NARP March 2004 Hotlines

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Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta appeared before the House Transportation/Treasury Appropriations Subcommittee, chaired by Ernest Istook (R.-Okla.), on March 3, to discuss the DOT's budget requests for fiscal 2005. Mineta put forth arguments for not spending more than $900 million on Amtrak -- a 26% cut from this year -- because the Administration's "reform" reauthorization proposal has not been passed by Congress.

Mineta's distaste for long-distance trains -- and lack of understanding of them -- showed when he claimed that Orlando-Los Angeles rail passengers could be flown "faster and cheaper" than the $469 subsidy per passenger he claims for the Sunset Limited. Never mind that a hypothetical Orlando-Los Angeles air fare is completely irrelevant to the passengers traveling between the dozens of other city-pairs on that route.

Ranking Democrat John Olver (Mass.) asked Mineta whether there was any evidence that any private operators were interested in running long-distance trains "without major subsidy" and whether freight railroads would cooperate with such operators. Mineta claimed that a private operator was already running passenger trains in Washington and Oregon. Perhaps he is confusing Amtrak's state-supported Cascades service with the seasonal Lewis and Clark excursion train. If so, that is ironic, given that Amtrak was Oregon's first choice to run the that train until Amtrak pulled itself out of consideration, partly because of restrictions put on Amtrak by the Mineta DOT in 2002.

Mineta acknowledged that major railroads aren't interested in multiple operators, but "some of the short lines will [do it]." However, he was not asked to name any corridors that are likely to be developed that would require use of such short lines (as opposed to lines owned by major railroads).

Mineta advocated again the concept of running sealed long-distance trains through states that refuse to help pay for their operations. He said he explained to President Bush in a briefing that's how it ought to work. The concept is ridiculous because such a service would lose far more in revenue by not serving intermediate points than it would save in reduced operating costs, and shows either that knowledge about passenger rail is in short supply at the DOT, or that there is no way to explain the Administration's approach to the national network that makes sense.

Rep. Frank Wolf (R.-Va.), who once chaired a predecessor of the subcommittee, reiterated his calls from ten years ago that Amtrak ought to have a route-closing commission. He asked Mineta if any routes would be closed and Mineta said, "We have to look at that but it's very political. If we say we will eliminate the XYZ Express, Congress comes back and shoves it down our throats."

The latest temporary extension of TEA-21 authorization for highway and transit expired February 29. While the House on February 11 had approved another extension of four months, the Senate had not acted as quickly. Leaders from both houses agreed to a two-month extension on February 25; the House approved that on February 26; the Senate approved it on February 27; and President Bush signed it on February 29. The new extension is good through April 30. The Senate passed its multi-year authorization on February 12. Work on TEA-21 renewal in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is delayed to at least March 24. Even after the House passes a bill, there would have to be a possibly lengthy reconciliation process for the Senate and House bills.

Voters in the Bay Area of California on March 2 approved Regional Measure 2, which will raise the tolls on several highway bridges from $2 to $3. Among the things the additional revenue will go to are seismic strengthening of the BART Transbay Tube, a new Transbay Terminal in downtown San Francisco, extension of Caltrain commuter service to that new terminal, improvements to the Dumbarton rail bridge (to allow cross-bay commuter rail service), a BART extension to Warm Springs, and new ferry services.

Statewide, voters approved Proposition 57, which allows California to borrow $15 billion as one tool to get through the current budget crisis. They also approved Proposition 55, which allows California to borrow $12.3 billion for schools. The ultimate increase in state debt that will be created by the new borrowing was one of the reasons given by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R.) in January for proposing an indefinite postponement of a vote on high-speed rail funds. That measure, which is still on the November 2004 ballot, would raise $9.95 billion through bond sales. Postponement of the high-speed measure would require an act of the legislature.

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R.) announced yesterday he and the state's chief financial officer, Tom Gallagher, will lead a petition effort to repeal the constitutional amendment passed by voters in 2000 that requires construction of a high-speed rail system. Since 2000, Bush has fought any progress on the rail proposal every step of the way, claiming voters did not know what they were approving, including project cost. They need 488,000 signatures to get a repeal initiative on the ballot. Efforts to get the legislature to put such an initiative on the ballot have failed. Florida has a growing, aging population, booming tourism, and little place to put new roads, but Bush calls high-speed rail a "luxury item."

The Speaker of the Georgia House, Terry Coleman (D.), has said he wants the state to set up a contract with Amtrak to start a commuter-rail line, according to yesterday's Macon Telegraph, as a way to jump-start the "slow-moving plans." He said he would work to get $5 million in the 2005 state budget to go toward operating costs. The state DOT already has $106 million in capital. The DOT has a proposal to run a service from Atlanta to Lovejoy, but Coleman and others would like to see that run to Macon from the start.

Efforts to include funding for Amtrak service in a Missouri supplemental appropriations bill continue. The House Budget Committee on March 3 approved HB1014, but did not include $885,000 requested to keep both Kansas City-St. Louis daily round trips running through the end of the fiscal year. However, that Committee's Chairman, Carl Bearden (R.-St. Charles), said he would support efforts to add the money when the bill is debated on the House floor. Missouri NARP members should contact their state House members right away and urge them to support the supplemental funding.

The Amtrak facility in San Francisco, at 101 Embarcadero, has been closed due to flood damage since December, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. It has been closed due to flooding "several times" since it moved there from the Ferry Building in 2001. Amtrak is replacing carpeting with vinyl flooring and should reopen its part of the port-owned facility in April.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority said it wants to completely shut down Boston North Station during the Democratic National Convention, July 26-29. The convention will be held in the FleetCenter, immediately above the station. Green and Orange line trains would move through that station without stopping. I-93, which runs right beside the FleetCenter, where the convention will be held, may also have some closures.

A March 3 Boston Globe article said commuter-rail passengers on MBTA's Fitchburg line passengers "probably" will have to change to the Red Line at Porter Square; Lowell and Eastern passengers change to buses at Anderson and Lynn; and Reading passengers to the Orange Line at Malden Center. Amtrak's Downeasters were not mentioned; by implication its passengers would be bussed from Anderson. The article quoted one MBTA official as saying, dubiously, that commuters would prefer suburban transfers to bus or subway, rather than walking through a North Station area crowded with conventioneers. The MBTA also appears to feel that the security problems, such as bomb threats or protests, are likely enough to occur and to cause a shutdown of the service anyway. Meanwhile, in New York, there are no plans to shut down Penn Station, which is below Madison Square Garden, during the Republican convention.

The European Commission proposed a draft law on March 3, with new rules for compensation of passengers on international rail journeys. Compensation levels would depend on the type of service and length of delay, but could amount to the full fare. The newspaper cited an example of a full refund for a delay of 60 minutes on a (normally) two-hour trip on a high-speed train. Rail operators also would be liable for "consequential damages" in some cases, such as for missed connections or the cost of missed events (such as theater performances). The Community of European Railways, which represents operators, said the legislation is unnecessary, costly, and burdensome. It said that the plan offers less protection than a voluntary one put forward by operators in 2003. The EC says the proposal builds on existing best practice from major international carriers such as Eurostar and Thalys, and that the CER's voluntary code does not work.

Region 2 meets in Schenectady, N.Y., on March 6, and Region 3 meets in Camden, N.J. On March 13, Region 5 meets in Deerfield Beach, Fla., and Region 10 meets in Osceola, Ia. On March 20, Region 1 meets in Exeter, N.H., Region 4 in Baltimore, Md., Region 6 meets in Lima, O., Region 7 in Chicago, Ill., and Region 8 in Tacoma, Wash.

Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta appeared before the Senate Transportation/Treasury Appropriations Subcommittee, chaired by Richard Shelby (R.-Ala.), on March 9, to discuss DOT's budget requests for fiscal 2005. As he told the counterpart House panel the week before, the Administration is proposing a 26% cut for Amtrak in 2005 ($900 million) because the Administration's "reform" reauthorization proposal has not been enacted by Congress -- but would propose $1.4 billion in 2006 if that proposal is enacted.

Ranking Democrat Patty Murray (Wash.) detailed the belief of Amtrak and of the DOT Office of Inspector General that the $900 million for 2005 would "lead Amtrak to bankruptcy." Since the Administration's funding proposal for 2005 wouldn't allow Amtrak to survive to 2006 -- even if the Administration's reauthorization proposals are approved -- Murray asked Mineta how such a sequence of events could possibly work.  Mineta would only say, "We still hold by the need for reform."

Similarly, when Shelby asked, "What is the long-term plan for the Administration if your authorization proposal is not enacted?", Mineta answered, "Our reform package is very, very important."

Shelby asked about execution of language in the 2004 appropriations law, which requires the Federal Railroad Administration to issue guidelines for competition for state-supported Amtrak services. Mineta said, "It is moving forward in Missouri. There were no bidders there except Amtrak.  Other states have inquired about it. I'm not up to date on those states. It is the right approach."

The Missouri House gave initial approval on March 10 to a supplemental appropriations bill, which includes the additional $885,000 that Amtrak needs to continue running both Kansas City-St. Louis frequencies through the rest of the state fiscal year.

Claudia Howells, the state rail program manager in Oregon, resigned last week in order to run for the state legislature.

The General Accounting Office has released a reported titled, "Intercity Passenger Rail:  Amtrak's Management of Northeast Corridor Improvements Demonstrates Need for Applying Best Practices" (report number GAO-04-94). It was requested by Senate Commerce Chairman John McCain (R.-Ariz.). A recurring theme in the report is GAO's view that Amtrak made completion of New Haven-Boston a higher priority than a goal of three-hour running time between New York and Boston that was in a 1994 Federal Railroad Administration master plan (never adopted by Amtrak). The report does not adequately explore the ways that completion of electrification, in a challenging budget environment, has helped the majority of passengers who never were part of the target market for the FRA's three-hour goal.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has said it is examining developments relating to the tragic attacks in Madrid yesterday, in which 10 of 13 dynamite-laden backpacks that were planted on commuter trains exploded at the height of morning rush hour, killing nearly 200. While the DHS says there are no specific threats aimed at passenger rail or transit in the U.S. at this time, agencies operating those services have increased their security patrols.

There is a general acknowledgement that instituting airline-style security at the thousands of Amtrak and transit stations in the U.S. is impractical. According to today's Washington Post, the DHS undersecretary for border and transportation security, Asa Hutchinson, said DHS is not considering such screening because it would be too expensive and because "the threat is smaller" [than for aviation]. That said, it is sensible for any passenger or employee to be aware of his or her environment in stations and on trains, and report any suspicious looking or abandoned package or piece of luggage to authorities right away.

The California Zephyr will detour between Denver and Salt Lake City via Wyoming, on-and-off during the summer, as reported here last month. Now, exact dates are known.  Trains originating in Chicago and Emeryville on the following dates will detour (with the detour itself one day after departure) -- June 7-14, 22-29, July 7-14, July 22-29. The detour is requested by Union Pacific to facilitate a repair project in Moffat Tunnel.

No intermediate stops will be made. Alternate bus service will be provided only to Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction, and only to and from Denver. Amtrak said it would notify passengers of the detour, whether their stop is affected or not.

The new Amtrak station at Saratoga Springs, N.Y., went into operation on March 6. Its owner, the Capital District Transportation Authority, will hold an opening ceremony on March 15.

The waiting room in the newly renovated station at Lafayette, La., is now open for use to Sunset Limited passengers. The station burned in 1998. The city has plans to expand its local bus service there, at which time the waiting room will be open until 11:00 pm, covering most instances of late trains.

Ticket agents will be restored to the Amtrak station at Port Huron, Mich., on April 23, two days before the conversion of the International to the Blue Water. This follows the March 1 restoration of agents at Flint and East Lansing.

Human error is likely the cause of a near-collision between an Amtrak Empire Corridor train and a CSX freight train east of Syracuse, N.Y., on February 20, according to a March 10 Associated Press story. The Federal Railroad Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are continuing their investigation into why the Amtrak crew, at full speed, passed two signals warning the Amtrak crew to slow down enough to change tracks, slowing the train only when the CSX train was in sight.

New Jersey Transit opens its 34-mile diesel-light-rail service, the River Line, on March 14. It connects the Trenton rail station (Amtrak, NJT, SEPTA) to downtown Camden (PATCO), by way of Bordentown, Burlington, and Palmyra, N.J. The nation's first diesel-light-rail line follows the historic route of the Camden & Amboy Railroad, opened in 1834 south of Bordentown (with Trenton branch soon after that). The last Pennsylvania Railroad passenger train over the route was over 40 years ago.

The Empire Builder was disrupted by a freight-train derailment west of Minot, N.Dak.  Passengers were bussed between Minot and Williston (where Amtrak equipment was turned) on March 10.

CSX will close parts of its line between Savannah and Jacksonville, for part of the day in late April and May, for a major track work project. To avoid these track work windows, Amtrak temporarily will run the southbound Silver Meteor three hours earlier than now and run the northbound Silver Meteor one hour later than now. Also, Amtrak will turn the Meteor's equipment at Washington. Since most Meteor passengers travel through Washington, this will affect a lot of people. Amtrak will run a special connecting train north of Washington using Metroliner equipment and a cross-platform transfer.

On March 13, Region 5 meets in Deerfield Beach, Fla., on March 13, and Region 10 meets in Osceola, Ia. On March 20, Region 1 meets in Exeter, N.H., Region 4 in Baltimore, Md., Region 6 meets in Lima, O., Region 7 in Chicago, Ill., and Region 8 in Tacoma, Wash. On March 27, Region 9 meets in Fort Worth, Tex.

Rail security has been a big topic of discussion in the past week, though it is not clear what ought to be done about it, beyond the increased police security. As we reported last week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) characterizes the general threat to rail and transit in this country as less than the threat to aviation, and says that providing airport-style screening at rail and transit stations is too expensive.

A bi-partisan group of Senators on March 12 introduced S.2216, the Rail Transportation Security Act.  It requires DHS and the Department of Transportation to work together on an analysis of rail security issues on the entire freight and passenger rail network in the U.S. It also requires a study of what foreign countries do in this area. It requires a DHS pilot project -- in advance of the results of the DHS/DOT studies -- of passenger and baggage screening at ten Amtrak stations. Finally, it authorizes $777 million for security-related improvements to Northeast Corridor tunnels.

A House bill, H.R.3931, parallels one section of S.2216 by authorizing $898 million for the Northeast Corridor tunnels. It was introduced March 10 by Rep. Peter King (R.-N.Y).

The Senate Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on "Passenger and Freight Rail Security" on March 23 at 10:00 am. Among the anticipated witnesses are representatives of the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Transit Administration, Amtrak, Association of American Railroads, and American Public Transportation Association.

DHS Undersecretary Asa Hutchison told a House panel on March 17 that DHS is already doing its own studies of rail security, with results "expected soon" (according to a wire story), and that the DHS wants to review that before deciding how to proceed. "More can be done and more will be done," he said. "It will be different than what we do in airlines."

Additionally, the European Union is holding an emergency counterterrorism meeting today and a summit on the topic next week. Rail and transit systems across Europe have increased security in the past week. A new poster campaign on the London Underground warns passengers about unattended luggage or parcels, reminiscent of earlier such campaigns during the time of IRA attacks.

Amtrak and the Bombardier/Alstom consortium announced on March 17 a settlement of their legal disputes involving aspects of the Northeast Corridor high-speed rail program. The consortium was involved in the manufacture of 20 Acela Express high-speed train sets and 15 electric locomotives, the construction of three new maintenance facilities, and responsible for performance and maintenance of those items until 2013.

The parties will drop all legal claims against each other, dating from November 2001. The consortium will get $42.5 million of the $70 million in payments withheld by Amtrak (pending satisfactory completion of the program), and will be excused by Amtrak from its maintenance responsibilities in October 2006 (at which point Amtrak takes over that function). Amtrak President David Gunn said, "Instead of continuing to spend unnecessary time and money on costly and attention-diverting litigation, the full focus of our efforts will now be on improving the performance of Acela Express and delivering the best service we know how for the passengers who enjoy and depend on it."

The fiscal 2005 Amtrak appropriations process continues. Rep. Jack Quinn (R.-N.Y.) is circulating a pro-Amtrak letter, in favor of $1.798 billion, among his colleagues in both parties, to be delivered to House Appropriations leadership. The letter states, in part, "As you work toward the funding needs for the nation's transportation systems, we respectfully request that you fund Amtrak at $1.798 billion 3/4 the level requested by its President and CEO David Gunn and approved by its Board of Directors. Over the last two years Mr. Gunn has done a remarkable job bringing stability to, and reforming, Amtrak's operations. He has increased ridership and revenues, eliminated redundant layers of management and reduced costs … David Gunn's leadership at Amtrak has allowed policymakers the opportunity to debate the railroad's future in something other than a crisis environment."

It is critical to get as many signatures as possible on this letter. Please contact your Representative and ask him or her to sign this letter. Click here for ways to make contact.  Any Representative interested in signing the letter can have their Legislative aid contact Steve Stallmer in Representative Quinn's office.

The Georgia Transportation Board gave initial authorization on March 17 to its staff to negotiate with Norfolk Southern on providing commuter-rail service. Georgia House Speaker Terry Coleman (D.-Eastman) has indicated support for the state DOT's plan to make Atlanta-Lovejoy the first operating segment; previously he had insisted the first segment go all the way to Macon. Finally, the on-line cities promised to fund commuter-rail operating costs, estimated by DOT staff at $4 million a year. DOT has $106 million in state and federal capital funds for the project. Another helpful factor is realization that the federal funds could be lost if not used soon for passenger rail "which is partly designed to help Georgia meet federal standards to reduce air pollution" (Macon Telegraph, March 18).

The Missouri Senate Appropriations Committee, as part of its work on a mid-year supplemental appropriations bill, approved $850,000 to keep all current Amtrak services in the state running through the rest of the fiscal year. The full House did the same last week; action is still needed by the full Senate and a later conference committee.

The Federal Railroad Administration has granted Amtrak a temporary waiver of a part of a 1998 order that sets the conditions under which Northeast Corridor trains operate using automatic train control (ATC) and the new Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System ACSES). Because ACSES on the NEC North End is not yet completed (now projected for early 2005), Amtrak operates under a temporary speed restriction of 110 mph on a segment roughly between New Haven and Westerly. Amtrak sought a waiver from the part of the 1998 order that requires use of temporary transponders to control that temporary speed restriction, citing, among other things, problems with the transponders. FRA has agreed to that until April 1, 2005.

The Memphis Area Transit Authority opened its two-mile Madison Ave. trolley line, from Main St. to Cleveland St. (Medical Center) on March 15. The new east-west line is in addition to the existing north-south Main St./Riverfront trolley line. Memphis is also planning a light-rail line to the airport.

The California Zephyr was blocked March 16 by a freight derailment on the BNSF line at Ottumwa, Ia.  Passengers were bussed east of Denver.

A formal dedication for the renovation of the train station in Tucson, Ariz., is tomorrow. However, the Amtrak area in the building may not be ready until late April.

Sen. Tom Carper (D.-Del.) is the featured speaker at a free public lecture entitled "ARRIVE-21: The Case for Public Investment in Rail Infrastructure." This is the Hollings rail bill, S.1961, of which Carper is a sponsor. RSVP is required; see our events page for details.

On March 20, NARP Region 1 meets in Exeter, N.H., Region 4 in Baltimore, Md., Region 6 in Lima, O., Region 7 in Chicago, Ill., and Region 8 in Tacoma, Wash. On March 27, Region 9 meets in Fort Worth, Tex. On April 3, Region 12 meets in Oakland, Cal.

Reps. James Oberstar (D.-Minn.) and Corinne Brown (D.-Fla.) are collecting signatures for a pro-Amtrak letter to Democratic letters, parallel to the Republican effort (reported here last week). Democratic offices wanting to sign should contact Frank Mulvey, minority staff director of the Subcommittee on Railroads; Republican offices should contact Steve Stallmer in Representative Quinn's personal office.

A hearing on rail security was held by the Senate Commerce Committee, chaired by John McCain, on March 23. Witnesses included Sen. Tom Carper (D.-Del.), Sen. Joe Biden (D.-Del.), and officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Transportation, General Accounting Office, Association of American Railroads, American Public Transportation Association, and Amtrak.

McCain said that government efforts on rail security "are still fragmented." He noted that operators of rail services have taken steps to improve security, "and that has helped." McCain asked whether the priority for security should be places where sensitive infrastructure and heavy passenger and freight traffic intersection, noting, "You can't address every area at once." He recalled that the Commerce Committee approved a rail security bill (S.1550) in 2001, but that neither the Senate nor House has done so. He said another bill would be approved by the committee very soon, but it's not clear whether that would be S.2216 (introduced March 12 and referred to the committee) or would incorporate some part of that bill.

Sen. Olympia Snowe (R.-Me.), who is a sponsor of S.2216, said, "There has been a lack of rail security funding. We have to have a plan on rail security.  We can take measures now to protect the public. There can be more police on trains and platforms, more dogs, more requirements for identification, and a pilot initiative for explosives detection in baggage." Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D.-N.J.), also a sponsor, said, "Amtrak spends tens of millions on security but not one dollar of the Administration's [2005 funding] request is for that. The Administration chooses to dodge its responsibilities, recommending only half of what Amtrak needs to run its system efficiently and safely. Amtrak can't even apply for DHS grants." He added, "We can't ask [Amtrak] to fund security out of their losses."

The Amtrak witness, Chief of Patrol John O'Connor, said that Amtrak is "about to surpass its reserve budget for security." He said that among the measures that Amtrak has taken are increased canine patrols that do random sweeps and gamma ray and particle detectors in certain areas. Amtrak and other railroads and transit agencies have increased their police surveillance at major terminals and sensitive infrastructure points.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, the day before the hearing, announced a series of new steps that DHS would take to increase rail security. First, DHS will develop rapid-deployment, mobile-response canine teams to assist states and agencies that are facing particular threats of explosives threats. Second, within two weeks, DHS will, in consultation with railroads and transit agencies, develop a set of baseline, best practices as a resource for dealing with potential threats. Third, DHS will work to develop new technologies that -- in recognition of the differences between railroads, transit, and aviation -- are aimed at detection and interception of explosives.

Ridge said on March 22, "One particularly challenging area [is] trying to preserve the flexibility, the convenience, and the easy access to mass transit and railroads particularly, and then balance that off with security. Clearly, we could provide enough security to put the mass transit systems out of business. So trying to find that balance is something that we need to do."

DHS Undersecretary Asa Hutchinson was soundly criticized at the March 23 hearing by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D.-Cal.) for his and Ridge's correct statements that one major way rail and transit differ from aviation is aviation's proven use as a missile against other targets. Federal Railroad Administrator Allan Rutter said "metal detection [on rail or transit] is not as important on the railroad as explosives detection, because there is little risk of hijacking a train ... We see random checks, as opposed to checking everyone and everything.  We need to keep it functioning."

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved H.R.3550, the House's TEA-21 renewal bill, on March 24. This bill, the "Transportation Equity Act:  A Legacy for Users" (or "TEA-LU"), would provide $275 billion over six years for highway and transit programs. That is less than the $375 billion committee leaders originally wanted, but more than the $256 billion requested by the Bush Administration. Transit would receive a total of $51.5 billion over six years, reaching a level of $10.029 billion in 2009. The bill has a "reopener" provision effective September 30, 2005, at which point many legislators want to revisit and increase the funding levels.

H.R.3550 has no separate rail title, which some members noted with concern during the meeting. A counterpart bill, S.1072, at $318 billion, was passed by the Senate on February 12. S.1072 includes a six-year, "clean" Amtrak reauthorization section and a bond program good for several modes (including rail).

H.R.3550 preserves the 80/20 federal/state funding split for both highways and transit, which has been part of such laws since 1991, despite Administration calls to reduce the split to 50/50 just for transit. Section 104 and 130 grade-crossing programs are continued, as is funding for Operation Lifesaver. There is an authorization for $500,000 for grade-crossing elimination on the Keystone Corridor and earmarks for an Atlanta multimodal terminal. The bill would extend high-speed rail corridor designations to Boston-Springfield-Albany, Springfield-Hartford-New Haven, and Killeen (between Austin and Fort Worth)-College Station-Houston.

House leaders hope to have H.R.3550 on the House floor by March 31, before spring recess, possibly because of leadership concern that the bill would be harder to pass after release of detailed estimates -- that will be disappointing to states -- of how much this bill would give each state.

NARP Executive Director Ross Capon gave a pro-commuter-rail presentation yesterday in the Georgia State Capitol to an audience of interested legislators, legislative staff, Atlanta Metro Chamber of Commerce staff, a member and former chairman of the Georgia DOT board, and other rail passenger supporters. Georgia Association of Railroad Passengers and Georgians for Better Transportation (GBT) sponsored the meeting.  GBT in the last year has transformed from a highway-only to a multi-modal lobby. GBT Chairman Wayne Shackleford -- the former, longtime DOT Commissioner -- was present and spoke strongly in favor of commuter rail. The DOT board last week voted in a new chairman because the incumbent was against commuter rail.

Several more Amtrak schedule changes effective April 26 are coming to light. The last northbound Downeaster (train 687) will leave Boston at 10:20 pm (not 11:15 pm) in an attempt to increase ridership. However, TrainRiders/Northeast is concerned the earlier hour will miss the end of many events and actually suppress ridership.

Amtrak will add two weekday Acela Express trains (each way) between New York and Washington. From Washington, they replace Metroliner 110 at 11:00 am and Metroliner 126 at 7:00 pm; from New York they replace Metroliner 113 at 12:00 noon and Metroliner 117 at 2:00 pm. There will also be four Acela Express Sunday trains each way, up from two now.

On the north end of the corridor, there will be four Acela Express Sunday trains each way, up from three now, beginning May 2 (not April 26). North end Acela ridership (Oct.-Feb.) is up 38% from the year before.

Amtrak says the added service reflects increased reliability of the trains. There will be 15 sets in revenue service on weekdays, up from 14 now.

Amtrak will add stops to both the Capitol Limited and Lake Shore Limited in Ohio. Sandusky and Elyria will be served by both trains in both directions.

Metro North is adding trains and capacity after an elevated section of I-95 was damaged in a fiery oil tanker crash last night. The newly reconstructed southbound lanes at Bridgeport, Conn., are now sagging at least three feet and could be closed for two weeks or more. Metro North warns of possible crowding and says some Amtrak trains also may make additional stops.

A collision between a Metra train bound for Crystal Lake, Ill., and a locomotive this morning at the throat of the Ogilvie Transportation Center (ex-North Western Station) in Chicago caused 18 minor injuries. Northwest Line commuter trains were disrupted, though the West and North Lines kept running.

The Coaster commuter rail service between San Diego and Oceanside will conduct a six-month trial of the Rail 2 Rail program, starting April 1. This will allow ticket holders on Amtrak or Coaster to use the next available train as long as they travel within the limits of the ticket. Metrolink and Amtrak have a similar program north of Los Angeles.

A Union Pacific rail replacement project will disrupt Amtrak Pacific Surfliner service at some times. Southbound train 774 will originate in Goleta, with a San Luis Obispo-Santa Barbara-Goleta bus replacement, on March 27-31, April 13-16, and April 23-May 1.  Northbound train 775 will terminate in Santa Barbara on March 26-30, April 12-15, and April 22-30, with a Santa Barbara-San Luis Obispo bus. The northbound Coast Starlight may experience delays during those periods.

A groundbreaking for the renovation of the Amtrak station in Fresno, Cal., was March 23.  Completion is expected this fall.

Sacramento's Amtrak station could be picked up and moved 400 feet north, under a plan given preliminary approval by the city council on March 16. That plan could cost $130-150 million. Union Pacific wants to move its tracks away from the existing building site to straighten some curves and to free up some land for development.

Amtrak will mark the 30th anniversary of the Amtrak-era San Joaquin service with cake, prizes, and gift bags aboard the following trains on March 29 -- 702, 712, and 713.

The City of Miami, Fla., is considering a streetcar line similar to that in Portland, Ore. It would extend five miles along a major street (yet to be determined) from downtown to the northern city limit at 87th St.

Two Amtrak conductors based in Sacramento were indicted yesterday on federal embezzlement charges and a third will plead guilty. The first two are charged with taking $24,500 and $5,000 by pocketing cash from on-board ticket sales between 1999 and 2001.  The third admitted taking $8,000 between 1999 and 2002 and will pay over $10,000 to Amtrak to make up for it.

NARP's internet service provider will be making certain upgrades on Saturday, April 3. Any e-mail messages you send NARP during that day are unlikely to go through. Next week's Hotline message (#341 of April 2) and the rest of the NARP web site are likely to be down sporadically that morning (8:00 am - 12:00 noon, Eastern). If you can't get through to the Hotline during that period, please try again later that day or weekend.

On March 27, NARP Region 9 meets in Fort Worth, Tex. On April 3, Region 12 meets in Oakland, Cal.