Hotline #820 - April 8, 1994

The Interstate Commerce Commission agreed unanimously to hear the compensation dispute case between Conrail and Amtrak. The parties asked for ICC intervention after failing to agree on Conrail's request to almost triple what it charges Amtrak. On top of that, Conrail wants to continue to be the only railroad that does not get incentive payments from Amtrak for on-time performance. The ICC has given Conrail until April 15 to submit its evidence. Amtrak's is due June 15; Conrail's rebuttal is due July 15; and briefs by both parties are due August 19.

The Administration's Amtrak reauthorization bill was introduced in the House as H.R.4111 and in the Senate as S.2002. The Administration backed off from an earlier plan to sunset Amtrak's share of 403(b) train costs after seven years. They propose to keep the current state shares in the law, which are 45% for the first year of a service and 65% thereafter. But these shares would be applied to long-term avoidable losses, rather than short-term as is done now. This will more than double the payments of some states, those using a lot of equipment and paying a share of short-term costs. Long-term costs include many equipment maintenance expenses not in short-term costs.

The Senate Commerce Transportation Subcommittee will hold a hearing on Amtrak reauthorization, S.2002, on April 13. Witnesses will be Ken Mead of the GAO, Federal Railroad Administrator Jolene Molitoris, Amtrak President Tom Downs, Railway Labor Executives Association Chairman Ron McLaughlin, and Scott Leonard of NARP.

The Environmental Protection Agency is preparing to veto a $180 million beltway for Nashua, N.H., as being bad for the environment and destructive of wetlands, according to the Journal of Commerce. This would be EPA's first veto of a New England highway project. Not surprisingly, New Hampshire Transportation Commissioner Charles O'Leary is threatening a court challenge. He has been the most vocal opponent of Boston-Portland rail service the past few years.

The intermodal transportation commission, which was created by ISTEA and which has three NARP members as commissioners, has scheduled several meetings to gather information for a report to Congress. They will be open to the public but with pre-arranged witness lists. The first is in Atlanta on April 19-20, then New York April 27-28, Washington May 2, 3, and 31, New Orleans May 10-11, Laredo May 12, Boston May 24-25, and Los Angeles June 20-21. In addition, there will be opportunities for the public to testify in Washington, New Orleans, and Los Angeles. For information, write the National Commission on Intermodal Transportation at 301 N. Fairfax St., Suite 110, Arlington, VA 22314.

An Operation Lifesaver train will run next week through Florida, sponsored by Amtrak and CSX. On April 12 it runs from Pensacola to Jacksonville and on April 13 to Orlando and Tampa, then on April 14 to Miami. It will make many stops and pass through some of the crossings involved in bad Amtrak grade-crossing derailments in 1993. Federal Railroad Administrator Jolene Molitoris and AAR President Edwin Harper are two of the officials participating.

NARP Executive Director Ross Capon is on a panel on April 13 at the American Public Transit Association's commuter rail conference in Chicago, at the Palmer House Hotel, from 8:30 am to 10:00 am.

The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority this week approved plans to extend the Shaker Heights rapid transit line from Tower City, through the Flats neighborhood, and along the waterfront past the Amtrak station. It will not use federal funding and should be complete by summer 1996. The baseball stadium that opened near Tower City this week had 40% of its patrons arrive by transit.

Region 3 meets in Wilmington, Del., on April 16 at 10:00 am at the City Council Chambers, 8th & French St.  Harriet Parcells of NARP will speak.