ChrisDante
May 12th, 2000, 07:45 PM
Dear Friends of Amtrak:
AMTRAK SUPPORTERS...NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT!!!
THE CAPITOL SWITCHBOARD NUMBER IS 202/224-3121.
CALL TODAY AND ASK YOUR REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS TO SUPPORT THE MEASURES
BELOW!
THANKS,
Craig
IMPORTANT LEGISLATIVE MESSAGE FROM NARP...PLEASE READ AND FOLLOW UP!
To all NARP members, May 10, 2000--
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation on Monday night
approved a fiscal 2001 transportation funding bill that proposes $521.5
million for Amtrak. This is the same at the "general funds" level
requested by the Administration. The last authorization law for Amtrak
(in 1997) authorized $989 million. The Subcommittee is chaired by Frank
Wolf (R.-Va.).
Though Wolf's bill includes language that seems to let states spend up
to $468 million of Highway Trust Fund money on intercity passenger rail,
this is unlikely to get far. Because this is "legislating on an
appropriations bill," it is subject to an inevitable point of order from
Bud Shuster (R-PA), chairman of the authorizing committee, who remains a
strong opponent of using Highway Trust Fund money for intercity
passenger rail.
This is likely to be the high water mark for Amtrak in the 2001
appropriations process because the spending limits given to the Senate
counterpart subcommittee are so much lower than what Wolf's subcommittee
got -- $2.3 billion less in budget authority and a whopping $17 billion
less in outlays.
All of this underlines the importance of "our" other three bills:
--S.1144, that gives states the right to spend their federal
transportation dollars on intercity passenger rail;
--H.R.3700 and S.1900 that would allow sale of $10 billion in bonds for
intercity passenger rail investment over 10 years. As we have reported
before, up to 10% could go to service outside federally designated
corridors. Also, the House bill limits the Northeast Corridor to no more
than 30% of the total; Amtrak has agreed to support inclusion of this
limit in the House-Senate conference report in the happy event that we
get to that point. Both bills apply a 20% state matching requirement
inside and outside the Northeast Corridor.
Please tell your legislators that you are very unhappy with the
appropriations process, which is increasing highway and aviation
spending while cutting Amtrak. Suggest S.1144, H.R.3700 and S.1900 as
appropriate remedies.
S.1144 could come to the Senate floor next week, so now is the time to
remind legislators you support it. The Capitol switchboard,
202/224-3121, reaches all Capitol Hill offices. Our web site has
information on how to contact legislators by e-mail at
<http://www.narprail.org/links.htm#congress>, but be sure -- if you do
that -- to include your name and regular mailing address.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The "Seattle Times" is reporting that the (WA) "state Department of
Transportation is planning to ship a few test loads of apples to East
Coast markets on Amtrak passenger trains this fall to re-establish rail
as an alternative to truck shipments of bulk commodities that could help
Amtrak meet congressional demands to wean itself from subsidies. The
cost is expected to be 10 percent less than shipment by truck and is
expected to offer comparable delivery times of three or four days to
Chicago and New York."
--------------------------------------------------------------
The following notice is from Ray Dunbar of TXARP:
Passenger Rail Advocates:
Just a short note to ask everyone to circle the date of Saturday August
the 19th on your calendars. The city of Galveston, Tx will be the place
to be as the Texas Association of Rail Passengers plays host to our 1st
annual TXARP meeting.
Details on the hotel and meeting location along with the speakers for
the meeting are in the process of getting worked out now. Howard
Bingham, GLenn Jones, and myself are working with our TXARP President
Tim Geeslin to make this meeting a huge gathering for rail passenger
supporters in Texas and advocates across America.
We want to make this meeting a fun event and hope many folks will plan
their summer vacations around this meeting. Galveston remains one of
the best vacation spots in Texas.
Amtrak's Sunset Limited <http://www.amtrak.com/trip/sunsetltd.html>
serves the city of Houston and Galveston is just a short drive down the
freeway..
See you in Galveston, Tx on August the 19th. More details to follow...
This meeting is, of course, open to ALL who support passenger rail in
Texas and America. You do NOT have to be a member of the Texas
Association of Rail Passengers to attend.
Ray Dunbar- East Texas TXARP Director
------------------------------------------------------
>From the OHIO Association of Railroad Passengers
May 11, 2000
Rail plan, Taft's transportation policy need improvement
COLUMBUS -- A state agency is expected tomorrow to recommend against implementing its own plan for starting
Cleveland-Columbus passenger trains. But an Ohio transit advocacy organization is asking that the agency's plans and
Governor Bob Taft's transportation policy be sent back to the drawing board.
The Cleveland-Columbus (2-C) Passenger Rail Steering Committee, comprised of city officials and transportation planners
from along the route, will meet tomorrow in Columbus to decide whether to seek $50 million from the Ohio Department of
Transportation to create the train service. Another $1.4 million is being sought from local governments to help provide six
stations.
The Ohio Rail Development Commission, which is one of the steering committee members and had developed the 2-C
implementation plan, is recommending that ODOT funding shouldn't be sought.
"A lack of leadership from Governor Bob Taft has failed to give ORDC the direction it needs to take an aggressive approach to
passenger rail development," said Stu Nicholson, executive director of the Ohio Association of Railroad Passengers.
Nicholson added that Taft hasn't listened to a groundswell of support for the rail service from citizens, business associations and
elected officials. Last year, leaders of municipal governments and chambers of commerce in virtually every community from
Cleveland to Columbus co-signed a letter to Taft, seeking his support for the passenger rail project. Instead, Taft snubbed
those officials by passing the letter to ORDC staff for it to answer.
The letter to Taft said the rail service will "enhance the quality of life for the residents of our respective communities...(by
creating) better access to employment, new travel and tourism opportunities, and prospects for new development. Traffic
congestion needs to be addressed by giving citizens along the corridor a choice in how they travel." The letter closed by saying
to Taft: "Your strong support is critical for the timely implementation of the proposed passenger rail service in the
Cleveland-Columbus (2-C) corridor."
About the same time, ODOT received over 4,000 letters from Ohio citizens who asked for the 2-C passenger trains. ODOT
officials said it was the greatest number of letters they had received concerning any transportation issue in many years.
MORE
Rail plan, Taft's transportation policy need improvement
OARP is requesting that the decision on whether to seek state funding should instead be postponed. There are a number of
reasons why the decision should be postponed and the rail plan taken back to the drawing board:
The state is being asked to pay too much of the total cost ($49,973,933 of the $51,373,933 total).
Cost estimates ballooned to $51.4 million after freight railroad CSX Inc. (which owns the 2-C tracks) weighed in with a
request for $38.7 million worth of track construction and signal system improvements to relieve freight congestion and update
aging signal systems. Most of these are for CSX's benefit, yet they are contributing no funding.
For this cost, Ohio would get just two daily round-trip trains running at speeds below 80 mph, while cities like Springfield,
Dayton and Cincinnati were left out of the plan. Also, since no provisions are being made for the 2-C service to handle
mail/express shipments, it would have to be subsidized by the state on an ongoing basis.
Amtrak is contributing no funding, even though it is paying for half of a $185 million high-speed rail project in New York state,
and half of a $140 million high-speed project in Pennsylvania. If Amtrak matched Ohio's funding, the 2-C service could be
extended to Cincinnati, plus more and faster trains could be provided so the rail service can make a bigger impact on relieving
airport and highway congestion.
While Amtrak asked the state to buy a passenger train for $6.2 million for 2-C service, Amtrak is making plans to order more
locomotives, coaches and food-service cars for nationwide service expansions. It may be premature for Ohio to pay for a
passenger train when Amtrak is going to be expanding its own fleet of trains.
No federal funding has been sought for 2-C. The Federal Railroad Administration has designated the Cincinnati - Chicago
Corridor as eligible for federal passenger rail funds, and is about to designate the Cleveland - Toledo - Chicago Corridor. Since
no similar designation has yet been awarded for the Cleveland - Columbus - Cincinnati (3-C) Corridor, it would be premature
for the 2-C Steering Committee to make a decision on sources of funding.
"Except for Ohio and Hawaii, the 15 most densely populated states have rail passenger service improvement programs," said
OARP President Bill Hutchison, referencing the latest World Almanac which ranks Ohio eighth nationally. "Ohio needs to have
a better rail service than what's been proposed so we can offer stress-free travel alternatives and a quality of life that our
neighboring states now enjoy."
The Ohio Association of Railroad Passengers, a nonprofit organization founded in 1973, advocates more and better passenger
rail and transit services to improve transportation choice, mobility, economic growth and environmental health.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Ohio residents...Don't forget the OARP's 24 hour hotline:
OARP's 24-hour hotline: (614) 470-0334
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The "Memphis and The Twin Cities" trip report by Randell Hansen has been posted
online at:
http://communities.prodigy.net/trains/trips001.htm
The "KENTUCKY CARDINAL Chicago-Louisville-Chicago" trip report by John H. Guidinger is also posted online now at
the same address above.
If you would like to submit a trip report please follow the guidelines at
the following site:
http://trainweb.com/crocon/tripreports/send.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If you would like to change your e-mail address for this distribution list
please fill out the form found at:
http://www.connix.com/~crocon/form2.html
If you would like to UNSUBSCRIBE from this mailing list go to:
http://www.connix.com/~crocon/form3.html
Thanks,
Craig
------------------
When in doubt, empty your magazine.
AMTRAK SUPPORTERS...NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT!!!
THE CAPITOL SWITCHBOARD NUMBER IS 202/224-3121.
CALL TODAY AND ASK YOUR REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS TO SUPPORT THE MEASURES
BELOW!
THANKS,
Craig
IMPORTANT LEGISLATIVE MESSAGE FROM NARP...PLEASE READ AND FOLLOW UP!
To all NARP members, May 10, 2000--
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation on Monday night
approved a fiscal 2001 transportation funding bill that proposes $521.5
million for Amtrak. This is the same at the "general funds" level
requested by the Administration. The last authorization law for Amtrak
(in 1997) authorized $989 million. The Subcommittee is chaired by Frank
Wolf (R.-Va.).
Though Wolf's bill includes language that seems to let states spend up
to $468 million of Highway Trust Fund money on intercity passenger rail,
this is unlikely to get far. Because this is "legislating on an
appropriations bill," it is subject to an inevitable point of order from
Bud Shuster (R-PA), chairman of the authorizing committee, who remains a
strong opponent of using Highway Trust Fund money for intercity
passenger rail.
This is likely to be the high water mark for Amtrak in the 2001
appropriations process because the spending limits given to the Senate
counterpart subcommittee are so much lower than what Wolf's subcommittee
got -- $2.3 billion less in budget authority and a whopping $17 billion
less in outlays.
All of this underlines the importance of "our" other three bills:
--S.1144, that gives states the right to spend their federal
transportation dollars on intercity passenger rail;
--H.R.3700 and S.1900 that would allow sale of $10 billion in bonds for
intercity passenger rail investment over 10 years. As we have reported
before, up to 10% could go to service outside federally designated
corridors. Also, the House bill limits the Northeast Corridor to no more
than 30% of the total; Amtrak has agreed to support inclusion of this
limit in the House-Senate conference report in the happy event that we
get to that point. Both bills apply a 20% state matching requirement
inside and outside the Northeast Corridor.
Please tell your legislators that you are very unhappy with the
appropriations process, which is increasing highway and aviation
spending while cutting Amtrak. Suggest S.1144, H.R.3700 and S.1900 as
appropriate remedies.
S.1144 could come to the Senate floor next week, so now is the time to
remind legislators you support it. The Capitol switchboard,
202/224-3121, reaches all Capitol Hill offices. Our web site has
information on how to contact legislators by e-mail at
<http://www.narprail.org/links.htm#congress>, but be sure -- if you do
that -- to include your name and regular mailing address.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The "Seattle Times" is reporting that the (WA) "state Department of
Transportation is planning to ship a few test loads of apples to East
Coast markets on Amtrak passenger trains this fall to re-establish rail
as an alternative to truck shipments of bulk commodities that could help
Amtrak meet congressional demands to wean itself from subsidies. The
cost is expected to be 10 percent less than shipment by truck and is
expected to offer comparable delivery times of three or four days to
Chicago and New York."
--------------------------------------------------------------
The following notice is from Ray Dunbar of TXARP:
Passenger Rail Advocates:
Just a short note to ask everyone to circle the date of Saturday August
the 19th on your calendars. The city of Galveston, Tx will be the place
to be as the Texas Association of Rail Passengers plays host to our 1st
annual TXARP meeting.
Details on the hotel and meeting location along with the speakers for
the meeting are in the process of getting worked out now. Howard
Bingham, GLenn Jones, and myself are working with our TXARP President
Tim Geeslin to make this meeting a huge gathering for rail passenger
supporters in Texas and advocates across America.
We want to make this meeting a fun event and hope many folks will plan
their summer vacations around this meeting. Galveston remains one of
the best vacation spots in Texas.
Amtrak's Sunset Limited <http://www.amtrak.com/trip/sunsetltd.html>
serves the city of Houston and Galveston is just a short drive down the
freeway..
See you in Galveston, Tx on August the 19th. More details to follow...
This meeting is, of course, open to ALL who support passenger rail in
Texas and America. You do NOT have to be a member of the Texas
Association of Rail Passengers to attend.
Ray Dunbar- East Texas TXARP Director
------------------------------------------------------
>From the OHIO Association of Railroad Passengers
May 11, 2000
Rail plan, Taft's transportation policy need improvement
COLUMBUS -- A state agency is expected tomorrow to recommend against implementing its own plan for starting
Cleveland-Columbus passenger trains. But an Ohio transit advocacy organization is asking that the agency's plans and
Governor Bob Taft's transportation policy be sent back to the drawing board.
The Cleveland-Columbus (2-C) Passenger Rail Steering Committee, comprised of city officials and transportation planners
from along the route, will meet tomorrow in Columbus to decide whether to seek $50 million from the Ohio Department of
Transportation to create the train service. Another $1.4 million is being sought from local governments to help provide six
stations.
The Ohio Rail Development Commission, which is one of the steering committee members and had developed the 2-C
implementation plan, is recommending that ODOT funding shouldn't be sought.
"A lack of leadership from Governor Bob Taft has failed to give ORDC the direction it needs to take an aggressive approach to
passenger rail development," said Stu Nicholson, executive director of the Ohio Association of Railroad Passengers.
Nicholson added that Taft hasn't listened to a groundswell of support for the rail service from citizens, business associations and
elected officials. Last year, leaders of municipal governments and chambers of commerce in virtually every community from
Cleveland to Columbus co-signed a letter to Taft, seeking his support for the passenger rail project. Instead, Taft snubbed
those officials by passing the letter to ORDC staff for it to answer.
The letter to Taft said the rail service will "enhance the quality of life for the residents of our respective communities...(by
creating) better access to employment, new travel and tourism opportunities, and prospects for new development. Traffic
congestion needs to be addressed by giving citizens along the corridor a choice in how they travel." The letter closed by saying
to Taft: "Your strong support is critical for the timely implementation of the proposed passenger rail service in the
Cleveland-Columbus (2-C) corridor."
About the same time, ODOT received over 4,000 letters from Ohio citizens who asked for the 2-C passenger trains. ODOT
officials said it was the greatest number of letters they had received concerning any transportation issue in many years.
MORE
Rail plan, Taft's transportation policy need improvement
OARP is requesting that the decision on whether to seek state funding should instead be postponed. There are a number of
reasons why the decision should be postponed and the rail plan taken back to the drawing board:
The state is being asked to pay too much of the total cost ($49,973,933 of the $51,373,933 total).
Cost estimates ballooned to $51.4 million after freight railroad CSX Inc. (which owns the 2-C tracks) weighed in with a
request for $38.7 million worth of track construction and signal system improvements to relieve freight congestion and update
aging signal systems. Most of these are for CSX's benefit, yet they are contributing no funding.
For this cost, Ohio would get just two daily round-trip trains running at speeds below 80 mph, while cities like Springfield,
Dayton and Cincinnati were left out of the plan. Also, since no provisions are being made for the 2-C service to handle
mail/express shipments, it would have to be subsidized by the state on an ongoing basis.
Amtrak is contributing no funding, even though it is paying for half of a $185 million high-speed rail project in New York state,
and half of a $140 million high-speed project in Pennsylvania. If Amtrak matched Ohio's funding, the 2-C service could be
extended to Cincinnati, plus more and faster trains could be provided so the rail service can make a bigger impact on relieving
airport and highway congestion.
While Amtrak asked the state to buy a passenger train for $6.2 million for 2-C service, Amtrak is making plans to order more
locomotives, coaches and food-service cars for nationwide service expansions. It may be premature for Ohio to pay for a
passenger train when Amtrak is going to be expanding its own fleet of trains.
No federal funding has been sought for 2-C. The Federal Railroad Administration has designated the Cincinnati - Chicago
Corridor as eligible for federal passenger rail funds, and is about to designate the Cleveland - Toledo - Chicago Corridor. Since
no similar designation has yet been awarded for the Cleveland - Columbus - Cincinnati (3-C) Corridor, it would be premature
for the 2-C Steering Committee to make a decision on sources of funding.
"Except for Ohio and Hawaii, the 15 most densely populated states have rail passenger service improvement programs," said
OARP President Bill Hutchison, referencing the latest World Almanac which ranks Ohio eighth nationally. "Ohio needs to have
a better rail service than what's been proposed so we can offer stress-free travel alternatives and a quality of life that our
neighboring states now enjoy."
The Ohio Association of Railroad Passengers, a nonprofit organization founded in 1973, advocates more and better passenger
rail and transit services to improve transportation choice, mobility, economic growth and environmental health.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Ohio residents...Don't forget the OARP's 24 hour hotline:
OARP's 24-hour hotline: (614) 470-0334
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The "Memphis and The Twin Cities" trip report by Randell Hansen has been posted
online at:
http://communities.prodigy.net/trains/trips001.htm
The "KENTUCKY CARDINAL Chicago-Louisville-Chicago" trip report by John H. Guidinger is also posted online now at
the same address above.
If you would like to submit a trip report please follow the guidelines at
the following site:
http://trainweb.com/crocon/tripreports/send.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If you would like to change your e-mail address for this distribution list
please fill out the form found at:
http://www.connix.com/~crocon/form2.html
If you would like to UNSUBSCRIBE from this mailing list go to:
http://www.connix.com/~crocon/form3.html
Thanks,
Craig
------------------
When in doubt, empty your magazine.