NARP April 2000 Hotlines

#133 - April 7, 2000
#134 - April 14, 2000
#135 - April 21, 2000
#136 - April 28, 2000

Back to Hotline Archive index page

Senators and Representatives still need to hear two simple messages -- fund Amtrak at the authorized $989 million in fiscal 2001, and enact the High Speed Rail Investment Act (S.1900, H.R.3700). Legislators who are not co-sponsors should be. Finally, Senators also need to be urged to ask Senator Lott to bring to the floor S.1144 (making intercity passenger rail eligible for flexible gasoline-tax funds). He is a co-sponsor, and has made pro-passenger-rail remarks publicly within the past month, but he needs to act because other senators have "holds" on the bill.

The Senate on April 6 passed a non-binding "Sense of the Senate" resolution that the fiscal 2001 resolution should not assume any gas-tax "holidays," on a two-to-one margin. The leading bill to reduce the gas tax, S.2285, may come to a vote next week.

California Gov. Gray Davis (D.) proposed a campaign to ease transportation congestion in his state on April 5. He made the announcement in front of the San Jose railroad station. The total package is for $5.2 billion, with $3 billion of that coming from general funds, and the rest from a bond measure that would need voter approval. Of the $5.2 billion, less than $700 million is for intercity passenger rail. This includes $100 million for triple-tracking between East Los Angeles and Fullerton, and $30 million for more San Diegan service. Amtrak welcomed the prospect of new funds, saying it would release a five-year program for passenger rail in California in May.

Donald Sweitzer, member of the Amtrak Reform Council, has been replaced. Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D.-S.Dak.) has appointed James E. Coston, an attorney from Chicago.

Amtrak and Vermont have signed a $1.2-million agreement to operate the Ethan Allen and Vermonter through summer 2001.

A special weekend fare will be offered this month on the Vermonter. Tickets between any stations on the St. Albans-Springfield segment are $5, on Saturdays and Sundays in April.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is negotiating with Amtrak to extend for three years its contracts for commuter-train operations and track maintenance. This is a change from previous MBTA policy to put these contracts out for bid in order to save money, once a changeover from Amtrak to Bay State Transit Services was accomplished in the area of train maintenance. However, that changeover, originally planned for November, still has not happened in the wake of controversy involving questions about Bay State's ability to provide the services specified in the contract and the quality of compensation packages offered to current Amtrak maintenance workers.

The Surface Transportation Policy Project has released a report that finds that transit is getting a smaller share of federal money as states pour funds into building highways that are unlikely to solve traffic congestion. STPP says that in the last two years, the portion of federal spending going to new road capacity grew 21% while spending on other transportation modes fell by 19%. The study, called "Changing Direction," is available on STPP's web site.

The Utah Transit Authority reports that total system ridership in February was up 23% from a year ago, thanks to Salt Lake City's new light-rail line. Total farebox revenues were up over 30%. (Bus ridership was down just 3%).

America's newest light-rail system starts revenue service April 17. New Jersey Transit's Hudson-Bergen line will run two routes from Exchange Place (Jersey City, PATH connection) to West Side Ave. (Jersey City) and 34th St. (Bayonne). Future extensions will be made north of Exchange Place.

The Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration seek public comment on the use of funding under TEA-21's Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) program for high-speed rail investments that may be outside of a nonattainment or maintenance area. CMAQ funds can be used by state DOT's for a wide range of projects to help achieve emission reductions, including high-speed rail projects. At issue is whether such funding, which is normally used for projects within a nonattainment or maintenance area, should be eligible for use for high-speed rail improvements outside of the area. The request for comments was in the March 30 Federal Register. Comments are accepted until May 1 at Docket Clerk, U.S. DOT Dockets, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh St., S.W., Washington, DC 20590-0001. For more information, contact Michael J. Savonis at 202/366-2080.

Amtrak will begin train service between Chicago and Janesville April 15. The Lake Country Limited will be the first new service resulting from the Network Growth Strategy announced by Amtrak on February 28. The train will leave Janesville 6:00 am (6:15 am on weekends), taking nearly three hours to reach Chicago; and leave Chicago at 8:15 pm. For now, the only other stop is Glenview, though Walworth, Wis., is being considered. The Janesville stop's location is pretty far from the center of the city (though not far from the Hwy. 11 exit from I-90). That could change over time, although the city's initial reaction back in February was one of not wanting to use local funds and of having higher city priorities.

H.R.3700, the House version of the intercity passenger rail bond bill, has five new sponsors this week, for a total of 45. For a list of sponsors of this bill and others, see our web site. The Senate counterpart, S.1900, reached 40 sponsors early in April with the addition of both Louisiana Senators and Jesse Helms (R.-N.C.).

Both the House and Senate on April 14 approved a final budget resolution for 2001. House Transportation Appropriations Chairman C. W. Bill Young (R.-Fla.) and other senior committee members are concerned about funding levels in the budget. Young told the Washington Post, "We're working really hard to try to figure out how we can appropriate in a reasonable fashion" with the funding levels dictated by the new budget.

The Senate on April 11 killed the gas-tax "holiday" bill, S.2285, on a 56-43 vote.

Amtrak Intercity has established Eastern and Western vice president positions to "provide support and leadership for all aspects of service delivery in their areas." The Western area covers everything west of the City of New Orleans route plus the Midwestern corridors. The Eastern area covers the City of New Orleans and all Intercity services to the east. The Western vice president is Don Saunders, who had been chief operating officer of Amtrak West, and who has 14 years of Amtrak experience. The Eastern vice president is Al Edelston, who has 25 years of Amtrak customer service and operations experience, and who will be based in Jacksonville.

Another barge has hit a Sunset-route railroad bridge, this time April 14 on the Mobile River in southern Alabama. The bridge was knocked several feet out of alignment. The line will be blocked for two or three days, with Amtrak using buses between Mobile and Pensacola. This is very near another site where a barge hit a bridge just before the arrival of the Sunset Limited in 1993, killing 47.

Amtrak's Chicago-Grand Rapids Pere Marquette got Business class on April 10.

San Antonio light-rail backers, including VIA Metropolitan Transit and the Keep San Antonio Moving campaign are working toward passage of a funding measure that needs to be approved by local voters May 6. The measure would provide a quarter-cent sales tax increase for a $1.5-billion, 54-mile rail system.

A new shuttle service connects the Fort Worth Amtrak station with downtown and other attractions. The Fort Worth Transportation Authority's "Longhorn Trolley" (817/215-8600) runs every 20 minutes, 11:00 am - 11:00 pm.

Federal auditors of the "Big Dig" (Boston Central Artery highway project) have concluded that the project should be considered "bankrupt" and that its managers should be replaced and never work on federally funded programs again, according to the Boston Globe. The auditors were brought in after the managers surprised the federal government with a $1.4-billion cost overrun earlier this year, and federal officials now say the actual cost is $1.4 billion more than that, for a total of $13.6 billion. The original 1984 estimate was $2.3 billion. Yet the North Station-South Station rail link -- which has far more transportation value than the Big Dig -- languishes.

Canadian Transport Minister David Collenette on April 12 said that, over five years, the federal government would invest $275 million in capital funding in VIA Rail Canada, in addition to the annual $116-million operating grant. The new funds are for fleet renewal, signal modernization, and other infrastructure improvements. Up to 80% could go to the Quebec-Windsor corridor.

House leaders plan for the fiscal 2001 transportation appropriations bill to be the fourth (of 13) such bills brought to the House floor in coming weeks. Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bud Shuster reportedly gave his blessing to the transportation figures contained in the recently passed budget resolution. He claimed that transportation programs not protected by funding guarantees and firewalls -- such as Amtrak -- would not be cut. However, it was not clear what level of Amtrak funding Shuster had in mind in making his claim -- the authorized amount ($989 million), the fiscal 2000 amount ($571 million), or the portion of the President's request that had general revenues as its source ($521 million).

That said, the House Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee's numbers are tight, after subtracting the huge guaranteed programs (highways, transit, and aviation capital). The situation is still fluid. A House bill could be formulated during the first half of May.

CSX has agreed to a settlement, effective May 1, 2001, with the Federal Railroad Administration, involving numerous track problems on CSX. The agreement and final FRA report were released April 20, and are available at the FRA web site. The agreement provides for an enhanced inspection schedule and requires CSX to provide the FRA with capital improvement and maintenance plans for track. It spells out enforcement measures the FRA may take. One problem noted by the FRA is lack of CSX track maintenance staffing levels, which can result in deferred maintenance -- the report cited instances of new track materials sitting exposed on the right-of-way for years, waiting to be installed.

On April 5, Amtrak gave Michigan the legally required six months' advance notice of discontinuance of the International -- the first time Amtrak has given such notice since it was required in 1997. Amtrak still hopes a deal can be reached with Michigan, and continues to accept reservations for travel after October. We understand that Amtrak's proposal to reroute the International via Detroit was a response to preliminary indications from the state that it would not pay for continued operations via Lansing. However, state funding may yet be forthcoming.

Amtrak has installed a new device that alerts its control center in Boston South Station whenever the quad-gates at the School St. crossing in Mystic, Conn., are stuck down for more than five minutes. Amtrak can then send a local crew out to open the gates. There have been occasional problems with the gates being closed when they shouldn't be -- six times in February, according to local police, but none in March. Amtrak is considering a system to raise the gates (in emergencies) remotely, but stressed that it believes the problems result from interference from local electrification crews, whose work is wrapping up. Amtrak has plans to install similar crossings (either quad-gate or two long arms wide enough for two road lanes).

Union Pacific has donated nearly 15 miles of a threatened segment of the former Pioneer route to the City of Boise. The segment runs from the main line at Orchard northwest to the Boise city limit. The parties have a Surface Transportation Board deadline of August 3 to resolve issues involving the remaining 3.5 miles from the city limit to downtown Boise that UP would like to abandon.

A tunnel fire April 20 shut down Washington Metro's Blue and Orange lines in the western downtown area (between Farragut West and Foggy Bottom) during evening rush hour. One train was stranded for two hours in the smoke; 14 were injured. The National Transportation Safety Board is considering a formal investigation of the rescue efforts.

Anti-rail-transit critics are taking San Antonio by storm, if newspaper coverage is any indication. While other cities move forward with transportation systems that don't rely on congested streets and highways alone, San Antonio would be doomed to a future of auto-dependency if the critics have their way, and a light-rail funding measure is rejected by voters May 6. Right in the middle of the fray has been rail critic and Amtrak Reform Council member Wendell Cox, whose life mission seems to be to convince Americans that a government-sponsored, auto-dependent future is what they need. He lost the fight to keep light rail out of his hometown of St. Louis, and now occupies himself by opposing such proposals in places like Milwaukee, Orlando, and now San Antonio.

Montreal's newest commuter rail route will begin June 1, with a weekday service to St. Lambert, St. Bruno, and McMasterville, with extension to St. Hilaire in 2001, a total of 20 miles. Previous commuter service on this route ended in 1988. The route lies along VIA Rail's route to Quebec.

S.1144, the flexibility bill that would give states the choice to spend some federal surface transportation funds on intercity passenger rail capital items, could come to the Senate floor the week of May 8. It depends on Senate Majority Leader Lott and Minority Leader Daschle getting enough pressure from their colleagues to bring the bill up. Speaking at the NARP Annual Washington Reception April 27, bill sponsor Senator Voinovich (R.-Ohio) -- who received the George Falcon Golden Spike Award -- urged people to ask their Senators to send notes about this to Lott or Daschle. He noted the special need for people in Missouri to press Senator Bond and in Alabama to press Senator Shelby to agree to this as well. The bill has been stalled by these two Senators.

A possible Smith (R.-N.H.) amendment to S.1144 would give the intercity bus industry unacceptable veto power over any state trying to use the flexibility granted to them by S.1144. Senators should be told to oppose any anti-rail amendments to S.1144.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D.-N.J.), who is retiring after 18 years in the Senate and who has been just about the best friend to railroad passengers imaginable, also received a Golden Spike Award. His High-Speed Rail Investment bill, S.1900, has 40 sponsors, "But we need a few more to prove to the doubters that this will happen," he said. He thanked NARP for its work.

The Dr. Gary Burch Memorial Award went to Allen Thomas, a chef on Amtrak's City of New Orleans, for his work in promoting safety programs in communities along his route and among his co-workers.

Amtrak President George Warrington addressed the NARP Board today. He pointed out that while highways are set to get $33 billion in 2001, aviation $13 billion, and transit $6 billion, a national rail system still must fight for a half-billion. The need for capital is, and will be, crucial, Warrington said, "Yet there is a momentum building for better passenger rail."

The fiscal 2001 transportation funding bill seems to be moving toward fast action in May. Tentatively, the House Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, chaired by Frank Wolf (R.-Va.), is scheduled to have a "mark-up" (approval session) on May 9; the full Appropriations Committee, chaired by Bill Young (R.-Fla.) on May 18; and a floor vote in the House on May 25. If that schedule holds, the focus would shift to a Senate bill and the Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, chaired by Richard Shelby (R.-Ala.), perhaps in June after the Memorial Day recess.

Federal agencies must implement "commuter choice" programs for their employees, according to an executive order signed by President Clinton April 21. By October 1, all agencies must provide pre-tax incentives and non-monetary incentives to encourage transit and vanpool use. Up until now, only some agencies offered this on a piecemeal basis; private businesses likewise have had the choice to offer the benefits.

The Great American Station Foundation on April 25 presented grants to two station projects on the Heartland Flyer route. Ardmore, Okla., got $10,000 and Gainesville, Tex., got $25,000.

A groundbreaking for a new Seattle maintenance base to be shared by Amtrak and the Sound Transit commuter service was April 26. The state is paying $22 million of the cost, with Amtrak paying another $21 million.

A groundbreaking for the renovation of the Kemper Street station in Lynchburg, Va., was April 25. Amtrak has contributed $200,000 towards the $3.1-million project, with other funding coming from federal, state, and local sources. The station was bought by the city and will include intercity and local bus service. In the early 1990's, the station was in danger of abandonment, with Amtrak looking for alternative sites, but happily the old station will now be retained and improved.

Speech-recognition technology is coming to Amtrak's "800" reservations and information phone number (800-USA-RAIL), in a deal announced this week between Amtrak and SpeechWorks International. By September, a speech-recognition engine will let callers request travel and fare information verbally. By December, callers will be able to make reservations and credit-card payments using voice commands.

Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura (I.) has said he will veto any bill sent to him by the legislature that kills or stalls a light-rail project proposed for Minneapolis. Three bills passed by the House that were in conference as of April 21 contain such language.