Hotline #899 - October 13, 1995

In an incident that received extraordinary media coverage, Amtrak's westbound Sunset Limited was the target of sabotage early on October 11. Someone moved a rail out of alignment, respiked it down, and reattached a signal wire connecting the rail with its neighbors. This caused the Amtrak train to derail at 50 mph and plunge off a bridge into a dry ravine. One person, an Amtrak sleeping car attendant named Mitchell Bates, was killed; and 78 others were injured, out of a total of 268 passengers and crew on board.

Two notes were found near the wreck, signed by an unknown group called "Sons of the Gestapo." However, the FBI says it is possible the notes are fakes meant to throw off an investigation.

The line involved is the Southern Pacific line discussed in the NARP August newsletter, which SP wants to abandon, and which would force a reroute of the Sunset Limited away from Phoenix. The FBI apparently is taking seriously the possibility that the act was done by a disgruntled former Southern Pacific employee, though no evidence to that effect has been released.

The National Highway System bill conference committee did not finish up work this week. Resolution could come any time but may be days off, leaving more time to communicate with legislators. The highway lobby is continuing to chip away at supporters of the Roth-Biden amendment, which gives states the flexibility to spend some ISTEA money on passenger rail. Continue asking your Members of Congress to contact the conferees in support of Roth-Biden; as well as governors, mayors, and chambers of commerce.

Both Amtrak authorization bills -- H.R.1788 in the House, and S.1318 in the Senate -- may be debated and voted on in both Houses sometime next week. The Senate bill will be considered without the half-cent trust fund for Amtrak. That must be approved by the Finance Committee as part of a tax bill, preferably the budget reconciliation measure that also may be on the floor next week.

However, we have heard that Finance Chairman Roth (R.-Del.) will not include the Amtrak half cent in his recommendations for the budget package. Nevertheless, we understand he remains supportive, and we urge you to contact your Senators in support of the Amtrak half cent.

The transit industry is lobbying heavily against the half cent, trying to turn Senators friendly both to Amtrak and transit against the idea. But giving the half cent to Amtrak would have a tiny impact on transit spending. Even if one assumes Amtrak spends the entire half cent and transit funding continues steady, the surplus in the mass transit account of the Highway Trust Fund would still be more than $8 billion in 2000.

The Treasury Department has been collecting the 4.3-cent fuel tax from airlines since October 1, thereby rejecting a request from the chairmen of the House and Senate tax committees. Chairman Archer of House Ways and Means already has included a two-year airline exemption in his budget recommendations, and Senate Finance Chairman Roth said he plans to. There is known to be more sympathy on the Senate side with concerns about fairness to Amtrak and bus companies, who have been paying the tax for two years.

An Amtrak San Diegan will be extended to San Luis Obispo on October 29. Amtrak will send a set up equipment up there on October 27, for public display on October 28. Members of NARP Region 12 are organizing an excursion from Los Angeles to San Luis Obispo using the display set and the first train south on October 29.

The RTL-2 Turbo Train completed its tour of Ohio last weekend. Yesterday, it ran in revenue service between Philadelphia and Harrisburg. Today it was on display in Harrisburg and ran back to Philadelphia in revenue service. Then the Turbo Train comes to Washington, where it will be on display at Union Station the afternoon of October 17.