Hotline #834 - July 15, 1994

The Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee approved its version of H.R.4556, the 1995 transportation funding bill, on July 13. The full Committee approved it yesterday. It has $392 million for Amtrak operations; $230 million for capital; and $230 million for the Northeast Corridor. Compared with the House, the Senate bill shifted $15 million from capital to operations and increased the Northeast Corridor $65 million. It has $40 million for the Farley-Penn Station project, where the House had nothing. It gives the same amount to high-speed rail as the House.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee is expected to consider H.R.4111, the Amtrak authorization bill, on July 19, as well as H.R.4545, the Rail Safety Bill. The Transportation Subcommittee approved the Amtrak bill on May 24 and the safety bill July 13. The safety bill is a straightforward, four-year reauthorization.

The Senate Commerce Transportation Subcommittee held a hearing July 12 on the future of the ICC. The House voted June 16 to kill it outright, but the Senate appropriations bill only cut it by one-third. S.2275, the Exon-Packwood bill, would accommodate the funding cut by eliminating many trucking responsibilities. The Senate Commerce Committee may approve this bill July 19.

The United Transportation Union struck the Soo Line yesterday, which is now operating with management personnel. Amtrak's Empire Builder is using Burlington Northern, taking about two hours longer. There are only four Milwaukee round trips, running 30 to 40 minutes slower than normal.

Also, there may be a strike on the BART subway in California on July 18.

DOT Secretary Pena has appointed Roy Neel, president of the U.S. Telephone Association, to the Amtrak board, replacing Leon Lombardi. This one-year slot needs no Senate confirmation. Until January, Neel was President Clinton's deputy chief of staff. Neel was an aide to Al Gore from 1977 to 1993 and worked closely with NARP during the 1979 Amtrak route structure fight.

The Federal Railroad Administration has reported to Congress on a plan for a positive train separation system designed to cut down on collisions and speed overruns. Selected routes with passenger trains, high freight volume, and/or hazardous materials traffic would be identified to have the system in place by 2000, pending cost-benefit analysis.

Because replacement facilities in Emeryville are not yet ready, 16th Street Station in Oakland will remain open until further notice. Amtrak's 800 number still reflects the July 18 changeover date. There is a shuttle to Oakland for passengers who mistakenly go to Emeryville to board long-distance trains.

The California Transportation Commission approved $57 million in state funds last week to upgrade the Capitol Corridor line, whose slow speeds have hurt ridership. This is bond money, approved in 1990 by voters. Southern Pacific will contribute $10 million in kind to the project, which includes raising speeds to 79 mph between Davis and Benicia.

Illinois Central may buy the Kansas City Southern, according to the Journal of Commerce. KCS recently took over the Mid-South Railroad, whose east-west mainline -- itself a former Illinois Central property -- would handle any future Atlanta-Dallas passenger service.

The Bundesrat, Germany's upper house of parliament, on July 7 rejected a plan by the Conservative government to build a controversial maglev line between Hamburg and Berlin. The Bundesrat's rejection of the plan came as a surprise to both supporters and opponents of the maglev project. A conference committee will consider it on August 31.