Hotline #116 - December 10, 1999

The Clinton Administration is in the process of formulating its budget numbers for fiscal 2001. It's highly important that the Administration approve the full $989 million authorized for Amtrak by the 1997 reauthorization law that President Clinton approved. Amtrak has been getting only about half its authorized amount (also by the President's approval), and the Administration has indicated in the past that it would propose only $521 million for 2001. That may be enough for Amtrak to barely squeak by in its effort to meet the operational self-sufficiency mandate, but not enough for service expansion, including helping pay for the early phases of the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative. Please contact the White House right away and urge the full $989 million for Amtrak in 2001. Click here for information on contacting the White House.

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bud Shuster (R.-Pa.) said on December 3 that a third Chicago-area airport was "probably not doable." Instead, he said that the state should look at developing the airport at Rockford. Though Shuster did not address access from Chicago, a reasonably fast rail line using existing rights-of-way could connect Chicago Union Station with O'Hare Airport (south side), Elgin, Rockford Airport, and downtown Rockford, a total distance of 85 miles.

An advisory committee is studying restoration of passenger service between the Twin Cities and Duluth. The lat train on that route was an Amtrak service cancelled in 1985 after the State of Minnesota withdrew its operating support. The study is being done by the same firm that is doing the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative study, Transportation Economics and Management System, of Frederick, Md.

The first business day of service for the new TRAX light rail service in Salt Lake City was Monday, December 6, and press accounts reported a favorable reception. The new service offered over 15,000 trips that day. Meanwhile, the city council appears to be moving toward agreement with the Utah Transit Authority and Utah DOT on an alignment for a future east-west line. The city council pulled out of talks a month ago, but are reconsidering after getting thousands of calls and letters from pro-light-rail citizens.

The Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Board announced on December 8 several changes to Amtrak West's Capitol Corridor service to take effect February 13. These include a 7th Sacramento-Oakland round-trip (mid-afternoon northbound, evening southbound); and a 4th Oakland-San Jose round-trip (by extending trains that now start in Sacramento at 5:30 am westbound, Oakland 11:30 am eastbound). The existing round-trip to Colfax will be cut back to Auburn due to low ridership at Colfax and new means to turn a train at Auburn.

Amtrak provided supplementary transportation service in connection with the memorial service held in Worcester, Mass., yesterday for the six firefighters killed in action last week. Amtrak's special train ran from New Haven to Worcester, while MBTA ran a special from Boston.

The State of Virginia has agreed to authorize the sale of Main Street Station to the City of Richmond, which resolves the main barrier to a project that would restore Amtrak service to an intermodal facility there. The first phase of the Amtrak portion of the project -- allowing Newport News trains to stop downtown at the old station they pass by today -- will take another two years to realize.

An event announcing Amtrak's plans for Los Angeles-Las Vegas service is scheduled for December 14. It will be hosted by Wisconsin Governor and Amtrak Chairman Tommy Thompson and Amtrak President George Warrington, along with Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn and Senator Harry Reid, in Las Vegas. It is generally thought that the new service is at least a year away, but the announcement should shed new light on the matter.

Amtrak has exercised an option to expand the bi-level Pacific Surfliner order it placed in early 1998. Six coaches worth $14 million will be added to the eight five-car train-sets already being built and due to begin service in the spring.

The first set of coaches for the Sounder commuter service have arrived and had a trial run between Seattle and Tacoma December 9. Funding for this project and also capital projects related to the Amtrak Cascades services has been in doubt since voters approved ballot initiative 695 last month, which cuts the state motor vehicle excise tax that funded many transportation programs. Officials are still hoping for a September start-up for Sounder.