Resources & Links

Click here to view a PDF version of NARP President Ross Capon’s March 26, 2011, PowerPoint presentation delivered at a regional NARP membership meeting in Boston. WARNING: LARGE FILE

A statement from NARP rebutting critics’ misleading assessment of a project to build a heavy-rail rapid transit line in Hawaii’s capital city.

Read a research paper on how public policy has shaped the development of Michigan’s transportation system since the 1700s, by NARP Vice Chairman John DeLora.

An overview of changes to the political landscape after the November 2, 2010, midterm election that may impact passenger train development.

NARP’s letter to New Jersey’s Governor Chris Christie reiterating need for new rail tunnels under the Hudson River, and opposing use of funds designated for the rail tunnels to help address the state’s ongoing Transportation Trust Fund problem

NARP President Ross Capon joins retired transportation professor Dr. Vukan Vuchic in urging the New Jersey Department of Transportation to push to connect the two new tunnels being constructed under the Hudson River to Penn Station.

NARP’s Chairman Robert Stewart praises Amtrak purchase of 130 new single-level passenger railcars

NARP President Ross Capon offers the Association’s assistance to Amtrak as it pursues making the Sunset Limited a daily train on a shortened schedule.

NARP President Ross Capon submitted the following as part of the Federal Railroad Administration’s public comment period on the National Rail Plan, which is due to be completed September 15, 2010.

NARP President Ross Capon urges New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie—shortly after his inauguration—to take a complete look at the project—already underway—to build two new rail tunnels under the Hudson River that won’t connect with Penn Station, and will hence be unusable by Amtrak.

NARP expresses our concern about Amtrak’s approach to new challenges to the liability protection it has historically enjoyed, which threaten to raise the implementation cost for any enhancement to passenger train service.

NARP’s comments to Amtrak study on the potential restoration of the Pioneer route between Denver, Salt Lake City/Ogden, Boise, Portland and Seattle.

A letter from NARP Chairman George Chilson and President Ross B. Capon to Federal Transit Administration head Peter Rogoff prescribing remedies to the flaws in the current plans for the new Hudson River Tunnels. (UPDATE: includes FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff’s response to NARP, and an anti-ARC editorial by New Jersey’s The Record)

NARP writes to Amtrak’s Chairman Thomas Carper, challenging him to ensure that network growth and fleet expansion are Amtrak’s top priority.

Specifying America’s short-term needs for expanded rail service and the locomotives and railcars needed to make it happen.

In a paper sent to Amtrak officials and to members of Congress, NARP urges the immediate restoration of Amtrak service between New Orleans and Florida along the Gulf Coast and questions why the transportation needs of most of the country are not properly funded at the federal level.

Endorsing three candidates for the Amtrak Board of Directors: Carl Fowler of Putney, VT; Bennett Levin of Washington, PA; and Dennis Sullivan of Virginia Beach, VA.

February 18, 2009 letter to Ray LaHood, U.S. Secretary of Transportation, urging him not to provide federal funding for New Jersey Transit’s Access to the Region’s Core project until a connection between the new tunnels and the existing Penn Station is restored.

Click here to download NARP’s February 11, 2009 testimony before the Surface Transportation Board on the STB’s new responsibilities as they relate to the Amtrak re authorization.

A statement regarding the Access to the Regions Core project in New York City—specifically, the need for it to connect to the existing Penn Station.

A letter from NARP Chairman George Chilson and President Ross B. Capon to President-Elect Barack Obama urging him to include passenger trains in his Administration’s agenda and in an economic stimulus package.

A letter from NARP President Ross B. Capon to Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley (D.) protesting proposed MARC train service cuts and the Governor’s insistence that a fare increase cannot be considered to offset the service reductions.

Statement of National Association of Railroad Passengers and Ross Capon, NARP President, at the Brunswick, MD hearing on proposed MARC commuter train service cuts.

November 21, 2008 letter to Mary Peters, U.S. Secretary of Transportation, urging her not to allow the Federal Transit Administration to sign a Record of Decision in New Jersey Transit’s Access to the Region’s Core project.

Statement of National Association of Railroad Passengers and Ross Capon, NARP President and a Bethesda resident, at the Purple Line Alternatives Analysis/Draft EIS Public Hearing

NARP Executive Director Ross B. Capon wrote to the two major nominees for President on September 12.  The letter served both as a follow up to our December 12, 2007 letter to all candidates then in the race and made the specific ask of supporting passenger rail growth as part of their campaign platforms.

A resource compiled by NARP Executive Director Ross B. Capon regarding statistics, trends, and opinions about oil and gas supplies.

May 19, 2008 letter from NARP Executive Director Ross B. Capon to six New England Governors, thanking them for pressuring Amtrak on the planned June 14-17 shutdown of New Haven-Boston service

NARP’s comments submitted in the Access to the Regions Core project (the new tunnel between New Jersey and New York).

April 18, 2008 e-mail from NARP Executive Director Ross B. Capon to the Amtrak Board and senior management regarding the planned June 14-17 shutdown of New Haven-Boston service.

An April 9, 2008 letter to the Governors of New York and New Jersey, requesting their intervention to ensure that the new Hudson River rail tunnels connect through Penn Station to Grand Central.

Testimony delivered by NARP Executive Director Ross B. Capon at the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement Hearing for the Access to the Region’s Core (ARC) –
THE (Trans-Hudson Express) Tunnel Project.

A February 12, 2008 open letter (via e-mail) to Amtrak President and CEO Alex Kummant from the NARP praising Amtrak’s decision to reinstate its “Coast Starlight” train between Los Angeles and Sacramento and urging the railroad to restore the entire run to Seattle by March 4, using buses for the Klamath Falls-Eugene segment if tracks closed by a January mud slide remain impassable.

NARP sent a letter to the 16 Presidential candidates on December 12.  The letter asked them to consider supporting passenger rail growth as part of their campaign platforms.

August 3, 2007 regarding Norfolk Southern’s proposed sale of its Kalamazoo-Ypsilanti mainline to a shortline railroad.  Eight Amtrak trains operate on the line each day and the route is a DOT-designated high speed rail corridor

Report by NARP President George Chilson that discusses why Food and Beverage service is important to rail travelers and disputes charges that the service must operate at a “profit”

“Modern Passenger Trains: A National Necessity”—NARP report first written in 2002 and revised in 2003.

Comments were submitted to the Internal Revenue Service on December 7, 2006. They express concern that IRS would reduce utility of the tax credit for short lines by making it impossible for shippers, contractors and suppliers to benefit from the credit while investing in rail infrastructure improvements.

Knowing the history of U.S. railroading, including the railroads’ use of intercity passenger rail to attract and keep big freight shippers rather than as a profit center, can be helpful in understanding the current situation and debating future policy.  Most of the following was compiled in October, 2003, by NARP Executive Director Ross B. Capon, but we continue to add important historical facts as time permits.  The books and reports quoted are excellent factual sources, whether or not you agree with their spin on every point.  They are listed at the end, with numbers corresponding to the footnotes in the text below.

In a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), the Department of Transportation has proposed a new set of guidelines to conform to the Americans With Disabilities (ADA) Act.  These standards, as proposed, would likely bring new passenger rail development to a halt and put many current services at risk.  NARP strongly opposes the NPRM, as does a diverse group of commuter rail authorities, Amtrak, the U.S. Army, and freight railroads.  The full text of NARP’s comments submitted July 28, 2006 are available here.

July 12, 2006, demanding STB action on delays to Amtrak trains attributable to freight train interference and maintenance issues.

A June 12, 2006 email to Amtrak Board Chairman David Laney urging Laney and the Amtrak Board to retain Amtrak’s existing route network.  This email was in response to published reports that Amtrak is taking a “clean slate” look at the national system.

A March 2, 2006 letter from NARP President George Chilson to Amtrak Chairman David Laney urging full restoration of service between New Orleans and Florida

Despite continued attacks on dining car and sleeping car service, an analysis conducted by NARP President George Chilson shows that Amtrak’s sleeping car service generates an incremental profit of at least $40 million a year.  Read Chilson’s full report.

...June 13, 2006 from NARP President George L. Chilson to Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta regarding the lack of mention of passenger rail in the DOT’s “National Strategy to Reduce Congestion on America’s Transportation Network” report.

Critique of a 1979 CBO report entitled “The Current and Future Savings of Energy Attributable to Amtrak”  NARP Executive Director Ross B. Capon wrote this rebuttal in June 1979, with an update in March 1981.

Summary of NARP’s response (with link to longer analysis) of the DOT Inspector General’s report that advocates elimination of all sleeping car, dining car, and checked baggage service on Amtrak trains.

...March 28, 2005 from NARP President George L. Chilson to Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta regarding fiscal 2006 zero funding request for Amtrak.

... Senate leadership requesting full transit funding in SAFETEA legislation.

... on August 4, 2004, relating NARP’s concerns about the attempt to repeal Florida’s constitutionally-mandated high speed rail project.

... on June 28, 2004, response to FRA’s “Notice of Funds Availability and Request for Comment to Assistt in the Development and Implementation of a Procedure for Fair Competitive Bidding by Amtrak and Non-Amtrak Operators of State-Supported Intercity Passenger Rail Routes.”

... on April 17, 2002, regarding GAO testimony that unfairly cast long-distance trains in a negative light.

... on March 13, 2002, regarding FRA testimony “seemed to undermine the case for a national passenger rail network, or even any federal funding for intercity passenger rail.”

... on August 10, 2001, urging supported by the Administration of the High Speed Rail Investment Act.

... on June 19, 2001, regarding his recent comments on the “need” to reduce the size of the national passenger rail network; page includes his remarks.

... on May 18, 2001, regarding the role passenger rail should have in a national energy policy.

... on October 6, 2000, regarding a draft report circulating at that time on Northeast Corridor infrastructure (much of the draftt report incorporated into the Council’s second annual report).

... on December 11, 1996, by NARP Executive Director Ross Capon, on why the Administration must start the 1998 budget cycle with the right Amtrak figures.