Hotline # 732 - November 11, 2011

NARP sent a letter to House and Senate negotiators in conference on a bill which will decide Amtrak and high-speed rail’s budget for Fiscal Year 2012 on November 9, warning of the effects cuts would have on the mobility of millions of Americans.

NARP asked conferees to endorse the Senate-passed funding levels of $1.48 billion for Amtrak and $100 million for the High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Program.  In his letter to the conferees, NARP President Ross Capon warned of the corrosive effect that the House version could force Amtrak to shut down. 

We believe the House subcommittee’s draconian operating-grant reduction to $227 million would force an Amtrak shutdown.  Equally unacceptable is the House subcommittee’s provision to prohibit the use of Amtrak’s operating funds on short-distance routes.  This could eliminate almost 150 weekday trains and strand more than nine million passengers each year, harming the towns and cities those trains connect.  It also would undercut negotiations between Amtrak and the states regarding the increased state payments required under PRIIA by October 16, 2013.  Finally, the elimination of those trains would result in shifting of significant shared costs to the surviving Northeast Corridor and long-distance trains, underlining our concern that a $227 million operating grant would force a system shutdown.

Even with the Senate cuts, which are modest by comparison, Amtrak would have to significantly reduce its work force and end work on addressing a backlog of deferred investment in the Northeast Corridor’s infrastructure.  Additionally, Amtrak will be severely challenged to find the $350 million in capital Amtrak’s engineering department needs just to keep the Northeast Corridor running.  But the Senate numbers provide the best chance for Amtrak to meet the soaring demand that saw a record-breaking 30.2 million passengers board their trains in FY 2011—the eighth ridership record set over the past nine years, and a 44 percent surge in ridership since FY 2000.

Conference negotiators are discussing a minibus that—in addition to funding for Transportation-Housing & Urban Development—includes FY 2012 spending bills for Agriculture and Commerce-Justice-Science.  The conferees are Senators Daniel Inouye, Thad Cochran, Patty Murray, Susan Collins, and Representatives Harold Rogers, Norman Dicks, Tom Latham, John Olver.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has expressed confidence that the minibus can be passed by next week.  There is pressure to pass it, given that it is one of the few vehicles available to attach stopgap funding provisions to keep the government operating past the current continuing budget resolution, which expires November 18.


The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee passed a two year extension to the surface transportation program Wednesday, continuing funding at existing levels.

In a show of bipartisanship the bill was passed by 18 ayes and zero nays, a feat that required many Senators to sit on amendments they would have otherwise offered for the sake of compromise.  Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) stated he would like to see passenger rail eligible for funds from the Transportation & Mobility Program, indicating he would seek to offer an amendment when the bill gets to the floor of the full Senate.

The Senate Commerce and Banking Committees have jurisdiction over rail and transit portions of the surface transportation program, respectively, and they will have to tackle those issues before the reauthorization can move forward. 

There is also the sizable problem of paying for the bill.  There is a $12 billion gap between authorization levels and funding levels provided by the transportation user fees.  It’s up to the Senate Finance Committee to find an offset to cover the gap.

“It won’t go anywhere outside of this committee without that $12 billion,” said Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), the Ranking Member on EPW. “In the event that doesn’t happen, it’s back to the drawing board.”

Amtrak released the Fall 2011/Winter 2012 timetable November 7, providing updates on minor and season schedule changes.

“The popularity of rail travel in America is on the rise and the Amtrak timetable is a great travel planning tool for passengers to discover the more than 500 destinations available,” said Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman.

The fall-winter cover depicts Amtrak’s Silver Service train leaving Philadelphia 30th Street Station.


The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) $7.9 million to construct a brand new station in Tukwila, Washington.

The new station will replace the temporary wooden structure that currently houses Amtrak’s Cascades service and Sound Transit’s Sounder commuter trains.  The new station adds dedicated long term parking, offers improved pedestrian and transit connections, and provides more shelter for passengers against the notorious Pacific Northwest winters.

“Station improvements like these will help to strengthen the rail system and economy in the Northwest,” said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “These projects will create good jobs, and continue to support the growth of passenger rail in the region.”

Tukwila is about 10 miles south of Seattle’s city center.


Virginia Railway Express announced an on-time performance of 98 percent for October, a new record for 19-year old commuter agency.

VRE operated 600 trains and experienced only 11 delays, in total (a train is considered delayed after 5 minutes).  Officials at the railroad attribute this excellent performance to new fleet of rail cars and locomotives that have reduced mechanical issues, and track investments made in conjunction with the Commonwealth and the host freight railroads CSX and Norfolk Southern.

“As the chief executive for VRE, I take pride in the efforts that we, as an organization, have taken to make the service better for our riders. I am on the train every day, so I know firsthand what needs to be done to make things better and more reliable for our passengers,” said Zehner.


Phoenix’s Valley Metro transit agency reported this week that its light-rail system set a new single-month ridership record in October.

METRO is a 20-mile, 28-station light-rail network that began service in December of 2008.  It exceeded its first-year ridership estimates, and has consistently out-performed planners’ projections.  It saw 1.3 million boardings in October, an 8 percent increase over the same period last year.

“The increase can be attributed to a number of different factors, including a large number of conventions, the Arizona Diamondbacks reaching the playoffs and Arizona State University football drawing a crowd,” Valley Metro Chief Executive Officer Steve Banta told Progressive railroading.

METRO’s previous ridership record was set in September of this year, with 1.2 million boardings.


Amtrak officials hosted an appreciation luncheon Tuesday in the tiny hamlet of Benkelman, Nebraska, to thank residents of Benkelman and surrounding communities for coming to the rescue of nearly 200 train passengers and crew members after the Aug. 26, 2011 derailment of the eastbound California Zephyr.

Local residents brought their own vehicles to the scene to pick up stranded passengers, taking them to area schools and libraries to make contact with family and friends and await buses to take them to their destinations.

The railroad refugees swelled Benkelman’s population of 953 by about 20 percent. Tables and bleachers were set up in the Dundy County-Stratton High School auditorium.
“I’ve never seen such an instantaneous response,” said Joy Smith, Amtrak’s superintendent of passenger services in Chicago. “It was like they were waiting or knew something was going to happen. And they didn’t come and say, ‘What do I need to do?’ They came helping.”

Residents of Nebraska and Kansas from within 100 miles of the site of the derailment, caused when the Chicago-bound train, already running several hours late, collided in the wee hours of the morning with farm machinery on the tracks. The force of the collision left both locomotives and the baggage car on their sides, while the passenger cars remained upright. There were no fatalities, but 21 people were taken to three area hospitals with minor injuries.

Amtrak returned the favor nearly 11 weeks later with a spread of catered cold cuts, salads and dessert bars in the gymnasium at Dundy County-Stratton High School for about 70 locals.


Voters in Durham County, North Carolina, on Tuesday voted 60 to 40 percent to add an extra half-cent to their own county sales taxes exclusively to fund public transportation improvements, including the development of rail transit service linking the three cities of the Research Triangle, the states second-largest metropolitan area.

Durham follows on the heels of Charlotte, North Carolina’s largest city, whose residents voted in 2001 to tax themselves to fund the highly successful light rail line that opened in late 2007. A new state law enacted last year allows the state’s other metropolitan counties to put transportation-dedicated sales tax hikes before their voters.

None of the Durham County funds will go towards regional rail service until neighboring Wake (home of Raleigh) and Orange (home of Chapel Hill) Counties adopt similar referenda. Durham’s passage means that the two counties are likely to have such referenda on the ballot in 2012. Meanwhile, Durham County will begin to fund significant improvements in intra-county bus service.

The Transport Politic has a thorough analysis of the prospects for future transit in the Triangle, including the debate between commuter rail, light rail and bus rapid transit.


All six candidates for Mayor of New London, Connecticut, signaled their support for the expansion of state-funded Shore Line East commuter rail service to better connect the city to New Haven, New York City and intermediate points.

Three of the candidates—Democrat Daryl Finizio, Republican Rob Pero and Independent Andrew Lockwood—signed a pledge reading: “If elected mayor of New London, I pledge to call on Governor [Daniel] Malloy [D] and the DOT to expand weekend and weekday Shore Line East passenger rail service all the way to New London.” The other three candidates, all Independents, did not attend the Nov. 5 event at New London’s Union Station, but said they supported the pledge.

New London is currently served by nine Shore Line East trains Monday through Friday, two in the morning and three in the evening to New Haven, and 4 from New Haven in the evening.  Weekend service extends only as far east as Old Saybrook. Amtrak also serves New London with 18 daily Northeast Regional departures, plus one Acela Express round-trip on weekdays.

SLE service is operated by Amtrak crews and uses the Amtrak-owned Northeast Corridor line. Amtrak also handles ticketing for SLE trains.


The Federal Railroad Administration announced this week that Karen Hedlund would be taking over as the new Deputy Administrator.

Hedlund previously served as the FRA’s Chief Counsel, overseeing successful negotiations with several Class I host railroads to secure Service Outcome Agreements.  These public-private partnerships have expanded passenger rail service as part of the High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail program that has benefited 32 states and the District of Columbia.  Hedlund previously served as Chief Counsel for the Federal Highway Administration, and was a partner at Nossaman LLP, a private firm that advises advised state transportation agencies and regional transportation authorities on the use of innovative financing for large infrastructure projects.

“Karen has shown remarkable leadership since joining the FRA family, and I know she will continue to help lead the agency as we focus on keeping America’s railways safe, and developing a world-class, passenger and freight rail network,” said FRA Administrator Joseph Szabo.  “With more than 35 years of experience in the legal profession, Karen’s knowledge and expertise of major infrastructure projects and public finance will continue to be an invaluable asset to FRA in her new capacity as Deputy Administrator.”

Hedlund will replace former Deputy Administrator Karen Rae, who left the FRA to become part of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Executive Cabinet.


Travelers Advisory

A fatal accident involving a trespasser forced Amtrak to suspend service on the Northeast Corridor between New York and Philadelphia Wednesday afternoon.

Officials stated that a trespasser was hit by an Acela high-speed train near Hamilton, New Jersey after making an unauthorized incursion onto the tracks around 1:30 pm.

The incident caused delays of around 30 minutes.