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Flag Stops: Taking Small, Quick Steps

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

This week’s roundup of news and views in the world of passenger rail and American travel focuses on the need to act quickly, yet deliberately, to do what needs to be done to keep the country moving sustainably.

—Malcolm Kenton

Posted by NARP

Ways Without Means

Thursday, July 02, 2009

Food for thought on one of the busiest travel holidays of the year.

Few would defend America’s current transport policy. Each year congestion costs more than $78 billion in wasted hours and petrol. Washington’s main transport strategy has been not to have one. The Department of Transportation (DoT) runs 108 different programmes. But an integrated system for planning—one that includes passenger rail, freight, highways and mass transport—does not exist. Full analyses of projects’ costs or benefits are rare. —The Economist, June 20-26

As we head into one of the busiest travel holidays of the year, when many will face slow going on the roads and crowded flights, it is a good time to remind ourselves just how much work is needed to make our society as mobile as it could be. Despite a small drop in gas prices, USA Today reports in a cover story that the country is in the midst of “the longest and steepest decline in driving since the invention of the automobile.” Since last November, the drop in vehicle miles traveled on American thoroughfares is akin to “taking between 8 million and 10 million drivers off the road.” Much of this may be due to the state of the economy, which is forcing many to forego travel or adjust their plans, but the article also notes the increasing number of Americans opting for less car-dependent lifestyles. It makes one wonder if we would be better able to weather this recession if we had a smart transportation strategy, one that provided real choices and made getting around safer and more affordable, accessible and enjoyable for all. Motor vehicles alone will not be able to provide the mobility people are demanding in a way that enhances our quality of life.

Fortunately, the woeful state of American mobility is receiving long-overdue attention in Washington. But, as The Economist notes (and NARP has been pointing out for some time), the main well of money for transportation improvements is about to run dry, and we don’t have a viable plan for replenishing it. A set of worthy goals has been written, but the Obama Administration wants to borrow from the General Fund to pay for them, a desire confirmed in a document released by DOT this week (see Hotline #611, 3rd story). Tapping into the Treasury for such consistent expenditures is highly unsustainable in the long run as it adds to the defecit and relies on the whims of Congressional appropriators. The Administration says it needs more time to figure out a sustainable long-term funding mechanism that will also repay the loans from the General Fund.

Congress has given us “cash for clunkers,” yet we struggle to find the cash to overhaul our ‘clunker’ of a transportation system. If we don’t get on track (literally and figuratively) to a robust and sustainable system now, all Americans will continue to pay a higher price: as travelers, consumers and taxpayers. It’s up to all of us as citizens and voters to give our leaders the political will to do what needs to be done. We must pay a little more now to build the safe, efficient, multi-modal mobility network we deserve in order to avoid a great deal of pain later.

—Malcolm Kenton

Posted by NARP

A Tale of Two Rides

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

I decide to check out one of Amtrak’s competitors in the Northeast.

Perhaps not surprisingly for someone in my position, I almost always prefer to take the train when given the choice. This past Saturday, however, for a day trip to New York City from Washington, I decided to take a ride with one of the many motorcoach companies that compete with Amtrak along the Northeast Corridor. I had heard good things about these buses and wanted to see for myself how they compared to the trains to which I am accustomed.

The main factor that draws so many riders to motorcoach services—each bus I rode was completely full—is price. The bus fare that I paid, $25 each way, was about half of what the lowest Washington-New York fare would have been on Amtrak’s Northeast Regional—$49 one-way under the current promotion, which would have required booking a ticket at least three weeks in advance. For $50 round-trip, I got a reasonably comfortable nonstop ride up I-95 and the New Jersey Turnpike. But there’s a lot I didn’t get.

For one thing, there is no cafe car on a bus. I could have brought my own food, but I couldn’t simply get up and grab a snack if I wanted one. I also missed out on the opportunity to sit and chat with fellow travelers. On the bus, you can only socialize with those sitting next to you, who may or may not be in the mood for conversation. I found the motorcoach privy to be very small and difficult to use while in motion. There was no running water for hand washing (something I take for granted on a train), only hand sanitizer gel.

Though my seat on the bus was fairly comfortable, coach seats on Amtrak are more accommodating than those on most motorcoaches, offering more legroom and greater reclining capability. A train ride is generally less bumpy than a bus trip, depending on the condition of the track, roads and shock absorbers. Additionally, although I enjoyed the change of scenery, the relative monotony of the interstate paled in comparison to all that can be seen from a train window as it travels through the center of cities and towns and across the countryside.

Above all, I missed the conductors and attendants who are there to make a train trip as enjoyable as possible. The driver was the only employee present on the bus, and he or she could only attend to passengers’ needs so much while keeping his or her eyes on the road.

There are several reasons why intercity bus travel is so much cheaper than rail travel, which may be the subject of a future blog post. But the train costs more mainly because it offers a higher-quality experience. Next time you are thinking about taking a motorcoach to save money, remember that the train fare is a truer reflection of the cost of your safe, comfortable transportation than a bargain-basement bus fare. As long as your pocketbook is not your sole concern, you will enjoy a more relaxing and civilized travel experience when you ride the rails.

—Malcolm Kenton

Posted by Malcolm Kenton

Flag Stops: Foresight and Oversight

Monday, August 10, 2009

Our slightly-delayed news and views roundup shows that going green does save green, that oil production may peak sooner than expected, and that LaHood’s thinking is still on the right track.

—Malcolm Kenton

Posted by Malcolm Kenton

NARP Members Speak: We Want More Trains!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

For the past several months, NARP has been attaching a survey to some membership renewal forms. It asks members to tell us how often they travel by train, why they choose to do so, and how satisfied they are with their experiences. It also asks how rail service should be improved and what the government’s top priority should be when spending Recovery Act funds. We tabulated 317 responses from members across the country in all walks of life. The responses reveal that our members are solidly behind the goals for which NARP has striven since its founding: fast, on-time trains serving more cities and routes.

75 percent of respondents people surveyed use the train primarily for pleasure travel with an additional 20 percent riding the rails for both business and pleasure. The train appeals to both types of rider precisely because it offers an enjoyable ride, providing unmatched ability for passengers to either to conduct business or to relax, socialize, read, sleep, and listen to music while en route. 75 percent also travel on overnight trains, which are critical to a healthy national network. Faster and more frequent service, on both short and long-distance routes, would be a boon to both business and leisure riders.

46 percent report being very satisfied with their rail travel experiences, but 48% are only somewhat satisfied, which suggests significant room for improvement. When asked to rank some of our ideas for upgrading service, the top three vote-getters were “new routes and services to more cities” (79%), “better on-time performance” (73%), and “more frequent service” (71%).  Majorities also favored more modern equipment, faster trains, and improved food service. These priorities will continue to be NARP’s goals: more frequent and on-time trains in the near term, with additional routes in the longer run.

On the question of how the Recovery Act’s limited resources should be allocated, the largest share of respondents (85%) chose “improve all rail equipment and infrastructure,” followed closely by “connect all Americans via rail.” Given that stimulus funds are limited only to “ready-to-go” projects, infrastructure enhancement will necessarily comprise the bulk of what is accomplished.  We will continue to make sure that these investments result in significant advancements in existing service that will reduce travel times and boost reliability.

Gaining a clearer picture of our members’ preferences and desires has elucidated our mandate to make trains an even more desirable travel choice for all Americans. But without the support and involvement a growing membership, we lack the strength necessary to get it done. If you are not a member, please consider joining for as little as $35 for one year. If you are a member, please spread the word so that our grassroots movement may continue to grow. Now is the time for the United States to join the rest of the developed world in providing safe, dependable, enjoyable and Earth-friendly transportation that frees us from our yoke to the automobile. All it takes is time, persistence, and strength in numbers.

A sampling of member responses to open-ended questions after the jump…

—Malcolm Kenton

Special thanks to NARP volunteers Peter Roberts and Joe Lyons for their hard work in tabulating and analyzing these results.

» read more...

Posted by Malcolm Kenton

Flag Stops: Refilling the Coffers

Monday, August 24, 2009

—Malcolm Kenton

Posted by Malcolm Kenton

In Florida, The Fourth Time Could Be the Charm

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Reasons to hope for speedy improvements to make rail travel more convenient in the Sunshine State.

Hundreds were in attendance at the Florida Department of Transportation’s rail forum on December 2nd in Orlando, including every manufacturer of railroad vehicles in the world and many other industry professionals. The conference came in advance of the Florida legislature’s historic vote to invest in a new commuter line in the Orlando area and make a down-payment towards Orlando-Tampa-Miami high-speed rail. This is the fourth time that Florida has tried to jumpstart construction of a new system of fast trains, but the momentum seems to have built to a crescendo this go-round.

DOT officials speaking at the forum emphasized that these investments are only a first step. The state is looking eventually to buy new trainsets capable of 220-mph operation, though speeds on the initial line segment (Orlando-Tampa) will be limited to 168 mph. Though the DOT is currently operating under a less-than-desirable framework of running this segment down the median of Interstate 4, precluding downtown-to-downtown service to existing stations between Orlando and Tampa, the final routing will largely be determined by the contractor that makes the best bid.

Beyond the initial start-up, the state plans not to contribute a penny towards the service. The DOT wants future capital funding to come from federal grants, while the private sector covers the operating costs. It remains to be seen whether this scheme will prove viable once work begins.

Here’s hoping that the encouraging news out of the Sunshine State this month will lead to real results. Florida still lags far behind many states that have made serious strides in passenger rail over the past two decades, but its involvement is better late than never. While many aspects of the plan still need to be worked out, rail advocates cannot afford to make the perfect the enemy of the good. If this first phase is successful, we should begin to see incremental progress towards fast, frequent service connecting all the peninsula’s population centers that will begin to chip away at the state’s worsening traffic and suburban sprawl.

—Malcolm Kenton

Posted by Malcolm Kenton

Near-Term Rail Upgrades are Excellent Job Creators

Monday, February 01, 2010

The Associated Press’s Joan Lowy wrongly downplays the importance of the good American jobs that will be created through the Obama Administration’s investments in higher-speed intercity passenger trains in a Jan. 29 article. “There will be U.S. manufacturing and engineering jobs for slower trains often described as ‘higher speed’ or ‘midspeed,’” she writes, in a tone that suggests that these endeavors are not worthwhile compared to the kind of super high-speed trains that Europe and Asia have. In reality, the Administration’s current strategy is absolutely necessary to reboot domestic railroad manufacturing and engineering industries.

Fifty years ago, while the U.S. let railroads wither while pouring billions into new highways and airports, other industrialized countries did exactly what we are now beginning to do: make important outlays towards expanding and improving their rail networks. This laid the building blocks for their high-speed lines by providing connecting systems that feed passengers to the bullet trains and fostering a culture in which the train is a vital mode of travel.

Admittedly, it will be necessary for the U.S. to gain from other countries’ expertise in the short term, but by awarding contracts to foreign companies now, we will enhance our own knowledge base and quickly become more independent in the rail field.

We cannot simply build brand new high-speed railroads overnight. By gradually strengthening the existing rail network to allow for faster, more frequent passenger (and freight) service, we not only create jobs, but we also enhance the quality of many Americans’ travel experiences.

—Malcolm Kenton

Posted by Malcolm Kenton

Columnists Laud Amtrak Experience

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Three newspaper columns this week are singing the praises of American intercity passenger trains, enumerating their many advantages over driving and flying.

The Boston Globe’s Rebecca Ostriker tried the Lake Shore Limited from Boston to Chicago, and made a video to complement her article. She waxes poetic about the journey:

Tucking yourself into a bunk next to your own picture window, the landscape unfurling a wordless bedtime story, is a marvelous sensation. You hear the rumbling rails, the bells ding-dinging at train crossings, an occasional faint, distant whistle. As night falls, there are no more announcements over the loudspeaker, just the train rocking quietly. You linger on the views, even if all you can see are the black shadows of trees slipping away, silhouetted under the moon and stars.

She continues, describing the spontaneous camaraderie that is unique to dining and lounge cars:

You’ll surely find some kindred spirits. But it’s a funny thing, presenting yourselves to a new set of companions, one meal after another. How do you tell your own story? While you digest how others come across, you may ultimately find yourself reflecting on the show you’ve just put on. Who were we just now, for couples one, two, and three?

Mike and Liz Busch of Vancouver, British Columbia, write:

From the start the rails exposed us to the forests and mountains of the Northwest, dreamy waterfront vistas of Puget Sound, interspersed with grimy industrial back lots, sleepy little towns and a fascinating peek in to America’s back yard.

Looking back, we found the entire rail trip to be an inexpensive yet civilized mode of travel especially suited to those not rushing to the next meeting or bound by a stopwatch existence.

Airlines make a big deal out of the fact that they waive some cancellation penalties when it’s their fault. But they are quick to add a hefty up charge when passengers have a change of plans. Amtrak’s change and cancellation fees are either minuscule or nonexistent.

I’ll be the first to admit that Amtrak isn’t perfect. But on the whole train service appears to be improving. During my regular weekly trips over the past two months only one of my trains was delayed a mere 45 minutes, though several others were early.

—Malcolm Kenton

Posted by Malcolm Kenton

DOT Head Sympathizes With Transit Cuts…But Says Meager Budgets Will Continue

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

This map—courtesy of our friends over at Transportation For America—show how widespread the negative effects of the recession has been.  Click on a pin to see transit agency details, and what cuts are being considered (yellow pins designate a Stranded at the Station case study).


In a speech given earlier this week to the heads of transit agencies from across the country, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood expressed support for growing transit systems in American cities, but warned that a “lousy economy” would hinder efforts to increase levels of federal investment.

The speech, given as part of the annual conference held by the American Public Transportation Association in Washington, D.C., included a question and answer session, where transit heads expressed frustration at the lack of a permanent, transit-friendly successor to the federal surface transportation policy which expired last fall (Congress has been passing a series of short-term extensions in the meantime).  Passengers across the country have been hurt as transit agencies faced with widening budgetary shortfalls—due to decreased commuter traffic resulting from high levels of unemployment, and decreased tax revenue in general—are forced to choose between cuts in service and fare hikes. (New Jersey Transit, New York City’s MTA, and Washington D.C.‘s WMATA have all recently been faced with these decisions)

More after the jump…

» read more...

Posted by NARP

Short-haul airlines in decline, and passenger rail is the solution

Tuesday, December 06, 2011

Northeast Alabama Regional Airport

In his appearance before the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure today, NARP President Ross Capon made an important point about the state of the short-distance aviation market, and what industry trends mean for intercity travel.

With air carriers’ profit margins eroded by rising fuel prices, there has been a spate of stories in the past few weeks about airlines getting out of the business of short-haul flights.  In his statement, Capon identified two such pieces:

• The Associated Press reported on November 27 that “[t]he little planes that connect America’s small cities to the rest of the world are slowly being phased out.  Airlines are getting rid of these planes — their least-efficient — in response to the high cost of fuel.  Delta, United Continental, and other big airlines are expected to park, scrap or sell hundreds of jets with 50 seats or fewer in coming years.  Small propeller planes are meeting the same fate.  The loss of those planes is leaving some little cities with fewer flights or no flights at all… [Jet fuel prices are] at $3.16 per gallon today, up from 78 cents in 2000. That’s changed the economics of small planes…”
• Two days later, the AP reported that “US Airways’ round-trip fare from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia will jump nearly 500 percent early next year once Southwest Airlines drops its nonstop service between the two cities.  The nonrefundable round trip fare, not including taxes and fees, is now $118, but will jump to $698 after Southwest ends its service on Jan. 8, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Tuesday [Nov. 29]

The private sector is confirming something NARP has long warned of: rising fuel prices are irrevocably changing the way Americans travel.  So think about this: Department of Energy statistics show that even undercapitalized Amtrak is 14% more energy efficient per passenger-mile than domestic airlines (Amtrak uses 2,435 British Thermal Units per passenger-mile, compared to airlines 2,826 BTUs).  As Capon pointed out, these trends mean “unless passenger rail development is strangled by inadequate funding, demand for trains will continue to rise.”

Kevin Brubaker, Deputy Director at the Environmental Law & Policy Center, came to the same insight in a briefing he circulated.  By piecing together a number of disconnected reports, Brubaker was able to provide an analysis of the vulnerability of small and mid-sized cities reliant upon a single airline’s bottom line:

Regional jets and turbo props are no longer economical, reported the Washington Post [on November 25].  “Airlines are getting rid of these planes—their least-efficient—in response to the high cost of fuel. Delta, United Continental, and other big airlines are expected to park, scrap or sell hundreds of jets with 50 seats or fewer in coming years. Small propeller planes are meeting the same fate.  The loss of those planes is leaving some little cities with fewer flights or no flights at all.”  [C]ities with strong passenger rail connections are far better equipped to deal with this trend.
• Travelers on the Northeast Corridor can take Amtrak from cities like Providence, RI, Trenton, NJ, and Wilmington, DE to Baltimore-Washington or Newark International Airports for international and long distance flights.
• Places like Springfield, IL, Bloomington/Normal, IL;  and Kalamazoo, MI are less vulnerable, since they will soon have 110 mph higher speed service to major hub airports like Detroit, Chicago, and St. Louis.

Capon and Brubaker are both identifying the same fact: overreliance upon a single mode creates inherent instability in a transportation network.  There is a hard fact that critics of government investment in infrastructure fail to recognize: if transportation networks are left entirely to the free market, thousands of rural and suburban communities—lacking the population density to allow for profitable operation—will be stranded.  That outcome would be a disaster for the Americans who make those towns their home, especially seniors and people with disabilities, who rely on intercity public transportation to a higher degree.

Posted by NARP

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