Hotline #193 - June 1, 2001

Florida Governor Jeb Bush signed into law the High Speed Rail Authority Act, which sets up an authority and provides $4.5 million for first-year funding. He could have allowed the bill to become law without his signature. Supporters take his action in signing as an indication of his openness to giving the project a fair hearing. Under the law, the nine authority members must be appointed by June 30 -- three each by the governor, the state Senate's president, and the speaker of the state's House.

Today's Florida newspapers are carrying an Associated Press wire story that begins, "In a declaration that could greatly boost Florida's chances of hosting the 2012 Summer Olympics, Sen. Bill Nelson said today that he supports a proposed high-speed passenger rail line connecting Tampa and Orlando. Nelson said he and Bob Graham, Florida's senior senator, will ask Congress for $10 million to be used for preliminary development and studies necessary before tracks can be laid." The three House members whose districts are most affected by the project support Federal funding as well -- Reps. John Mica (R.), Corinne Brown (D.), and Adam Putnam (R.).

The change in Senate control likely will take place when the Senate reconvenes next week and Senator Jeffords (Ind.) announces that he will be organizing with the Democrats. (Disregard the reference to his "voter registration" in last week's hotline.) Senate Commerce has put all confirmation hearings on indefinite hold, and there has been no further talk of the committee holding an Amtrak hearing. By prior agreement, the ratio of staff will not change, but Democrats are hoping to gain a majority of one on the now-evenly-divided committees by adding one Democrat to each committee. Sen. Biden (D.-Del.) has decided to chair Foreign Relations, which clears the way for Sen. Sarbanes (D.-Md.) to chair Banking (which has jurisdiction over mass transit authorizations).

Amtrak Mail & Express has had a personnel change. Ed Ellis, Vice President-Mail & Express, resigned effective May 30. He was Amtrak's top M&E person before the appointment in October of Lee Sargrad as President-Mail & Express. Sargrad has appointed Ken Asztalos as Acting Vice President-Mail & Express.

Maine service start-up date seems unlikely before August.

From Oklahoma, bad news. HB 1173, a multi-modal funding bill that would have used existing license plate fees to fund a wide range of transportation needs, died in the a state senate conference committee. The bill would have ensured continued funding for the Heartland Flyer. The train now is funded by federal Taxpayer Relief Act dollars that Oklahoma received because it was a non-Amtrak state in 1997. That source will last to next spring, perhaps a bit longer due to higher than expected ridership.

Oklahoma DOT endorsed the bill, which would have included funding for highway maintenance, aviation, transit and rail. Other supporters included the  Heartland Flyer Coalition, Oklahoma Airport Operators Association, Oklahoma Good Roads & Transportation Association, Oklahoma Passenger Rail Association, Oklahoma Railroad Association, and the Oklahoma Transit Association.

The bill's rail funding would have supported expanded rail passenger service, intercity and tourist, as well as grants to short lines. It overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives, but ran into trouble in the State Senate, including from people who had formerly been friendly to Amtrak service. Supporters think, had the bill made it out of committee, the bill would have easily passed the Senate. Another effort will be made next year.

SJR4, an unrelated bill that would put on the ballot a penny gasoline tax to fund passenger rail passed the Senate overwhelmingly, but died in House Committee.

France's TGV Mediteranee line to Marseille begins revenue service June 10. In a May 26 test, a train averaged 190 mph on the 660-mile run from the English Channel port of Calais to Marseille (3 hours 29 minutes). SNCF spokesman Pierre-Bernard Fauvergue said this was "the first time in the world a high-speed train covered such a long distance without stopping and maintained a speed of over 300 km per hour" [186 mph]. The June Modern Railways says fare increases will be modest "despite the massive improvements to all aspects of the service ..." Based on figures the magazine published, a second-class peak-time Paris-Marseille round-trip of 1000 miles would cost about $142 (14.2 cents a mile).