Boardman said (as quoted in the Associated Press). AP also quoted Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) saying “he was supporting the nomination in part because Boardman ‘assured me he would fight hard for Amtrak.’” Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) tried to pin Boardman down on the willingness of the State of New York “on its own” to fund and operate the Empire Corridor and Adirondack services. Boardman refused to be that specific, though he insisted in general terms that “New York will be committed to supporting passenger rail.”

Oklahoma rail advocates rallied to save the Heartland Flyer on Monday at the Oklahoma State Capitol Building in Oklahoma City. Among the speakers was Oklahoma City mayor Mick Cornett who said that the Heartland Flyer’s yearly subsidy, approximately $2 million, is the cost of one-quarter of a mile of urban interstate. “This isn’t a story about the little train that could. This is a story about a little train that has already proven it could,” Cornett said, “Let’s fund the Heartland Flyer into Kansas,” referring to efforts to extend the train north to a connection with the Southwest Chief at Newton, Kansas.

The crossties on the Susquehanna River Bridge on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor will be replaced in a six week project beginning on May 2. This will require two track operation from the Bush River Bridge to just west of the Susquehanna River Bridge then single track operation on the bridge itself over to Perryville. Several MARC commuter trains will turn back short of Perryville and Amtrak trains will experience delays of 20-30 minutes.

A brief review of major changes coming up in Amtrak’s April 25th timetable change:

Southbound Silver Meteor will depart New York one hour later, restoring five days a week connection from upper New York Stat
Westbound Lake Shore Limited will depart New York one hour later, restoring connection from northbound Silver Meteor.
Downeaster sees schedules sped up 10-15 minutes from trackwork improvements
Pennsylvanian name will return: westbound train will depart New York City at 9:55 a.m., arrive Pittsburg at 7:05 p.m. seven days a week. Eastbound will depart Pittsburgh 7:20 a.m. Monday-Saturday and 1:00 p.m. on Sunday.
Major changes to Keystone Corridor service were announced in early March due to trackwork.
Westbound Capitol Limited will depart Washington 85 minutes earlier, making better connections with Pennsylvanian at Pittsburgh.
Operations at Hammond-Whiting are being downsized: the station will become unstaffed and only Wolverine Corridor trains 350, 352, 353, and 355 will stop at the facility.
All Regional trains in the Northeast Corridor will be come all-reserved, seven days a week. NARP has expressed its concern to Amtrak about passenger convenience and lines at the ticket counters. Amtrak says that the weekend all-reserved policy has been very well received by passengers and will reduce standee conditions on many trains.
Vermonter has new times, restored bus connection to Montreal.
Westbound California Zephyr will depart Chicago one hour earlier at 1:50 p.m.
Connection point for Southwest Chief Thruway Bus service to Laughlin and Las Vegas, NV will change from Needles, CA to Kingman, AZ.

The NARP Board of Directors will meet next week in Washington, D.C. The hotline may be uploaded slightly later than usual, but will be posted by 6:00 p.m.