Hotline #865 - February 17, 1995

Missouri has become the second state to save some of the train service marked for elimination by Amtrak in December. The Ann Rutledge will continue to run between St. Louis and Kansas City through June 30, the end of the state fiscal year. The state will pay all interim operating losses and fares will rise 33%. The state will examine ways to extend operation beyond June 30.

The last of three hearings set up by Chairman Susan Molinari (R.-N.Y.), of the Railroads Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, was held February 13. Again, a general consensus was that Amtrak needed to be saved, but Molinari spoke more openly about cutting routes. Witnesses were Reagan DOT Secretary James Burnley, Association of American Railroads President Ed Harper, Greg Lawler of a new, pro-Amtrak labor group called START, Amtrak President Tom Downs, NARP Executive Director Ross Capon, and Ted Knappen of Greyhound bus lines.

Capon argued against balkanized, mode-specific trust funds and for exempting Amtrak from fuel taxes that airlines don't pay. The Greyhound witness resumed Greyhound's attack on the California Thruway bus program. He also claimed bus passengers are only subsidized five cents a trip, compared to $54 for Amtrak passengers. Capon earlier noted the apples-and-oranges nature of this comparison, since the government owns the highways.

The labor witness claimed that labor issues were not significant. Subcommittee Member John Mica (R.-Fla.) complained to the labor witness, "You have given us no positive suggestions." Mica closed the hearing by joking to the Greyhound witness, "Maybe we can give you a little bit more business before it's over." Mica needs to hear from Florida NARP members.

Also, NARP members should make sure that chambers of commerce in places served by Amtrak are aware of the threat to all Amtrak service. Feel free to cite NARP's Washington office as a resource for more information.

House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bud Shuster (R.-Pa.) won a key vote on February 6, when an amendment to make transportation trust fund projects exempt from the line-item veto was defeated 360-65. The vote was an early flourish in the Shuster-Mineta proposal to take trust fund programs off-budget. Doing that for highways, aviation, and transit would harm Amtrak if Amtrak is still funded from general revenues.

The Oregon and Washington state associations of railroad passengers held a rally yesterday at Eugene in support of more train service. The rally was near the site of the Cascadia Conference on Sustainable Communities, where a focal point was high-speed rail, and where Amtrak President Tom Downs spoke.

Amtrak's eastbound Pioneer was struck by a shifted load of steel pipe on a passing Union Pacific freight train near American Falls, Ida., early on February 15. The pipe struck the Amtrak locomotives and lodged between the second locomotive and the baggage car. Two Amtrak engineers and a cook were injured. The trains did not derail.

Coaster commuter rail service between San Diego and Oceanside starts February 27.

Connecticut Governor Rowland announced in his budget last week that he wants to end the Shore Line East commuter service, which runs between New Haven and Old Saybrook.

New Jersey Governor Whitman announced a plan to renew the state transportation trust fund for the next several years, dedicating 40% of it to public transportation. The plan should go to voters in the fall. The New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers helped formulate the plan.

Superliner equipment will appear on the Auto Train March 1. For this year, the train will run with bi-level sleepers, diners, and lounges. Coaches still will be the current, single-level equipment, because no new Superliner coaches have been delivered yet.