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Jan 13, 2009: Railroad Passengers Urge Obama Administration to Intervene in Hudson River Railroad Tunnels ProjectRelease #09-01—January 13, 2009 In a statement released today, the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) calls for “the Obama Administration to exercise its constitutional obligation to advance interstate commerce” by requiring New Jersey Transit’s Access to the Region’s Core project to connect to New York’s Penn Station. The statement also encourages support of commuter train “through-running” between Long Island and New Jersey, building on Gov. Paterson’s September statement that “we have to unify these systems and make them work together to create efficiency.” The statement also notes that “NARP does not support construction of NJT’s planned deep cavern terminal station some 175 feet below 34th Street in Midtown Manhattan. It does not permit connecting the new tunnels with Penn Station, adds a serious security risk, and would cost up to $3 billion more than the direct track connection favored by NARP, New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers, Empire State Passengers Association and the Lackawanna Coalition. It would add four to five minutes per trip in each direction for many Jersey-Manhattan commuters and would be especially inconvenient for passengers transferring to or from Penn Station.” NARP called for a “cooperative planning process aimed at making best use of existing facilities [to] explore system expansion options, including the addition of tracks and platforms on Penn Station’s south side and a Penn Station-Grand Central Terminal track connection.” The full statement is available here on our website. About NARP NARP is the largest citizen-based organization advocating for train and rail transit passengers. We have worked since 1967 to expand the quality and quantity of passenger train service in the U.S. Our mission is to work towards a modern, customer-focused national passenger train network that provides a travel choice Americans want. Our work is supported by over 24,000 individual members. Jan 15, 2009: Advocates for Environment, Freight, and Passenger Rail and Transportation Reform Unite…The National Association of Railroad Passengers is pleased to be a part of the formation of OneRail, a new advocacy coalition. To quote from the press release, OneRail “will advance rail programs…(and) encourage public policies recognizing rail as a critical element of the national transportation system and an essential part of the future economic growth and environmental well-being of the nation.” Please read the group’s first press release. More information can be found on the website of the Surface Transportation Policy Partnership. Feb 14, 2009: Railroad Passengers Praise Economic Recovery LegislationRelease #09-03—February 14, 2009 In a statement this morning, NARP President Ross Capon said, “President Obama and the U.S. Congress deserve high praise for producing legislation that—by properly recognizing the value of passenger and freight trains—finally begins to move transportation policy in a genuinely new direction. With passenger rail a conspicuous beneficiary of the House-Senate conference, we are especially pleased to acknowledge reports that this was partly due to the personal involvement of President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. “Responsibility for realizing the potential of this bill now rests with:
“NARP stands ready to offer help and support in this process.” Details on the transportation elements of the stimulus are the lead story in our February 13 weekly news hotline. Apr 14, 2009: Railroad Safety Award To Be Presented to Norfolk Southern’s Dwayne MeadowsRelease #09-04—April 14, 2009 Contact NARP, Norfolk Southern contact information at the bottom of this release Washington D.C., April 14, 2009—The family of Dr. Gary Burch and the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) announced today that Mr. Dwayne Meadows, a Bridge Supervisor for Norfolk Southern and resident of Altoona, Pa., has won the 2009 Dr. Gary Burch Memorial Safety Award. The award, which honors individuals who have significantly enhanced rail passenger safety, is sponsored by the family of Dr. Burch, who died in a 1991 passenger train derailment in South Carolina. “Our family is pleased to present this award to Mr. Meadows,” said Bette Burch, widow of Dr. Burch. “We are gratified that Norfolk Southern has joined the ranks of those submitting nominations, and that its first nomination was this year’s winner. We give particular consideration to the workers in the field who make safety happen on a day-to-day basis. Mr. Meadows perfectly fits this description.” Meadows has worked at Norfolk Southern for more than 31 injury-free years, during which he has supervised numerous groups and garnered a sterling safety record. The bridge gangs he supervises have gone 19 years-working on high-traffic freight and Amtrak routes—without a Federal Railroad Authority reportable injury. The past several years have seen Meadows take the improvement of Amtrak’s station platforms as a personal mission. According to the nomination submitted by Norfolk Southern Corporation Vice-President C.J. Wehrmeister, “He replaced plywood with sturdier materials that reduce ice-buildup in all the platforms between Harrisburg and Latrobe; at Greensburg he removed the platform that allowed passengers to cross the tracks rather than using a pedestrian tunnel; and he has consistently displayed a willingness to respond to problems at stations outside of his district; all to ensure the safety of passengers. “Meadows has displayed excellent judgment and tenacity in all of his duties, which include the monitoring of operations, maintaining and improving drainage, replacing and cleaning culverts, repairing handrails and walkways on bridges, inspecting bridges, and maintaining signage.” “Safety doesn’t just happen” said Meadows, who was also chairman of his local safety committee. “You have to work hard at it every day and not let up.” The Burch family noted other noteworthy nominees from this year’s submissions:
The Burch family established the $1,000 award in 1994 and has sponsored it ever since. A list of previous winners can be found here on our website. About NARP NARP is the only national organization speaking for the users of passenger trains and rail transit. We have worked since 1967 to expand the quality and quantity of passenger rail in the U.S. Our mission is to work towards a modern, customer-focused national passenger train network that provides a travel choice Americans want. Our work is supported by over 22,000 individual members. About Norfolk Southern Norfolk Southern Corporation is one of the nation’s premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary operates approximately 21,000 route miles in 22 states, the District of Columbia and Ontario, Canada, serving every major container port in the eastern United States and providing superior connections to western rail carriers. NS operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is North America’s largest rail carrier of metals and automotive products. NS Contact: Rudy Husband, Director Public Relations Apr 16, 2009: Rail Passengers Praise President Obama’s High Speed Rail VisionRelease #09-05—April 16, 2009 Washington D.C., April 16, 2009—NARP President and CEO Ross Capon issued the following statement after attending President Obama’s unveiling of the Administration’s Vision for High-Speed Rail in America, the mandated strategic plan that “It was truly an honor to be present when, for the first time in my 34 years with the Association, a President of the United States delivered a speech on passenger trains that I would have been proud to have authored, backed up by the unprecedented $9.3 billion for intercity passenger trains in the Economic Recovery law. “President Obama hit exactly the right tone by:
“Vice-President Biden and Secretary LaHood were equally eloquent. The Vice-President noted that, while most Recovery Act money is aimed at short-term job creation, part of the funds are reserved for projects with long-term benefits, including world-class high speed rail. He singled out three key people who made today’s announcement possible: Secretary LaHood, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and President Obama. “The Secretary said, ‘Our journey is just beginning. This will be one of the legacies of the Obama Administration, this will be their transportation legacy.’ “The National Association of Railroad Passengers is thrilled with this initiative and looks forward to working with the Administration to make this successful. Our Board of Directors recently voted to make President Barack Obama the first sitting President to be honored with our George Falcon Golden Spike Award.” Apr 21, 2009: Railroad Passengers Honor Senator Harry Reid with Golden Spike AwardRelease #09-06—April 20, 2009 Washington, DC—The National Association of Railroad Passengers will present the George Falcon Golden Spike Award to Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) tomorrow morning. Senator Reid has been a long-time supporter of passenger trains in general and Amtrak in particular. NARP President and CEO Ross B. Capon said, “As Majority Leader, Senator Reid played a key role leading to the October, 2008, enactment of the Rail Safety/Amtrak reauthorization. This year, his work was critical to inclusion of a strong passenger train component in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.”
The award is named after the late George Falcon, a Los Angeles area publisher and early member of NARP, who created the award. Apr 21, 2009: Railroad Passengers Honor Representative Mica with Golden Spike AwardRelease #09-07—April 20, 2009 Washington, DC—The National Association of Railroad Passengers will present the George Falcon Golden Spike Award to Representative John Mica (R-FL) during the Association’s Annual Congressional Reception tomorrow evening in Washington, DC. Rep. Mica has made it “a personal mission to see that the United States has world class high-speed trains…” according to the text on the award plaque. As Republican Leader on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Mica played a key role leading to the October, 2008, enactment of the Rail Safety/Amtrak reauthorization. His strong support for the development of Central Florida Commuter Rail, also called SunRail, illustrates the breadth of his support for rail. Quoting the plaque text again, “His passion for expanding the roles of all forms of rail-transit, passenger and freight-has been crucial in laying the groundwork for that expansion.” The Association presents George Falcon Golden Spike Awards to honor individuals, usually public officials, for their support for a fully developed train network and leadership in promoting rail development. A complete list of past winners is at http://www.narprail.org/spike The award is named after the late George Falcon, a Los Angeles area publisher and early member of NARP, who created the award. Jun 17, 2009: Railroad Passengers Praise Administrations’ Guidance for Intercity and High-Speed Train DevelopmentRelease #09-07—June 17, 2009 PDF Version of High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program Guidance
“The time has finally come for the United States to get serious about building a national network of high-speed rail corridors we can all be proud of,” said U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “High-speed rail can reduce traffic congestion and link up with light rail, subways and buses to make travel more convenient and our communities more livable.” Secretary LaHood, along with Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo, released the interim guidance, which has been the result of an unprecedented outreach to almost 1,200 stakeholders—state officials, non-profit advocates, rail industry representatives, and members of the public working to rejuvenate—or interested in rejuvenating—the nation’s train system. “The result of this outreach shows a clear understanding of what makes trains successful, by using passenger-miles [one passenger transported one mile]; convenience of intermodal connections to local transit, airports, and bus terminals; and an appropriately broad definition of benefits that includes energy efficiency, environmental, and quality-of-life improvements as key measures in evaluating applicants” said NARP’s Director of Communications, Sean Jeans-Gail. “This plan lays the groundwork for something that can truly transform the way Americans move about in their lives.” The guidance overview reveals what appears to be an extremely flexible system for distributing federal funds. The FRA has created four funding tracks to address a wide range of potential applicant goals. “Track 1,” whose effects will be felt most immediately, is for the distribution of the $8 billion in Recovery Act funds and will go to ready-to-go intercity passenger rail construction projects—though expenses incidental to construction and acquisition will be covered, including “designing, engineering, location surveying, mapping, environmental studies, and acquiring rights-of-way.” “Track 2” is for longer-term high-speed and intercity service development (including substantial upgrades to existing service); “track 3” will be for developing a “pipeline” of future projects; and “track 4” offers a simplified alternative for states willing to match federal funds by at least 50%. The multiple tracks will be crucial to ensure that the benefits of the funds are felt across the country. Some states that already chosen to make trains a priority are far ahead of others in rail planning—most notably California, which passed a bond act in 2008 to issue $9.95 billion for a state-wide high-speed rail system. While those states with rail plans have an advantage in securing funds, the FRA’s guidance shows a willingness to help develop rail plans in partnerships with states that have little experience in this type of planning. This is underscored by the early July 10 pre-application date, which will allow the FRA to provide feedback on the project applications “I think the July 10 date for public comment and pre-applications shows a commitment by the Administration to, first, alter the guidance they have provided if it is truly needed, but more importantly, to work with states as facilitators for rail projects, and not just act as gatekeepers of federal funds” said Jeans-Gail. “That, in conjunction with the decision not to pre-judge how much money will flow through each of the three programs set up the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act passed by Congress last fall, strongly implies that they are very serious about allocating where this money goes based on the quality of the applications they receive.” Final applications for funding Tracks 1, 3, and 4 are due August 24; applications for funding Track 2 are due by October 2 (the guidelines also note the potential for a subsequent round of solicitations after 2009). Given President Obama’s recent public commitment to speeding up the distribution of stimulus funds, it is likely that the money will be awarded soon after. This would be excellent news for the nation’s construction and manufacturing sectors; the FRA’s interim guidance calls for the promotion of “standard equipment (or rolling stock),” and this $8 billion infusion into rail could signal start of a unified train-based industry in America. ### Jul 31, 2009: Railroad Passengers Deplore Transportation Funding DirectionFor Immediate Release (#09-08) July 31, 2009 Contacts: Ross Capon, Sean Jeans-Gail (Capon cell 301-385-6438) Washington D.C., July 31, 2009—Here is the statement of National Association of Railroad Passengers President and CEO Ross B. Capon on Fiscal 2010 federal passenger train funding prospects following Senate Appropriations Committee and House floor actions: “Enactment of a passenger train reauthorization last October and the March unveiling of President Obama’s vision for modern passenger trains appeared to set a new course that would give Americans a convenient, safe, energy efficient and green transportation choice that promotes smarter development patterns more conducive to livable communities. “Unfortunately, Congress seems headed towards funding levels that threaten continuation of existing service, while virtually ruling out improvement and expansion of service nationwide. “The House and Senate – following the bad example set in the Administration’s budget – slashed the grant for national system operations $27 million below Amtrak’s request. “US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, in May at the National Press Club, succinctly described the folly of inadequate operating grants for transit: ‘I think it’s a little bit silly to provide all of this money to transit districts to buy new buses if you can’t afford to have drivers and employees to use the equipment.’ “This same argument applies to intercity passenger trains. But here, Congress is not cutting just operating funds, but capital as well. Yesterday, the Senate slashed $381.4 million from Amtrak’s capital request. Last week, the House slashed even more—a whopping $453 million–leaving Amtrak with a capital grant $10 million below this year’s level. These actions imply providing only 60% to 66% of the capital Amtrak needs. Since basic mechanical and engineering ‘state of good repair’ work will require $550 million, the Senate would provide less than $188 million (and the House less than $116 million) to buy the new equipment needed to replace Amtrak’s oldest cars and to support service expansion as well as investments required to comply with a reasonable interpretation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Thus, it is important that the current direction get changed on the Senate floor or in a House-Senate conference. “As to high-speed rail funds, the Senate committee provided $1.2 billion compared with the House’s $4 billion, and would prohibit the Federal Railroad Administration ‘from awarding grants until the agency has completed a national rail plan as required under the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act.’ As a result of the historic $8 billion for high-speed rail in the American Recovery and Reinvestment act, 40 states submitted 272 applications for over $105 billion of high-speed rail projects. “Fully funding trains provides good, safe transportation choices and creates well-paying jobs that can’t be outsourced overseas. “But, even though interest in passenger train development has never been higher and the President has set a new direction for transportation policy, what is actually happening is a piling up of more highway subsidies and a continuation of inadequate funding for Amtrak. “The House voted today to add $2 billion to support the “cash-for-clunkers” program that lets people trade in old cars for subsidized new ones. Before initially enacting this program as part of the war supplemental, in one indication of how little Washington has changed, House-Senate conferees deleted a provision both bodies had approved which would have let clunker-disposers get public transit vouchers instead of credit for purchase of a new car. “Evidently citizens must shout still louder to Washington before federal funding will move clearly to rectify decades of neglect of rail and overemphasis on highways and aviation. That change will be necessary to create a cleaner, safer, more-efficient transportation network.” Our statement to a Senate Banking subcommittee outlining highway subsidies can be found by clicking here.
Aug 19, 2009: NARP Pushes For Restoration of Train Service to Gulf Coast Coast ConnectorFor Immediate Release (#09-09) National Association of Railroad Passengers Releases Position Paper: Restore the Gulf Coast Connector Now! Washington, D.C.—The National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) released a position paper on Wednesday urging Congress and the U.S. Department of Transportation to takes the steps necessary to restore service to the “Gulf Coast Connector” between New Orleans and Orlando. The recommended steps included restoration of tri-weekly service of the Sunset Limited train between Los Angeles and Orlando—which was “suspended” after Hurricane Katrina—and full Congressional appropriation for Amtrak’s FY2010 operating grant at the passenger train company’s requested levels. The full Sunset Limited route ties together California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida—together, these states are home to one in every three Americans, and account for half the nation’s population growth since 1970. These states also have the top three largest travel markets in the nation in California, Texas, and Florida. Full service to the Sun Belt is a crucial piece of the foundation for passenger trains in America. Last fall Congress directed Amtrak to provide them with a plan for restoring service that “shall include a projected timeline for restoring such service, the costs associated with restoring such service, and any proposals for legislation necessary to support such restoration of service.” NARP does not believe the report issued by Amtrak fulfilled this request in a satisfactory manner, and has performed an alternate analysis of potential ridership, station repair costs, and available railcars, to provide a better sense of what the cost of the restoration of the Gulf Coast Connector would actually be. “It is a shame that a full five years have come and gone without the restoration of this vital link in America’s passenger rail network, even though freight trains began running again on the same tracks as early as six months after Hurricane Katrina” said NARP President Ross Capon. NARP’s paper outlines five proposals, and lays the foundation for daily service between New Orleans and Orlando. The passenger train advocacy group argues that the residents of these states—and all parts of the country—are entitled to modern, reliable passenger train service, and that restoring the Gulf Coast Connector should be a first step in achieving this goal. The full position paper, which provides detailed figures and methodology, can be found on NARP’s website. ### Sep 23, 2009: NARP pushes House/Senate conference cmtte. for full funding of trains in FY10 transportation budgetFor immediate release (#09-10) Washington, D.C., September 23, 2009—In a letter sent today to members of the House-Senate conference committee on the Fiscal 2010 transportation, housing and urban development appropriations bill, the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) and the Midwest High Speed Rail Association (MHSRA) called on Congressional leaders to protect and enhance passenger train service by adopting the House-passed $4 billion for high-speed rail and by fully funding Amtrak. The letter also opposed a Senate-passed provision that would essentially shut down Amtrak by March 31, 2010, unless the railroad accepted guns as checked baggage by then. The two Associations urged that any response to the Wicker (R-MS) amendment take the form of a mandated study that would identify the relevant cost and logistical issues. “We saw in 2008, when gas prices rose above $4 a gallon, how inadequately the nation’s passenger train and transit providers were equipped to handle a surge in ridership,” said Ross Capon, President of NARP. “High gas prices will return when the economy improves, and Amtrak must be funded at a level that allows them to expand capacity.” “The over $103 billion in state requests for high speed rail funds shows the overwhelming desire for fast trains,” said Rick Harnish, Executive Director of MHSRA. “If Congress wants to ensure success for the high speed rail program in the future, they must make sure we can expand train service in the short-term.” NARP and MHSRA called upon Congress to designate half ($2 billion) of the high-speed rail funding for the acquisition of new passenger train cars. NARP also released a fleet expansion proposal. This is a blueprint that addresses the lengthy lead-times required for ordering new equipment, and will allow Amtrak to start working now to meet future needs. This proposal is available online. Based on funding levels in the individual appropriations bills already passed, and in light of Amtrak’s commitment to spend what it takes to make its stations ADA compliant, there is a danger that other important capital needs will be seriously neglected. This would be unfortunate when there are unprecedented demands on Amtrak’s limited resources to help states expand passenger train plans and services. About NARP NARP is the largest citizen-based organization advocating for train and rail transit passengers. We have worked since 1967 to expand the quality and quantity of passenger rail in the U.S. Our mission is to work towards a modern, customer-focused national passenger train network that provides a travel choice Americans want. Our work is supported by over 23,000 individual members. About MHSRA The Midwest High Speed Rail Association is a Chicago-based member-supported non-profit organization advocating for fast, frequent and dependable trains linking the entire Midwest. Our diverse membership base includes nearly 2,000 individuals, local governments, and corporations. Our goal is to persuade local, state and federal governments to implement an aggressive railroad expansion and provide on-going operational support for fast trains throughout the Midwest. Oct 07, 2009: 19 Organizations Ask Transit Administrator to “Fix” Hudson River Tunnel ProjectFor Immediate Release (#09-11) September 29, 2009 Contact: Sean Jeans-Gail, 202-408-8362 Washington, DC, September 29, 2009— Despite the potential for great economic benefits, New Jersey Transit’s current plans for new, dead-end tunnels under the Hudson River into a deep-cavern station under 34th Street in Manhattan would constitute “one of the greatest wastes of taxpayer money in history.” Thus wrote the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) and 18 other advocacy organizations, in a letter to Federal Transit Administrator Peter M. Rogoff. The 19 organizations ask U.S. DOT to intervene and force appropriate changes to New Jersey Transit’s Mass Transit Tunnel project (formerly Trans-Hudson Express and Access to the Region’s Core). The list of groups endorsing the letter include Sierra Club New Jersey and Connecticut Chapters, the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the [New York] MTA and the Midwest High Speed Rail Association. The organizations ask the federal government to intervene to stop the project as planned and mandate inclusion of a direct track connection to the existing Penn Station, to promote greater connectivity throughout the region, as well as to provide back-up redundancy in case of failure or other disruptions in the two, century-old tunnels linking Penn Station with New Jersey. As currently designed, the project is a gamble that those elderly tunnels will last another century—tunnels on which Amtrak and half of NJT’s trains will continue to depend. Absent the connection, a calamitous long-term blockage would paralyze operations, eliminating the ability to run Amtrak or commuter trains between New England and New Jersey. “[T]he NJT plan is irresponsible at its core,” the Association writes, “and offers a case study as to why deference to the ‘locally preferred alternative’ does not serve the public interest.” To correct this folly, the organizations recommend:
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