Hotline #218 - November 23, 2001

The current 90-day "ticking clock" started by the Amtrak Reform Council's negative finding on November 9 mandates that Amtrak submit a liquidation plan -- and that ARC itself submit a restructuring plan -- to Congress within 90 days. There is concern that this 90-day process, depending on the reaction of Amtrak's lenders, could force Congress to act precipitously rather than have through next September (end of fiscal 2002) to debate and decide policy for 2003.

An effort has been launched to get Congress to eliminate the requirement for drafting the liquidation plan, and declaring that Amtrak will not be liquidated. Tell your senators and representative you support such provisions, as well as emergency funding for Amtrak's security and safety needs. Amtrak already is incurring substantial, unbudgeted security costs. Click here for ways to contact legislators; telephone or fax are best; in light of anthrax-related disruptions on Capitol Hill, e-mail is better than regular mail.

Twenty-one Senators wrote to the White House, saying they were against any attempt to liquidate Amtrak. The November 16 letter said, in part, "Amtrak cannot be liquidated without the Senate's approval, and we will oppose any effort to do so, ... We hope you will join with us in reassuring Amtrak's creditors that liquidation is not an option." The Senators expressed concern that the ARC finding, while not automatically leading to Amtrak's liquidation, was hurting Amtrak's credit and thus increasing its operating costs.

The 21 were: Breaux (D.-La.), Specter (R.-Pa.), Kerry (D.-Mass.), Biden (D.-Del.), Torricelli (D.-N.J.), Sarbanes (D.-Md.), Cleland (D.-Ga.), Schumer (D.-N.Y.), Jeffords (I.-Vt.), Hollings (D.-S.C.), Carper (D.-Del.), Collins (R.-Me.), Murray (D.-Wash.), Mikulski (D.-Md.), Durbin (D.-Ill.), Clinton (D.-N.Y.), Snowe (R.-Me.), DeWine (R.-Ohio), Rockefeller (D.-W.Va.), Reid (D.-Nev.), Boxer (D.-Cal.).

A similar letter went to President Bush from the chairman and ranking members of the House Subcommittee on Railroads, Jack Quinn (R.-N.Y.) and Bob Clements (D.-Tenn.). The letter said, in part, "The strict time constraint now in place [as result of ARC vote] will inhibit the Congress and your Administration from thoroughly assessing the many fundamental questions regarding the future of Amtrak and our national passenger rail system. A more rational and orderly process for discussing and resolving these critical issues is needed and we look to your assistance in developing such an opportunity." Separately, Quinn said, "The Amtrak Reform Council's decision could not have come at a worse time. After the attacks on September 11, thousands of Americans have come to depend on passenger rail service as an essential component of our transportation network."

Indeed, a front-page story on yesterday's Washington Post was headlined, "Uneasy Travelers Shift to Road and Rail."

As always at Thanksgiving, Amtrak has borrowed commuter cars to augment its fleet in the Northeast Corridor. People riding in those cars, which often have less comfortable seating, will get coupons worth 20% off future Northeast Corridor travel.

This is the first time Amtrak has required reservations for all trains on the main spine of the Northeast Corridor. Based on sales patterns, Amtrak added several trains beyond what was printed in the special November 20-26 timetable.  Here is a partial list:

Saturday, Acela Regional 135, leaving Boston 2:00 pm for Washington;
Saturday, Acela Regional 1068 (advance 178), leaving Washington 4:00 pm for Boston;
Saturday, Acela Regional 165, leaving Boston 4:10 pm for Washington;
Sunday, Metroliner 209, leaving New York 10:00 am for Washington;
Sunday, Acela Regional 1099 (advance 99), leaving New York 1:00 pm for Washington;
Sunday, Acela Express 2245, leaving Boston 12:30 pm for Washington;
Sunday, Acela Express 2244, leaving Washington 12:45 pm for Boston;
Sunday, Acela Regional 165, leaving Boston 4:10 pm for Washington.

Also Saturday and Sunday, there will be an extra Seattle-Portland round trip, departing Portland at 7:15 am and returning from Seattle at 6:00 pm.

Call Amtrak or check its web site to learn about any last minute changes, and of course which trains are sold out.

A trial commuter service was rejected by the Vermont Joint Fiscal Committee on November 15. The three-month trial was to run from St. Albans to slightly south of Essex Junction, terminating at an IBM plant that is a significant employer in the Burlington region. The segment is part of Amtrak's Vermonter route.  State transportation officials said they'd put the project on hold and try again.

Washington Metro began daily bus service from the Greenbelt Metro station to BWI Airport and BWI Business District, November 13. Given Amtrak's high fares, this may be especially useful on weekends and holidays when MARC trains do not run. Route B30 costs $2, runs every 40 minutes and takes 30 minutes airport-Metro. Greenbelt departures start at 6 am (weekends/holidays: 8:40); last trip 10 pm.  Return trips leave the airport starting at 7 am (9:40 weekends/holidays); last trips all days: 10:20 and 10:50 pm (the only deviation from 40-minute intervals). All trips use "wheelchair-accessible or lift-equipped buses."

MARC commuter rail service is coming to Frederick, Md. December 17 is the start of Brunswick Line service at Frederick and Monocacy, with three daily round-trips; two new and one diverted from Brunswick. Frederick trains will use a new wye track at Point of Rocks (gentler curve than the old wye) and will not stop there. Trains will run the entire new schedule starting December 10, but -- for crew training purposes -- will not handle passengers that first week at the new stops.

Without having completed all annual appropriations bills, Congress passed its fifth extension of funding for federal programs, good through December 7. The current fiscal year, 2002, began October 1.  The transportation bill is among those pending.