Hotline #975 - March 28, 1997

The Texas State Senate approved a loan to Amtrak on March 25 to keep the Texas Eagle running through September 30. The vote was 24-5. The measure now goes to the House, which comes back into session on April 4.

The Gulf Coast Limited will make its last run to Mobile March 30, and last run back to New Orleans March 31. It began as a state-funded, three-month experiment last June. The states never renewed their funding in September, and the train has been running on a six-month federal supplemental since then.

Amtrak took its dispute with Guilford Rail Industries to the Surface Transportation Board on March 26, and asked for resolution within 150 days. The current delay in starting track work on the Boston-Portland line is because Amtrak and Guilford cannot agree on liability terms or track maintenance costs. Amtrak has offered Guilford what all other freight railroads get from Amtrak, but Guilford wants more. Amtrak said in a statement, "If Guilford's terms were accepted, there would be no limit on the amount that Guilford could charge the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority -- and therefore the people of Maine -- to allow Amtrak access to Guilford's tracks." All this could mean the loss of the 1997 construction season, and a push-back of the start-up date another year to fall 1998.

The National Transportation Safety Board has reported that it now believes the collision between two New Jersey Transit commuter trains in February 1996 was caused by human error. Two crew members and a passenger were killed. Initially, investigators had suspected worker fatigue or signal problems. But it turned out that the engineer had been concealing from his employers an illness that caused color blindness, meaning he could not read the signals accurately. The Federal Railroad Administration has said it will strengthen requirements for color blindness testing.

Storms a week ago disrupted Amtrak service for several days between Edmonds and Everett, Wash., affecting the Mount Baker International and the Empire Builder. Trains are running now. This stretch of track has been plagued by landslides all winter long.

Governor Rowland of Connecticut seems to be softening his position on deep cuts to the state's commuter rail system so that motorists can get a little fuel tax relief. Rowland proposed cutting all Metro-North service on the Danbury and Waterbury branches, and all Shore Line East service. Now he concedes the legislature probably will reverse that. But Connecticut citizens still need to contact their legislators so there can be a good final outcome to this.

There will be an exhibit and briefing on the Boston rail link on April 1, 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, in the State House in Boston. Anyone may attend, and New England NARP members should encourage their local officials to attend, too. There are many sponsors, including Amtrak, the MBTA, NARP, TrainRiders/Northeast, and many labor, environmental, and tourism agencies.

NARP Region 10 meets in Denver, Colo., on April at 8:30 am, at the Oxford Hotel, across from Union Terminal. The speaker will be Ed Ellis, who handles Amtrak Intercity's mail and express business. There will be a tour of the Rader Railcar plant after the meeting.

Region 3 meets near Cape May at Rio Grande, N.J., on April 12 at 11:00 am, at the Rio Station Restaurant on US 9 and state route 47. The speaker is NARP President John R. Martin. There will be a tour of the Cape May Seashore Lines after the meeting.