Hotline #794 - October 8, 1993

On the third day of debate for H.R.2750, the 1994 DOT appropriations bill, the Senate passed it on October 5, on a 90-9 vote. There were no anti-Amtrak amendments offered and the Amtrak figures reported last week remained the same. Now the whole process goes to conference, which could be next week. Conferees will include most or all members of the House and Senate transportation appropriations subcommittees.

No Senate Commerce mark-up on S.839, the high-speed corridor program, was held this week. Liability appears to be the sticking point.

Amtrak is still prepared to make $11 million in service cuts if the final operating figure is not $381 million. These would take place about two weeks after Amtrak posts notices, which would be no later than the completion of the conference committee's work.  Cuts would consist of making the Texas Eagle tri-weekly south of St. Louis, making the Pioneer tri-weekly west of Denver, and replacing the River Cities east of St. Louis with a Centralia bus. Also, Amtrak wants to restructure the Harrisburg line, making it less useful to short-distance commuters, but with a net impact of cutting two Philadelphia round trips a week and increasing New York round trips from 42 to 64.

NARP is asking Amtrak to consider keeping the Texas Eagle daily north of Dallas, thereby preserving the mail contract.

There was one Amtrak-related amendment in the Senate, and it passed on a voice vote. It was offered by Sen. Trent Lott (R.-Miss.) and clarifies that Amtrak must run a 403(b) train in 1994 wherever a state or other party covers all of the operating loss. Also, Amtrak would have to show it has the equipment. Amtrak had said, in general, it could not start any new 403(b) trains this year as long as the authorized new 403(b) account was not funded.

Lott is anxious to see a daily train begin running between New Orleans and Mobile during 1994, but the states have been slow in providing the 403(b) money. We have heard that localities and private parties are interested in picking up the operating loss to accommodate new casinos on the Mississippi coast. No new equipment would be required, assuming an extension of part of the City of New Orleans or of the Gulf Breeze.

The Clinton Administration will reject findings released in August by the aviation commission that airlines ought to get additional tax breaks, according to the Journal of Commerce (October 4). The Administration stated that the two-year exemption from the 4.3-cent a gallon transportation tax is enough special treatment.

The boat involved in the fatal Sunset Limited derailment, the Mauvilla, was involved in another rail bridge accident in 1979, according to the Journal of Commerce. Both the Mauvilla's owner, the Warrior and Gulf Navigation Company, and the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway, which owned the bridge over the Tombigbee River at Demopolis, Ala., were found negligent.

The ICE began revenue service between Washington and New York on October 5. This month, it is running weekdays as train 112 from Washington at 12:00 noon and as train 223 from New York at 4:30 pm. A press and VIP inaugural was held October 4.

Passengers may ride a pre-existing deadhead move from Philadelphia to Washington starting October 11. It is train 669, leaving weekdays at 11:50 am from Philadelphia.

The NARP Board of Directors meets in open session October 22-23 at the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza in Chicago. For more information, call the NARP office.