Hotline #137 - May 5, 2000

S.1144, the Senate bill with a provision that gives states the flexibility to spend some of their federal TEA-21 funds on intercity passenger rail, could come to a floor vote the week of May 8. Two anti-rail amendments are expected. One is by Bond (R.-Mo.) to remove the pro-rail section of the bill. The other would give the intercity bus industry effective veto power over states' ability to use the flexibility provision; possibly to be sponsored by Gregg (R.-N.H.).

The two amendments are equally harmful to passenger rail. Please contact your Senators right away and urge them to vote against anti-rail amendments and of course for final passage. The highway lobby is working hard to hurt rail by pushing these amendments. You can reach Senators through the Capitol switchboard (202/224-3121), or see our web site for e-mail messages.

On the passenger rail bond bill front, there are eight more sponsors on the House bill, H.R.3700, for a total of 53. The Senate bill, S.1900, has one more -- Byrd (D.-W.Va.) -- for a total of 41. See our bills page for an updated list of the sponsors.

NARP testified at four Federal Railroad Administration safety hearings in Washington May 3, supporting two Amtrak applications and one each by San Diego Trolley and the Maryland Mass Transportation Administration. Amtrak sought extension of the regulatory May 8 deadline for action on its application to "grandfather" continued use of five Talgo train-sets under the federal Passenger Equipment Safety Standards. Four sets run in the Pacific Northwest Corridor; the fifth is planned to enter Los Angeles-Las Vegas service later this year. FRA yesterday extended the deadline to August 31.

The last hearing considered Amtrak's request for permission to run a single Phoenix-Tucson round-trip with a Talgo train today. (It will be on display tomorrow, see our events page). The FRA also acted favorably on this request, though with additional conditions. Following the other two hearings, FRA approved continued use of light rail equipment through August 31, pending decision on a waiver to operated light rail and freight railroad equipment on the same tracks with temporal (time-of-day) separation, pursuant to FRA's joint-use guidelines.

Amtrak ridership overall was up in March and the Heartland Flyer had its second-best ridership level, 6,994. The best was its first full calendar month of operation, July 1999, with 10,986. By the first anniversary on June 15, total ridership could reach 70,000. John Dougherty of the Oklahoma DOT told the Tulsa World, "We have proven people in Oklahoma want the train and want to extend the service." However, the recent defeat in Oklahoma's House Appropriations Committee of SJR 37 casts doubt about whether state support for the train will continue after the state's Taxpayer Relief Act funds are used up. SJR 37 provided for a statewide vote on a one-cent gasoline tax increase to help finance Amtrak service. Sen. Dave Herbert (D.-Midwest City) said the bill's defeat might mean the end of passenger rail service in Oklahoma.

The first Acela Regional cafe car was dedicated May 1 at the Bear (Del.) Amtrak shop by Gov. Thomas Carper, Sen. Joseph Biden, and Rep. Michael Castle. The attractive car features pub-style seating and went into service later in the week, in place of one of the Concept 2000 Metroliner food-service cars now used on Acela Regional. As part of the on-going Capstone project to rebuild Amfleet I cars that are up to 25 years old, about another 65 cafe cars will be rebuilt at Bear in the next four or so years.

The Southern New Jersey Light Rail Transit project groundbreaking will be May 8 in Camden. New Jersey Transit plans a diesel light-rail service between Camden (connecting with PATCO) and Trenton (connecting with Amtrak, NJT, SEPTA trains) by way of Bordentown, with a possible opening in 2002.

A draft study of a commuter rail line from Pittsburgh to New Kensington, Pa., shows that with 1200-1500 daily riders, it could cover its operating costs. New Kensington is 16 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, along the Route 28 expressway that is about to go through a five-year rebuilding project. A final report is due in May. The state has proposed $16 million in capital funding, though a local match is required.

While voters in San Antonio vote May 6 on a light-rail measure -- the outcome of which is expected to be close -- a Texas congressman is trying to keep Houston Metro from spending federal money on a light rail proposal there. One of Rep. Tom DeLay's (R.) concerns is that there will be no referendum on the Main Street line, but Metro points out that referenda can be held legally only for bond issues and local tax increases, which are not being proposed for the Main Street line.

Washington Metro officials say that the rescue of passengers on a stalled train after a tunnel fire on April 20 (and service restoration) could have taken 70 minutes -- rather than four hours -- if the fire department's telephones and radios had worked underground. The D.C. fire department now says it will spend $1.7 million to put new antennas in tunnels and stations, and will use military phones (with portable cable spools) next time.