Hotline #46 - August 7, 1998

The August recess of the House begins today and ends September 8. The Senate went out last week and returns August 31. The 1999 transportation funding bill, H.R.4328, appears to be one of the least controversial appropriations bills. Thus it could move swiftly in early September. Staff work on the conference report takes place this month, so now is a good time to remind legislators about the importance of the House number for Amtrak, $609 million, and the Senate's definition of Amtrak capital uses.

In addition to all the problems caused by the Union Pacific that have delayed the Texas Eagle and Sunset Limited, a new one has emerged during July and August -- record-setting heat in Texas that causes heat kinks in welded rail. The kinks have caused recent Union Pacific freight-train derailments, and several slow-orders.

The unstaffed station at Lafayette, La., on the Sunset route, burned to the ground last night.

Amtrak will resume service to Akron, O., on August 10 on its Three Rivers train.

The Adirondack still is not running between Albany and Montreal due to weather-related damage around Port Kent, N.Y. A bus is providing service to all stops except Port Kent. This will last at least until August 15.

Flash flooding in the Milwaukee area has disrupted Empire Builder service today, with trains detouring over the Burlington route between Chicago and St. Paul. Yesterday's westbound train got trapped for 18 hours at Elm Grove west of Milwaukee by track problems.

A new contract between Amtrak and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers took effect August 1. A main feature is the extension of the number of hours an engineer can work alone in the cab, from four to six. The four-hour limit was one reason the Sunset Limited initially was cut back to Sanford, Fla., rather than Orlando.

Last week, the consortium that is building the American Flyers for Amtrak, Alstom-Bombardier, announced that Amtrak had ordered two more train sets, for an additional cost of $43 million. Amtrak already has on order from the consortium 18 American Flyer sets and 15 electric locomotives.

Washington Metro completed its Red Line on July 25, by extending service 1.8 miles from Wheaton to Glenmont, Md.

The Economist magazine on August 8 has an article attacking Amtrak and especially long-distance trains.

Chris Knapton, who was director of media relations for Metra in Chicago from 1984 to 1996, died of cancer July 28, at the age of 61. A NARP member since 1980, he had a long career in railroading, including time at the Federal Railroad Administration in the early 1970's, as a vice president of the Rock Island Railroad from 1974 to 1979, and then as a media official for the Association of American Railroads. A tribute in the Washington Post today referred to "his radio-trained voice and sharp sense of humor" having gained him a following in Chicago radio traffic reports and in the newsletter he wrote for Metra commuters, called "On the (Bi)Level." A Metra locomotive was named for him last year.

Regarding the split-up of Conrail, this clarification from last week's message -- The Surface Transportation Board decision established a control date of August 22, the day when Norfolk Southern and CSX will take control of their portions of Conrail. However, much more work, particularly on labor agreements and computer systems, will be done before either railroad will start integrating Conrail routes into its respective operations.