Hotline #200 - July 20, 2001

The Senate today began work on S.1178, fiscal 2002 transportation appropriations, and plans to finish July 23, in the afternoon. Besides the $521.5 million for Amtrak that we reported last week, S.1178 includes $40 million for high-speed rail development -- much more than the $25.1 million proposed by the Bush Administration and the House (in H.R.2299). Also, there is a new section, "National Rail Development and Rehabilitation," that has $5 million for an Amtrak station at Milwaukee airport.

A July 17 Washington Post story cited an Amtrak plan to cut management ranks by 15% and reconsolidate the operations of the three geographic business units to a single chief operating officer in Washington. This would be an attempt to stay on the course to meeting the Congressional operational self-sufficiency mandate, by cutting costs without reducing train service. It has never been clear that a company Amtrak's size needed four (and now five, with the new Mail and Express unit) different presidents, with attendant administrative duplication. Amtrak has already eliminated some of the duplication with regard to operations and marketing.

However, the article added that union positions, and thus some train service, might be considered for reduction later. Amtrak President George Warrington told the Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee on June 28 that "only uncontrollable events which we cannot possibly foresee today" would pose a bankruptcy risk with the appropriation level provided in S.1178. While this does not rule out the possibility that service cuts would be considered, it would be difficult for Warrington to reconcile such cuts with his testimony.

The General Accounting Office on July 17 released a report on S.250, the Senate version of the High Speed Rail Investment Act (HSRIA), at the request of seven Senate Republicans, all long-time Amtrak critics -- Allard (Colo.), Bennett (Utah), Bond (Mo.), Gramm (Tex.), McCain (Ariz.), Shelby (Ala.), Smith (N.H.). The report says direct appropriations would be somewhat cheaper than HSRIA's bonding approach, but fails to explain how direct appropriations are not politically feasible. That's because highway and aviation trust funds have been "firewalled", and remaining transportation spending capped to a point where it's hard to fund even Amtrak's "limp-along" level. HSRIA is currently the only option to fund rail growth that can help congestion on other modes.

The GAO report also reports an Amtrak "preliminary estimate" that "puts the capital costs for fully developed high-speed rail corridors and its Northeast Corridor at between $50 billion to $70 billion over 20 years." That spin fails in two important ways. First, every stage of a rail investment program can be designed to benefit passengers, even if an entire program is not completed. Second, $50 billion over 20 years sounds like a lot, but is less than twice what the federal government alone will spend on highways this year ($31.4 billion). The single-year federal price tag for aviation spending ($12.0 billion) is also impressive; fully 20% of the 20-year total hypothesized for passenger rail.

H.R.2329, the House's High Speed Rail Investment Act, picked up nine more sponsors this week for a total of 146 -- Sanders (I.-Vt.), McDermott (D-Wash.), Jefferson (D.-La.), Chambliss (R.-Ga.), McIntyre (D.-N.C.), Weiner (D.-N.Y.), Honda (D.-Cal.), Engel (D.-N.Y.), Meehan (D.-Mass.).

The Senate Commerce Committee on July 17 approved the nomination of Allen Rutter to be Federal Railroad Administrator, and the full Senate voted its approval July 19. The Committee also named John Breaux (D.-La.) the new chairman of the Surface Transportation Subcommittee. The full Senate approved Jenna Dorn as Federal Transit Administrator on July 12.

The Railroads Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on July 25 will hold a hearing entitled, "Current Status and Future Prospects of Amtrak and High Speed Rail." See their web site for information on live audio web feed.

The Florida Department of Transportation has denied a funding request for $6.5 million to get the Florida East Coast/Amtrak passenger project started. A target date of fall 2002 is now put off until early 2003, pending getting the funding later on.

A memorial garden dedicated to the late John R. Martin, President of NARP, will be dedicated at the Amtrak station in Atlanta on July 23, at 10:00 am. Among those speaking will be NARP President Alan Yorker, Amtrak Intercity President Ed Walker, and members of the Martin family.

The Cardinal resumed service with trains operating July 17/18. Service had been suspended after severe flooding in West Virginia July 8.

With the July 9 Capitol Limited schedule change, Amtrak has instituted a new connection option for passengers on the eastbound Southwest Chief. If the Chief is under two hours late, the Capitol will hold at Chicago; but if the Chief is between two and five hours late, passengers with sleeping car space on the Capitol (or coach space to places not served by other trains, like Cumberland) will be given the choice of getting off the train at Kansas City and being flown at Amtrak's expense to Chicago to make their connection. Though not ideal, this should reduce costly "misconnects" from the Capitol to the Silver Star.

Today is the opening of the Portland Streetcar, a 2.5-mile route in downtown Portland, Ore. Free rides are offered all weekend. The new line intersects Tri-Met's MAX light rail line and uses new, low-floor streetcars built by Skoda in the Czech Republic. The new MAX branch to the airport opens September 10.

A derailment in CSX's Howard St. tunnel in Baltimore July 18 caused a fire and toxic smoke. That and a water main break paralyzed much of downtown, with police banning pedestrians and vehicles within five blocks. Despite the nearness of Penn Station to the tunnel's north portal, Amtrak train operations were not impacted -- but a fiber optics line failure in the tunnel affected Amtrak service on the Washington-Cumberland CSX line. Also, some internet service was slowed because of cable damage. MARC Camden Line service was cut back to Dorsey, with substitute buses. Metro service (below the CSX tunnel) was interrupted only an hour that day. The light-rail line, which runs on Howard St., was cut between North Ave. and Patapsco, with substitute buses.

A "Rare Mileage" promotion is being offered by the Texas Eagle product line and Texas Eagle Marketing and Performance Organization, to take advantage of a weekday-only reroute for the northbound train this summer in Illinois. The Springfield-Chicago coach fare is $45 (or $45 plus the best fare from an origin station further south to Springfield), which gets you several items, including 1000 Amtrak Guest Rewards bonus points. The tickets must be bought through the Texarkana station agent; see the Texas Eagle web site for details. The term "rare mileage" means travel over a freight line that normally does not have passenger service.

During the quadrennial National Boy Scout Jamboree at Fort A. P. Hill, Va. (southeast of Fredericksburg), over 3000 Boy Scouts, parents, and adult leaders will enroll in a Railroading Merit Badge. This program had been discontinued two years ago, but is being brought back by a new organization, Rail Awareness for Youth, Inc., of Texas, to instruct youth on today's rail industry and career options. The handbook for this program, last updated nearly 50 years ago, is also being redone. Altogether, 40,000 Scouts will attend the Jamboree, which runs from July 23 through August 1. There is also a Railroad Pavilion being underwritten by Norfolk Southern, CSX, BNSF, and Amtrak, with representatives of several publications and agencies staffing it.