Hotline #34 - May 15, 1998

House-Senate conferees are working through the weekend in the hope that they can complete ISTEA renewal before the Memorial Day weekend, one week from now. They seem set on a $210-billion total, $10 billion more than the Administration says it would accept. One plan gaining favor this week would keep transit funding at roughly its current authorized levels, but guarantee that funding by not making it subject to appropriations. A House floor vote is tentatively scheduled for May 22.

The flexibility language to allow states to spend some federal transportation money on intercity passenger rail capital seems likely to be one of the last issues resolved. Keep up your work with phone calls and letters-to-the-editor -- it seems to be doing some good.

The General Accounting Office released a report yesterday packed with statistics about Amtrak's 40 routes. Critics may highlight high subsidy-per-passenger numbers on many routes, and falsely conclude that's what would be saved by eliminating those routes. Today's Washington Times has a map showing the five routes with the highest subsidy-per-passenger -- even though this measure has more to do with average trip length than overall economic efficiency. For example, the map includes the Southwest Chief, which, when ranked more meaningfully by operating ratio, ranks 11th out of Amtrak's 40 routes. Operating ratio is total costs divided by total revenues. Costs of other modes are spread over many agencies and units of government, and so thus are so hard to identify that few even try.

Today's related Wall Street Journal story says Amtrak has scaled back projected express profit from $436 million to $140 million over six years, without noting that Norfolk Southern has just agreed to let Amtrak carry certain express on its tracks while those railroads negotiate a possible joint venture on express. Also, there is agreement on how Norfolk Southern and CSX will use Amtrak's tracks and vice versa after those freight railroads acquire Conrail. As part of this deal, the railroads agreed to help Amtrak improve its passenger service at certain points outside the Northeast Corridor. Norfolk Southern will increase Amtrak clearances in Maryland so double-stack trains can serve the Port of Baltimore. Amtrak now will support the freight railroads' application before the Surface Transportation Board regarding the break-up of Conrail.

A new Amtrak RoadRailer service recently began between Chicago and Grand Rapids on the Pere Marquette. The move came 39 years to the day after the old Chesapeake & Ohio started the first RoadRailer experiment between Grand Rapids and Traverse City, Mich.

Effective today, NARP members are eligible for a 10% discount on Amtrak travel. Room and club charges and Auto Train are not included. On Metroliners, the discount is good weekdays for trips starting between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm or after 6:30 pm, and on weekends. This cannot be combined with other discounts. You must carry a valid NARP membership card while traveling and present it when you buy your tickets in person.

New Amtrak schedules take effect May 17. The Texas Eagle regains a third coach as well as Sunset Limited through-coaches and sleepers and a connection to the Empire Builder in Chicago. NARP worked hard on all three items. Also, the added Talgo service in the Northwest begins.

Amtrak and Caltrans on May 17 will mark the 60th anniversary of San Diegan service, with a celebration at Los Angeles Union Station from 10:30 am to 5:30 pm. There will be an equipment display, food, music, vendors, and hourly excursion train service to Glendale.

Dane County, Wis., will fund a commuter train demonstration project later this year. A trial service would run for a few days from Middleton to downtown Madison on tracks owned by short line Wisconsin & Southern.