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Jan 13, 2012: Train Passengers Applaud Amtrak’s Planned Improvements for 2012FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (#12-01) Contact: Sean Jeans-Gail – 202-408-8362 [mobile: 202-320-2723] Train Passengers Applaud Amtrak’s Planned Improvements for 2012 Remain committed to seeing long-term expansion of America’s intercity passenger rail network
The long distance cars—which will be built by U.S. workers throughout 2012—will replace and supplement the existing fleet. By retiring the oldest cars still in service, some of which date back to the 1940s, Amtrak will be able to improve service and reliability on its national network, which has become a transportation life-life to hundreds of rural and suburban communities stranded by the contracting airline industry. Amtrak will also produce a fresh round of Performance Improvement Plans for long-distance routes. The railroad will look at ways to improve service and increase ridership on routes that run between Chicago and Los Angeles, Seattle/Portland and New Orleans, and between Los Angeles and Seattle. “Amtrak has done an excellent job in identifying achievable, common-sense service improvements during previous rounds, so we’re looking forward to the product of these new studies,” said NARP President Ross Capon. “However, these plans are too important to America’s passengers to sit on a shelf, and we will continue to press Congress, the Obama Administration, and Amtrak itself to make sure these Performance Improvement Plans are acted upon.” Amtrak has also identified a number of aggressive improvements for the Northeast Corridor. In addition to new locomotives, the company will move forward with design and engineering work on the Gateway Program to increase capacity into Manhattan and eliminate a significant chokepoint on the NEC; projects include building two new tunnels under the Hudson and providing a much needed replacement for the 100-year old Portal Bridge. Amtrak is also moving forward on work in New Jersey that will increase the Acela Express’ top speed from 135 mph to 160 mph along a 24-mile section of the NEC between Trenton and New Brunswick, New Jersey. About the National Association of Railroad Passengers 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. Jan 31, 2012: Rail Groups Push for California to Break Ground on High-Speed Rail in 2012FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (#12-02) January 31, 2012 Contact: Sean Jeans-Gail – 202-408-8362 [mobile: 202-320-2723] National Coalition of Passenger Train Groups Urge California’s Governor to Break Ground on High-Speed Rail in 2012Offer Plan to Broaden Support for Project in Metropolitan Areas The National Association of Railroad Passengers, Californians for High Speed Rail, and Midwest High Speed Rail Association joined together this week to issue a letter to California Governor Jerry Brown, calling on his Administration to move forward with construction on the high-speed rail (HSR) project’s first segment. [Read the full text of the letter (PDF)] “The need to break ground this year for the Initial Construction Segment in the San Joaquin Valley is paramount to the future of HSR in the state and nation,” said the letter. “Furthermore, HSR will serve as the catalyst for a robust expansion of California’s economy and provide a significant boost to employment in the state.” The three leading passenger rail advocacy groups also proposed accelerating plans to engage in passenger rail investment in the HSR corridors’ densely populated endpoints. “To ensure the necessary level of public support for the statewide HSR project, it is important that people in the major metropolitan areas (where a large portion of California citizens reside) also see tangible benefits in the first phases of construction,” continued the statement. “We therefore urge you, in concert with the existing passenger rail agencies, to work to allocate such funds as are available to projects that will enhance public safety and improve existing rail services in corridors that high-speed rail trains will utilize upon further investments.” 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 Californians For High Speed Rail Californians For High Speed Rail (CA4HSR) is a grassroots, statewide coalition of high speed rail supporters advocating for the high speed rail project approved by California voters in November 2008. Founded in 2005, we exist to educate, inform, and organize Californians about ways they can help make high speed rail a reality in the Golden State. Additionally, CA4HSR also encourages sustainable development of the high speed rail (HSR) system, promotes the building of HSR stations in city centers, transit-oriented developments, as well as developing/improving feeder transit systems. Visit us at: http://www.ca4hsr.org About Midwest High Speed Rail Association 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. ### Feb 01, 2012: Train Passengers Express Concern at Key Rail Provisions in House BillFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (#12-03) February 1, 2012 Contact: Ross Capon – 202-408-8362 [mobile: 301-385-6438] Train Passengers Express Concern at Key Rail Provisions in House Bill The National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) issues this statement on the House Republican draft transportation bill as it stood late yesterday. While we are encouraged at the prospect of some long-awaited movement on addressing our nation’s transportation needs, the “American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act” (H.R. 7) has measures that would take transportation policy in the wrong direction when more and more people are turning to train travel. We strongly oppose further reductions in Amtrak’s already bare-bones federal operating grant. Following hard on budget cuts that already have forced unhealthy reductions in Amtrak’s capital and operating grants, these new cuts are at odds with the goal of encouraging train travel . We can support extending beyond 2015 the deadline for installing Positive Train Control to prevent train-to-train collisions on passenger and certain hazmat routes. However, we do not support a five-year extension. Also, any extension should be accompanied by language clarifying the need to prevent rear-end collisions, which current federal regulations do not do. Our detailed comments on Positive Train Control are available here. We believe the privatization of Amtrak food service personnel is impractical, and constitutes micro-management of one area when Congress’s appropriate focus should be on Amtrak’s overall bottom line. Having trains partly staffed with Amtrak personnel and partly with private sector personnel (presumably, unionized and non-unionized, respectively) likely would increase the complexity of the operation and end such efficient sharing of tasks among different Amtrak personnel as currently exists. Also, it is not clear that the legislation takes into account the fact that Amtrak’s on-the-ground commissaries already are privatized, and meals for sleeping-car passengers are included in the ticket price. The flaws in this proposal are exacerbated by the prohibition against Amtrak’s ability to sue certain parties. Congress has tried to micro-manage food service on previous occasions, never successfully. Finally, NARP supports the railroad industry in its opposition to any increase in maximum allowable truck weights. The competitive impact of such a change in policy would be at odds with concerns about safety, the growing gap between highway maintenance costs and available revenues, and energy conservation. About the National Association of Railroad Passengers 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. |
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