NARP’s President On High-Speed Rail Lessons: Program Critically Important to Development of National Passenger Rail System

December 6, 2011

Contact: Sean Jeans-Gail – 202-408-8362 [mobile: 202-320-2723]

NARP’s President On High-Speed Rail Lessons: Program Critically Important to Development of National Passenger Rail System

Ross Capon, President of the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP), appeared before the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee today to make the case for a strong national component in the high-speed rail program, and commended the Federal Railroad Administration for its work in building the program from the ground-up.  The hearing, titled “The Federal Railroad Administration’s High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program: Mistakes and Lessons Learned,” was convened in an attempt to improve and strengthen the program going forward.

“Perhaps the most singular lesson learned is that it takes a federal partner to advance passenger train improvements,” said Capon.  “We regard the program as critically important, successful, and appropriate to the current stage of U.S. passenger train development.”

Capon explained that it was critical to use funds to upgrade and expand conventional passenger train service.  Unlike with highways (which get an 80 cent federal match for every 20 cents spent by the state), federal funds have not generally been available to support state investments in conventional intercity passenger trains, resulting in an underdeveloped intercity rail network throughout most of the U.S.

“It is not surprising that the huge, sharp jump in program size had its time-consuming growing pains.  FRA simultaneously had to ramp up staffing and to make sure that a solid foundation would be laid for an ongoing program,” Capon explained.  “Since much of the funding supported public investments in private-sector railroad facilities, there were predictable tensions between the railroads looking out for their shareholders and FRA’s responsibility for protecting taxpayers’ interests.”

Given the persistence of the recession that continues to hinder economic growth in the U.S., Capon also found a silver-lining in the “ramp-up”, with the high-speed rail program now beginning to create jobs in a much bigger way.

NARP’s president also warned against focusing on the Northeast Corridor to the exclusion of a national network.  With the steady erosion of the short-distance aviation market, thousands of communities will be unacceptably isolated if the national passenger intercity rail network is neglected.  With only 18 percent of the U.S. population living within 25 miles of an NEC Amtrak station, the support and enthusiasm of the American people for the program cannot be sustained if the High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Program is diminished to a regional program.