Hotline #932 - May 31, 1996

Funding allocations have been made among the House Appropriations subcommittees. These allocations are the limits subcommittees must observe in marking up their spending bills for fiscal year 1997, which starts in four months. Mark-ups are going ahead even though a House-Senate conference committee to resolve differences between the two budget resolutions is expected next week.

The Transportation Subcommittee, chaired by Frank Wolf (R.-Va.), is expected to mark up a DOT funding bill on June 6. There is speculation that numbers for most transportation programs will be very low. This could be terrible news for Amtrak if the half cent is not approved.

Anyone with representation on the House Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee needs to call their Representative right away to ask that Amtrak not be cut below the 1996 level.

The Surface Transportation Board announced its ruling on May 29 that the Burlington Northern Santa Fe must continue to allow access to Amtrak at current rates. BNSF was the only railroad that did not reach even a temporary operating agreement with Amtrak before many operating agreements expired May 1. Amtrak will keep paying current rates until a new agreement can be reached.

Train 97, the southbound Silver Meteor, is being detoured on weekdays in Florida through June 21, on account of CSX track work. It is running by way of Ocala, but stops missed on the Orlando line are protected by bus.

The long-awaited Kearny Connection in New Jersey opens June 10. This will allow one in five New Jersey Transit commuter trains from the Morris and Essex lines to go directly into Penn Station in Manhattan. The remaining trains will continue to serve the former Lackawanna terminal in Hoboken, with its PATH train and ferry connections to Manhattan. Any future service over former Lackawanna lines to places such as Scranton and Binghamton also would use this important connection.

A 3.1-mile extension of the North-South light-rail line in San Diego opens soon, running north to Old Town. Opening ceremonies are June 13. The community ride day, when rides are free from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, is June 15. Revenue service starts June 16.

Unboxed bikes will be allowed on the Vermonter again this season, starting June 1. The policy has been broadened and will allow bikes between any city pair served by the train, except Claremont Junction, N.H. The charge is $10 each way, except only $5 if the entire trip is north of -- and including -- Amherst, Mass.

The DOT's next ISTEA regional forum is at New York on June 7 on the 43rd floor of One World Trade Center. Regional issues will be discussed in the morning and national Intercity Passenger Needs in the first afternoon panel. Panelists include Florida DOT Secretary Ben Watts, Ross Capon of NARP, Frank Barry of the Empire State Passengers Association, and Amtrak Northeast Chief Executive Officer George Warrington. Another panel will have local commuter rail executives. Audience questions and comments will be at 11:45 am and 4:00 pm. Because of its location, this meeting requires a security clearance -- so if you plan to attend, call the Federal Transit Administration at 212/264-8162 as soon as possible.

The next forum after that is at Tysons Corner, Va., on June 12 at 1:00 pm, at the Sheraton Premier Hotel, on the topic of Safety.