Hotline #790 - September 10, 1993

Letters are still needed to your Senators, asking them to tell Senator Lautenberg they support full funding for Amtrak. Ask Republicans to talk to Sen. Al D'Amato, ranking Republican on Lautenberg's subcommittee. The Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee may approve a 1994 funding bill the week of September 20, if H.R.2750 makes it to the House floor next week. Finally, ask your Democratic Representative to tell Bob Carr (and your Republican Representative to tell Frank Wolf) to support the higher Senate numbers in conference. An emergency postcard with this message is going out to all NARP members next week, noting that anything less than the authorized operating level of $381 million means service cuts.

Jolene Molitoris was sworn in as Federal Railroad Administrator by Transportation Secretary Federico Pena on September 8, at a well attended ceremony at Washington Union Station. She talked up prospects for the freight railroads, high-speed rail, and maglev, and said that Amtrak is growing "toward operational independence." Senators Metzenbaum and Exon and Representatives Carr, Mineta, Applegate, and (Sherrod) Brown also attended.

The Wisconsin Central takeover of the Green Bay & Western and the Fox River Valley, which was delayed by labor opposition, has been accomplished. This clears the way for line consolidation and track improvements between Fond du Lac and Green Bay that will make it easier to restore passenger train service there.

Los Angeles Metrolink will operate weekend service between Rialto and Los Angeles, including a stop at the L.A. County Fairground, from September 11 to October 3; three trains a day in each direction. It will be used partly to gauge public interest in weekend service in general. The cost is $4 for a round trip between any two points, without free transfer to downtown transit.

Troubled Southern Pacific is going through a high-level management shake-up, with the departure last week of president Michael Mohan and the recent arrival of chairman Edward Moyers, former chief of the Illinois Central.

The California legislature quickly passed a bill giving the state the right of eminent domain to acquire the Southern Pacific Alameda line. Governor Wilson signed it on September 7. That line is needed for an intermodal corridor leading to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The ports had agreed earlier to pay SP $260 million for the line, but the deal fell apart. Now the state may wish to acquire it at closer to its assessed value of $70 million. However, if the state tries to take the line, SP may try to block it in the courts or before the ICC. A Journal of Commerce story implied SP's chances would be good.

The ICE will leave Richmond tomorrow at 8:45 am for a round trip to Petersburg, returning at 10:00 am. It leaves again at 10:30 am, is on display near Fredericksburg at the Spotsylvania Industrial Park from 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm, and arrives Washington at 6:45 pm. On September 13, it leaves Washington at 11:05 am, arrives New York 2:00 pm and New Haven 3:55 pm. On September, 14 it leaves New Haven at 10:00 am, arrives Providence 11:05 am and Boston 12:30 pm. It leaves Boston 10:00 pm and arrives Portland 4:00 am, September 15. It is on display that day in Deering Oaks Park from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon, leaves Portland at 12:30 pm and arrives Washington at 2:30 am on September 16. On September 18, it leaves Washington at 7:00 am, arrives Pittsburgh at 2:15 pm and Chicago at 11:30 pm.

Last week, we reported on transportation-related items rumored to be in the Gore plan on government overhaul. The plan itself was released officially on September 7 and it does not appear to touch on Amtrak in any way.