Hotline #74 - February 19, 1999

A new San Joaquin schedule starts February 21, introducing a fifth train.  This one will run in the morning from Sacramento down to Bakersfield, and back up in the evening. It will be the first passenger train service between Sacramento and the San Joaquin Valley since Amtrak started. The train will run temporarily on a former Western Pacific line north of Stockton until track work can be completed on the parallel ex-Southern Pacific line. Also on February 21, reservations will be required for all San Joaquin trains. Finally, there will be a sixth Capitol Corridor frequency between Oakland and Sacramento.

An article in today's Chicago Tribune indicates that the Canadian National will abandon the St. Charles Air Line south of the Chicago Loop in exchange for the city dropping its opposition to CN's takeover of the Illinois Central. This is good news for Amtrak, in that part of the plan would involve a rebuilding of the Grand Crossing connection in South Chicago for use by freight trains. Amtrak had said last month it would spend $5 million on Grand Crossing itself as part of the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative, which would allow trains from Champaign and Indianapolis to avoid the time-consuming St. Charles Air Line. Now, Amtrak may find that CN will pay for much or all of the Grand Crossing work, and that it will get done much sooner. Another part of the CN plan is a grade separation at Englewood, where the Conrail line used by Amtrak crosses Metra's former Rock Island commuter line.

The Florida edition of the Wall Street Journal this week reported that Governor Bush has recommended that $5 million be spend on the project to introduce Amtrak service along the east coast of Florida, using leftover funds from the FOX high-speed rail project. That leaves another $125 million left over that Bush has indicated he would divert from intercity passenger rail use. The article suggested that the Silver Meteor would be diverted from its current route to the coastal route, but Amtrak has not made a final announcement on that. NARP is still pressing Amtrak to find a way to introduce the new service without diverting capacity away from the existing routes through Orlando and Ocala.

Rep. Bob Clement (D.-Tenn.) this week in testimony before the House Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee asked for $2 million for a feasibility study for restoring a passenger and freight rail route between Nashville and Knoxville, Tenn. Part of the proposal involves building a new alignment in much of the eastern half of the route.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D.-N.J.) announced this week that he would not seek re-election next year. Lautenberg has been one of the most solid friends of intercity passenger rail service, both in terms of keeping a national system and of having the foresight to push hard on the Boston electrification project starting in 1990. As a Democrat, he is currently the ranking member on both the Budget Committee and the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee.

Please contact your U.S. legislators in support of the full $571 million appropriation for Amtrak and the full $99 million for high-speed rail.

Earlier this month, Amtrak and a bank in Wilmington, Del., tested an on-board automated teller machine, as part of a special train charted by the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce.

A newspaper ad error last week had many people calling the bus station in Wilmington, N.C., asking what time the Amtrak trains leave. Actually, there are only Thruway buses in Wilmington today, although the state has long-range plans for rail service.

Amtrak and the Illinois Bed and Breakfast Association have a new program encouraging travelers to use the facilities of both organizations when traveling through Illinois.