NARP April 2003 Hotlines

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Work on reconciling the budget resolutions passed by the House and Senate has begun. The Senate version proposes $1.812 billion for Amtrak in fiscal 2004; the House version doesn't list such individual transportation programs. Conferees are Senators Nickles (R.-Okla.), Grassley (R.-Ia.), Gregg (R.-N.H.), Domenici (R.-N.Mex.), Sarbanes (D.-Md.), Conrad (D.-N.Dak.), Hollings (D.-S.C.); and Representatives Nussle (R.-Ia.), Shays (R.-Conn.), and Spratt (D.-S.C.).

If anyone listed above represents you, please contact that legislator in support of the Senate-passed $1.812 billion for Amtrak, the level Amtrak says it needs. Otherwise, ask your own Senators and Representative to urge the conferees to do the same. Remind legislators of the March 21 Senate vote in favor of amending the budget resolution to include $1.812 billion for Amtrak, and of the fact that the Administration's request ($900 million) is a reduction from the current level of $1.05 billion.

Conferees hope to finish work before their spring break (April 11), but could finish the transportation section much sooner. If you don't know your legislators' phone numbers, the Capitol switchboard is 202-224-3121.  Otherwise, click here for Senate contact information, and here for House contacts. If you send a fax (or an e-mail, which is less effective) be sure to include your regular mailing address.

The Senate rejected an amendment on April 3 that would have increased assistance to transit agencies and railroads (including Amtrak) for security needs. The amendment, offered by John Breaux (D.-La.), came during consideration of S.762, an $80-billion supplemental appropriations bill for war-related expenses.

Breaux sought to take $1.135 billion in counterterrorism funds already in the bill, but which he said were not earmarked, and create a $2.65-billion counterterrorism package with more specific earmarks. Of that, Breaux proposed dedicating $1.355 billion to transportation counterterrorism, including $300 million for public transit agencies and $200 million for "railroad security grants including grants to [Amtrak] for capital expenses associated with tunnel and dispatch facility security enhancements."

Thad Cochran (R.-Miss.), who held that the existing bill language had adequate oversight of the counterterrorism funds, offered a measure to table the Breaux amendment, which was approved on a 52-46 vote (meaning the Breaux amendment was defeated). The vote was along party lines, except Miller (D.-Ga.) voted with the Republicans.  [Jeffords (I.-Vt.) voted with Democrats, and Democrats Inouye (Hawaii) and Kerry (Mass.) did not vote.]

Earlier, as part of the war-related supplemental funding process, House and Senate appropriations committees on April 1 separate war-related bills that include $3.2 billion and $3.5 billion, respectively, for airline aid. A large part of that would extend the government's program of subsidized war-risk insurance. The Bush Administration has called the aid to airlines "excessive," pointing out that not all airlines are struggling.  One Office of Management and Budget official said, "We don't need Amtrak in the air."

On the same topic, the Oregonian on April 2 wrote in an editorial, "It's rich, in a way, to watch the airlines swoop in for their second multibillion-dollar bailout from the Congress that nearly killed the nation's passenger rail system last year by insisting that it be weaned from federal funding. Only in America is an airline industry that has sought more than $15 billion in public subsidies in less than three years depicted as the free market on wings, while passenger rail is financially starved and continually attacked as government waste on wheels."

The House and Senate both passed their versions of the bill late on April 3, and it will go to conference next.

Amtrak and Michigan agreed to a three-month extension of train operations on March 31. Michigan provides support for the International and Pere Marquette. A legal funding cap set the level of Amtrak's compensation to an amount below what Amtrak requested. Amtrak ran the trains the first six months of the fiscal year at the lower rate, in the hopes of lifting the cap. The three-month extension is based on similar terms, and may give time for the legislature to lift the cap.

Last week, we wrote about some Acela Express cancellations. A later Washington Post report said that this week, only 36 of the 44 regular weekday departures would run, and that Amtrak didn't know how long that would last. The cancellations, which could last months, come after federal inspectors found problems with Bombardier maintenance practices, unrelated to the yaw-damper bracket problem that began in August 2002. The Federal Railroad Administration did not remove the trains from service, but Amtrak did it as a precaution. Amtrak blames the current maintenance problems on Bombardier's not keeping a steady flow of spare parts flowing to the maintenance bases.

The Postal Service has told Amtrak that no more mail will be handled on the Empire Builder west of St. Paul, effective April 19. While the Postal Service has reduced mail volumes on all its Amtrak routes, as well as in the air, this is the first segment to lose all mail. Amtrak mail revenues, which were about $80 million (annualized) last summer, could drop below $40 million (annualized) this month. A NARP release said, "The Empire Builder has the best on-time performance among Amtrak's transcontinental route, so the move raises concerns about what the Postal Service might do next."

The Indiana Senate on April 1 approved H.B.1489, a bill to require the state DOT to spend at least 10% of Indiana's federal planning and research money on development of high-speed rail. That would be up to $1.3 million annually. The vote, 45-1, sends the bill back to the House because the House version had the funding coming from the state Port Commission.

California's relationship with Amtrak will be the focus of a $300,000 study commissioned by that state's department of transportation (Caltrans), according to the Stockton Record. Some legislators have called for putting out bids on the three corridors and feeder-bus network right away, but Governor Davis prefers to study the matter first.

Herzog Transit Services will not pursue a contract to run Missouri's St. Louis-Kansas City service in the coming fiscal year, according to the Kansas City Star. Herzog claims that Amtrak is refusing to talk about access to Amtrak's reservations system and use of a parcel near the St. Louis station. Herzog says it can run the service at "considerably less cost" than the $6.4 million in state support that Amtrak has requested. A deadline for other private parties to submit bids to the state passed on March 31.

Wisconsin DOT has released a survey it did with Illinois DOT and Amtrak, of passengers on Amtrak's Chicago-Milwaukee Hiawatha service. It shows that passengers are "highly satisfied with the service." Responses to two questions showed that a majority of passengers considered the train a viable alternative to driving. A more complete analysis of the survey will be released later in the spring.

The third annual Monster Mile Express will run on June 1. Amtrak will run a special train from New York, Newark, Trenton, Philadelphia, and Wilmington to Dover for the Winston Cup Series, with connections at Wilmington to/from the south. There will be shuttle buses from the train to the Dover International Speedway. The promotion code for the train is H177. The train will run again for another race on September 21.

New SEPTA commuter routes north of Philadelphia were the topic of a meeting March 31 at the former Quakertown station between Sen. Arlen Specter (R.) and local officials. They are proposing a route from Shelly (just north of Quakerstown) south to Lansdale (connection with SEPTA's R5 Doylestown line), then southwest to Norristown (connection with R6 Norristown line and Route 100 rapid transit line to 69th St. Terminal). If developed, the new line would be SEPTA's only diesel-operated commuter line. The Quakertown-Lansdale segment last had service in 1981, as part of a former Philadelphia-Bethlehem route. The Allentown Morning Call said Specter seemed receptive to the idea of helping to get federal funding for the proposal.

The Surface Transportation Policy Project has released a national survey on public attitudes toward walking. In general, the survey found that Americans want to walk more places more often, and are willing to make the investments to allow that. Over half, 55%, when given the choice between walking more and driving more, chose walking. Such attitudes, if incorporated into public policy -- as can be done in vehicles like the pending TEA-21 reauthorization -- can lead to community design that is friendlier to transit and rail use.

The NARP Region 3 meeting, originally scheduled for April 12 in New Castle, Del., has been postponed.

The Department of Transportation made its first grant to Amtrak, under the new process created by the fiscal 2003 omnibus appropriations act. Under that act, Amtrak must seek quarterly grants from the DOT for funds already appropriated by Congress. The third-quarter funding was provided on April 9 (the quarter began April 1). Amtrak must make another request for the next quarter, which starts July 1.

Congress' intent was that this channeling of funding through the DOT would increase Amtrak accountability.  Amtrak also must increase the number of reports it provides to DOT and to Congress.

The AARP, for the first time, endorsed passenger rail in its annual policy book. The AARP is the mammoth membership group for those over 50 (which changed its name in 1999 from the American Association of Retired Persons).

Chapter 10 of the 2003 Policy Book (on "Transportation") says, "Congress should ... support nationwide passenger rail service that is integrated and coordinated with regional, state and local passenger rail; and establish a dependable funding mechanism that ensures continuing passenger rail service."

Given the large membership and influence of AARP, this is a very welcome development indeed. Inclusion of passenger rail in the Policy Book culminates a years-long effort by NARP Director Doras Briggs.

The first Amtrak hearing of the new Transportation/Treasury Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, chaired by Ernest Istook (R.-Okla.), was held April 10. Amtrak President David Gunn made the case for Amtrak's $1.812 billion request for fiscal 2004. He pointed out that eliminating one of the biggest political targets in the system, long-distance trains, would only save $70 million in avoidable costs a year (direct costs of operating the trains), and would take five years to save $300 million in "fully allocated" costs -- only 16% of Amtrak's total request. "Focusing on this problem is not going to save Amtrak," he said. "This approach is a red herring."

Deputy Transportation Secretary Michael Jackson, speaking for the Bush Administration, which supports only $900 million for Amtrak -- a 14% cut from 2003 -- said that the Administration is opposed to operating grants (though that's mostly what makes up their figure). He said the Administration would not support anything more than $900 million without an authorization bill from the Congress that defines "what kind of railroad we want and can afford." Gunn called the $900 million a non-starter that would require elimination of Northeast Corridor maintenance and equipment overhauls.

Istook said, "Every dollar for Amtrak is a dollar that doesn't go to roads or other transportation ... We don't have enough money to subsidize Amtrak the way it wants and still fund other transportation ..."  Anne Northup (R.-Ky.) said, "Too many places have service but no one on the train. The Louisville service made me lose faith in all Amtrak services ... The overwhelming majority of Americans have chosen the automobile lifestyle." John Abney Culberson (R.-Tex.) said, "I'm appalled and outraged as a taxpayer at the sheer waste and tax black hole for Amtrak.  It is absolutely unsupportable." Both Culberson and Northup argued for ending labor-protection provisions mandated by Amtrak-labor arbitration in 2001, which in turn resulted from the 1997 reauthorization law.

Ed Pastor (D.-Ariz.) made the point that the Administration figure for 2004 does not work if Amtrak cannot realize any savings from service cuts during that year. Carolyn Kilpatrick (D.-Mich.) pointed out that fiscal 2004 is less than six months off and that decisions about the form of Amtrak should have been made by now. Steven Rothman (D.-N.J.) said, "The $900 million is a joke, considering the capital withheld from Amtrak all these years." Indeed, Amtrak received in appropriations only about half of what the 1997 law authorized.

Efforts by the railroad industry to repeal the 4.3-cent tax on diesel fuel have advanced in both the House and Senate. The House Ways and Means Committee on April 3 approved H.R.1531, the Energy Tax Policy Act, which includes the repeal.  A Senate version, S.597, the Energy Tax Incentives Act, was approved on April 2 by the Finance Committee. It did not originally include the rail fuel tax repeal, but Trent Lott (R.-Miss.) offered such an amendment.

During debate of the Lott amendment, James Jeffords (I.-Vt.) offered a secondary amendment which would have diverted the rail fuel tax to a trust fund for rail infrastructure improvements -- something the rail industry vehemently opposes. The Jeffords secondary amendment was defeated, and the Lott amendment approved.

At nearly the same time (April 3), Rep. William Lipinski (D.-Ill.) and 25 co-sponsors introduced a bill, H.R.1617, the National Rail Infrastructure Program Act, which, like the Jeffords amendment in the Senate, seeks to set up a trust fund. It would be funded by items that include the 4.3-cent rail fuel tax, a 5% tax on locomotives and rolling stock, a 1% tax on freight shipping payments, a 5% tax on commuter-rail tickets, and a 10% tax on intercity and other tickets. That is estimated to raise $3 billion a year. That money would be distributed to states under a formula based on route-miles, car loadings, and grade crossings in a state, with the federal government paying 80% the cost of a project.

The goal of the bill is laudable in terms of providing a vehicle for a federal-state funding partnership, such as that enjoyed by other modes. One funding source in the bill, however, may already be drying up as H.R.1531 would repeal the rail fuel tax (see above). Ticket taxes are not a simple issue, either. If, for example, Amtrak is charging what the market will bear for a ticket, a 10% tax would require Amtrak to reduce its fares by a corresponding amount to keep as much business as possible, and thereby reduce its own revenues and increase its need for operating support from other sources.

Amtrak will run two rebuilt turbotrains in the coming week on the Empire Corridor in revenue service, as a trial. This will be the first revenue service for the trains, which have been rebuilt at state expense. It is not yet known which exact trips will have the new trains next week, but some regular service for the trains is expected to come in early May.

The Oregon Department of Transportation has announced that it will operate a special train service, from May 23 to September 2, between Portland and Astoria, along the scenic Columbia River. The service will be part of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial festivities, and will run four days a week (Friday-Monday), morning westbound and evening back. The train will be made up of three Budd rail-diesel-cars bought with $442,000 in state funds from British Columbia Rail. Reservations and tickets are available through Amtrak (along with tickets for the existing Thruway bus -- if you want the train, be sure to specify the train).

Several SEPTA rail services are threatened by a proposed budget for fiscal 2004. While the fiscal year starts July 1, service cuts could come in September, if approved. Included are elimination of all service on four commuter routes -- R1 (Airport), R2 (Warminster), R6 (Cynwyd), and R8 (Chestnut Hill West). The Philadelphia airport is one of only 12 in the U.S. with direct rail service. The Ridge Ave. spur of the Broad St. Subway would be eliminated, and all trackless trolley (electric trolley-bus) routes would be converted to bus.  Fares would be raised, too--off-peak fares by 12-17%; monthly fares by 5-6%. SEPTA will hold public hearings on this budget in May; click here for details on the budget, the hearings, and ways to contact SEPTA.

Groundbreaking for the Cross County MetroLink light rail line was April 9, in the St. Louis suburb of Clayton. When complete in 2006, the new segment will run 8 miles from Forest Park to Clayton and Shrewsbury.

The Georgia Rail Passenger Authority would be eliminated under a budget proposal drawn up by leaders of the state senate. In order to fill a $500 million gap, the proposal calls for a number of funding cuts, including the Authority at $556,000.

The war supplemental appropriations bill (H.R.1559) includes $3.321 billion in various types of assistance to airlines, including $2.396 billion in cash. The cash is designed to reimburse airlines for security-related expenses they incurred since September 2001. Some in Congress have pushed for similar funding for Amtrak since then, but specific, security-reimbursement funding for Amtrak has not come through.

Much of the non-cash, $925-million remainder includes a rollback of the security-related tax imposed on airlines after September 2001, which was meant for public-funded, security and safety improvements to the aviation system. President Bush signed H.R.1559 into law on April 16.

House and Senate conferees on the fiscal 2004 budget resolution finished their work last week. The Senate-passed version specifically envisioned $1.812 billion for Amtrak, the amount Amtrak is requesting for 2004. The Amtrak level resulted from a March 21 vote on an amendment offered by Sen. Robert Byrd (D.-W.Va.), increasing the funding from the $900 million originally in the Senate resolution. That $900 million matched the Bush Administration's request, which is less than the current-year level of $1.05 billion and which would cripple the Amtrak system.

The House-passed version, as is true of most budget resolutions in both the House and Senate in most years, was less specific and was silent on Amtrak. The final version, as far as Amtrak goes, reflected the House version and did not specifically address Amtrak funding. As always, however, appropriators will have a tough time producing the full Amtrak amount, in light of the priority given to firewall-protected transportation programs like highways and aviation.

The Senate Commerce Committee plans an Amtrak hearing on April 29, where Amtrak and DOT are expected to testify on Amtrak's soon-to-be-completed five-year plan. There may also be witnesses from two major consulting firms that Amtrak has used under previous management. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will have an Amtrak hearing on April 30.

March passenger-miles were up 12% on Amtrak's national network (long-distance) trains (including Pennsylvanian) and down 2% on short-distance trains (including Maple Leaf). But travel was up on all trains on Union Pacific tracks. Increases include the Texas Eagle at 30%, Sunset Limited at 9%, Capitol Corridor at 7%, California Zephyr at 6%, and Coast Starlight was up 5%. Ridership increases were similar (e.g., Texas Eagle up 39%).

Against that backdrop, UP chairman Dick Davidson, at today's annual shareholders meeting in Salt Lake City, sang a different tune from the friendly, diplomatic one published in the January Railway Age when that magazine honored him as the Railroader of the Year (see February NARP newsletter). Today, Davidson said Amtrak costs UP $60-70 million because its trains have precedence over UP freights. He said UP's freight customers were "waiting for a money-losing, government-subsidized transportation system that nobody wants to use." He said Amtrak was needed in the Northeast, but there was not enough demand for rail travel in the West. He even criticized Amtrak's express service as competing with UP, though he did acknowledge that Amtrak was exiting that business.

Today is the anniversary of Amtrak's most recent accident with a passenger fatality. There is not yet an official report from the National Transportation Safety Board on the derailment, which involved the Auto Train at Crescent City, Fla. Condition of the CSX track and track maintenance practices were being examined, much as was the case with Amtrak's other major derailment in 2002, the Capitol Limited at Kensington, Md., on July 29. The two accidents caused Amtrak to stretch its already too-small long-distance fleet even further. Repair of that fleet remains a big priority for Amtrak, though how much progress Amtrak can make will depend on how well it is funded in 2004.

The accidents also caused CSX to move from having no policy for heat-related slow-orders for passenger trains to having a very stringent one. Such orders -- 20 mph below normal speeds -- were imposed on Amtrak and commuter trains this week, on April 15 and 16. The orders normally are invoked from 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm on days when the temperature exceeds 90, but also happen -- as this week -- when a large temperature swing is forecast. The Washington Post reported last month that CSX would have a new policy for heat-related slow orders "within a few weeks."

A mid-year budget bill is stalled in the Vermont legislature. Among other things, it includes money to run the Vermonter and Ethan Allen trains beyond the expiration of state funding, which was March 31. Amtrak is running the trains in the meantime.

Amtrak is offering a discounted fare on the Federal night train between Washington and Boston, starting April 30. Through June 30, the coach fare (and rail portion of sleeper and business class trips) is 30% off when using promotion code H327. The discounted fare will be used to calculate fares for children accompanying adult ticket-holders. Some blackouts may apply.

NARP Region 8 meets in Shelby, Mont., on April 26; and Region 11 meets in Albuquerque, N.Mex., the same day. The Region 3 meeting that was to have been held April 12 in New Castle, Del., was postponed and relocated to May 31 in Harrisburg, Pa. All the other regions had their meetings during March.

The Florida House voted in favor of high-speed rail (on April 22), then reversed itself
the very next day. On the first vote, the House rejected a bill (HJR 309), supported by Gov. Jeb Bush
(R.), to ask voters to repeal the high-speed rail constitutional amendment that was approved by
voters in 2000. The vote was 61-57, a simple majority, but the bill needed 60% support to pass.
Then on April 23, the House voted 75-40 to erase the first vote, after the sponsor of HJR 309 said he
had not intended for his bill to be voted on so quickly.

The Tampa Tribune said, "The House's top supporter of the high-speed rail system, Rep. Dennis
Ross, R-Lakeland, said the only reason for the reconsideration was pressure from Bush. 'I am very
discouraged,' Ross said. 'The governor was twisting arms pretty hard.'  What had been a nonpartisan
debate dissolved into a near party-line vote, with Republicans supporting Bush's plea."

The latest state where Amtrak service in doubt is Oregon. A budget proposal released by
the co-chairmen of the Legislature's Ways and Means Committee on April 17 would cut $9.3 million
from the two-year budget for 2003-05 by eliminating two daily Cascades round-trips between
Portland and Eugene (leaving only the Coast Starlight there). However, the budget proposal
released April 18 by Gov. Ted Kulongski keeps the funding for the trains.  Oregon residents should
tell their legislators to fund the trains.

The outcome of near-term funding support for existing trains in Vermont still in doubt. Thus, the
Oregon situation reinforces the suspicion that implementation of the Bush Administration's policy of
relying even more heavily on states to fund passenger rail amounts to a policy of killing trains.

Two Congressional hearings on passenger rail next week are April 29 in the Senate
Commerce Committee, and April 30 in the Railroads Subcommittee of the House Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee. NARP Executive Director Ross B. Capon will be a witness at the second
one.

Several Amtrak stations that lost daily service hours and checked baggage service a
year ago will regain it on April 28. These include Houston, El Paso (Sunset Limited); Lamy, La
Junta, Raton [summer only], San Bernardino (Southwest Chief); Lincoln, Grand Junction (California
Zephyr); Columbus, La Crosse, Winona, Fargo, Grand Forks, Minot, Williston, East Glacier Park
[summer only], Pasco (Empire Builder); Salinas (Coast Starlight); Greenville, Meridian (Crescent);
Champaign (City of New Orleans). On the Sunset route, Maricopa gets checked baggage service for
the first time; Tucson had service restored in December. Austin (Texas Eagle), Newton (Southwest
Chief), Hammond (City of New Orleans), Mount Pleasant (California Zephyr), and Ann Arbor are
shown in error in the timetable (various places) as getting checked baggage April 28.  Meridian is a
second restoration -- it had baggage service restored last September and then eliminated again
shortly thereafter.

A notable contraction of checked baggage service is Amtrak's new Federal, which replaces the
Twilight Shoreliner on April 28. That means the end of all such service at New Haven and
Providence, and Boston's only baggage-service train is the Lake Shore Limited to/from Albany. Also,
the Northeast is left with only two routes offering unboxed bicycle carriage (Adirondack and
Downeaster), where just two years ago that service was growing.

The new timetable shows the Federal with unreserved coaches, but reservations actually are
required.

Baggage lockers at Chicago Union Station will be reopened April 30, for the first time in over a
year.  Day-check storage has already been reopened.

An interesting profile of Amtrak President David Gunn appeared in the April 21 Washington
Post. Gunn has held that position for nearly a year.

Starting April 28, Amtrak's top Acela Express fare between Boston and New York/Newark
will be $99 ("shoulder" [see below] $92, off-peak $85). The top fare had been $127 to New York,
$132 to Newark. The fee for upgrading to first class will drop to $50.  Also, fares will be lower for
many intermediate markets, upgrade charges lower for all such markets. For longer trips,
Boston-Metropark fares get a more moderate reduction, while fares are unchanged for
Boston-Trenton and beyond. Also, Amtrak Guest Rewards members will get double points for
Boston-New York/Newark (and intermediate points) Acela Express trips until August 31.

For about a year, all Acela Express (and Metroliner) markets have had three price levels: peak,
shoulder, and off-peak. (Metroliner fares generally are lower than Acela Express fares, except in
certain short-distance markets.) Shoulder fares apply all day Monday-Tuesday; off-peak fares apply
all day Saturday. Shoulder fares apply Wednesday-Friday where a travelers' departure is between
9:00 am and 2:00 pm, and after 6:00 pm. Peak fares apply Wednesday-Friday for departures before
8:59 am and between 2:01 pm and 5:59 pm. On Sunday, off-peak applies before 1:00 pm and after
6:00 pm. Sunday shoulder fares are between 1:01 pm and 5:59 pm. There are some holiday
exceptions.

Shore Line East will reduce some service, with the new April 28 timetable. It is cutting all
service between Old Saybrook and New London, Conn., except for one weekday train (and a Friday
train). However, some Amtrak trains will start carrying passengers with Shore Line East monthly
passes between New London and New Haven. The reduction is related to an agreement several
years ago between Amtrak and the State of Connecticut to cap train frequencies over certain
moveable bridges, in order to minimize disruption to marine traffic that might result from the
electrification project.

The limit is 34 trains a day -- including both Amtrak and Shore Line East. The total hit 37 in January,
a violation of the agreement. Removal of three (of four) weekday New London Shore Line East
round-trips brings the total back down to 31. Lee Carlson, president of the Shore Line East Riders
Association, told the Connecticut Post that federal law gives marine traffic right-of-way over
land-based transit -- "Four guys with fishing poles have the right-of-way over a train with 300
passengers." However, a wire story said only about "two dozen" rode the New London trains daily.
Other Shore Line East services remain in place.

California Zephyr passengers had to be bussed between Emeryville and Sparks for two days
this week due to a Union Pacific freight derailment near Truckee, Cal.

The northbound Coast Starlight early on April 23 struck a Union Pacific crane about 10 miles
south of Dunsmuir, Cal. The train did not derail, but sustained damage to both locomotives and the
first three cars. The train was already nearly three hours late, was held three hours at the accident
site until it could run to Dunsmuir to set out a car, and left Dunsmuir about over nine hours late. It
terminated in Portland, over 17 hours late. According to a wire story, UP admitted the crane was left
in a "bad spot" and that three employees were being investigated for drug use.

Union Pacific will close part of the Coast Starlight route in the Cascade Mountains to carry out a
tunnel repair project during June. Passengers will be put on buses between Klamath Falls and
Eugene, Ore., during two periods -- June 1-10 and June 16-25. There will be no sleeper on the
connecting train from Eugene to Seattle, and so first-class charges have been recalculated
accordingly for those trips. Also, the occasional Coast Starlight detour ending May 7 between
Sacramento and Klamath Falls has actually happened so seldom that Amtrak has lifted it (though a
small chance of a detour for northbound trains through May 7 still exists).

The city manager of Kirkwood, Mo., has organized a group of volunteers to staff the Amtrak
station there, which was de-staffed as part of a recent state funding cut.

Houston Metro released a draft long-term transit development plan on April 25, that
includes 41 miles of light-rail lines tying into the Main Street line (that will open in January), and a
25-mile commuter-rail line from the south end of the Main Street light rail line (Astrodome) to
Rosenberg (mostly on the Sunset Limited route). The light rail lines would open by 2025, and would
give Houston a rail link to one of its airports (Hobby). Bus improvements are also foreseen. The plan
will be the subject of hearings in May and may be put before voters in November.

NARP Region 8 meets in Shelby, Mont., on April 26; and Region 11 meets in Albuquerque,
N.Mex., the same day.