May 03, 2006: NARP Urges Resumption of New Orleans-Florida Rail Service

Release #06-06—May 3, 2006

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Washington, D.C.—The Board of Directors of the National Association of Railroad Passengers, meeting in Washington, DC, approved a resolution urging Amtrak to restore the New Orleans-Orlando segment of the Sunset Limited now that CSX tracks have been restored to a higher standard than existed before Hurricane Katrina.

The Association sees New Orleans-Florida as a vital link for travelers. It is the only east-west link between Florida and Western points that does not require transferring in Washington or Chicago. Moreover, based on FY 2004 data, 41% of Sunset Ltd. revenue came from passengers using the New Orleans-Orlando segment, that is, people whose trips were confined to that segment plus people traveling between points east and west of New Orleans. In other words, a segment that accounts for only 28% of Sunset train-miles generated 41% of the route’s revenues.

The Association also believes that Amtrak’s failure to restore the train is not lawful. Amtrak never served the legally-mandated six months notice on the affected states.

The full text of the board’s resolution follows.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF RAILROAD PASSENGERS

FOR IMMEDIATE RESTORATION OF SUNSET LIMITED BETWEEN NEW ORLEANS AND ORLANDO

WHEREAS, The Sunset Limited is part of Amtrak’s basic national passenger train network, and is the only route connecting California, the Southwest, Texas and New Orleans with Florida,

WHEREAS, the eight states connected by the Sunset corridor contain one third of the nation’s population and account for one half of its population growth since 1970, and

WHEREAS, the area from New Orleans east to Florida suffered severe damage from Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, which caused such extensive track damage that train operation over the route was impossible, and

WHEREAS, CSX fully repaired the damage to its tracks over a month ago, and

WHEREAS, the track is in better condition today than it was prior to the storm, and

WHEREAS, Amtrak has to date elected to not restore the Sunset Limited east of New Orleans, citing that other options and routings are being studied, which may take years, if ever, to implement, and

WHEREAS, NARP has always been willing to work with Amtrak on alternate routings of any service that would improve service to the public and economic performance, and

WHEREAS, in other parts of the country, Amtrak promptly restored passenger train service after weeks of interruption as soon as storm damaged track was repaired, and

WHEREAS, Amtrak has in effect ‘discontinued’ this service without following the rules and regulations governing passenger train discontinuance, and

WHEREAS, this service discontinuance jeopardizes continued operation of the Sunset Limited between New Orleans and Los Angeles and of other routes that depend on connecting revenue from the Sunset in Los Angeles, San Antonio, New Orleans and Jacksonville, and

WHEREAS, the people of the Gulf Coast have already suffered extensive quality of life deprivations including a dramatic reduction in their transportation options, and

WHEREAS, economical rail passenger transportation is especially needed now in view of increased fuel costs, and

WHEREAS, Amtrak’s continued refusal to restore this New Orleans-Florida service that Amtrak is obligated to provide is an affront to the people of this region, adding further insult to catastrophic storm related injuries that the people of this region have already borne,

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT:

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF RAILROAD PASSENGERS CALLS UPON AMTRAK AND ITS BOARD TO MEET THEIR MORAL AND LEGAL OBLIGATIONS BY IMMEDIATELY RESTORING THE SUNSET LIMITED ON THE ROUTE SEGMENT EAST OF NEW ORLEANS TO ORLANDO, FLORIDA, SO THAT FULL SERVICE BETWEEN LOS ANGELES, NEW ORLEANS AND ORLANDO IS RESTORED TO WHAT IT WAS PRIOR TO HURRICANE KATRINA, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT:

THIS RESTORED SERVICE BE OPERATED CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL SUCH TIME AS AN ALTERNATE ROUTING IS AGREED UPON AMONG THE STAKEHOLDERS AND IMPLEMENTED TO SERVE THESE MAJOR POPULATION CENTERS, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT:

A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION BE DISTRIBUTED TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND THE MEDIA IN ALL OF THE STATES SERVED BY THE SUNSET CORRIDOR

Approved April 28, 2006.