New Hampshire Advocates Urged to Question Presidental Candidates

Yesterday, NARP sent the following message to its members in New Hampshire (by snail mail letter and e-mail):

To NARP Members in New Hampshire—

With the New Hampshire primary coming on Tuesday, January 8, you still have time to ask a presidential candidate (or candidates) about passenger trains.  Your message could go something like this, substituting your own words where you can.

“The highly successful Downeaster train linking Boston, New Hampshire and Maine is expected to lose its federal funding next year, even though ridership is growing and the nation is increasingly concerned about climate change, a problem that passenger trains help address.  As president, what would you do about passenger trains in general and the Downeaster in particular?”

Remember, it is good for ANY of the candidates to hear such a question.  If that candidate drops out of the race, he or she nonetheless is likely to remain active, to support one of the surviving candidates, and possibly to help influence the eventual party nominee’s views of the issues.

The specific problem with the Downeaster involves expiration on September 30, 2009, of federal “CMAQ” funding which has been supporting the route.  (CMAQ stands for Congestion Mitigation Air Quality Improvement Program.)  The Downeaster is enjoying record ridership and revenue, and has stimulated increased station-area real estate values and development.  Passenger rail advocates in Maine are working hard to save the service, but the fact that only one of three states served provides operating funds does present a challenge.

Thank you for your efforts to preserve and expand passenger rail service!

—Ross B. Capon
NARP Executive Director