Hotline #135 - April 21, 2000

House leaders plan for the fiscal 2001 transportation appropriations bill to be the fourth (of 13) such bills brought to the House floor in coming weeks. Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bud Shuster reportedly gave his blessing to the transportation figures contained in the recently passed budget resolution. He claimed that transportation programs not protected by funding guarantees and firewalls -- such as Amtrak -- would not be cut. However, it was not clear what level of Amtrak funding Shuster had in mind in making his claim -- the authorized amount ($989 million), the fiscal 2000 amount ($571 million), or the portion of the President's request that had general revenues as its source ($521 million).

That said, the House Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee's numbers are tight, after subtracting the huge guaranteed programs (highways, transit, and aviation capital). The situation is still fluid. A House bill could be formulated during the first half of May.

CSX has agreed to a settlement, effective May 1, 2001, with the Federal Railroad Administration, involving numerous track problems on CSX. The agreement and final FRA report were released April 20, and are available at the FRA web site. The agreement provides for an enhanced inspection schedule and requires CSX to provide the FRA with capital improvement and maintenance plans for track. It spells out enforcement measures the FRA may take. One problem noted by the FRA is lack of CSX track maintenance staffing levels, which can result in deferred maintenance -- the report cited instances of new track materials sitting exposed on the right-of-way for years, waiting to be installed.

On April 5, Amtrak gave Michigan the legally required six months' advance notice of discontinuance of the International -- the first time Amtrak has given such notice since it was required in 1997. Amtrak still hopes a deal can be reached with Michigan, and continues to accept reservations for travel after October. We understand that Amtrak's proposal to reroute the International via Detroit was a response to preliminary indications from the state that it would not pay for continued operations via Lansing. However, state funding may yet be forthcoming.

Amtrak has installed a new device that alerts its control center in Boston South Station whenever the quad-gates at the School St. crossing in Mystic, Conn., are stuck down for more than five minutes. Amtrak can then send a local crew out to open the gates. There have been occasional problems with the gates being closed when they shouldn't be -- six times in February, according to local police, but none in March. Amtrak is considering a system to raise the gates (in emergencies) remotely, but stressed that it believes the problems result from interference from local electrification crews, whose work is wrapping up. Amtrak has plans to install similar crossings (either quad-gate or two long arms wide enough for two road lanes).

Union Pacific has donated nearly 15 miles of a threatened segment of the former Pioneer route to the City of Boise. The segment runs from the main line at Orchard northwest to the Boise city limit. The parties have a Surface Transportation Board deadline of August 3 to resolve issues involving the remaining 3.5 miles from the city limit to downtown Boise that UP would like to abandon.

A tunnel fire April 20 shut down Washington Metro's Blue and Orange lines in the western downtown area (between Farragut West and Foggy Bottom) during evening rush hour. One train was stranded for two hours in the smoke; 14 were injured. The National Transportation Safety Board is considering a formal investigation of the rescue efforts.

Anti-rail-transit critics are taking San Antonio by storm, if newspaper coverage is any indication. While other cities move forward with transportation systems that don't rely on congested streets and highways alone, San Antonio would be doomed to a future of auto-dependency if the critics have their way, and a light-rail funding measure is rejected by voters May 6. Right in the middle of the fray has been rail critic and Amtrak Reform Council member Wendell Cox, whose life mission seems to be to convince Americans that a government-sponsored, auto-dependent future is what they need. He lost the fight to keep light rail out of his hometown of St. Louis, and now occupies himself by opposing such proposals in places like Milwaukee, Orlando, and now San Antonio.

Montreal's newest commuter rail route will begin June 1, with a weekday service to St. Lambert, St. Bruno, and McMasterville, with extension to St. Hilaire in 2001, a total of 20 miles. Previous commuter service on this route ended in 1988. The route lies along VIA Rail's route to Quebec.