Hotline #941 - August 2, 1996

With Senate approval of H.R.3675, the 1997 DOT funding bill, on July 31 with the good Hatfield numbers in it, passenger-rail advocates' work is obvious -- to generate as much pro-Amtrak pressure as possible to insure that, in next month's House-Senate conference, the Senate numbers prevail. Tell us if you need more leaflets for Amtrak passengers or want to adopt a train or station to supply with leaflets.

In debate on July 30, the Senate soundly defeated a devastating amendment by John McCain (R.-Ariz.) that would have cut Amtrak to the House levels, making those numbers the likely outcome of the conference and raising doubts about Amtrak's ability to survive 1997. The vote against McCain was 82-17.

McCain complained that Amtrak is always promising to end its need for government support within a few years, but never achieving that. But he never acknowledged that Amtrak has always said that progress depended on adequate capital funding and legislative reforms, which have never happened. Several Senators spoke in opposition to McCain, and no one spoke in his favor.

There was no vote on the other Amtrak-related amendment. Frank Murkowski (R.-Alaska) introduced an amendment that would have allowed Amtrak to buy electricity wholesale, reducing its operating grant needs by about $20 million a year. After making an eloquent speech about the need to help Amtrak reduce its costs, Murkowski withdrew the amendment, reportedly because Sen. Bennett Johnston (D.-La.) of the Energy Committee was going to fight it.

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R.-Miss.) said on July 30 that he wants the Senate to vote next month on repeal of the 4.3-cent deficit reduction gas tax through the end of December. The same bill might also transfer the tax to the Highway Trust Fund effective January 1. Lott spoke favorably about this and about using this as a source for Amtrak capital funding. Members of the House Ways and Means Committee still need to hear that giving Amtrak such a dedicated funding source is a good idea.

Conrail and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes on July 30 reached a tentative agreement, making unlikely any nationwide rail strike this year.

In the wake of the 1993 Sunset Limited wreck, new Coast Guard rules take effect today. Towboats must have certain equipment and crews must know how to use it.

Last week, Governor Wilson of California signed into law a bill that takes away the state's Amtrak corridors from the state's DOT. The bill sets up regional boards to run the Capitols, San Joaquins, and San Diegans. The boards will set up operating agreements with Amtrak, but can give administrative authority for the trains to local transit agencies. Some feel that a new, statewide rail commission would have been better than splitting up what has been a strong, unified state rail-and-bus network.

On a more positive note, Wilson signed a measure on July 20 giving the Metropolitan Transportation Commission in the Bay Area the power to force greater cooperating among local transit agencies in that area.

In California, the IC3 Flexliner will visit Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Paso Robles tomorrow; King City, Salinas, and Castroville on August 4; and San Jose on August 5. It will do an Oakland-Reno trip on August 7. It will be in Watsonville August 9, Santa Cruz August 10, and visit the San Joaquin line after that.

Sen. Trent Lott announced on July 30 that the daily operation of the Crescent to New Orleans will continue indefinitely.

The Spartanburg station was destroyed by a fire on July 27. Because of damage to the platform, effective August 9, the Crescent will not stop there until the platform is fixed. Greenville is the nearest stop.

The Southwest Chief reroute in Illinois took place yesterday.

Washington Union Station was evacuated twice in the same afternoon on July 27, due to bomb threats. Another bomb threat lat on July 28 caused an Amtrak train to be evacuated and searched for two hours at New London, Conn.