Hotline #842 - September 9, 1994

Congress returns to Washington next week. The House Rules Committee may consider H.R.4111, the Amtrak reauthorization bill, as early as next week. The Committee must approve any amendments to the bill before the bill goes to the full House floor for debate and passage. Our allies in Congress have not decided yet whether to fight the Barton amendment in the Rules Committee or on the floor. This amendment would repeal Amtrak labor protection, making it much easier for Amtrak to discontinue routes.

We have heard a rumor that Amtrak management favors this amendment. But we are satisfied that this is absolutely not true.

There has been no new information this week on when a conference committee will meet to reconcile H.R.4556, the 1995 transportation appropriations bill.

Amtrak service on the Soo Line returned to normal on September 6, as expected. Ridership on the Chicago-Milwaukee line suffered during the Soo Line strike that began July 14. To try to boost it back up, Amtrak will offer an on-time guarantee on the Hiawatha trains. From September 12 to September 30, if you are on a Hiawatha and the train is late even by a minute, you will get a voucher good for a free round trip on that line. In June, the last full month of service before the strike, the Hiawathas were on time 93% of the time.

The Journal of Commerce reports that Central Terminal in Buffalo is in danger of being torn down. The private owner of the terminal has been threatened with arrest by the city for numerous building-code violations. Central Terminal is a 15-story art-deco gem build around 1930. It was last used by Amtrak trains in 1980 and is in poor condition today.

Amtrak has instituted a new pass policy for its employees called Red, White and Blue. Its color codes contain certain dates of travel by route to determine how much a pass holder will be charged, if anything, but also gets rid of the much hated 24-hour rule.

The Indiana DOT will sponsor a two-day symposium on high-speed rail. This may mark a departure for a state DOT which, as best, ignored rail in the past. The meetings will be in Indianapolis, September 15-16. Federal Railroad Administrator Jolene Molitoris will address the group and the Indiana Association of Railroad Passengers will participate in one of the panels. Registration is $30. [contact number provided]

The 14th Hoboken Festival will be held September 24 at the Hoboken rail terminal, which, among other things, train rides and equipment displays. The festival is sponsored by New Jersey Transit.

Two new Superliners will be displayed at the second Glory Days of the Railroad Festival at White River Junction, Vt., sponsored by the local chamber of commerce. The Superliners are assembled by Bombardier Corporation in nearby Barre, Vt. Stephen Goddard, author of Getting There, the Epic Struggle between Road and Rail in the American Century, will appear. His book was reviewed in the July NARP newsletter.

Greyhound has told employees that it will focus on the five regions that produce 80% of its sales -- Northeast, South, industrial Midwest, part of Texas, and Southern California. Some national service would remain. Greyhound says non-stop services added this year between New York and Boston and Washington and between Dallas and Houston are a preview of what Greyhound operations may look like in the future.

The September newsletter has gone out in a first-class envelope, but due to a problem at the mailing house, a renewal letter was included. The proper letter will be sent out right away.