Hotline #30 - April 17, 1998

Telling your Members of Congress that the final ISTEA renewal bill must contain flexibility for states to spend money on intercity passenger rail projects is still the most important item on our agendas right now. It now looks like the conference committee's work will last until about May 21 -- but don't wait to make your views known. Decisions on specific issues could come at any time. There were more staff meetings of conferees this week, but the important meetings won't begin until after legislators return from spring recess on April 21.

Also, appropriations subcommittee members need to hear from you about the importance of granting the Administration's request for 1999 funding for Amtrak.

The eastbound Three Rivers struck a derailed Conrail train at Conway Yard west of Pittsburgh, early the morning of April 13. Several of the Amtrak cars derailed also, injuring 20 people, none seriously.

A freight derailment on CSX south of Sebring, Fla., meant passengers were bussed between Orlando and Miami and intermediate points from April 11 to 14. Passenger also were bussed April 16 between Richmond, Va., and Rocky Mount, N.C., due to another CSX derailment. Yet another CSX derailment the morning of April 12, at Crystal City (Arlington), Va., disrupted Amtrak's Easter traffic and some Monday morning VRE commuter trains.

The station at Sebring, Fla., had its restoration completed with ISTEA funds, and there will be an official dedication on April 24. For a long time it was considered the worst Amtrak station in Florida.

Tri-Rail will open a short extension south to the site of the proposed Miami Intermodal Center on April 27. The site will be a four-minute shuttle ride from the airport. Amtrak will have through-ticketing to the new station with a cross-platform transfer at Hollywood.

The Metrolink commuter service in southern California has awarded a three-year equipment maintenance contract to Bombardier. Their bid, at about $13 million, came in $7 million lower than the bid by the current provider, Amtrak. Though Metrolink rated Amtrak higher in technical qualifications, it decided to pay the lower amount to Bombardier. This does not affect Amtrak's contract to operate the trains.

The temporary extension of Amtrak Hiawatha service from Milwaukee west to Wauwatosa, Brookfield, Pewaukee, Oconomowoc, and Watertown, Wis., seems to have gotten off to a good start. The first day, April 14, there were about 200 passengers on the two morning eastbound trips. Local transit connections have been beefed up at Pewaukee and Milwaukee, and some employers are sending private vans to the train to pick up their employees. The service runs through July 11, as a state-supported alternative to I-94, which is undergoing major repairs right now.

Rep. Fred Upton (R.-Mich.) was a guest this week on a high-speed test run on Amtrak's Kalamazoo line, according to the Detroit News. The 110-mph service on that line, using a new signal system, was to begin this summer, but according to Michigan DOT will be delayed to spring 1999 because of bugs in the new system that need to be worked out. For example, there have been problems when signal radio antennas have had snow on them, and problems with receivers not getting the correct radio signals. However, the system correctly slows down trains when such problems arise.

Minnesota Gov. Arne Carlson signed a bill on April 9 containing $40 million in state matching funds for a proposed light-rail line from downtown Minneapolis to the airport and the Mall of America. The line may be running in 2003.