NARP August 2001 Hotlines

#202 - August 3, 2001
#203 - August 10, 2001
#204 - August 17, 2001
#205 - August 24, 2001
#206 - August 31, 2001

Back to Hotline Archive index page

There are now 170 sponsors on H.R.2329, the House version of the High Speed Rail Investment Act. This is seven more than we reported a week ago -- Bass (R.-N.H.), Schiff (D.-Calif.), Hoeffel (D.-Pa.), Kennedy (D.-R.I.), Neal (D.-Mass.), Clyburn (D.-S.C.), Crowley (D.-N.Y.) -- and is one short of the 171 total that were on a similar, predecessor bill at the end of 2000. Click here for the complete list.

The Senate on August 1 approved its version of H.R.2299, fiscal 2002 transportation appropriations, on a voice vote. The measure was delayed by -- and still could face a veto over -- an issue involving safety concerns over trucks from Mexico in the U.S. The next step normally would be a House-Senate conference, but opponents of the Senate bill's truck language have threatened further delays. The House and Senate figure for Amtrak is the same -- $521 million, all available at the start of the fiscal year -- but the Senate has more for high-speed rail development ($40 million, vs. $25 million) and for transit new starts (capital for new projects, mostly rail, $100 million more).

Congress now begins a recess that will last until after Labor Day. August is a good time to write letters (not e-mails or phone calls) to your Members of Congress, telling them you want the High Speed Rail Investment Act (HSRIA) passed this fall. Also, legislators may be back home for public meetings and individual appointments with constituents. Even if HSRIA passes, rail funding will be dwarfed by highway and aviation spending. But HSRIA is still the most viable proposal on the table to improve passenger rail service across the country and to begin to offer rail as a credible, economical, and environmentally friendly alternative to the ever-worsening highway and airport conditions. Click here for ways to contact legislators.

Amtrak's southbound Texas Eagle derailed early the morning of July 29 near Sabula, Mo., which is between St. Louis and Poplar Bluff. Track-owner Union Pacific said that four-to-six inches of rain had created flash flood conditions, leading to a 50-foot washout that the Eagle crew could not stop for in time. Storm conditions built up so rapidly that it is unclear whether there was adequate time for UP to get appropriate information from the National Weather Service. In any event, the train had been going under 35 mph due to slow orders described here last week. Ten people were treated at hospitals for their injuries.

The washout derailed the front half of the train -- two locomotives, baggage car, unoccupied coach (new commuter car being delivered to Los Angeles), dorm car, sleeper, diner, lounge, and smoking coach. The cars remained upright. Two coaches, one express car, and nine RoadRailers at the end of the train did not derail. For a few days after July 29, the Eagle detoured around the area via Chester, Ill., though the northbound train of July 30 did not operate because its departure required a turning in San Antonio of the train set that derailed.

Effective August 13, there will be two more Washington-New York weekday Acela Express frequencies in each direction, replacing Metroliners from New York (107, 9:00 am, and 115, 1:00 pm) and from Washington (120, 4:00 pm, and 124, 6:00 pm). One in each direction will also serve Boston (departing there 9:12 am, arriving 10:31 pm).

NARP Executive Director Ross Capon appeared on "Market Call," a show on the CNN Finance cable television channel, on August 1, with Amtrak Reform Council Executive Director Thomas Till. When asked how the problem could be a "lack of government funding just at a time when we are supposed to be pulling Amtrak away from government subsidies?", Capon pointed out that "we've got to distinguish two things. One is getting value for money, which is an absolutely reasonable objective, and the other is operational self-sufficiency, which was developed in a 1997 law that was, frankly, a compromise between people who wanted to kill Amtrak yesterday and people who believed in its future."

The Denver Regional Transportation District approved a deal on July 26 to buy Union Station for $49.8 million, with the sale due to close in within 30 days. RTD hopes to turn the building into an intermodal facility and develop surrounding acreage it bought as part of the deal. The city is contributing $10 million and the local council of governments another $20 million.  Amtrak's California Zephyr serves the station now, and a light rail spur is due to open in April.  Other commuter rail lines are under consideration.

The formal groundbreaking at Louisville Union Station to prepare it for the return of Amtrak service was August 2. Among those present were Mayor David Armstrong, Amtrak Intercity Government and Public Affairs Vice President Cheryle Jackson, Amtrak Mail and Express President Lee Sargrad, and NARP Region 5 Directors Jon Owen (of Louisville, also with the Kentucky-Indiana Rail Advocates) and Robert Stewart (of Nashville, also president of the Tennessee Association of Railroad Passengers). After its Jeffersonville, Ind., station work was done, Amtrak ran the Kentucky Cardinal over the Ohio River to the ceremony site, much as will happen on a daily basis starting in October. Participants rode the train back to Jeffersonville to dedicate the new mail and express terminal there.

The August newsletter now going to press makes much the same point that last week's Hotline did -- the August Congressional recess is a good time to contact your Senators and U.S. Representatives -- by mail -- in support of the High Speed Rail Investment Act. Urge them not just to co-sponsor, but to actively work toward passage of the bill this year. Write to them at U.S. Senate, Washington, DC 20510 or U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515. Ask your governor and your local business and political leaders to work for enactment.

Severe heat that has been parked over the central U.S. for some time finally reached the Northeast this week. The worst of it began mid-week, and Amtrak slowed some Northeast Corridor trains as a precaution and told passengers to expect delays of 15-40 minutes. Severe heat can cause rail and catenary problems. Indeed, on August 9, a Metro North commuter train snagged a sagging wire near Norwalk, Conn., on a line where the speed had already been lowered to 60 mph, delaying other commuter and Amtrak trains.

A minor derailment August 8 at Washington Union Station tied up rush hour traffic there all afternoon and evening. Two baggage cars from the northbound Silver Star derailed at a complex interlocking at the north throat of the terminal. No one was injured, but the derailment blocked access from the north to tracks 17-20 (upper-level, used by MARC, Acela Express, Metroliner) and 21-30 (used by Amtrak trains to the south and Virginia Railway Express). There were some delays to MARC and Amtrak Northeast Corridor trains. VRE suspended service from Union Station, and coordinated movement of its passengers via Metro, shuttle buses, and cabs to make it home. Two train sets that were already south of Union Station used L'Enfant Plaza as a terminus. VRE service was back to normal by mid-morning August 9. Amtrak transferred some passengers to buses between Richmond and Washington.

Amtrak and a Maryland developer announced plans August 8 to develop a 72-room hotel within Baltimore Penn Station, over the next two years. Rooms will be located in office space on the second, third, and fourth floors of the historic terminal. The hotel will be accessible from the first floor passenger area, but no changes are planned there. Construction will begin in summer 2002.  About 100 Amtrak personnel (police, customer service, maintenance workers) are in the office space now and will be relocated. Another large project next to the station -- replacement of the Charles St. bridge and adjoining plaza -- should be done by the end of 2002. An intercity bus terminal north of (across the tracks) from the station is planned, with an enclosed skywalk linking bus and rail areas.

An August 2 meeting in Fort Wayne on high-speed rail was attended by over 300 people. The Indiana DOT is holding a series of such meetings around the state; the next is in Jeffersonville on August 15. Only 50 people were expected; an overflow room for 75 had to be set up. Bob Wearley, director of marketing for Fort Wayne International Airport, speaking as a private resident, was quoted in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette saying that fast trains could help congestion at busy airports -- "High speed rail can be a safety valve and release that pressure." This was a big turnout for a city that hasn't had any passenger rail service in 11 years. Passage of the High Speed Rail Investment Act remains the best chance for any new corridors to get federal investment.

Kansas City voters in a special election on August 7 rejected a light-rail ballot question, by a 60-40 margin. It is the fourth time in as many years a light-rail question has been defeated, though Mayor Kay Barnes indicated another question could come up next year. The issue has deeply divided city officials and business interests. One city council member, Leonard Graham, told the Kansas City Star that voters "made a decision [that] the status quo is OK, that we can sprawl and the urban core can be neglected, and I think that's a very, very big mistake."

Effective August 26, the Coast Starlight schedule will change. Endpoint (Seattle and Los Angeles) are the same, but many mid-point times change -- with new times either earlier or later than now, so check the new schedule if you are using this train after August 26. A plan to eliminate service for this train to Davis, Calif. (also served by Capitols and California Zephyr), made it to the stage of being reflected on the Amtrak reservations web site. That plan has been postponed, and Coast Starlight availability to Davis on the web site has been restored through September.

Federal investigators are focusing on human error in the August 3 rear-end collision of two Chicago elevated trains. The National Transportation Safety Board said that the driver of the second (Brown Line) train appeared to have violated operating rules by moving his train forward when another (Purple Line) train was in his path, and by not calling a command center for instructions. The accident initially sent 141 people to hospitals, after a difficult evacuation process, but now 225 people have filed claims for injuries. The Chicago Transit Authority says some of the claims are clearly fake, with some saying they were aboard trains on a route not involved in the accident.

September 30 is the projected opening date for the new rail station at Newark Airport. In fact, Continental Airlines already has begun promoting this connection. Their web site says, "Thanks to the collaborative effort of Continental Airlines and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, along with Amtrak and New Jersey Transit, beginning this fall, you can take advantage of AirTrain -- convenient one-stop rail service several times per hour via [Newark] Penn between our Newark hub and Manhattan's Penn Station." The projected NJT fare to Manhattan is $11.15. However, that includes a $5 fee imposed by the Port Authority to ride its monorail from the train station to the airport -- the same monorail people can ride from the parking area to the airport terminal for free. Still, a direct link from the nation's busiest rail corridor with one of the busiest airports will open up a wide range of travel opportunities.

Storm clouds may be brewing over funding for federal discretionary programs -- like passenger rail -- as the White House takes assessment of the current status of the federal budget surplus and begins outlining its funding request for fiscal 2003. Indeed, if the picture is bleak enough, it could even lead to calls to cut funding that's currently pending in the 2002 appropriations bills. Something similar happened a year ago, in the fall of 2000, as Congress was considering funding bills for this fiscal year (2001), when Amtrak and other discretionary programs got nicked by 0.22%. That meant Amtrak got $520.4 million in 2001, instead of $521.5 million. If appropriators are tempted to cut programs again this year to reflect new information on the budget surplus, it's not known how big the cut would be.

As reported in today's Washington Post, the White House anticipates a sharp plunge in the federal budget surplus, and does not want to cut into Social Security funds -- which may make up nearly all that will remain of the surplus -- to fund discretionary programs. Officials of both parties are waiting to see if a forecast from the Congressional Budget Office later this month will support that outlook.

According to a chart in the Post story, the two biggest factors in the expected drop in the budget surplus are (in roughly equal measure) President Bush's tax cut and reduced tax revenues due to the economic situation. Whatever the cause, any reduction in available funding for discretionary programs is potentially bad news for Amtrak and passenger rail, which don't have the budgetary firewall protections afforded highway and transit programs by TEA-21 and aviation programs by AIR-21.

Prospects for saving Empire Builder service in northeast North Dakota improved this week, as a wire story reported that Burlington Northern Santa Fe has agreed to help pay for raising 14 miles of track west of the city of Devils Lake. The lake itself, which has no natural outlet, has been rising steadily for several years, and is perilously close to the railroad line. The governor's office said that the amount BNSF would contribute was still being discussed, but that it might be $1.4 million or more, of a total of $2.4 million. BNSF said in the spring that it was not interested in contributing because it could reroute its freight trains, and that the costs were a public responsibility since Amtrak and the towns that would otherwise lose Amtrak service would be the main beneficiaries.

For the second time, Amtrak has extended its 30th Anniversary Fare, now available for sale through November 16 and travel through December 14 (except September 1-3, November 20-27). The fare is not automatically offered by agents; you have to ask about its availability, and reserve at least seven days ahead of travel.

Amtrak's office in the San Francisco Ferry Building was closed temporarily August 9 due to "unanticipated emergency construction." Those riding a Thruway bus from there to Emeryville or Oakland will be allowed to board without a ticket at the same curbside location.

Two Union Pacific derailments in Texas early this week tied up the Texas Eagle for a couple days. One was between Texarkana and Marshall, which forced a detour for a couple days via Gilmer (the route of the now-defunct split-directional running), and another was between Dallas and Fort Worth.

A draft environmental statement on Washington-Charlotte high-speed rail has been released by state rail agencies in Virginia and North Carolina. Virginia plans further public hearings on the proposal, at Fredericksburg (September 13), South Hill (September 20), Springfield (October 11), Emporia (October 25), Richmond (November 7), and Petersburg (November 8).

The Coast Starlight schedule will change August 26, as we reported here a week ago. At that time, Amtrak West planned to discontinue a stop at Davis effective September 30. Davis has the second-lowest boardings for that train, and is also served by the California Zephyr and several Capitol Corridor trains. However, Amtrak West President Gil Mallery met with community leaders August 15 and told them the stop would not be discontinued. He congratulated them for the work they have done over the years to improve the Davis station and he hoped that they could all work together on issues that would improve train service there in general. Mayor Ken Wagstaff said he would like to hold a meeting in early October for officials, Amtrak, and the public to discuss issues relating to the Coast Starlight, including on-time performance.

Prospects for a proposed Chicago-Des Moines Amtrak service got dimmer this week as President George Warrington told a group of legislators in Springfield, Ill., that it is not likely to happen. An Amtrak spokesman later said that Amtrak's focus is restructuring and "putting our financial situation in order, continuing to do the things we need to do to reach the Congressional mandate" on operational self-sufficiency.

The proposal was one of several made in the Network Growth Strategy that Amtrak released in February 2000. However, no additions or changes resulting from those proposals have been implemented since May 2000. Delays and reverses have resulted from various causes. Inability to reach an operating agreement with the host railroad has made the Skyline Connection idea dormant. Absence of connecting express from the Skyline Connection and a refocus on Amtrak's part on longer-distance express business have killed the Janesville train (set to end September 22), were a likely factor in killing the Des Moines proposal, and make the Fond du Lac proposal increasingly unlikely.

Proposals that make greater sense from a passenger point-of-view (not just express) are still active, but have also faced delays resulting from lengthy negotiations with freight railroads and the need to seek sources of capital funding. These include the Meridian-Fort Worth and Jacksonville-Miami proposals.

The White House on August 22 released a very tight budget forecast for the next five years, as reported here last week. The Washington Post said the White House is forecasting a surplus of $158 billion for the current fiscal year (2001), which ends September 30 -- much lower than an April estimate of a $281 billion surplus, due to the tax cut ($40 billion), reduced tax revenues (due to the economy, $46 billion), delays in corporate taxes ($28 billion), and emergency spending ($9 billion).

Of the $158 billion projected surplus, all but $1 billion is from Social Security. Officials from both parties have pledged not to use the Social Security portion of the surplus for other programs, even though there is no legal ban on doing so and even though it has been done many times in the past.

Meanwhile, President Bush wants Congress to spend $39 billion over his original 2001 defense spending request, and to pass the defense and education appropriations bills before any other appropriations bills (like transportation), so that his budget priorities won't become tempting targets for cuts that could come later in the appropriations process.

What does this mean to railroad passengers? Between pledges to protect the Social Security surplus, shrinking budget surplus projections, calls for increased defense spending, and budgetary "firewalls" that protect highways and aviation no matter what, a difficult squeeze is materializing for unprotected, lower-priority domestic programs like Amtrak. The August 23 Post article says, in part, "But [Office of Management and Budget Director Mitchell] Daniels said aggressive efforts to clamp down on spending should free up funds. 'There will be ample room, particularly if we at last become proficient in Washington at redeploying funds from obsolete, nonperforming and duplicative programs to more important uses.'"

Does the Administration deem Amtrak/passenger rail as one of the "more important uses," or one of the "obsolete, nonperforming and duplicative programs?" Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta's June 5 comments to reporters -- the last Administration pronouncement on passenger rail that we're aware of -- that suggested a smaller Amtrak system, are not encouraging. Now is a good time to write to President Bush (Washington, DC 20500) and Secretary Mineta (Washington, DC 20590) and tell them a national passenger rail system and the High Speed Rail Investment Act are both important.

Work began August 20 on expanding the Charlotte Amtrak station on N. Tryon St. Seating will be expanded to about 125 in the $20,000 remodeling project, which should be completed before Thanksgiving, by expanding into vacant office space once used by Norfolk Southern. Amtrak and the State of North Carolina are sharing the cost. The station was built by the Southern in 1964, but could be replaced in a few years by an intermodal terminal being proposed on the site of the current Greyhound station.

In Martinez, Cal., a new Amtrak station now under construction may be opened September 22. The $5-million station is part of a $35-million intermodal terminal project. The present station, built in 1877, may be used for the Martinez Historical Society and a local theater group.

A report by the New York Senate Standing Committee on Transportation says Amtrak has neglected making safety improvements to the Penn Station tunnels in Manhattan, according to the New York Times. The report said, "It is clear that Amtrak has invested a great deal more effort in glamorous projects," like high-speed rail and the Farley station project. However, much of the funding for the projects in question has been earmarked to those projects, meaning Amtrak was not at liberty to unilaterally move the funding over to tunnel repair. Also, the Congressional mandate that Amtrak achieve operational self-sufficiency has meant that Amtrak has been under a great deal of pressure to invest in areas that cut costs and improve revenues, even if it maintains current safety features.

The report says that the tunnels themselves are structurally sound and in good repair, but that emergency and safety facilities are lacking. The article said Amtrak recently told the city fire department it would speed up installation of standpipes in the tunnels, and, in the event of an emergency, would provide rail carts to firefighters, so that firefighters would not have to run hoses in the same stairwells that passengers might use for evacuation. The report said that more federal money, earmarked to the tunnel, was needed.

The Ohio Association of Railroad Passengers reports that its first "Discover Rail Day" on August 18 was a success, and another one is planned September 15. The event was a group trip organized by OARP to show the public at large that passenger rail service exists in Ohio and that it has value. The first day had 220 participants, who rode from Toledo to Cleveland and back. The September 15 event will have the same itinerary.

An August 22 Associated Press wire story discussed the ways that Acela Express ridership and revenues have been a "disappointment," while acknowledging that only 11 of the total 20 Acela Express train sets are now in place. An Amtrak spokeswoman, Cecilia Cummings, said, "We concede that ridership fell below our forecast by about 6 percent, and revenues by about 3 percent. But when you look at the drop in business travel in general, we're claiming victory." It was not clear what span of time the figures were for, but, as we reported in the August newsletter, Northeast Corridor ridership, revenues, and passenger-miles were higher in June 2001 than June 2000. Still, a complete opinion on how Acela Express is performing really can't be formed until all service additions are in place.

One item in the story -- the addition of stops to one previously non-stop Acela Express Washington-New York round-trip -- got prominence without acknowledgement that the addition happened nearly four months ago (April 29). This particular item was picked up in some places by inattentive copy writers, who gave readers or listeners the false impression that all Acela Express service was being eliminated.

The Sierra Club, representing 750,000 members nationwide, last week wrote to Senator Joe Biden (D.-Del.) to thank him for his work on the High Speed Rail Investment Act and to express "strong endorsement" of it. Particular attention was paid to the role rail can have in the area of aviation congestion relief: "In Chicago, the nexus of our nation's air transportation system, forty percent of the flights are of distances less than 300 miles. High-speed rail … would greatly reduce congestion and gridlock in Chicago, which would in turn reduce the number of delayed flights in airports all across our nation," in a manner that "helps to ensure that transportation challenges are met while protecting our environment and public health." It is a major accomplishment to have a NARP issue included on the national agenda of such a large, environmental group.

A story about Amtrak reorganization appeared in a few news sources late this week. In fact, this is a continuation of efforts Amtrak has been carrying out for several months, some of it already reported. For example, Amtrak announced July 27 that Northeast Corridor President Stan Bagley would become Executive Vice President of Operations. He now manages train operations with Amtrak's four business units -- Northeast Corridor, Intercity, West, and Mail and Express.  Complementing this Operations Department is a new Capital Programs Department, which will handle capital planning, equipment acquisition and overhauls, infrastructure development, and high-speed rail corridor development. Amtrak says separating these functions into two departments is consistent with Amtrak Reform Council recommendations and will improve efficiency by consolidating similar functions and eliminating duplication.

The Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor -- a coalition of the state departments of transportation in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia -- is planning a series of hearings in the next two months in Virginia and North Carolina. The hearings will present information on the Draft Tier I Environmental Impact Statement for the Washington-Richmond-Raleigh-Charlotte segment of the corridor, and provide an opportunity for public input. For more information on that, including hearing dates and locations, see the Corridor web site or the NARP events site.

Following up a story from two weeks ago, Burlington Northern Santa Fe will contribute up to $1.3 million to raise tracks west of Devils Lake, N.Dak., which are threatened by rising lake water.  The state will contribute $410,000, and various cities a total of $90,000. This will make it possible for Amtrak service to continue to Grand Forks, Devils Lake, and Rugby to continue. The work will begin late in September, will end by late October, and will require closure of the route for a week in that period, forcing the Empire Builder to detour over the BNSF direct Fargo-Minot line.

A bill to expedite development of San Francisco's Transbay Terminal into an intermodal terminal that includes Caltrain commuter service is in danger of not being acted upon in this year's session. AB 1419 has already passed the State Assembly and is pending in the State Senate. It would transfer the state-owned terminal and adjoining parcels to the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency. The parcels would be rezoned for redevelopment and future tax revenues from the land would produce $385 million for the terminal project. However, AB 1419 has faced opposition from some in southern California, who want to link the terminal project to the project to rebuild the Bay Bridge to Oakland, and who oppose sale of state land for a "local" project. A Senate committee has until September 14 to set a hearing date for the bill, or it will be postponed until next year.

The Capitol Corridor -- in part -- will be interrupted by bridge work for a ten-day period from October 27 to November 5. Buses will replace trains south of Oakland, toward San Jose and intermediate stations. Trains will run on their normal schedules north and east of Oakland toward Sacramento and Auburn.

A new Thruway bus connection began August 21 linking three Oregon towns -- Grants Pass, Ashland, and Medford -- with the Coast Starlight to/from the south at Klamath Falls. However, there is a nearly three-hour layover southbound at Klamath Falls.

Wisconsin Governor Scott McCallum (R.) approved a state budget yesterday for 2001-03. He used his line-item veto power to strike one item that would have restricted the state's ability to invest in passenger rail. The vetoed provision prohibited use of state rail bonds (approved by the legislature in the 1990's) for investment in the Green Bay or Madison routes, or stations anywhere in the state, unless state funding for a given project were limited to 20% and Amtrak or another railroad had agreed to provide service on the routes. The governor wrote that the provision could "adversely influence Wisconsin's ability to fully utilize federal funds for passenger rail development in this state and the Legislature already has oversight of passenger rail expenditures."

McCallum did not veto a provision banning use of state funds (through June 30, 2002) for light rail, but wrote that he expects "that the extension of this sunset will not affect the completion of the Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee Transit Corridor Alternatives study that is being undertaken by the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission." The ban exempts Kenosha and Madison. The ban also requires a county-wide referendum on any Milwaukee light rail proposal -- something not necessary for highway expansion or high-tech buses.

The August 27 Barron's says "airline earnings are in free fall in one of the worst slumps in decades." Andrew Bary's "The Trader" column continued, "Based on weak July revenues, analysts now think the [airline] industry may post a loss in the seasonally strong third quarter for only the fourth time in 30 years. For all of 2001, only [Continental and Southwest] are expected to operate in the black and the industry is expected to lose $2 billion ..."