Jun 03, 2011: Hotline #709

A collision between a southbound Amtrak train and a Metra commuter train outside of Chicago’s Union Station injured nine people this morning, severely damaging a Metra car.

There were 1,500 passengers aboard the Metra train, and eight were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.  An Amtrak engineer was also hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries.  All 117 Amtrak passengers are reported as unharmed.  Neither car derailed.

The cause of the accident is still being investigated.


Illinois Governor Pat Quinn (D) announced the creation of a partnership between the Illinois Department of Transportation and the University of Illinois to perform a feasibility study for 220-mph passenger rail service between Chicago and Champaign, with the possibility of an extension south to St. Louis.

“Illinois is leading the nation with our work to expand high-speed and passenger rail,” said Governor Quinn. “This study will provide greater insight into how we can make 220-mph rail service a reality. An expanded and improved rail network will boost our position in the global economy and create thousands of jobs.”

The study, which will include oversight from a special advisory group, will take place in addition to work currently being done to make Chicago the hub of a 110-mph passenger train network that will extend to 40 other Midwestern cities.  The planning study will look at alignments, possible stations (including Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport), construction costs, financing opportunities, economic benefits, and ridership projections.

“I’m delighted that the University of Illinois can lend its vast expertise to this crucial study, and I’m grateful to the governor and other leaders in the state for their support of this important work,” said University of Illinois President Michael Hogan. “High-speed rail is transformational in its effect on economic development, personal mobility and on our society, in general. It’s an idea that is well worth a hard look. The benefits to the University of Illinois alone cannot be overstated.”

Governor Quinn named a nine-member advisory committee to provide oversight for the project; one of the people he appointed to that committee is NARP Board Member and Midwest High Speed Rail Association President Rick Harnish.


Vermont’s governor signed a fiscal year 2012 transportation bill on June 1, a $554 million budget that includes $55 million in funding for rail.

“A strong economy requires a 21st Century infrastructure,” Governor Peter Shumlin said. “Transportation spending helps create jobs and is critical to growing Vermont’s economy.”

The 2012 budget includes almost $34 million for upgrades to Amtrak’s Vermonter train that runs along the state’s eastern rail corridor, an amount inclusive of money the state received from the federal government in a competitive grant for this project.  The bill also directs the Vermont Agency of Transportation to continue its pursuit of federal high-speed and intercity passenger rail grants to expand and upgrade the state’s western rail corridor (Rutland to Burlington).

However, there have been indications this week that Republican members of the U.S. House will soon introduce a bill to kill the High Speed Intercity and Passenger Rail program.  This would put an end to many of the upgrades—both immediate and planned—for the U.S. passenger rail network.


In the wake of Florida Governor Rick Scott’s decision to kill the Tampa-Orlando high-speed rail line, Florida’s Department of Transportation (FDOT) is finding itself challenged for strategies to deal with I-4 congestion that threatens to be an economic drain on the region.

When Governor Scott rejected the $2.4 billion federal high-speed rail grant, he told U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood that there were more important uses of state transportation funds, and identified the widening of Interstate 4 (in Orange County) and Interstate 275 (in Hillsborough County).  A review of public documents by the Tampa Tribune, however, shows that FDOT has no such widening projects scheduled in its five-year work program—a document that is updated yearly.

With the rejection of the federal money, there is now the rather large question of how the state will pay for these yet-to-be-determined improvements.  The state would have been required to find $300 million in local funding if it had gone forward with the rail grants.  However, Florida’s private sector expressed interest in providing these funds in return for taking part in the construction and operation of the line.  FDOT released a study last month that projected a $10 million annual operating profit for the line.

There has been significant anger at Governor Scott’s decision to kill the train, a reaction that has been stoked by the revelations contained in a two-page letter written by the Governor’s general counsel, attorney John Trippe.  The March letter, addressed to Chief Justice Charles Canady, admits that Trippe misled the Florida Supreme Court during a suit filed against the Scott Administration in attempt to prevent the rejection of the rail funds.  Trippe claimed that $110 million of the $130 million authorized by Florida’s state legislature for high-speed rail in 2009 had been spent.  In reality, the amount that had been spent was only $31 million.  Legal analysts are calling this inaccuracy a key factor in the decision in favor of the Scott Administration.

Now, FDOT officials are left scrambling for other alternatives.

“The DOT is going to be looking at all options for relieving congestion along I-4, which will continue to worsen if improvements are not programmed,” FDOT spokeswoman Kristen Carson told the Tampa Tribune. “We will have to be bold, creative and innovative when it comes to looking at improvements along the I-4 corridor.”

FDOT predicts by the year 2035, the Hillsborough County stretches of I-4 and I-275 will be carrying around 715,000 cars per day—up from the approximately 420,000 cars using the road currently.

“As a Floridian and Hillsborough County resident, it was exciting thinking about Tampa being part of the first-in-the-country high-speed rail project… It had folks energized. One could easily imagine the high-speed train as a replacement Florida icon for the space shuttle,” said Steve Polzin, a transit researcher at the Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida.  “As a transportation analyst, and stepping back from the emotions…this rejection does not seal the fate of the I-4 corridor for eternity. Rather it postpones the decision of what to do next.”

Polzin theorizes that Florida might be able to capitalize on high-speed rail investment in the future.  It is conceivable that, if other states lead the way in developing American high-speed rail funding mechanisms and technology, Florida could benefit from the cheaper, more streamlined delivery of a Tampa-Orlando line.


The California State Senate passed a piece of legislation that is intended to strengthen the California High-Speed Rail Authority in the face of criticism that threatens to delay the start of construction on the line.

Senate Bill 517 includes new provisions that seek to prevent conflicts-of-interest, expand legislative oversight of the authority’s executives, and require subject expertise for directors serving on the board.  Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg applauded the bill, saying his goal is to “mend the project, not end it.”

The current CAHSRA board opposes the legislation as unnecessary, with Chairman Curt Pringle saying it risks sending “the wrong signal” to project participants.


The US Department of Transportation released a preliminary plan for retrospective rule changes this week, targeting revision to existing Positive Train Control (PTC) regulations as a significant cost-saving opportunity.

The Federal Railroad Administration’s examined its PTC rule, and identified ways to “significantly reduce industry burdens without adversely affecting rail safety.”  PTC installation is projected to cost between $225 million and $400 million for the passenger and freight railroad industry.  With revisions to the FRA’s rules—which will modify or remove provisions relating to the determination of when a stretch of track is exempt from PTC requirements—savings on installation and maintenance could add up to between $440 million and $1.04 billion over the next 20 years.


China will open its $34 billion high-speed rail corridor connecting Beijing and Shanghai later this month, providing much needed congestion relief to the cities’ crowded airports.

The 819-mile line will connect China’s two most important cities with frequent, reliable trains capable of reaching speeds of over 180 mph.  The trip time will clock in at just under 5 hours.  There will be 90 departures a day initially, and the corridor is capable of carrying 80 million passengers per year.

A ticket for the train will cost about the same as a flight.  And while a flight between Beijing and Shanghai clocks in around 2 hours, one in four Chinese flights experience significant delays nationwide, which often double and triple that flight time.

“There will be plenty of travelers willing to switch to trains as they can’t stand any more airline delays,” said Sinopac Securities Asia analyst Jack Xu.  “Given how much the line cost, the ministry will have to try and win every one of them.”

The Chinese Rail Ministry is slowing down the planned $300 billion expansion of the nation’s national high-speed rail network over concerns about the debt-load the ministry is taking on.  China still is on track to reach over 10,000 miles of high-speed track by 2015, and is expected to continue to increase pressure on the nation’s domestic air carriers.

As fuel prices continue to rise, China’s rail operators are expected to gain an even greater share of the travel market.  It’s a problem that will be familiar to American air carriers; a recent study released by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics quantified the struggle of America’s passenger airlines, which lost one in every four jobs between 2000 and 2010.

“When you lose $40 billion, you lose 150,000 employees,” aviation consultant William Swelbar told reporters. “This is an industry that is right-sizing itself, that arguably grew too big.”


The Association of American Railroads announced this week that Obie O’Bannon—the Senior Vice-President of Government Affairs—is retiring after 23 years of service to the Association.

O’Bannon will be replaced by Laurie Knight, who will be leaving the National Association of Broadcasters where she served as Executive Vice President.

“Laurie has a tremendous understanding of how to effectively represent a complex industry before key decision makers in Washington,” said AAR President and CEO Edward R. Hamberger. “We wish Obie the best in his retirement, following an incredibly distinguished career representing railroads on Capitol Hill.”

Longtime American Public Transportation Association President William Millar also will be retiring later this year, marking 15 years of working for expanded and improved public transportation.


Travelers Advisory:

• Due to flooding in North Dakota, Amtrak has canceled all Empire Builder trains originating eastbound from Portland and Seattle, and westbound trains heading out of St. Paul at least through Sunday. Service will only be available between Chicago and St. Paul during this period. “Some of this will depend on the wave action on Devils Lake,” Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said. “But the local flooding in Minot is an issue, even if the wind settles down on Devils Lake.”
• Passengers traveling between Houston and New Orleans on Amtrak’s Sunset Limited can save 25% on fares between now and June 16, 2011.  The discount can be used for travel June 7 through November 15, 2011 between any pair of the following stations: New Orleans, Schriever, New Iberia, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Beaumont and Houston. Up to two children (ages 2 – 15) may accompany each adult at half fare, though reservations are required a minimum of seven days in advance before traveling.  Use the discount code V320. For details and restrictions, see Amtrak.com
• Passengers can save 20% on fall travel booked between now and June 24 on select long-distance routes.  The promotion covers travel between September 15 and November 15, 2011, on the following Amtrak long-distance trains: Silver Star (New York – Tampa – Miami), Palmetto (New York – Savannah), Crescent (New York – Atlanta – New Orleans) , Cardinal (New York – Cincinnati – Chicago), Capitol Limited (Washington, D.C. – Chicago), Lake Shore Limited (New York – Chicago), Sunset Limited (New Orleans – Houston – Los Angeles), Texas Eagle (Chicago – San Antonio – Los Angeles), Southwest Chief (Chicago – Albuquerque – Los Angeles), California Zephyr (Chicago – Denver – San Francisco Bay area), Empire Builder (Chicago – Minneapolis/St. Paul – Portland/Seattle) and City of New Orleans (Chicago – Memphis – New Orleans). Up to two children, ages 2 – 15, may accompany each adult at half fare. Use the discount code C322.  Some restrictions may apply, check Amtrak.com for details.
• Amtrak Guest Rewards’ (AGR) “More Summer” promotion will allow members to earn extra points on select Midwest routes this summer, which passengers can redeem for free travel. AGR members will earn double points on Amtrak travel between now and July 31, 2011 on these routes: Hiawatha Service (Chicago – Milwaukee); Missouri River Runner (Chicago – Kansas City); Lincoln Service (Chicago – St. Louis); Illinois Zephyr/Carl Sandburg (Chicago – Quincy); Illini/Saluki (Chicago – Carbondale); Blue Water (Chicago – Port Huron); Pere Marquette (Chicago – Grand Rapids); and Wolverine (Chicago – Pontiac). To be eligible for this promotion, passengers must be members of Amtrak Guest Rewards and registered for the promotion via http://www.amtrakguestrewards.com or by calling 1-800-307-5000.  See http://www.amtrakguestrewards.com for details and restriction.