Hotline #910 - December 29, 1995

The future of the Portland-Eugene section of Amtrak's Cascadia, the former Mount Rainier, is in doubt. If the state is unable to work out funding problems, the service could end in mid-January.

Amtrak introduced several fare changes and a new refund policy on December 1. Sleeping accommodation charges now become totally nonrefundable if not cancelled at least 24 hours before scheduled departure. On club car reservations, a full refund is made if the passenger gives one hour's notice. If notice is less than one hour, the club car charge is nonrefundable and may not be applied to future travel. The penalty does apply when a purchase is made less than 24 hours before departure and then cancelled, and applies when a downgrade is made within the 24 hours. The penalty does not apply if any conditions from the "hardship exception" apply; does not apply if a train is delayed over two hours or a guaranteed connection is missed; and does not apply if a passenger upgrades or extends his or her travel.

December 1 fare changes included these -- Capitol Limited rail fares up 5% and accommodations charges up 15-20% except special Washington-Pittsburgh economy bedroom charges were introduced. Cardinal sleeper fares between Washington, Alexandria, and Chicago rose to match Capitol Limited increases. Cardinal rail fares rose 30% between White Sulphur Springs and Huntington. Each long-distance route has its own schedule of peak and off-peak days.

Southwest Chief, Empire Builder, Pioneer, Desert Wind, and California Zephyr peak sleeping car charges rose 25%.

Certain Pioneer rail fares rose 10-34%.

Pioneer off-peak sleeping car charges rose 10% plus $20. This also applied to Empire Builder city-pairs common to the Pioneer route.

On the Southwest Chief, off-peak sleeper charges rose $25. This also applied to Desert Wind city pairs common to the Chief route.

Sunset Limited rail fares and accommodation charges rose 5%, except locally between Jacksonville and Miami. For consistency, some Texas Eagle fares between Texas points and points west of San Antonio also were adjusted.

Certain Coast Starlight rail fares rose 5-18%; peak accommodation charges rose 5%. Certain San Joaquin city pairs had adjustments for consistency with Starlight increases.

Sen. Mike DeWine (R.-Ohio) announced a plan to reduce the bureaucratic process for installing and upgrading grade-crossing warning systems, at a December 18 news conference.  He unveiled the Railroad Crossing Safety Act of 1995, a Senate bill that would provide incentives for local communities to close their most dangerous railroad crossings.

There will be a federally imposed end to community bans on trains whistling at grade crossings, effective December 31. Congress acted after the FRA said that a nighttime ban on whistling in Florida was followed by a tripling of nighttime crossing accidents -- and the daytime accident rate was unchanged.

The Interstate Commerce Commission will expire on December 31 and its continuing functions will be transferred to a Surface Transportation Board in the Department of Transportation.

Massachusetts Governor Weld decided to go ahead with restoration of commuter rail on the Greenbush branch of the Old Colony lines. Also, MBTA gave up the costly idea of tunneling through Hingham Center. The Town of Hingham appropriated $100,000 to fight this good project. Newspaper reports indicated that the town has retained counsel in Washington, D.C.