Hotline #107 - October 8, 1999

The House approved the final version of H.R.2084, the fiscal 2000 transportation appropriations bill, on October 1. The Senate did the same late on October 4. It was presented to the President for his signature on October 5, which could happen any time.

In the world of Amtrak operations, the big news this week has been reports of the imminent splitting of the Lake Shore Limited into completely separate New York and Boston sections. This would be made possible by Amtrak's getting a big UPS contract and could happen as early as October 16.

The New York section would remain pretty much as is. The Boston section would run with its current equipment through to Chicago, except that it would run via CSX west of Cleveland, making stops at Fostoria, O., and Nappanee, Ind. These two stations are also served by the Three Rivers.

The new train -- if it gets CSX approval -- would leave Boston in the late evening and run in the daytime west of Albany, and arrive Chicago around 9:00 pm. Eastbound, it would leave Chicago around 9:00 am, run in the daytime into New York State, and arrive Boston around 7:00 am. There would be possible, but lengthy, connections at Cleveland with the Pennsylvanian for Toledo and Detroit.

The greatest downside is the lack of Chicago connections for New England passengers. NARP President Jack Martin has urged Amtrak to keep the Boston section of the existing Lake Shore to accommodate these people.

The House approved a bill, H.R.2681, the Rail Passenger Disaster Family Assistance Act, on October 4. The bill requires Amtrak and other potential intercity passenger railroads to present written plans of action for dealing with accidents. It also prohibits attorneys from soliciting victims' families for 45 days following an accident, and requires the National Transportation Safety Board to assign a liaison to work with families. The bill requires the railroads to provide as complete a passenger list as possible.

S.1144, the bill giving TEA-21 flexibility to states who want to invest in passenger rail, has picked up some more sponsors recently. They are Specter (R.-Pa.), Hollings (D.-S.C.), Schumer (D.-N.Y.), and Biden (D.-Del.). The bill should be more attractive to Democrats now that a labor-sensitive, non-rail provision has been removed.

The appropriations bill has some funding for the Orlando light rail project, $5 million. Last month we reported that Orange County withdrew its vital support from the project. Now there is a shorter version of the plan moving forward that can be extended later.

More than 200 spectators turned out October 2 at the Kingston, R.I., Amtrak station as a test train of one electric locomotive and three coaches ran past the station at 110 mph. Later, the train returned and they were all allowed to tour the refurbished Amfleet coaches. An Acela high-speed train was brought through to Boston earlier this week.

A press report indicates that talks between Amtrak and the Florida East Coast Railway have stalled. Amtrak has been talking with the FEC for over a year about sending a Silver train down this route between Jacksonville and West Palm Beach, serving many important coastal communities along the way.

On the ballot in Kansas City, Mo., on November 2 will be an issue called Question 5. It would extend for 15 years two half-cent sales taxes -- one for roads, bridges, and sidewalks, and the other for light rail running from south Kansas City, through downtown to the airport. However, city officials are promoting a different issue, called Question 1, that would not include the light rail funding. So clearly, Question 5 is better.

The Amtrak Reform Council will be meeting in Chicago on October 13 and 14, both days open to the public.