NARP January 1998 Hotlines

#15 - January 2, 1998
#16 - January 9, 1998
#17 - January 16, 1998
#18 - January 23, 1998
#19 - January 30, 1998

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Amtrak will change its fare structure for long-distance trains, starting February 3. The new set-up will resemble the structure already used on the Northeast Corridor. There will no longer be round-trip excursion fares between two given points, but rather a series of one-way fares at various price levels, which will be subjected to yield management. In other words, instead of booking a round-trip ticket between the two points, a passenger will book two one-way tickets. The tickets may carry two different fares, depending on how much each individual train happens to be sold out at the time of the booking.

Amtrak Intercity is offering free travel for any companion to a ticketed passenger on certain routes, from January 5 through February 28. These routes are Chicago-Detroit, Chicago-Port Huron, Chicago-Carbondale, Chicago-Quincy, Chicago-St. Louis-Kansas City, Three Rivers, Pennsylvanian, and Texas Eagle -- including the fourth frequency to Los Angeles starting next month. On the same dates, a companion can pay half-fare on the Lake Shore Limited.

Amtrak West has a similar deal on California corridor trains and their connecting buses -- a companion travels free from January 12 through March 15.

Through the end of January, students at over 20 major northeastern universities get a 10% discount. If they have a Student Advantage card, they can add that to the 15% discount they already get. On the Vermonter, there is an indefinite program allowing a child to travel free with an adult for trips to, from, or within Vermont.

The mammoth filing by the purchasers of Conrail in mid-December held a few items of direct interest to railroad passengers. CSX and Norfolk Southern, according to the Journal of Commerce, continue to negotiate with Amtrak over freight levels on the Northeast Corridor, but urged the Surface Transportation Board to reject Amtrak's proposal for a five-year oversight of that plan. Amtrak made that request because of substandard CSX service.

They also rebutted requests to increase passenger train speeds in New York and Michigan, and claims of substandard service by Virginia Railway Express. The buyers said that requests for better passenger service and more routes from New Jersey and Illinois commuter authorities were without merit, and that they did not wish to sell Conrail's Port Jervis line to Metro North.

The king of Belgium on December 10 opened 44 miles of high-speed line south and west of Brussels. This allows Brussels-Paris times on the Thalys trains to be cut from 3:00 hours to 2:25 hours; and Brussels-London on the Eurostar trains from 3:11 hours to 2:36. London services were increased, and a new Paris-Cologne service started over the new route.

An unmanned Japanese maglev on December 24 achieved a speed of 342 mph, according to the Central Japan Railway Company. The vehicle earlier in December reached 329 mph in runs both with and without passengers. That is faster than the rail record set by a French TGV in 1990, which was 320 mph.

Groundbreaking was scheduled to take place in December on a high-speed rail line linking the northern and southern parts of Taiwan. The consortium selected by the government includes companies such as GEC Alsthom and Siemens, which respectively build the French TGV's and German ICE's.

Another Asian high-speed line, in South Korea, is facing new difficulties and will be reviewed by the new government. Construction on it began in 1992, and it is about one-fifth completed. There have been several delays, with completion now contemplated for 2005.

Though the Amtrak reauthorization law says the Amtrak Reform Council was to have been appointed by January 1, no one expected that deadline to be met -- and, indeed, it was not. This week, however, there seemed to be a little movement. House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (D.-Mo.) is said to be close to releasing the name of his choice, and House Republicans are considering their choices.

Though both Administration and Congressional budget officials are predicting a short-term budget surplus, President Clinton's Budget Request is expected to shortchange transportation, including Amtrak. This would be particularly ironic, since it apparently means the Budget Request will not be consistent with the additional funding contemplated in the recently negotiated Amtrak/Maintenance of Way labor contract settlement that Secretary Slater orchestrated. NARP pointed this out to President Clinton in a letter today. NARP urged full funding of the authorized levels. NARP also urged that a supplemental appropriation now being developed include a reversal of the language in the 1998 transportation appropriations law that knocked $199 million off the special Amtrak funding in the Taxpayers Relief Act.

The President's budget will be released within a month, and there is every reason to believe whatever low amounts he proposes for Amtrak will be a ceiling not to be exceeded by a Republican Congress.

The energy company Enron is asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to order the Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland Interconnection regional power pool to open its system and allow Enron to sell electricity directly to Amtrak, according to the Journal of Commerce (January 5). Enron wants FERC to consider Amtrak as an electricity wholesaler, since Amtrak sells almost half the electricity it buys now from local utilities to other parties, namely commuter rail agencies that use the Northeast Corridor. If approved, the arrangement would greatly reduce the $40 million Amtrak currently spends on electricity, helping it to survive operating grant cuts and reducing costs for the commuter agencies.

Amtrak's internet booking system had a record level of bookings in November, over 6,000 -- though December may have been higher. That is over $1 million in sales. This program offers internet users some convenience, but it has a few drawbacks. For example, it is no good for long itineraries of over four segments. Because of yield management, there is seldom a single fare for a trip segment or sleeping car accommodations, so it takes some time to download several possible fares for long trips. It also requires full payment by credit card to secure the reservation, which means no grace period of a week to make changes to an itinerary.

Two weeks ago we reported that kids can travel free on the Vermonter when a paying adult is with them. Contrary to what one Amtrak agent told us, this deal also is good on the Ethan Allen. It's two kids per adult and, again, is good only on trips involving at least one point in Vermont.

The Dunbarton Bridge over the south end of San Francisco Bay burned in a spectacular fire last weekend. Though the former Southern Pacific trestle was out of service and had not had passenger service in many years, some saw it as having potential as a commuter rail route between the Altamont Pass and San Francisco. The bridge also lies on the route of a line proposed by the state high-speed rail commission in late 1996. The east end of the bridge is still intact.

An unnamed California company is considering a regular tourist-oriented passenger service from Montreal to Portland over the St. Lawrence & Atlantic route, according to a recent wire story. The Sunday River Ski Train used the Bethel-Portland section of this line.

Six Northeastern Senators wrote to President Clinton yesterday in strong opposition to the current draft of his Budget Request. The letter says, in part, that such a budget request "would backtrack on the Administration's commitment to submit a request that is consistent with the five-year operating plan agreed to by Amtrak, the Department of Transportation, the Amtrak/Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes labor agreement and Congress ... We believe that it is vital for the Administration to reject the strategy of diverting $2.3 billion in capital funding for operating needs ... Despite your recent pledge of support for Amtrak, the proposed budget request creates yet another crisis for Amtrak ... We urge you to revise your Budget Request and fully fund Amtrak for" 1999.

The six Senators were Lautenberg (D.-N.J.), Moynihan (D.-N.Y.), Biden (D.-Del.), Kerry (D.-Mass.), Roth (R.-Del.), and Chafee (R.-R.I.). NARP wrote a similar letter last week.

Service on the northbound Carolinian will be interrupted through February 12 between Charlotte and Raleigh. On Mondays through Thursdays, passengers will be bussed to Raleigh, because of track work between there and Greensboro. Other trains -- the Piedmont and southbound Carolinian -- will be subject to delay.

Amtrak is offering five free first-class round-trip tickets (for two) for new express shippers through March 31. Shippers must be using Amtrak's express service for the first time, and must be shipping carload or trailer-load shipments. Amtrak Intercity mail and express vice president Ed Ellis said that riding on the same train as a shipment will help new shippers see the advantages of Amtrak.

The proposed state budget released by California Governor Wilson (R.) on January 9 included requests for $4.3 million for a fifth San Joaquin running from Sacramento to Bakersfield, $5 million for fifth and sixth Capitol round-trips, and $3 million for cost increases on existing services. The fiscal year starts July 1, though the increase in Capitol service could be delayed to October when a $70-million track improvement project is done.

Amtrak West plans on January 26 to extend Capitol trains 723, 726, and 736 east to Rocklin, Auburn, and Colfax, in the Sierra Nevada foothills. These are the trains that currently terminate in Roseville. However, the date may slip since recent wet weather has delayed pouring concrete for platforms at Rocklin and Auburn, and installing lighting at all three stations. Colfax is a stop for the California Zephyr, but during daylight hours.

The Great American Station Foundation and the National Trust for Historic Preservation are looking for candidates for a list they are compiling for the "Top Ten Most Endangered Stations" in the U.S. They want to raise public awareness for the need to save old train stations. If you have a station you want to request, call the Foundation at 202/906-3518 and they will send you a form to fill out.

A new San Francisco Muni car line was opened January 10. It is called the E/Embarcadero line, and runs as a shuttle from the Caltrain station to the Embarcadero, where transfers can be made to other Muni lines, BART, or ferries. This is the first local rail transit connection to commuter trains in San Francisco in many years. Eventually, E line service will run through into the Muni Metro under Market Street.

ISTEA renewal in the Senate may not come as early as Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R.-Miss.) promised. There is now some sentiment to delay a vote until basic budget issues have been resolved.

The American Trucking Associations has released a study that -- to no one's surprise -- says that if taxes on trucks were increased, the reduced cost to society from pollution and congestion would be less than the increased cost of higher trucking rates and lost productivity for trucking customers. The ATA no doubt will use this study to fight any effort to increase truck taxes this year as part of ISTEA renewal.

Last week we reported that six Northeastern Senators had written to President Clinton on January 15 to plead for full funding for Amtrak in 1999, based upon what we read in wire stories. Actually, there was a seventh -- James Jeffords (R.-Vt.).

White House officials told the media the letter "mystified" them because they think their draft budget meets Amtrak's needs. Peter Rogoff, who works for Senator Lautenberg (D.-N.J.), has written a six-page explanation supporting the Senators' position. He says the draft budget breaks faith with the Amtrak labor agreement that the Administration itself helped to arrange. He also says the OMB -- ignoring DOT requests -- concocted a budgetary "shell game" that leaves Amtrak over $84 million short of its needs for 1999.

You can call the White House in support of the Senators' protest. Call the Deputy Chief of Staff, John Podesta, at 202/456-1414. Say that you have serious concerns about the budget proposal and that the White House should not cut Amtrak funding. If you don't reach Podesta directly, leave that message with his secretary. Or you can send a brief fax to him at 202/456-1121.

Two other Republican Senators wrote Clinton on January 16. They were Majority Leader Trent Lott (Miss.) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (Tex.). They expressed concern that the Administration might propose drawing operating funding from the $2.3 billion in Amtrak capital funds.

The inaugural trip of the additional Texas Eagle frequency to Los Angeles, leaving Chicago February 6, has now had a fourth sleeper added to it, such has been the demand to ride that day's train.

Effective January 20, the westbound Lake Shore Limited is scheduled 20 minutes later than times shown in the October timetable, for all points from Schenectady through Chicago. This is to facilitate the addition of RoadRailers upon leaving the Albany station. Also, the connecting Thruway bus from Toledo to Ann Arbor will run about 45 minutes later.

Last week the directors of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority voted to suspend work for six months on three subway and light rail projects to save money. The projects are Red Line subway extensions east of Union Station and west along Wilshire, and the Blue Line segment from Union Station to Pasadena. The Red Line extension to Hollywood and North Hollywood will continue because it is so far along.

Massachusetts must pay 40% of the cost of the Central Artery highway project, according to today's Boston Globe, rather than just 15%. Turnpike Authority Chairman James Kerasiotes wants Senate Environment and Public Works Chairman John Chafee (R.-R.I.) to increase Artery road funding in his ISTEA bill. If he doesn't, Kerasiotes threatened to delay extension of MBTA commuter rail to the Providence airport and possibly cut existing service to Providence.

British press reports last week said that a government report shows deteriorating service quality on British passenger railways since privatization was completed. The Office of Passenger Rail Franchising said reliability and punctuality were both down. John Wesley, the Chairman of British Rail, said that, "For the privatized railway, the honeymoon is very close to being over ... In general, the privatized railway is hardly better than it was in the last years of public ownership. That is a great disappointment." He also said privatization had not resulted in the hoped-for decrease in government subsidies.

The President's 1999 budget will be released on February 2, though parts of it may leak to the media before that. We expect to update this message late that day.

The North America Rail Pass is now on sale. It is good for 30 days' travel on both Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada. For travel through May 31, it costs $450; then through October it costs $645.

Amtrak will impose a higher penalty for changing a reservation or getting a refund for tickets bought on or after February 3. The charge will go from $20 to $30. The charge for children's tickets will be $15. Tickets bought before the deadline can get one change at the old rate. The original $20 fee was imposed two years ago, after NARP complained about a short-lived non-refundability rule. NARP has told Amtrak that $30 is not reasonable because Amtrak's limited inventory forces passengers to book so far in advance, making changes unavoidable in many cases.

The fourth Texas Eagle frequency starts February 6 from Chicago. There will be special banner breakings on February 7 upon the train's arrival at Little Rock, Texarkana, Marshall, Longview, Mineola, Dallas, and Fort Worth.

After a minor derailment involving an Amtrak material handing car on the Capitol Limited in Toledo on January 4, the 1400-series version of these cars has been mostly banned by Conrail, BNSF, CSX, and Norfolk Southern. Conrail said the incident was due to mechanical failure in one of the trucks. But the Journal of Commerce says Amtrak disputes that. Amtrak has withdrawn the cars and is performing safety inspections on them. Amtrak has 72 of these cars, which are about ten years old. The four railroads have allowed some of the cars back into service, and Amtrak says the disruption has not hurt revenues.

The boxcars acquired by Amtrak last year have had a problem of a different sort. The same four railroads have imposed speed restrictions on such cars traveling empty on Amtrak trains because they have questions about the vertical stability of them in operation. Amtrak has been using ballast to weigh the cars down wherever they must be deadheaded.

Greyhound has given $100,000 to the Great American Station Foundation, to be put toward renovating old train stations into intermodal facilities.

The extension of one daily frequency on the Capitol Corridor from Roseville to Colfax, Cal., happened on January 26, as planned.

The Flexliner, which is the self-propelled diesel-car train built by ADtranz, is back on the road, touring North Carolina. There was a tour kick-off today in Winston-Salem, and there will be a public display there tomorrow from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. On February 1 it is in Cary, February 2 in Fayetteville, February 3 in Salisbury, February 4 in Asheville, February 6 in Charlotte and Mooresville, and February 7 in Charlotte.

Amtrak is installing a new braking system for its Auto Train equipment. By late spring, eight locomotives, 64 auto carriers, and 43 passenger cars will get an electronic air brake system that allows the brakes in each car to be set simultaneously, with the aim of eliminating the slacking action common on long trains. The brakes were manufactured by TSM of Kansas City, which is a subsidiary of Rockwell.

The proposed high-speed line from London to the Channel Tunnel is in financial crisis. The previous Conservative government said it would have to be built all with private funding, as was the tunnel itself -- though the tunnel also has bounced from one financial crisis to the next. Now, the private company in charge of building the new link says it needs $2 billion in government funding to proceed, which the Labor government has turned down.