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Public Outcry Saves D.C. Streetcar Funding
Friday, May 28, 2010
Early Thursday morning, Vincent Gray, the chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia—the capital city’s elected legislative body—removed $47 million from the District’s fiscal 2011 budget that had been set aside for the completion of the city’s first streetcar line since trolley service ended in 1963, divvying up the money amongst other government programs. The Council voted mid-morning to adopt the change, but word got out quickly on the widely-read local blog DCist, as well as through Facebook and Twitter, and the local chapter of the Sierra Club and the advocacy group Streetcars for DC sent out action alerts. As a result, Council members’ offices were inundated with calls and emails from constituents in protest.
In the face of this public outcry in an election year, the Council quickly reversed course and reallocated the funds, taking $10 million from this year’s budget and placing $37 million from the 2011 budget in reserve, meaning further council action will be required before it can be spent.
Some of the credit for the public backing can be given to the administration of Mayor Adrian Fenty, whose intitative led to the laying of track for two streetcar lines and the purchase of several vehicles from the Czech Republic, one of which was put on public display earlier this month with great fanfare. The city has also generated well-received video conceptualizations of the future streetcars in operation.
But what’s really driving the push for streetcars is that Washingtonians—along with majorities of Americans elsewhere—understand the need for better transportation that is built around people, not cars. Cities that have built and extended rail transit systems—including Washington with the Metrorail—have seen development gravitate towards areas around train stations, making urban living more accessible and attractive, while curbing the environmental impact of population growth. As one Washington-area blogger explains, bus routes just don’t have the same impact on communities that streetcars do.
Yesterday’s developments in D.C. were a fine example of democracy in action, spurred by ordinary citizens and aided by the Internet. This type of success can easily be replicated if rail and transit advocates make the best use of the tools available.
—Malcolm Kenton
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Transportation: A Public Health Issue
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
If America switched to a non auto-centric transportation system, as much as $402 billion in healthcare costs, not to mention many lives, could be saved. This according to a just-released overview [PDF] of recent studies done by the American Public Health Association. Most Americans are familiar with the tragedy and suffering that occur daily in automobile accidents—making driving far more dangerous statistically than any other motorized travel mode—as well as the negative health effects of our sedentary lifestyles, partly a result of so many neighborhoods being inconducive to walking and biking. Yet researchers have only begun to quantify, in dollar amounts, how much these problems cost America.
It is worth remembering that intercity passenger trains don’t just provide a safer and more enjoyable way to get from city to city; they also catalyze the development of walkable and bikeable neighborhoods, improving public health both by giving people exercise and by reducing air pollution.
This graphic from the report encapsulates the concept well:
—Malcolm Kenton
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Young Train Supporters Make Waves in Montana
Monday, May 17, 2010
Demonstrated support from those who would benefit from a government action is an essential ingredient in any advocacy campaign. In the case of our campaign—along with other like-minded organizations—to expand the national passenger train network, we can all learn from the example being set by students at the University of Montana in Missoula, who have held many rallies and have otherwise vociferously pushed for the reinstatement of Amtrak’s North Coast Hiawatha. This train plied the then-Northern Pacific (now BNSF) main line through southern Montana and North Dakota until 1979, as a complement to the Empire Builder, with stops at Helena, Bozeman, Missoula and other locales. Under Congressional mandate, Amtrak studied [PDF] the impact its revival would have on ridership, revenue and costs.
The students—with the assistance of the student government and the Montana Public Interest Research Group (MontPIRG)—held a well-attended rally in mid-March that was covered by the local CBS affiliate TV station:
They have gathered signatures on a petition to state and federal leaders to find the funding to bring the train back as quickly as possible. The cause has already won the support of both Montana Senators, particularly Sen. Jon Tester (D), and of the state’s at-large Congressman, Denny Rehberg (R), who appeared at NARP’s Capitol Hill Reception in late April. During meetings with NARP Council members, staff members for North Dakota’s Congressional delegation also expressed support for the route. NARP is working with their offices to make sure that funding for the route is included in the fiscal 2011 spending bill.
Not only is the student activism an effective example for other Route Support Teams to follow, it is also shows how young people are shaping our future for the better—by working for more convenient, affordable, enjoyable and sustainable transportation choices—thereby leaving America better prepared to meet our 21st-century energy, environmental and mobility challenges.
—Malcolm Kenton
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LaHood: Don’t expect Japanese trains in U.S. overnight
Friday, May 14, 2010
Fresh off a tour on which he rode bullet trains in China and Japan, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is using his blog to temper the expectations of Americans anxious to ride similar trains here. “No, Japanese and Chinese trains are not coming to the US,” he writes. “BUT, Japanese and Chinese high-speed rail technology and expertise may be on its way.”
NARP shares the Secretary’s (and, by extension, the President’s) conception of a near future in which design techniques gleaned from overseas are incorporated into modern, mostly American-made trains that provide frequent, reliable service to more places on existing, upgraded rail lines.
It’s easy for American public officials to point enviously to Europe, China and Japan. But we commend those, like Mr. LaHood, who realize that the U.S. cannot play decades’ worth of catch-up in a matter of a few years.
In other recent news and views:
- Faced with a choice between speeding up existing trains and adding more trains at current speeds, VIA Rail Canada (the national intercity operator) makes the right choice.
- An airline passenger laments inaction on rail connectivity in his home state of Texas. “What does it say about Texas that there’s a need for high-speed rail, broad support for it, and yet we can’t seem to make much concrete progress?” he writes. As always, it’s a matter of demonstrating to those who hold the purse strings that modern passenger trains are a high priority when most of what elected officials hear is “cut spending.” Helpfully, the Texas DOT’s newly appointed rail chief reminds us to temper our expectations.
- The coalition calling for a $4 billion appropriation for the high-speed intercity passenger rail program in fiscal 2011 held a press conference at Washington’s Union Station on Tuesday to formally launch its campaign, with NARP’s full backing. A funding increase for the greatly oversubscribed program has gotten significant backing from members of Congress.
- Amtrak employees go out of their way to reunite NARP Council member Jim Loomis with a pair of reading glasses he left on a train.
—Malcolm Kenton
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Southern Mobility: North Carolina Leads the Way
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Unlike many states where the DOT is little more than a highway department, the Tar Heel State certainly isn’t stuck in the mud when it comes to passenger trains.
A third-daily round-trip between Raleigh and Charlotte will commence operation [PDF] in four weeks, adding a mid-day run to the existing morning and evening departures in each direction. The line should also see a fourth daily round-trip in the next two years. The state continues to invest in its stations, with Durham’s new depot having opened in December and plans in the works for modern multi-modal hubs in Raleigh and Charlotte to complement Greensboro’s crown jewel. (Full disclosure: I grew up and went to college in Greensboro.)
The NCDOT Rail Division, led by Pat Simmons, has made tremendous progress in modernizing the rail lines used by Amtrak trains, with the goal of nearly consistent 90-mph operation between Raleigh and Charlotte within the next five years. Thanks to the Sealed Corridor Program, spearheaded by Dr. Gary Burch Memorial Safety Award honoree and NCDOT Director of Engineering & Safety Paul Worley, grade crossing collisions (such as the this morning in Mebane, NC) will be largely prevented. Station and track work has also been completed in hopes of returning passenger trains to Asheville via Salisbury.
In addition to the Rail Division’s exemplary work, the North Carolina Rail Road (NCRR)—the quasi state-run owner of the tracks between Charlotte and Goldsboro—has completed a study [PDF] of potential frequent commuter service between Greensboro, Burlington and the Research Triangle area (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill). NCRR found that ridership on such service would be significant: possibly 3 million annual passengers by 2022. This would place it at number 13 amongst current US commuter rail systems by ridership, slightly below the Miami area’s TriRail and the South Shore Line between Chicago and South Bend, IN.
It took two decades of building capacity and expertise in railroading and a culture of intermodal thinking at NCDOT. Now, North Carolina offers an outstanding template for other states to follow. Fast, frequent intercity service, plus expanded light rail and bus networks (like those in Raleigh/Durham, Charlotte, and Greensboro/High Point), equals real travel choices. If all Americans are to benefit from such connectivity, work must be done at the state “highway department”—and in Washington to give states the financing and policy tools to get there.
—Malcolm Kenton
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One Step at a Time: Checked Baggage Returns to Cardinal
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
When seeking a long-term goal such as a world-class passenger train network that exceeds travelers’ expectations, it is important to celebrate small improvements. The Cardinal, which is the only Amtrak train serving Cincinnati, Charleston, W.Va., and other intermediate points—and the only direct link between Chicago and Northeast Corridor points such as Baltimore and Philadelphia, is one of only two overnight trains that run less frequently than once a day. To add to that, the Cardinal is given a shorter consist than all other overnight trains, often resulting in bedrooms and seats selling out weeks in advance of departure. The line is in great need of improvement, which is now beginning to happen thanks to the route performance review system put in place under the 2008 Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act [PDF summary].
Beginning with the departure of train 50 from Chicago on Tuesday, May 11, a baggage car was added to the Cardinal, which had been without checked baggage service for more than ten years. Although the number of stations where bags can be checked is limited to those staffed by Amtrak agents, the addition of checked baggage—a service so commonplace in air and intercity bus travel that it is taken for granted—should help to reduce delays and crowding that result by passengers having to bring large, heavy suitcases onto the train with them.
We hope that this will be the first in a series of significant improvements to long-distance service in the next few years, and that its success—combined with an infusion of new cars and locomotives—will provide further impetus to run the Cardinal daily.
Here is the baggage car on train 50, shown on Wednesday morning, May 12, in Charleston, WV (photos by Charles Riecks)
Yet the Charleston station crew is still waiting for power baggage carts to be delivered. In the meantime, this is what they are using:
—Malcolm Kenton
P.S.—Check out the winners of Amtrak’s “Trainsportation” video contest for Illinois college students.
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Boardman Defends National Network on Fox Business News
Friday, May 07, 2010
In a televised interview with Fox Business News’s Brian Sullivan, a self-described “train aficionado” who nevertheless expresses skepticism about the future of high-speed rail and the need for passenger trains outside of certain densely-populated corridors, Amtrak President & CEO Joseph Boardman deflects what have become common doubts about his company.
Boardman points out that Germany and Spain also only run true high-speed trains on a small percentage of their track miles. When Sullivan brings up Amtrak’s operating losses and asked if the railroad “should shed some unprofitable lines,” Boardman again turns to Europe, comparing Amtrak to Spain’s Renfe, which is “not expected to [make a profit in] ... providing mobility to a larger extent to its population.” He finishes by again touting rail’s energy-efficiency bona fides [PDF] and reiterating his argument that Amtrak is best suited to run “true” high-speed service in the US.
Watch the full interview (6 1/2 minutes):
—Malcolm Kenton
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NARP Leaders Educate and Advocate on Capitol Hill
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Each year, members of NARP’s Council of Representatives, our all-volunteer governing body, meet with Members of Congress and their staff to educate them about passenger train issues and urge their support for more funding and broader policy support for intercity trains. This year, in addition to our perennial, yet always essential, ask for full funding of Amtrak, we also joined with a coalition of other rail advocacy and public interest groups in calling for $4 billion in fiscal 2011 funding for the nascent yet highly oversubscribed High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) grant program to states.
In addition to Council members, several general members of the Association joined our Day on the Hill this year. According to their reports, many Senators, Representatives and staffers—even those who haven’t supported Amtrak in the past—appeared open to hearing our case. No matter where the lawmaker stands on the issue, the most important thing about in-person meetings is to demonstrate the extent of public support for better transportation choices. And that we did very well.
Here is a report from Council member Dennis Lytton, which was posted yesterday on the California High Speed Rail Blog:
Last week I attended the National Association of Railroad Passengers annual meeting in Washington, DC. NARP is the largest national membership advocacy organization for train and rail transit passengers. In fact, it’s the only group in Washington, DC with a staff dedicated to this purpose.
The most important part of our three day meeting is our “Day on the Hill” visiting Senators and Members of Congress followed our reception in one of the House office buildings. This year, along with other NARP council members from California, we visited our two senators, Boxer and Feinstein, as well as our House members. Our primary asks (lesson one visiting your Congressmember, always have a concise “ask”, with a handout) were:
* $4 billion for intercity and high speed rail capital grants, and
* Full funding of Amtrak’s appropriations requests for this year.NARP as well as Californians for High Speed Rail is a member of the Fourbillion.com coalition, which is advocating for this. Please visit and register to let your Congressional representation know that you want HSR and intercity rail. (I think my take away this year may be to always have a website for my “ask” each year!)
Secondly, we were also pushing for passage of the stalled transportation reauthorization bill in Congress and for High Speed Rail to have a dedicated funding source. There is a consensus that this won’t happen before the November election. Which of course scares many of us since the next Congress may not have as friendly a composition as this one. More than one source on the Hill thought that the thorny issue of raising the gas tax would be brought up by the lame duck Congress in November or December.
My overall impression? Having participated in NARP’s Day on the Hill since 2006, things have certainly changed for the better. The Congressional majority and Administration of that time barely noticed that the issue of trains for a sustainable, mobile future for our county existed. The federal DOT famously released a report during these years decrying road congestion but never mentioning rail for passengers or freight. Republican administrations since Reagan had regularly tried to write Amtrak out of the federal budget and even under Clinton a Gingrich inspired reauthorization of Amtrak passed in the late 90s that mandated Amtrak to become profitable with no investment.
Our biggest fight now in Washington will be to get the $4 billion for HSR nationwide. The administration has only asked for one billion, just a year after their groundbreaking inclusion of $8 billion in ARRA (the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act). Anaheim to San Francisco is about $20 billion. We have almost $10 billion from the Prop. 1A bonds. We received a little more than $2 billion from ARRA early this year. Four billion a year, with California getting its fare share as it did in ARRA, will get us to completion of the first segment.
Which leads me back to an earlier point – getting high-speed passenger rail into the transportation reauthorization bill stalled in Congress will be a great accomplishment. Funding HSR isn’t a political football in other countries in Western Europe, for instance. Once we get HSR into our federal transportation funding machinery funding it will be automatic and non-political. Just as it is for highways in this country.