Hotline #81 - April 9, 1999

There is a serious plan underway in Boston to change dramatically the character of South Station. Even though the station was renovated barely ten years ago -- and even though it is widely regarded as a successful public space -- there are plans to put a 60-story skyscraper over the waiting room and drive several large columns through that space. The Boston Globe editorialized against the plan on April 6, saying such a building would be better in the air rights over the tracks. But another area of concern is how the pilings for such a building would affect plans for the Rail Link that should pass under South Station.

Amtrak introduced two new optional programs this week aimed at helping travel agents with little experience in booking Amtrak tickets, to price such tickets. One program, called "Quick Sell," allows a travel agent to see only the lowest available price for a segment, not all possible prices. The "Best Buy" program searches for the lower fares on an entire reservation, such as complex ones using the Explore America Fare. There is also a special 800 number for travel agents using automated computer reservations systems to get help booking Amtrak tickets.

The mayors of Fort Wayne, Ind., and Lima, O., wrote to Amtrak Intercity President Lee Bullock on March 31, requesting that passenger train service be restored to their cities. Apparently, they would like to do this through a re-routing of the Three Rivers, which used to be the Broadway Limited. This is an interesting proposal, but service to Akron must be continued. This is an important city, which recently spent about $100,000 on a station, despite misgivings that arose because Amtrak dropped service both to Akron and Youngstown in 1995. An Akron-Fort Wayne-Chicago run could make some sense, but would require considerable track work, including a new connection at Fostoria, O. However, the case for serving Lima in spite of the required time penalty seems much weaker. In either case, track issues also would have to be addressed between Valparaiso and Gary, Ind.

Rep. Bill Lipinski (D.-Ill.), who is a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, has begun a campaign to improve service on Metra's route from Chicago Union Station to Joliet, also known as the Heritage Corridor. Lipinski calls this Metra's worst route for on-time performance. It is also part of Amtrak's Chicago-St. Louis corridor.

In a March 29 release, Lipinski proposed four grade separations to alleviate passenger-train delays caused by several places where railroads cross each other. He also proposed track and signal work and a new Metra stop near Midway Airport. He says the entire project would cost $200 million. To gain support, in late March he wrote the Illinois and U.S. transportation secretaries, and various Metra officials, freight railroads, and fellow U.S. and state legislators. His would got a nice write-up in the April 7 Chicago Tribune.

The Amtrak board met in Meridian, Miss., this week. One of the highlights was a reception at the intermodal Amtrak station with about 300 local residents and a children's chorus in attendance.

In Minnesota, a House committee has rejected $60 million for Twin Cities light rail that was requested by Gov. Jesse Ventura. In response, Ventura plans to take committee members on a rush-hour tour of the proposed corridor to show them how much rail transit is needed there.