National Association of Railroad Passengers: www.narprail.org

Hotline #397

A reminder: NARP provides an action alert flyer to distribute on board trains and in stations.  Please get this flyer into the hands of as many fellow Amtrak passengers as possible.  This flier is available here on our website.

A letter is circulating amongst House Democrats requesting full funding for Amtrak in fiscal 2006.  This letter is similar to the letter circulated a few weeks ago from Republicans.  If your House member is a Democrat, please ask him or her to sign!  Your House member should contact Steve Feldgus in the office of Rep. Robert Menendez (D-NJ).

Another consequence of the Administration’s zero-funding request for Amtrak has come to fruition.  Standard and Poor’s Rating Service has placed Amtrak’s corporate credit (currently at BBB) and senior secured debt ratings on Credit Watch with negative implications.  S&P said, “Uncertainty over the railroad operator’s future funding has increased following the Bush Administration’s budget proposal in February, which included a significant reduction in financial support for Amtrak.”

The Washington Post published a blistering anti-Amtrak editorial on Tuesday.  Although previously known for its support of Amtrak, the Post seems to have fallen into the trap of blaming Amtrak’s long distance trains for the railroads perceived “massive” financial losses.

In a letter to the editor, NARP Executive Director Ross Capon wrote, in part, “Amtrak says eliminating (long-distance trains) would save at most $300 million a year, but only several years after service ends.  It also would leave 26 states without passenger trains.  We would have four isolated mini-networks serving 21 states—probably not enough to generate support in Congress for funding anything.  Moreover, long-distance trains are heavily used, last year averaging about 364 passengers per run, and subsidy per passenger-mile is virtually identical for long-distance trains and for short-distance trains outside the Northeast Corridor.”

Don’t like what you read in the Washington Post editorial?  Then send your own Letter to the Editor of the Post!

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Treasury, the Judiciary, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies is expected to hold an Amtrak hearing on Thursday, May 12.  This would be the first hearing since the subcommittee’s responsibilities were expanded, and its chairman changed to Christopher Bond (R-MO) (from Richard Shelby, R-AL).  Patty Murray (D-WA) continues as the subcommittee’s top Democrat.

Consideration of S. 732, SAFETEA, the big highway/transit reauthorization, will resume when the Senate reconvenes next week.  Senate Finance Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Ranking Member Max Baucus (D-MT) area expected to offer an amendment to add $11 to $13 billion above the $284 billion now in the bill.  Transit advocates are working to increase the share for transit from the bill’s 18.2% to 18.8%, the share contained in TEA-21 bill that the Senate passed 76-21.

The Missouri legislature has sent Governor Matt Blount a 2006 budget bill that will preserve the $6.2 million operating subsidy for Amtrak.  The state provides operational support for the two Kansas City-St. Louis frequencies.  The trains’ on time performance and ridership have suffered as of late, primarily due to severe Union Pacific freight train congestion on the mostly single tracked line.  Union Pacific, the State, and Amtrak have begun to discuss ways to mitigate these problems—including infrastructure investment.

The State of Georgia has secured $106 million for the long-discussed Atlanta-Lovejoy commuter rail line.  The service, due to begin in fall 2006 with an extension to Griffin in 2008, would provide the first commuter rail line in Georgia and is the first stage of a proposed five-line system radiating from downtown Atlanta.  The mayor of Macon, Jack Ellis, boiled the economics down very simply, “We can build one mile of rail cheaper than we can one mile of interstate.”

Amtrak has restored the guaranteed connection between the eastbound Capitol Limited (train #30) and the southbound Silver Star (train #91).  NARP requested re-examination of this previously broken connection after it was eliminated at the November 2004 schedule change.  Amtrak said that improved performance of train #30 (now due in Washington at 11:55 a.m.) and the potential gained revenue from restoring the connection more than offset the occasional alternate transportation arrangements on the rare occasions when train #30 will miss train #91.

Amtrak has issued a new timetable for Northeast Corridor travel (including its associated branches to Harrisburg, Albany, and Springfield), effective May 2.  This timetable supersedes the national timetable and will be in effect until full Acela Express service returns.

Metrolink monthly pass holders may use their passes for weekend complimentary travel on Pacific Surfliners to Santa Barbara between now and June 26.  Passholders do not need to acquire an Amtrak ticket; just show pass to the Amtrak conductor.  Traveling companions who are not Metrolink monthly pass holders must purchase tickets from Amtrak, but one Metrolink monthly pass holder may purchase up to two half fare tickets for children under 15 years old.  Not valid for travel on the Coast Starlight.

Leaders of several State Associations of Railroad Passengers attended the second State ARP workshop today hosted by the Ohio Association of Railroad Passengers in Cleveland.  The goal of the meeting was to expand on the first meeting, held last November, and to share and learn best practices in organizational development activities.  In the morning, meeting participants were given a presentation by The Foundation Center staff on how to find sources of grants as well as applying for them. Staff also brought leaders on a tour of the foundation center library and explained all of the resources available to not-for-profit associations.  In the afternoon, participants discussed membership growth opportunities and methods in which to engage those new members. They also discussed tools that we can put into place which would allow us to engage the public and elected officials more effectively.  The next meeting will take place in Minneapolis, MN on October 23, 2005 (following the October 21-22 NARP Board of Directors meeting).

The popular syndicated gameshow “Jeopardy!” will feature a category tonight (May 6th) about railroading entitled “All Aboard!” Check your local listings for airtimes; Jeopardy tends to air in the 7:00 or 7:30 p.m. timeslot across the United States.  Can you “run the category” by answering all the questions and get a (virtual) round of applause from the audience?