Hotline #900 - October 20, 1995

Transportation appropriations conferees finished working on fiscal 1996 funding on October 16. Sadly, they picked the lower Senate figure for Amtrak operations, $185 million. That's 53% below the 1995 level; 29% below Amtrak's request. There is $100 million for transition costs, but it's not clear how much could go to operations. There's $120 million for mandatory payments, $15 million below Amtrak's request.

There's $230 million for system capital -- a freeze except that up to $20 million could be used for the Farley/Penn Station project, which last year was funded separately. Also, the Northeast Corridor gets $115 million, down sharply from $200 million last year, but up to $15 million of nationwide capital can be transferred to the Corridor if necessary.

Considering the two appropriations bills, Amtrak fared decently, but a cut of 25% overall is just bad policy.

Next-generation high-speed rail drops 3% to $24.2 million. General rail research and development rises 20% to $24.6 million. Transit falls 12% to $4.051 billion. Aviation drops 2% to $8.216 billion. Highways rise 0.5% -- that's $91 million -- to $19.970 billion.

It's still timely to contact Senate Finance Committee members in support of the half cent for Amtrak, and to contact National Highway System conferees regarding Amtrak flexibility. Representative Borski (Pa.), a new conferee, reportedly opposes flexibility.

Amtrak at first will rely on route timetable cards for the many October 29 changes. A new, nationwide timetable will be printed after the Amtrak board reviews its budget October 24-25.

The International stays daily with food service for at least four more months, thanks to more money from Michigan. Grand Rapids regains daily service October 29. Amtrak trains will continue to serve Hollywood, Fla., through late November at least, reversing an earlier announcement. Amtrak belatedly will meet with city officials.

Amtrak is going ahead with an October 29 downgrade of the Crescent on New York-Atlanta days, ending dining car and first-class service and reducing capacity. A fourth New York-New Orleans frequency is coming -- leaving New York Fridays starting November 17 and New Orleans Sundays from November 19.

MK's rail-car division ceased operations on October 17. MK and its creditors agreed to form a new limited liability company to finish up work. That company -- Amerail -- is doing Viewliners and Metra and California Cars. It will not do Los Angeles Metrolink commuter version of the California Car. Instead, Metrolink will buy cars from Bombardier. The MK plant at Pittsburg, Cal., now making BART subway cars, will close.

Larger Northeast Corridor stations will have an open house on October 28 to launch the NortheastDirect campaign, a marketing effort for conventional trains.

The RTL-2 turbo train leaves Washington on October 23 at 7:30 pm, arriving Atlanta 9:00 am October 24, for a two-hour display at the Amtrak station that morning. Then it goes to Birmingham. On October 25, it leaves Birmingham at 12:30 pm, arriving Tuscaloosa 2:15 pm; back to Birmingham at 4:00 pm, then Meridian at 7:30 pm. On October 26, it leaves Meridian at 10:45 am, arriving Laurel 12:45 pm, Hattiesburg 1:35 pm, New Orleans 3:15 pm. On October 27, it leaves New Orleans 3:00 pm, arrives Mobile 6:00 pm, then goes back to New Orleans. It leaves New Orleans on October 28 for Chicago, headed for Michigan.