Reporters turn out for NARP’s Northwest membership meeting

The Northwest Division of the National Association of Railroad Passengers, in conjunction with All Aboard Washington and Association of Oregon Rail and Transit Advocates, held a successful Spring 2012 membership meeting this past weekend in Whitefish, Montana.  Passenger rail advocates from Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana were in attendance to hear a keynote speech from Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo.

Local station KPAX was on hand to provide coverage of the event.

“There’s an old saying that ‘no economy can ever move faster than its transportation network can carry it.’ This rail link is one of those key transportation choices that connects Whitefish to the world,” Administrator Szabo told reporters.

NARP Chairman Bob Stewart also spoke at the Whitefish meeting. He spoke about NARP's goals, issues in Congress, trains' advantages in terms of energy consumption, Amtrak’s equipment plans, the results of January's NARP Council elections, and NARP's participation in the national tour of Amtrak's 40th Anniversary Exhibit Train.

Amtrak Vice President for Government Affairs Joe McHugh spoke about Amtrak's recent successes in providing faster, more reliable service in Michigan, the procurement of new equipment, the railroad's achievement of covering 85% of its costs through revenues, the Empire Builder's growing ridership, and other Amtrak issues.