National Association of Railroad Passengers: www.narprail.org

Hotline #551

House legislation to reauthorize Amtrak and passenger rail programs is expected soon.  On Thursday, May 8, at 2 PM, Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) and Railroads Subcommittee Chairwoman Corrine Brown (D-FL) and other House members will hold a news conference to “to announce the introduction of Amtrak reauthorization legislation [and to] discuss the importance of Amtrak reauthorization and address funding needs to improve the nation’s passenger rail system.” The event will be webcast on the committee web site.

NARP’s Spring Board Meeting took place in Washington, DC this week. Speakers included House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman James Oberstar (D-MN) and Ranking Member John Mica (R-FL), Amtrak Chief of Corporate Communications Cliff Black, BNSF Railway Chairman, President, and CEO Matt Rose, and Railway Supply Institute Executive Director Tom Simpson.  The meeting also included a Day on the Hill, in which directors visited their respective members and staff of the House and Senate.

NARP this week announced the winners of its annual awards.  Detective John “Jake” Mumford of the Amtrak Police Department received the 2008 Dr. Gary Burch Memorial Safety Award for his dedicated work policing Amtrak’s Capitol Corridor.  The 2008 George Falcon Golden Spike Awards went to Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR), for being a strong supporter of passenger train development, both intercity and commuter, and for working to save a threatened freight rail line, and to Rep. John Olver (D-MA), for consistently being an articulate voice in favor of a balanced transportation system in which passenger trains play a growing role.  Both Detective Mumford and Rep. Olver were on hand at NARP’s annual Congressional Reception to receive their awards.  With the aviation reauthorization on the floor, Senator Smith was represented by his staff member Mike Smith (no relation).

Amtrak this week released station platform guidelines aimed at ending the “limbo” status that has halted work on many stations after USDOT issued its September, 2005, “Guidance” and February, 2006, “Notice of Proposed Rulemaking,” but never issued a rule.  The guidelines make clear that a platform height eight inches above the rail is acceptable for stations outside the Northeast Corridor.  The guidelines are accompanied by a January 31 letter from DOT Under Secretary for Policy Jeffrey N. Shane which states, in part:  “The Department does not view guidance, including the September, 2005 guidance document concerning rail station platform accessibility, as creating independent, legally binding requirements.  Rather, such guidance is informational in nature, explaining to interested parties and the public how the Department interprets its existing statutory and regulatory authorities.” Within the next week, Amtrak’s guidelines should be posted on the Great American Stations site.

Missouri’s legislature preserved full funding for Amtrak operations, allocating $8 million through the state budget conference committee.

The Federal Transit Administration announced restoration of $900 million in federal funding for the Washington Metrorail extension to Tysons Corner, VA and Dulles International Airport on Wednesday, reportedly after intervention from Transportation Secretary Mary Peters.  The FTA had announced a preliminary decision in January to deny granting the modest 20% federal match, which sparked bipartisan outcry from transit advocates, politicians in Virginia, and business interests.  However, Peters stipulated that Virginia and its neighbors must find $500 million to address the Washington Metro’s unmet capital needs before it can expand, and that the Dulles project itself must stay on time and within budget.

Amtrak will restore full-route service along the Coast Starlight next week, starting with the departure of train 14 from Los Angeles on May 6 and train 11 from Seattle on May 7.  Slow orders will still be in effect through the site of the January landslide in Frazier, OR for some time.  Amtrak spokeswoman Vernae Graham told the Los Angeles Times that the relaunch of the Coast Starlight with upgraded amenities will take place on June 10 after a gradual rollout starting in late May; an official announcement is forthcoming.

The Transportation Research Board has released the latest issue of Intercity Rail Passenger Systems Update, the newsletter of its Committee on Intercity Passenger Rail Systems.  NARP Executive Director Ross Capon sits on the committee, as does NARP Communications Associate Matthew Melzer, who is also co-editor of the newsletter.

The Sierra Club has posted an online quiz that highlights the environmental friendliness of the train travel option for vacations.

Transit service in Toronto, ON, Canada resumed Sunday evening, April 27, following a surprise strike last Saturday.  After Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113 launched the strike against the Toronto Transit Commission, the Ontario Legislative Assembly held an emergency session on Sunday and, within a half-hour, passed an order to force TTC employees back to work.  TTC and ATU will head to arbitration to reach a settlement.

The gas tax holiday debate is garnering lots of attention.  House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said that, in response to such a holiday, “the oil companies would just raise their prices.” Yesterday’s Washington Post report quoted Leonard Burman, director of the Tax Policy Center of the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution:  “Every summer, the refiners are running full out.  If the price fell, people would want to drive more and there would be shortages.  It’s a basic economic principle that if the supply is fixed, the price is going to be determined by demand.” Burman also said a windfall-profits tax on oil companies would worsen supply problems long term by discouraging exploration for and development of new oil sources.  “So a policy intended to lower prices, but which won’t do that, will be offset with a policy that’s likely to raise prices over the long term.”

US gasoline prices “are at a historical low in relation to crude oil prices, according to a study by a prominent think-tank at Rice University in Texas,” reported Financial Times on April 25.  Although gasoline prices are at record levels, these prices have not risen nearly as fast as the price of crude oil, which now accounts for 65-70 percent of the pump price, leading refiners to report earnings declines. 

Continental Airlines abandoned merger talks with United Airlines last week after United surprised analysts with a $537 million first-quarter loss.  Financial Times today reported that American, partner British Airways, and United “are in talks to forge marketing alliances with Continental, which has said it would explore alternatives to its membership in SkyTeam.”

Eos Airlines, a US-based business class airline that operated between London and New York, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and ceased operations last Sunday.  Its fate follows that of Maxjet, a similar concern that ended last December.

National Train Day is Saturday, May 10, and events are happening across the country! Be sure to check back with the NARP web site regularly for more details.