Hotline #296 - May 23, 2003

Support for the $1.812 billion that Amtrak has requested for 2004 is the subject of a bipartisan letter circulating in the House. The goal is to get 218 signatures by mid-June. The initial signers are Railroads Subcommittee Chairman Jack Quinn (R.-N.Y.) and Ranking Member Corinne Brown (D.-Fla.); James Oberstar (Minn.), ranking member of the full Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure; and Rep. Michael Castle (R.-Del.). Democrats should be asked to contact Frank Mulvey or Mike Herron (225-3274); Republicans, Steve Stallmer (225-3306). The letter ends by saying, "We believe that David Gunn has demonstrated to this Congress that he has the knowledge, discipline, and integrity to make the reforms required to right the previous wrongs at Amtrak. His track record speaks for itself. As you work to reach agreement on the appropriate funding for our national transportation system, we urge you to approve $1.812 billion for Amtrak." Click here for ways to make contact.

Today, Amtrak President David Gunn addressed the Transportation Table at the National Press Club. He said Amtrak's proposed five-year plan is the lowest cost way out of the current situation, unless the goal is elimination of passenger rail. "The greatest risk is doing nothing." He said he was already ordering materials for the 2004 capital program. He said productivity is up, as reflected in a year-to-year decline in wages and benefits, while more work is getting done. He added that the freight railroads are in real trouble, with infrastructure deteriorating.

A five-cent gas-tax increase was signed into law by Washington Gov. Gary Locke (D.) on May 19.  It's the first time since 1990 that the state gas tax has been increased. Voters rejected a nine-cent increase in November 2002. The new revenue, over ten years, is expected to raise $4.169 billion. Of that, $226 million is for rail projects, including $21 million for capacity increases between Seattle and Bellingham, $21 million for the Port Defiance bypass at Tacoma, $50 million for capacity increases near Kelso, $7.5 million to buy a Talgo set from Oregon, and more. There is $236 million for other public transportation programs. Anti-tax forces in Washington may already be mobilizing to have the new gas tax repealed. The tax takes effect July 1.

Missouri service is headed for another crisis in fiscal 2003/04, as the legislature has approved a budget with only $5.0 million for twice-daily, St. Louis-Kansas City Amtrak service. For the current fiscal year, Amtrak had requested $6.2 million, got $5.0 million, plus another $0.8 million in a supplemental bill, totaling $5.8 million. It took a threat to shut down one train, a ticket surcharge, and the laying off of station agents to survive that figure. For the upcoming year, Governor Holden proposed Amtrak's initial request of $8.9 million, which Amtrak later cut to $6.4 million after implementing a new policy for all states that exempts states from certain overhead and depreciation charges. Governor Holden has vetoed the budget for other reasons, but it's not clear that is an opportunity in the immediate future to increase the passenger rail funding from $5.0 million.

A "Build America Bonds" bill was introduced in the Senate on May 22 by two sponsors (Talent, R.-Mo., and Wyden, D.-Ore.). S.1109 would provide $50 billion in bonds with federal tax credits for various transportation projects, including for "roads, rail, transit, aviation, and water." The bonds would be issued in 2004, but could carry over into 2005 and 2006. A "Build America Corporation" would be formed to consult with Congressional committees on guidelines for use of the bonds -- but only after enactment of the bill. A 20% state match is required.

A commuter train derailed at Canton Jct., Mass., during afternoon rush hour on May 19.  No injuries were reported, but the accident tied up the Northeast Corridor for several hours, with significant delays to both Amtrak and MBTA commuter trains. The accident occurred at the junction between the Attleboro (Northeast Corridor) and Stoughton lines, and involved a southbound MBTA Stoughton train that was moving at a very slow speed through a series of switches.

There were other disruptions on the Northeast Corridor this week. On May 20, Penn Station in New York was partially shut down and evacuated after a report of a party with a suspicious package on an incoming Amtrak train from Washington. The New York Times reported that the package may have contained cooking oil. The party, a Liberian man, is in federal custody and faces deportation on illegal immigration charges. The incident tied up Penn Station for three hours.

Then on May 22, in mid-afternoon, a tank truck carrying a hazardous chemical wedged itself in an underpass at Elizabeth, N.J., causing a two-hour shutdown while officials checked the condition of the bridge and of the truck. That tied up dozens of Amtrak and NJT trains.

Amtrak is restoring checked-baggage service at Little Rock, Ark., effective today.

An Amtrak web site feature we described last week has been upgraded to address one problem it had. The Station Finder feature allows you to search for locations and driving instructions to train stations using MapQuest. Now, you can find a station just by entering the name of the city (even if you don't have an address to enter for that city). The Station Finder still is not linked from the station profiles in the reservations part of the web site.

Balanced transportation in Georgia took a step backwards this week as Gov. Sonny Perdue (R.) killed an $822-million transportation bond program that had been set up by his predecessor, Roy Barnes (D.). The package included $176 million to start work on a regional commuter rail system and on a downtown, intermodal terminal in Atlanta. Perdue said he doesn't think rail will do enough to get drivers out of their cars, and prefers instead to look at an even less-tested mode (but a darling of the Bush Administration), busways.

Miami's Metrorail system begins 24-hour service on June 8. This is one of the results of a sales tax increased approved by county voters in November 2002.

NARP Region 3 is meeting in Harrisburg, Pa., May 31.