Friends of Amtrak

The Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee approved $555 million.

Full Senate Appropriations Committee also approved the $555 million budget for FY '99. Note that this is still $66 million less than what President Clinton had proposed.

House Appropriations Committee must also follow suit.

Amtrak and its supporters fought to have the new Act amended so that states would be allowed the "flexibility" to spend the federal transportation funds on Intercity Rail (i.e. Amtrak) if they so wished. The Senate passed a version of the bill that would allow for "flexibility." The House bill did not. In Conference the final report favored the House bill and Amtrak thus lost an important source of funding. Once again House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bud Shuster (R-PA) successfully led the Amtrak opposition.

AMTRAK ORDERS NEW TRAINSETS--August 18, 1998. The consortium that is building the American Flyers for Amtrak - Alsthom/Bombardier - announced that Amtrak had ordered two more trainsets for an additional cost of $43 million - financed in total by the builder. Amtrak already has on order for the consortium - 18 American Flyer sets and 15 high-horsepower electric locomotives.

BUS SERVICE REPORT--August 18, 1998. Effective September 1st, the interline connection between Lamy and Santa Fe, NM will become a full-fledged Amtrak Thruway Service, however the Greyhound interline connection between Albuquerque and Amarillo, Texas will be dropped. Travelers will have to make arrangements for the connection on their own.

AMTRAK TO CREATE DAYLIGHT SERVICE TO OHIO--August 15, 1998. Passenger train service will be expanded through Pennsylvania and across northern Ohio and Indiana on Nov. 7, 1998, when Amtrak offers new service with morning departures from Philadelphia and Chicago. The extension of service by the Pennsylvanian will provide the first through daylight service between the City of Brotherly Love and the Windy City.

The westbound Pennsylvanian will originate in Philadelphia daily at 6:35 a.m., depart Pittsburgh at 2:17 p.m., depart Cleveland at 5:45 p.m., depart Toledo, Ohio, at 8:08 p.m., depart South Bend, Ind., at 9:40 p.m. and arrive in Chicago at 11:59 p.m. The eastbound Pennsylvanian will depart Chicago daily at 6:00 a.m., depart South Bend at 7:30 a.m., depart Toledo at 11:20 a.m., depart Cleveland at 1:15 p.m., depart Pittsburgh at 4:53 p.m. and arrive in Philadelphia at 12:25 a.m. on the following morning.

The Pennsylvanian offers customers comfortable, reclining coach seats with legrests and footrests. Sandwiches, snacks and beverages are available at all times in the food service car. The Pennsylvanian will operate as an all-reserved train, except for local travel between Philadelphia and Harrisburg.

Although the train is now called the Pennsylvanian, Amtrak employees will submit suggestions for a new name for the train that better reflects its expanded route.

The Pennsylvanian will operate daily between Pittsburgh and New York, via Philadelphia, on its current schedule through Oct. 24, 1998. Between Oct. 25, 1998, and Nov. 7, 1998, the Pennsylvanian will operate only between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Effective with the Nov. 7 service extension to Chicago, that city will become the Pennsylvanian's western terminus and Philadelphia will be the train's eastern terminus.

To replace the Pennsylvanian service between New York and Philadelphia, Amtrak will introduce a new Keystone Service train on Oct. 25 that will run on the same schedule as now offered by the Pennsylvanian. The new Keystone train will continue west from Philadelphia to Harrisburg. An additional eastbound Keystone train will originate in Harrisburg to replace the Pennsylvanian service between Philadelphia and New York.

AMTRAK - BLE REACH CONTRACT AGREEMENT--August 15, 1998. The rank and file of the Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers (BLE) reached an agreement with Amtrak. One of the new work rules is that Amtrak trains can operate with a single engineer (no fireman) if the scheduled running time between two points is six hours or less.

The effects in Kansas City were immediate. As of August 12, both trains between Kansas City and St. Louis will now operate with a single engineer.

TEXAS EAGLE UPDATE--July 31, 1998. July 30, 1998 Through car operation on the TEXAS EAGLE / SUNSET LIMITED, formerly planned to end at the end of September, is now extended to the end of May 1999 (with further extension pending). This may not yet be in Arrow, but will be shortly. The through cars have resulted in a significant increase in ridership on the south end of the EAGLE, although the operation of these cars has frequently held the westbound EAGLE hostage at San Antonio due to extremely poor on-time performance of the westbound SUNSET over the Union Pacific.

AMTRAK RIDERSHIP & REVENUES UP!--July 29, 1998. At its first in-person meeting today, Amtrak's new Board of Directors reviewed third quarter results that showed every one of the railroad's performance indicators improving compared to the same period last year. For the third quarter, Amtrak ridership increased 5.8 percent. Revenues for the third quarter remain strong at $5.5 million better than projected in Amtrak's Strategic Business Plan, and $12.7 million better than the projections for the fiscal year, so far.

Amtrak maintained its reliable on-time performance -- an important measure of customer satisfaction. For the fiscal year, Amtrak's on-time performance is 79.6 percent compared to 75.9 percent for the comparable period a year ago.

Meanwhile, Amtrak's customer satisfaction rating remains high, scoring 85 out of a possible 100.

And measures of employee safety continue to make strong improvements. For the third quarter, the percentage of employee injuries decreased 21 percent, and for the fiscal year, employee injuries are down 14 percent.

FRA Orders New Safety System For the Northeast Corridor--July 22, 1998. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today ordered installation of a new train control system to ensure safety for faster trains on the northeast corridor between New Haven, Conn., and Boston.

The new Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System (ACSES), in combination with existing cab signal and automatic train control features already in place, will complete the elements of Positive Train Control (PTC) for a key portion of the nation¹s busiest railroad.

In addition to Amtrak, entities subject to the order include commuter service provided by the Connecticut Department of Transportation and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, as well as two freight operators, Providence and Worcester Railroad.

The order also authorizes Amtrak to increase speeds to 135 miles per hour south of New York City for its equipped high speed trains after installation of ACSES on high-speed tracks.

SUCCESS STORY: AMTRAK AND ILLINOIS PARTNERSHIP RESULTS IN MORE ON- TIME TRAINS AND HIGHER RIDERSHIP--July 17, 1998. Amtrak fulfilled its commitment to the State of Illinois to improve rail passenger service in the first year of a three-year-contract, ending June 30, 1998. More than 99 percent of the trains originated on-time, nearly 90 percent of the trains completed their trips on time, ridership on the four routes grew by as much as 18 percent and Amtrak introduced new customer service enhancements.

Amtrak operates daily round-trip trains to Carbondale and Quincy, Ill., and St. Louis in partnership with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). Additional daily service between Chicago and Milwaukee is supported by Amtrak, IDOT and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

Source: Amtrak
For full press release go to: http://www.amtrak.com:80/amtrak/news/press/atk98103.html

AKRON REPORT--July 17, 1998. The Akron Beacon Journal on July 12 reported that the city of Akron is putting the finishing touches on a modular Amtrak station. This should allow the New York City-Pittsburgh-Chicago "Three Rivers" to begin making station stops in Akron by the end of the summer. Akron has been without passenger rail service since Sept. 1995 when Amtrak cut the "Broadway Limited." Amtrak reinstituted service through Akron in Nov. 1996 with the "Three Rivers", but didn't make stops in Akron because the previous modular station had been removed and resused elsewhere. A new station had to be built, but the City of Akron balked at the $100,000 cost. The new station was constructed on the site of the old one--immediately adjacent to the Quaker Square Hilton in downtown Akron. The previous loading platform will be used.

Based on current running times, the "Three Rivers" will make daily (ie: nightly) stops in Akron at about 2:20 a.m. westbound, and 4:10 a.m. eastbound. However, reality may be far different than what the schedule says, since the "Three Rivers" has been experiencing 1-3 hour delays on a regular basis, due mostly to CSX's $220 million double-tracking project across Western Ohio and Indiana. Call Amtrak at 1-800-USA-RAIL before leaving home to catch your train.

FLORIDA RAIL AND WILDFIRES REPORT--July 13, 1998.

Special to Friends of Amtrak
By Leo King, Transportation Journalist

Much of May, all of June and the early part of July was like Hell for a great part of Florida: it burned - and with the foliage fires came destruction to people's homes and damage to some railroad properties, notably CSX's and FEC's tracks. Particularly hard-hit was Flagler County, about 50 miles south of Jacksonville, through which both railroads operate, but so were St. John's, Clay and Volusia Counties, through which Amtrak, CSX and FEC operate. By July 10, some half-million of acres had burned, and new fires were still breaking out, though less frequently. From Chicago, Amtrak's Marc Magliari said that "The only outright cancellations were Numbers 52 & 53" of July 3. Magliari added, "Everything else had run, using the WWD sub [Wildwood Subdivision] sometimes as a detour route. The only other serious disruption were truncated trains 1 and 2 earlier in the week at Jacksonville instead of service through to Orlando."

In all, Amtrak trains 52, 98, 92, 97 and 53 that originated on July 2 detoured via CSXT's Wildwood Subdivision. Other sources said that train No. 2, which had originated in Los Angeles on June 30, terminated at Jacksonville and turned there for No. 1. AutoTrain departures were canceled for July 3rd.

CSXT and FEC were hit by the firestorms that were finally doused by firefighters from all over the country pitching in, and, finally, a healthy dose of rain from Mother Nature. CSX helped out big time by operating a couple of pig extras loaded with fire trucks and their crews.

You'll be able to read the rest of this report in "RailNews" Magazine.

LOTT SAYS FUND AMTRAK!--July 8, 1998. Amtrak picked up key support today as Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) told reporters that he supports continued funding for Amtrak. "I personally would like to see Amtrak funded," Lott told reporters. It is highly unusual for a Senate leader of Lott's stature to speak out against the wishes of a committee chairman, in this case Richard Shelby (R-AL) who, as chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee has fought to zero out all Amtrak funding.

Thank you Senator Lott!

You can thank Senator Lott by writing to him:

CLICK HERE to send Senator Lott an e-mail of thanks.

AMTRAK RIDERSHIP ON THE INCREASE--July 5, 1998. Amtrak, the nation's intercity passenger railroad, enters the July Fourth holiday travel period on the upswing: ridership on the railroad has increased for 18 consecutive months, compared to the same month the previous year. In May, the number of customers using Amtrak trains rose 4.6 percent to 1,843,289, compared to May, 1997, when the company transported 1,762,903 customers. Passenger miles rose, too, by 4.2 percent during the month to 460.5 million passenger miles. A passenger mile is one passenger carried one mile.

Passenger highlights among Amtrak's three strategic business units include, on the Northeast Corridor, yet another Metroliner ridership increase during May, keeping the premium, fast New York-Washington service on track to beat last year's all-time ridership record. In Amtrak Intercity, the Chicago-Portland/Seattle Empire Builder experienced increased May ridership of 25.5 percent and nearly 40 percent for the first eight months of the fiscal year. Amtrak West's Pacific Northwest Corridor ridership jumped 22.3 percent during May.

AMTRAK INTERCITY SBU POSTS IMPRESSIVE RIDERSHIP GAINS-- July 3, 1998. Increased frequencies and improved customer service are paying off with ridership gains at Amtrak for some of the most famous names in passenger railroading: the California Zephyr, the Empire Builder, the Southwest Chief and the Texas Eagle trains carried nearly 5,000 more passengers in May 1998 than in May 1997.

The four services collectively carried 15.6 percent more passengers in May 1998 than in May 1997. Individually, each train's ridership was up by double-digits in May 1998, including a 23.9 percent increase on the California Zephyr, a 25.5 percent increase on the Empire Builder, a 13.5 percent increase on the Southwest Chief and a 56.3 percent increase on the Texas Eagle.

WARRINGTON APPEALS FOR SENATE APPROVAL OF FULL FUNDING--July 3, 1998. Amtrak acting president and chief executive officer George Warrington said Wednesday that Amtrak could wean itself from public funding by 2002 if Congress keeps its end of the bargain with a final injection of funds. "Congress should fulfill its commitment by providing the needed funds between now and 2002," Warrington noted. "Frankly anything less than that would squander the nation's multibillion (dollar) investment in passenger railroad service," he said. Some $145 million of Amtrak operating losses represent federally mandated retirement payments for freight railroad workers laid off in mergers. "We believe that's not a fair expense for us ... or taxpayers to be accepting," Warrington told reporters.

Warrington predicted that Amtrak would increase its market share along the northeast corridor, that high speed and commuter corridors would play a larger role in Amtrak's future, and that the Surf Board's favorable decison allowing Amtrak to carry express freight would help "to underwrite some of those trains that may not be winners." Warrington noted that in the future Amtrak would be driven by a market-based approach but declined to say whether unprofitable routes would eventually be cut.

HOOSIER SERVICE REINSTATED--July 3, 1998. Effective July 19, Amtrak will restore the Hoosier State service, which last ran in September 1995. It will run tri-weekly between Chicago and Indianapolis on days that the Cardinal does not, which would be Sunday, Wednesday, Friday in both directions. There would be no Monday southbound train and no Tuesday northbound train. The new train will handle equipment moves between Chicago and Beech Grove, providing some relief for the Cardinal. The new train will use one reserved Superliner coach, with no food service, on the same schedule as the Cardinal.

SENATE CONFIRMS ONLY HALF OF CLINTON AMTRAK BOARD APPOINTEES-- July 2, 1998. Last week the Senate confirmed only three of President Clinton's appointees to the Amtrak board. Confirmed were Wisconsin Gov. Tommy G. Thompson (R), former Massachusetts governor Michael S. Dukakis (D) and Meridian, Miss., Mayor John Robert Smith. Ignored were were Washington lawyer Sylvia A. de Leon and New Jersey transportation official Amy Rosen, and former Virginia governor A. Linwood Holton Jr. (R).

http://www.senate.gov/senator/membmail.html

HERE'S THE LIST OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION:

REPUBLICANS
Shelby (AL) senator@shelby.senate.gov
Domenici (NM) senator_domenici@domenici.senate.gov
Specter (PA) senator_specter@specter.senate.gov
Bond (MO) kit_bond@bond.senate.gov
Gorton (WA) senator_gorton@gorton.senate.gov
Bennett (UT) senator@bennett.senate.gov
Faircloth (NC) senator@faircloth.senate.gov
Stevens (AK) senator_stevens@stevens.senate.gov

DEMOCRATS
Lautenberg (NJ) frank_lautenberg@lautenberg.senate.gov
Byrd (WV) senator_byrd@byrd.senate.gov
Mikulski (MD) senator@mikulski.senate.gov
Reid (NV) senator_reid@reid.senate.gov
Kohl (WI) senator_kohl@kohl.senate.gov
Murray (WA) senator_murray@murray.senate.gov

When you write be sure to include your home address.

AMTRAK NORTHEAST RIDERSHIP UP 6.8%--June 24, 1998. Amtrak ridership in the Northeast increased for the 13th consecutive month in May, growing 6.8 percent over May 1997, and broke the million mark for the third straight month.

The growth was paced by a seven percent increase in Metroliner ridership which is on course to break last year's ridership record. NortheastDirect Service between Boston, New York, Washington and Virginia - which accounts for one of every four Amtrak riders nationally-- grew 2.3 percent for the month, nearly breaking the half-million mark. On-time performance for all trains throughout the Northeast was 86.6 percent. By comparison, the average on-time performance for the major airlines was 79.1 percent during April, the most recent month available.

UPDATE ON PROPOSED OKLAHOMA SERVICE--June 18, 1998. The Oklahoma Amtrak service is planning to start about May 15,1999. Service is proposed to be from Oklahoma City to Ft. Worth. Trying to run it out of Kansas City would have been difficult due to heavy traffic on BNSF. From what I understand this is just the first step with an extension of this service down the road a bit. Amtrak crews based in Ft. Worth will operate the trains.

SHUSTER INVESTIGATION CONTINUES--JUNE 16, 1998-- A Congressional Ethics Committee has agreed to a request from federal prosecutors not to conduct interviews and depose witnesses in connection with the committee's investigation of Rep. Bud Shuster, R-Pa. Shuster is the powerful chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure that oversees Amtrak funding. The request from the Justice Department indicates that prosecutors have turned their attention to Rep. Shuster, whose longtime aide, Ann Eppard, was recently indicted by the government for bribery and corruption that allegedly occured while she was Rep. Shuster's chief of staff. The Ethics Committee is looking into allegations that Rep. Shuster may have improperly received favors from lobbyists, including many from transportation industries. The Department of Justice has indicated that its ongoing criminal investigation may relate to matters similar to those under investigation by the Committee.

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS MARK-UP DELAYED AGAIN - SHELBY SEEKS ZERO BUDGET FOR AMTRAK--June 18, 1998. The mark-up by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee has been postponed once again. Word is that Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL), chairman of the Appropriations Committee, is now trying to zero out Amtrak in the FY '99 budget! The mark-up could come some time next week.

If you would like to let Senator Shelby know how you feel about this you can e-mail him at:

senator@shelby.senate.gov

URGENT!!--CALL SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS - MARK UP POSTPONED The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, chaired by Richard Shelby (R-AL), has postponed its markup to next week.

It is believed that Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) plans to drastically underfund Amtrak -- that is, if he funds it at all. There is still time to contact subcommitee members, urging them both to work for adequate Amtrak funding AND urging sympathetic senators to sign a joint letter in support of adequate Amtrak funding.

Amtrak and the Clinton Administration are making the same request -- $621 million in capital and clarification of the right to spend appropriated capital on maintenance items.

If your Senators are on the Subcommittee (see list below) please call and ask that they support the $621 million capital appropriation and the right to spend the funds on maintenance.

Please act as soon as possible. This is very important!!

The subcommittee members are:

Republicans:
Richard C. Shelby, AL, chairman
Arlen Specter, PA
Pete V. Domenici, NM
Christopher S. Bond, MO
Slade Gorton, WA
Robert F. Bennett, UT
Lauch Faircloth, NC

Democrats:
Frank R. Lautenberg, NJ, ranking member
Robert C. Byrd, WV
Barbara A. Mikulski, MD
Harry Reid, NV
Herb Kohl, WI
Patty Murray, WA

If you do not know your Senator's phone number, the Capitol switchboard (202-224-3121) can connect you. Senate e-mail addresses are available at web site http://www.senate.gov/senator/membmail.html

STB APPROVES CONRAIL SPLIT--June 16, 1998. The Surface Transportation Board has approved the CSX/Norfolk Southern takeover of Conrail. For info see the STB press release at:

http://www.stb.dot.gov/newsrels.nsf/bydate/

OKLAHOMA TASK FORCE--June 16, 1998. A task force is now being put together to determine the exact route of the new Oklahoma City Amtrak service. Routes under consideration are:

OK City to Wichita--Newton,KS

OK City to Tulsa--Kansas City

OK City to St. Louis--Chicago

AMTRAK TEXAS EAGLE MAKES CONNECTIONS TO HOT SPRINGS, ARK.--June 14, 1998. Direct connections are now possible from the Amtrak Texas Eagle to hotels, resorts and other locations in Hot Springs, Ark., the scenic and historic resort area known as America¹s Spa.

This expansion of Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach Service meets the Chicago-San Antonio-(Los Angeles) Texas Eagle at the Amtrak stations in Little Rock, located at Markham & Victory Streets, and Malvern, located at 200 E. 1st. St., Ark. Passengers are transported to and from Hot Springs National Park, area lodging and attractions, the Transportation Plaza at 100 Broadway Terrace Plaza in Hot Springs or even private homes in the immediate vicinity of Hot Springs.

Roth/Kerry Pro-Amtrak Letter Signed By 52 Senators--June 12, 1998-- Amtrak's funding for Fiscal Year 1999 is now looking brighter. 52 Senators (39 Democrats and 13 Republicans) have signed a letter to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Senator Shelby (R-AL) urging full funding for Fiscal Yearl (FY) 1999. Shelby is proposing drastic cuts in the proposed budget.

The current scheduled date for the Subcommittee to meet and approve a bill is Tuesday, June 16. That session could still go bad for intercity passenger train funding, but having over half the Senate on record in support of full funding makes a more favorable final outcome more likely.

Below are the names of the 52 signatories.

ALASKA - Murkowski (R)
CALIFORNIA - Feinstein (D) , Boxer (D)
CONNECTICUT - Dodd (D), Lieberman (D)
DELAWARE - Roth (R), Biden (D)
GEORGIA - Cleland (D)
HAWAII - Akaka (D), Inouye (D)
ILLINOIS - Moseley-Braun (D), Durbin (D)
INDIANA - Lugar (R)
KENTUCKY - Ford (D)
LOUISIANA - Breaux (D), Landrieu (D)
MAINE - Collins (R), Snowe (R)
MARYLAND - Mikulski (D), Sarbanes (D)
MASSACHUSETTS - Kerry (D), Kennedy (D)
MICHIGAN - Levin (D)
MINNESOTA - Wellstone (D)
MONTANA - Burns (R), Baucus (D)
NEBRASKA - Kerrey (D)
NEVADA - Reid (D), Bryan (D)
NEW JERSEY - Lautenberg (D), Torricelli (D)
NEW MEXICO - Bingaman (D) 
NEW YORK - Moynihan (D), D'Amato (R)
NORTH DAKOTA - Conrad (D), Dorgan (D)
OHIO - DeWine (R), Glenn (D)
OREGON - Wyden (D)
PENNSYLVANIA - Specter (R), Santorum (R)
RHODE ISLAND - Chafee (R), Reed (D)
SOUTH CAROLINA - Hollings (D)
TEXAS - Hutchison (R)
VERMONT - Jeffords (R), Leahy (D)
VIRGINIA - Robb (D)
WASHINGTON - Murray (D)
WEST VIRGINIA - Rockefeller (D)
WISCONSIN - Feingold (D), Kohl (D)

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD FAVORS AMTRAK ON EXPRESS SERVICE AND BOSTON TO PORTLAND, ME ROUTE--May 29, 1998. The Surface Transportation Board (STB) today made two rulings favorable to Amtrak.

1. Boston to Portland, ME Service-- The Surface Transportation Board announced today that the Board has set the terms and conditions for Amtrak's use of certain rail facilities owned by the Guilford Rail System. The Board's decision clears the way for Amtrak to determine how to use nearly $40 million in public funds that have been set aside for rehabilitating the Guilford line between Plaistow, NH and Portland, ME so that passenger rail service can be reestablished between Boston, MA and Portland.

The Board rejected Guilford's request that Amtrak be forced to buy insurance rather than itself indemnify Guilford for losses, finding no merit to Guilford's claim that Amtrak is too dependent on the Congressional appropriations process, and that its survival is too uncertain. Thus, the Board gave Amtrak the option, prior to instituting service, of either buying insurance, or itself agreeing to indemnify Guilford from any liability that Guilford could incur as a result of Amtrak operations. The Board rejected Guilford's request that Amtrak also should be required to buy insurance to protect Guilford from liability incurred as a result of Guilford's own negligence or misconduct.

2. Amtrak Express Service--The Board also ordered the Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) and its affiliate, Southern Pacific Transportation Company (SP) (collectively, UP/SP), to permit Amtrak to transport express over UP/SP lines. The STB found, as Amtrak had suggested, that "express" need not be restricted by commodity, shipment size, type of equipment, or a variety of other operational factors that may have been applied in the past, but instead should be defined more flexibly as a premium transportation service at premium rates - expedited, regularly scheduled train service provided at prices which are generally higher than freight service - that is provided as an adjunct to Amtrak's passenger service.

The Board found generally that, because Amtrak's proposed express service would fall within the limits described above, and because Amtrak's proposal reflects the legislative intent that it take steps to increase express revenue, the Board should not block Amtrak's efforts by defining express narrowly. In addition, it found that Amtrak may not run express-only trains, except on the Northeast Corridor, which Amtrak owns, and that express service generally must be an adjunct to genuine passenger service.

As always, letters to newspapers are also helpful and please feel free to pass this on to other Amtrak supporters. Please direct letters about Amtrak's annual appropriation to the members of the Appropriations Committee.

Appropriations Committee Members

Senate					House

Senator Stevens (AK)	Rep McDade (PA)
Cochran (MS)			Young (FL)
Specter (PA)			Regula (OH)
Domenici (NM)			Lewis (CA)
Bond (MO)				Porter (IL)
Gorton (WA)			Rogers (KY)
McConnell (KY)			Skeen (NM)
Burns (MT)			Wolf (VA)
Shelby (AL)			DeLay (TX)
Gregg (NH)			Kolbe (AZ)
Bennett (UT)			Packard (CA)
Campbell (CO)			Callahan (AL)
Craig (ID)				Walsh (NY)
Fairlcoth (NC)			Taylor (NC)
Hutchison (TX)			Hobson (OH)
Byrd (WV)				Istook (OK)
Inouye (HI)			Bonilla (TX)
Hollings (SC)			Knollenberg (MI)
Leahy (VT)			Miller (FL)
Bumpers (AR)			Dickey (AR)
Lautenberg (NJ)		Kingston (GA)
Harkin (IA)			Parker (MS)
Mikulski (MD)			Frelinghuysen (NJ)
Reid (NV)				Wicker (MS)
Kohl (WI)				Forbes (NY)
Murray (WA)			Nethercutt (WA)
Dorgan (ND)			Neumann (WI)
Boxer (CA)			Cunningham (CA)
					Tiahart (KS)
					Wamp (IA)
					Latham (IA)
					Northup (KY)
					Aderholt (AL)
					Obey (WI)
					Yates (IL)
					Stokes (OH)
					Murtha (PA)
					Dicks (WA)
					Sabo (MN)
					Dixon (CA)
					Fazio (CA)
					Hefner (NC)
					Hoyer (MD)
					Mollohan (WV)
					Kaptur (OH)
					Skaggs (CO)
					Pelosi (CA)
					Visclosky (IN)
					Torres (CA)
					Lowey (NY)
					Serrano (NY)
					DeLauro (CT)
					Moran (VA)
					Olver (MA)
					Pastor (AZ)
					Meeks (FL)
					Price (NC)
					Edwards (TX)

For a state by state listing of all Congressional e-mail addresses go to: http://gemini.berkshire.net/~ifas/activist/

For a list of Senate e-mail addresses go to: http://www.senate.gov/senator/membmail.html

To write to members of the House go to: http://www.house.gov/writerep/

There are also hypertext links to members of the House Appropriations Committee at: http://www.house.gov/appropriations/members.htm

Hypertext links to the Senate Appropriations Committee can be found at: http://www.senate.gov/committee/appropriations.html

CLINTON TO NAME REFORM BOARD APPOINTEES--May 22, 1998. President Clinton announced his intent to appoint Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater and his intent to nominate Sylvia De Leon, Linwood Holton, Amy M. Rosen, John Robert Smith, Michael Dukakis, and Tommy G. Thompson as members of the Amtrak Reform Board.

AMTRAK NORTHEAST RIDERSHIP RISES--May 22, 1998. Amtrak ridership in the Northeast continued on the rise in April, growing seven percent over April 1997 and breaking the million mark for the fourth time in the last seven months.

More than 1.03 million riders boarded Amtrak trains in the Northeast, compared to 943,000 in April 1997. Since the start of Amtrak¹s 1998 fiscal year last October, monthly ridership has broken the million mark four times -- in October, December, March and April. Total ridership for October through April was 6,856,376, an increase of 8.5 percent over the first seven months of FY1997.

In addition, more than 90 percent of Amtrak trains in the Northeast arrived on time during April. The 90.2 percent on- time performance marks the fifth straight month that on-time arrivals have exceeded 90 percent.

Amtrak¹s Northeast services account for more than half the railroad¹s total ridership and revenue and include premium Metroliner Service between New York and Washington, NortheastDirect Service linking major cities between New England, the Mid-Atlantic and Tidewater Virginia, Empire Service connecting major cities in New York State and Keystone Service in eastern Pennsylvania.

AMTRAK, NS AND CSX REACH DEAL--May 22, 1998. Norfolk Southern and C-S-X have reached a deal with Amtrak over the use of Conrail tracks in the northeast corridor. The arrangement is expected to push the $10.2-billion Conrail acquisition down the tracks... on the eve of federal hearings into the takeover. The deal reportedly allows mostly overnight use of the Washington-to- Boston tracks by freight rail traffic... allowing commuter rail and Amtrak passenger trains to use the key routes during the day.

AMTRAK SERVICE IN THE WORKS FOR OKLAHOMA--May 22, 1998. U.S. Senator Don Nickles, Oklahoma Transportation Secretary Neal McCaleb and Amtrak President George Warrington have announced the possible return of passenger rail service to to Oklahoma by spring 1999. The announcement comes on the heels of a meeting late last week in which the three officials discussed plans for $23 million secured for Oklahoma passenger rail service through the Tax Relief Act of 1997. Acting Amtrak President George Warrington said Monday that he is committed to reinstating Amtrak service in Oklahoma by next spring. The routes most often discussed are: Oklahoma City through Tulsa to Kansas City; Oklahoma City through Tulsa to St. Louis; Oklahoma City to Fort Worth, Texas; and Fort Worth through Oklahoma City to Newton, Kansas, which is north of Wichita. The selection will be a joint decision by Amtrak and Oklahoma officials.

AMTRAK DINING CAR INFO UPDATED--May 10, 1998. Amtrak has chosen Dobbs Food Service to take over the commissary operations.

Meanwhile the Automat Food service concept has begun its path to slow death. Construction of the remaining cars has been postponed indefinitely.

In a related development, Amtrak and its largest Union TCU (Transportation Communications Union), have come to agreement on a labor contract that will carry them through the year 2000. My understanding is that this agreement provides for wage and job protection when outsourcing occurs at the commissaries.

AMTRAK'S RIDERSHIP AND ON-TIME PERFORMANCE REMAIN STRONG - Second Quarter Results Follow Strong First Quarter --April 29, 1998. Amtrak ridership increased nearly six percent and on-time performance systemwide improved to nearly 83 percent for the first three months of the year, continuing positive trends that developed last year.

During those months, Amtrak's second quarter (January-March), more than 4.7 million passengers traveled on Amtrak trains, an increase of 5.8 percent compared to the same period last year. When combining first quarter (October-December) and second quarter results, more than 10 million passengers traveled on Amtrak during the first half of the railroad's fiscal year, representing a 6.4 percent increase compared to the first half of FY 1997. This occurred despite falling gasoline prices that have reduced the cost of driving, which is Amtrak's chief competition in many markets.

Key factors igniting the increase include on-time performance, improved service delivery and grassroots marketing that focused on customer needs of individual markets.

For the first three months of calendar year 1998, Amtrak's systemwide on-time performance rose more than five percent from the same period a year ago to 82.8 percent. When combining the first quarter and second quarter results, Amtrak's on-time performance for the first half of the fiscal year has increased nearly five percent to 80.5 percent.

For the full Amtrak press release and a table of ridership stats see: http://www.amtrak.com:80/amtrak/news/press/atk98062.html

SENATE UNANIMOUSLY BACKS FULL FUNDING FOR AMTRAK IN ITS BUDGET RESOLUTION--April 7, 1998. On April 2, the Senate reaffirmed unanimously its commitment to Amtrak, America's intercity passenger railroad. As part of its consideration of the Fiscal Year 1999 Budget Resolution, the Senate passed a Sense of the Senate resolution that stated Congress and the Administration should provide Amtrak with sufficient capital investment funds in accordance with the Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act of 1997. The Act reauthorized Amtrak operations through 2002 and called for $1.023 billion in federal support for FY99.

A bipartisan group of 18 Senators sponsored the amendment led by Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS), William Roth (R-DE), and Joseph Biden (D-DE). It is now part of the Senate's version of the Budget Resolution.

The Budget Resolution is Congress' blueprint for spending in FY99. Because it is non-binding, however, the final amount of spending for the next fiscal year will be decided ultimately by the appropriations committees in Congress.

In addition to the Senators named above, the other co-sponsors were: Jim Jeffords (R-VT), Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-NY), Robert Torricelli (D-NJ), Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), Carol Mosely-Braun (D-IL), John Kerry (D-MA), John Chafee (R-RI), Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Max Baucus (D-MT), Christopher Dodd (D-CT), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX).

I urge you to contact those Senators who represent you and thank them for their support of Amtrak. For Senate e-mail addresses go to: http://www.senate.gov/senator/membmail.html

STB RULING ON BOSTON TO PORTLAND, MAINE ROUTE DUE IN MAY--March 26, 1998. The Surface Transportation Board (STB) will rule in May on the dispute between Amtrak and Guilford Transportation Industries (GTI) regarding the 111 mile extension of track between Boston and Portland, Maine. The eight year dispute between the two railroads involves liability issues.

Maine plans to begin ordering the railroad ties needed to make 78 miles of freight train tracks suitable for passenger trains. Maine has $38 million in federal grants that it plans to use to improve Guilford's tracks so that Amtrak can run four round trips daily between Boston and Portland. The article pointed out that the decision by the STB also could scuttle the project, if the terms of the deal prove too costly for Amtrak and the state.

AMTRAK REFORM COUNCIL APPOINTEES NAMED--UPDATED - March 24, 1998. Nine of the eleven members of the newly formed Amtrak Reform Council have been appointed. The latest appointees are Republican Governor Christine Todd Whitman of New Jersey, Bruce Chapman of Washington (President of the Discovery Institute, a conservative Seattle-based think tank), and Christopher Gleason of Pennsylvania (a member of Bud Shuster's Blue Ribbon Panel that recommended breaking up Amtrak). All were named by House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Previously, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS) appointed Paul Weyrich, a former Amtrak board member (1987-1993), Gil Carmichael, former Federal Railroad Administrator (1898-93), and Joseph Vranich. Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) named former Senate staffer Don Sweitzer, a former staffer for Senator Metzenbaum and an ally of rail labor. House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (D-IN) named S. Lee Kling, a banker, former Missouri DOT commissioner and former Amtrak board member (1979-1981).

The most controversial of these appointments has been that of Joseph Vranich, author of the book "Derailed: What Went Wrong and What to Do About America's Passenger Trains." Vranich was nominated by Senator John McCain (R-Arizona), one of Amtrak's most outspoken critics. Vranich's book calls for Amtrak's liquidation and it is believed that Vranich may have a preset agenda to destroy Amtrak although, in a press statement this week, he said that he would have an "open mind."

Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater serves ex-officio and President Clinton will name two more nominees.

The Council was created by the Amtrak reauthorization bill approved by Congress this past fall. The Council is empowered to evaluate Amtrak's financial picture and possibly recommend liquidation if it sees fit.

SHELBY TO HOLD AMTRAK PRIVATIZATION HEARINGS--March 20, 1998. Friends of Amtrak has learned that Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) will be holding a hearing next week on alternatives to Amtrak. One member of the panel is Robert Poole, founder and president of the Reason Foundation, a group devoted to the privatization of public transportation. Poole advised the White House Office of Policy Development on privatization during the Reagan years, and testified before the President's Commission on Privatization in 1987. During the Bush administration, he worked with the Vice-President's Competitiveness Council and the White House Counsel to help develop an executive order on infrastructure privatization. The Reason Foundation has provided much exposure to Vranich's book which calls for the liquidation of Amtrak.

SENATE PASSES ISTEA RENEWAL - AMTRAK FLEXIBILITY INCLUDED!-- March 16, 1998. The U. S. Senate has passed a bill (S. 1173) extending the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) for another six years. The bill authorizes $214 billion and, for the first time, gives states the flexibility to divert highway funds for Amtrak intercity passenger rail service, while increasing highway funding by 40%. The House is expected to take up its own version of the bill by the end of March.

Please call your legislator in the House of Representatives and urge him/her to support the Senate language giving states the flexibility to use ISTEA funds for Amtrak.

To find the e-mail address for your representative go to:
http://www.house.gov/writerep/

You can also check an unofficial listing at:
http://www.nyx.net/~anon3210//house.html

ISTEA UPDATE--May 22, 1998. The ISTEA conference concluded and the final version was not good news for Amtrak. State flexibility to spend some federal transportation funds on intercity passenger rail capital items was eliminated from the Senate version. This means the loss of what could have been a key tool in passenger train expansion in the next few years. Spearheading the opposition to Amtrak was Congressman Bud Shuster (R-PA), the powerful chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

URGENT MESSAGE

The full Senate is expected to vote on a Budget Resolution Monday. The Amtrak numbers are $594 million a year through 2002, which is good. What may be a problem as early as Monday (or more likely Tuesday) is an amendment by Phil Gramm (R-TX) to increase highway spending at the expense of Amtrak and other discretionary (non-trust fund) programs. The amendment is still being written, but it would eliminate or greatly cut Amtrak funding. Gramm is looking for a Democratic co-sponsor -- if he finds one, the chances of passing his amendment are good.

Please ask your senators to work against -- and vote against -- any Gramm amendment that increases highway spending at Amtrak's expense. You can find information on how to e-mail them at http://www.senate.gov/senator/membmail.html.

AMTRAK CONTINUES TO PURSUE ENERGY PLAN, SEEK SAVINGS FOR NORTHEAST RAIL RIDERS--April 22, 1998 Amtrak today reiterated that it will continue pursuing access to low cost electricity and renewed its commitment to share the resulting millions of dollars in savings with train riders throughout the Northeast.

In a decision announced Monday, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) denied Enron Power Marketing, Inc. of Houston, access to the mid-Atlantic electricity transmission system in order to supply low cost power to run Amtrak and commuter trains on the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak signed a contract with Enron in April 1997 to supply electricity at savings of up to 50 percent, but the savings have been hamstrung by the refusal of the Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland Interconnection (PJM) ­ which operates the transmission system for eight utilities -- to allow Enron access to its grid.

For more info see the Amtrak press release at: http://www.amtrak.com:80/amtrak/news/press/atk98064.html

BOSTON TO PORTLAND, ME UPDATE -- April 10, 1998. Amtrak service between Maine and Boston could be restored before the end of the century, with trains possibly running as far north as Brunswick, vows Maine U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe. A report in today's Boston Globe confirms that Maine is optimistically awaiting a determination by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board on what guidelines Amtrak must follow to use the tracks, which are owned by Guilford Transportation Services. The decision by the STB is due next month. Snowe told a city hall press conference in Portland that "the 'Little Engine That Could' is now the train that is coming," adding that she plans to ride the train to Portland, and Freeport, and then on up to Brunswick." Snowe presented a check from the federal government for $11.6 million to Maine Transportation Commissioner John Melrose. Maine is one of six states with no Amtrak service that are eligible for mass transit funding under the Taxpayer Relief Act.

NEW YORK RIDERSHIP SURGE CONTINUES, ON-TIME PERFORMANCE HITS 95% --April 1, 1998. Amtrak's ridership surge in New York state continued for the 15th consecutive month during February as patronage grew nearly eight percent and 95 percent of Empire Service trains arrived on time. The demand for Empire Service -- one of the fastest growing Amtrak corridors in the nation -- will result in more trains being added to the schedule starting April 5.

In addition, Amtrak expects by mid-April to complete the replacement of its entire fleet of diesel locomotives used in Empire Service with 18 new state-of-the-art locomotives. Worth more than $75 million, the 3,200- horsepower "Genesis II" locomotives are specifically designed for Empire Service because of their ability to switch from diesel to electric power when operating within New York City.

For the full Amtrak press release go to http://www.amtrak.com:80/amtrak/news/press/atk98048.html

British Privatization of Rail--A Costly Failing Experiment--March 24, 1998. The monthly newsletter of the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) has some excerpts from published reports indicating that the British experiment to privatize rail has been a costly failure. NARP quotes the BBC News Bulletin reporting rising fares, increased compensation costs to disgruntled passengers, increased costs, and declining reliablility and punctuality. "For the privatised railway, the honeymoon is very close to being over" said John Welsby, Chairman of the British Railways Board. Welsby said that "privatisation has not resulted in a drop in government cash being injected into the industry..."

NORTH CAROLINA RIDERSHIP UP--March 24, 1998. The state-supported rail passenger services operated by Amtrak in North Carolina have much-improved on-time performance and ridership through February. These trains, the Raleigh- Charlotte, N.C., Piedmont and the New York-Charlotte Carolinian, continue to have some of the highest customer satisfaction scores in the Amtrak system.

From Oct. 1997 through Feb. 1998, the on-time performance for the Piedmont was up 48.6 percent over the same period last year. The on-time performance for the Carolinian was up 22 percent over this same period last year.

The Piedmont uses rail passenger equipment owned by the State of North Carolina and both the Piedmont and the Carolinian are operated by Amtrak under a contract with the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT).

AMTRAK RIDERSHIP GROWING IN ILLINOIS--March 24, 1998. Amtrak ridership is growing at a rapid pace on trains serving Chicago and downstate Illinois. On-time performance on these routes has also significantly improved. Year-to-date ridership increases range from 12 to 18 percent and February on-time performance for the three routes was 95.9 percent, with only eight late trains out of 193 operated under a contract between Amtrak and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT).

Amtrak and IDOT are in the first year of a fixed-fee, three-year agreement that sets the state's financial contribution and provides further incentive for Amtrak to improve the financial performance of the service. The contract also features on-time performance incentives and penalties.

Amtrak recently announced a plan to spend $2.4 million to improve the rail passenger cars used in the Illinois service, including upgrading the interior decor, replacing seating and floor surfaces, modifications to car entrances and exterior improvements to rail passenger equipment. This investment is being made to further improve customer satisfaction and the overall financial performance of the service.

NEW PENN STATION GETS GREEN LIGHT--March 7, 1998. An agreement to convert the landmark Farley General Post Office Building in New York City to a new Penn Station was announced this week. Work on the renovations could start this summer. In the next few months the Postal Service will begin vacating about half the ground floor of this historic 84 year old structure to make way for a new concourse leading to Amtrak platforms directly below. Within five years more of the space is expected to be vacated for restaurants, shops and other small facilities serving Amtrak passengers.

The old historic Pennsylvania station was leveled 35 years ago and the new complex which includes Madison Square Garden is highly congested. The current Penn Station, Amtrak's busiest, is now shared by the Long Island RR and New Jersey Transit.

The agreement was announced by the White House which facilitated the departure by the U.S. Postal Service. The Clinton White House released the following statement: "Last October, at the request of Senator Moynihan, the White House began meetings with the Department of Transportation, the U.S. Postal Service, the General Services Administration, Amtrak, the Pennsylvania Station Redevelopment Corporation, and local officials to find a way to designate the James Farley Post Office Building in New York City as the new home for Penn Station. Today, I am happy to announce that an accord has been reached on Penn Station and plans to restore the James Farley Post Office Building are now underway. I applaud Senator Moynihan's leadership and those involved in creating this magnificent opportunity."

AMTRAK APPROVES IMPROVEMENTS TO RAIL PASSENGER FLEET --March 2, 1998. Amtrak has approved $26.6 million to improve the passenger cars used in both long and short-distance service. Under the plan, the bi-level Superliner cars used on long-distance services and the single-level Horizon cars used on short and medium distance services will be overhauled more frequently. An extensive upgrade program will be carried out in order to provide a customer service level more comparable to newer cars, including new seats, other fabrics and interior decor.

Also, 31 passenger cars will be restored to service and overhauled over the next 13 months in order to provide additional capacity on existing and future trains. Most of the work will be done by Amtrak craftspeople at the Beech Grove (Ind.) Heavy Maintenance Facility near Indianapolis.

For the full Amtrak press release go to:
http://www.amtrak.com:80/amtrak/news/press/atk98024.html

ST. LOUIS - KANSAS CITY AMTRAK SERVICE THREATENED--March 2, 1998. Amtrak service in Missouri from St. Louis-Kansas City is being threatened by possible state budget cuts. Recently the Missouri House Appropriations Committee voted to cut the Governor's budget request for this service. The MISSOURI-KANSAS Rail Passenger Coalition (MOKSRail) has issued a statement explaining the situation. You may read the full text of the statement at:

http://www.ipt.com/htmlpub/aboard/moksrail.htm.

Any passenger rail advocates who use the Missouri service are urged to read the statement and contact the Missouri legislature. More specific info can be found on the MOKSRail website.

ISTEA DEBATE BEGINS IN SENATE--March 1, 1998. The Senate has begun debate on S. 1173, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act. It is important that states be given the "flexibility" to spend federal ISTEA funds on intercity passenger rail. Please write to your Senators and urge them to include language giving states this flexibility.

To find the e-mail address of your U.S. Senator CLICK HERE

It is expected that several anti-environmental amendments will be offered to the ISTEA bill.

BOSTON TO PORTLAND STALLED AT STB--February 25, 1998. The matter of the Boston to Portland, ME Amtrak route is still on the back burner. Amtrak and Guilford Transportation, which owns the track, have been in a dispute around the issue of liability for some time. The dispute has been submitted to the Surface Transportation Board and while a decision was expected last fall none has been made. Seems as if the STB hasn't been able to get its act together on this one.

AMTRAK CANCELS SOME CALIFORNIA SERVICE DUE TO HEAVY RAINS-- February 25, 1998. Amtrak has canceled all San Diegan rail service north of Los Angeles through at least March 2 due to heavy rains and severe weather resulting in damage to a railroad bridge near the Ventura, Calif. station. Trains will continue to operate between San Diego and Los Angeles. Amtrak has canceled its Los Angeles-Seattle Coast Starlight through at least Tuesday. Service is scheduled to resume on Wednesday, Feb. 25, with alternate train and motorcoach connections between Los Angeles and Oakland. All other Amtrak serving California, Oregon and Washington are presently operating although passengers may experience delays ranging from 10 to 60 minutes due to weather-related speed restrictions.
For the full Amtrak press release go to: http://www.amtrak.com:80/amtrak/news/press/adv980224.html

AMTRAK AUTO TRAIN TERMINAL IN LORTON, VA., TO BE EXPANDED, IMPROVED--February 25, 1998. Amtrak has approved $8 million to complete a $19.5 million plan to reconstruct the Lorton, Va., terminal used by the Amtrak Auto Train, the overnight service that carries passengers and their vehicles to and from the Washington, D.C., and Orlando, Fla., areas.

The current Lorton facilities are too small as currently configured to efficiently accommodate the number of passengers and automobiles that travel on the Auto Train. In the previous fiscal year (Oct. 1996-Sept. 1997), more than 240,000 passengers used the Auto Train, plus more than 117,000 of their cars, vans and motorcycles, frequently resulting in the world¹s longest passenger train at more than 50 cars.

When the two-year project is complete, the automobile loading and unloading process will be streamlined -- achieving a vehicle unloading time of one hour or less. Currently, it can take up to two hours to unload vehicles from the train. The plan also includes the construction of a platform extension that allows the passenger section of the train to remain intact for boarding, rather than the current operation that requires that the train be separated into two sections and loaded separately. Rail operations will be greatly improved by reducing the time required to assemble the train and allowing more reliable and on- time departures.

For the full Amtrak press release go to:
http://www.amtrak.com:80/amtrak/news/press/atk98023.html

AMTRAK OKAYS SPENDING ON ROUTE THROUGH MICHIGAN AND INDIANA--February 25, 1998. Amtrak has approved more than $3 million to improve the reliability of passenger train service and facilitate higher speed operations on the Amtrak-owned route through northern Indiana and western Michigan. Amtrak service between Chicago and Detroit/Pontiac and between Chicago and Toronto operates over the Porter, Ind.,-Kalamazoo, Mich., route.
For the full Amtrak press release go to: http://www.amtrak.com:80/amtrak/news/press/atk9822.html

AMTRAK COMMITS $9 MILLION IN CAPITAL RESOURCES TO BENEFIT LOS ANGELES TO LAS VEGAS RAIL CORRIDOR--February 20, 1998. LAS VEGAS -- As part of Amtrak¹s Fiscal Year 1998 (FY98) $360 million capital spending plan, $9 million will be invested in railroad track improvements and facility construction to prepare for the initiation of new daily Los Angeles-Las Vegas train service which could occur as early as December 1998.

"This is a critical step in reintroducing passenger train service between Southern California and Las Vegas," said Amtrak West President Gil Mallery. "I hope the $9 million investment sends a strong message about Amtrak¹s commitment to the restoration of rail service in this market," said Mallery. "With the support of gaming properties, and officials from Las Vegas and Nevada, Amtrak is ready to move this project forward."

Mallery commended the support of Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) and his staff over the past year to help Amtrak receive adequate capital funding at the Federal level and generate local interest in the train service.

AMTRAK INVESTS $100 MILLION IN NEW CALIFORNIA RAIL EQUIPMENT New Trains to Serve Southern California and Central Coast in 2000--February 20, 1998. LOS ANGELES -- Amtrak has announced a $100 million investment to purchase new passenger trains for the San Diegan corridor, Amtrak's second busiest, serving more than 1.6 million passengers annually, as part of a larger program to modernize the Amtrak system and improve operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. This acquisition represents the single largest investment Amtrak has ever made in California.

A contract to manufacture eight new five-car train sets was awarded to GEC Alsthom Transportation Inc. (GATI). The new trains will begin servicing the San Diegans in early 2000, replacing multiple types of single-level Amtrak equipment as much as 30 years old. The new dual- level train sets will include one Custom Class Car, one Coach/Cafe Car, two Coach Cars, and one Coach/Baggage/Cab Car for a combined total of 425 seats.

The equipment acquisition is made possible by the enactment of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 which provides Amtrak $2.2 billion in capital investment funds.

AMTRAK RIDERSHIP ON A ROLL IN VIRGINIA--February 20, 1998. PHILADELPHIA -- Spurred by aggressive marketing and high-quality service, Amtrak ridership in Virginia has soared over the last year. Ridership increased by 11% in the first quarter of Amtrak¹s fiscal year (October to January). Customers took 123,362 trips in the winter of 1997, compared to 111,110 trips the year before. And buoyed by expanded premium services such as sleeper cars and Custom Class, revenue increases far outpaced ridership gains. Amtrak posted a 23% increase in ticket revenues in Virginia markets.

Amtrak Announces High-Yield Capital Investment Program; Rail Service Throughout the Country to Benefit--February 12, 1998 Today, Amtrak announced the first installment, totaling $360 million, of a capital investment program that will address the railroad's critical capital backlog, provide for much needed annual capital needs, and build Amtrak's long-term operating strength.

The investment program is made possible by enactment of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 which provides Amtrak with $2.2 billion in capital investment funds. The investment of these resources is predicated on strategic investment in high rate of return projects that will yield long-term operating improvements and reduce the railroad's reliance on federal operating support. The $360 million represents only the first 16 percent of the total Taxpayer Relief Act fund and is made up of projects that must be initiated swiftly for Amtrak to begin to see improvements to its bottom line.

Amtrak has estimated that its overall federal capital needs total more than $4 billion over the next five years. "The $2.2 billion provided last year is a significant first step, but the railroad's future is dependent on receiving the remainder of the funds each year through the annual appropriations process," said Amtrak's Acting President and Chief Executive Officer, George D. Warrington. "Amtrak is pleased that the President's budget, submitted to Congress on February 2, recommends a steady capital funding stream beyond the next two years."

NARP PRESS RELEASE - CLINTON BUDGET - BROKEN COMMITMENTS--February 5, 1998. President Clinton's budget would fund new Amtrak capital investment ($621 million) out of the Highway Trust Fund, and would eliminate Amtrak operating grants. Congress repeatedly has rejected the first of these ideas; there is no indication this year will be any different. Adoption of the second idea would force Amtrak to divert much of its $2 billion Taxpayer Relief Act (TRA) capital funding away from high-rate-of-return investments that would reduce Amtrak's reliance on operating grants.

With these proposals, and a roughly 40% reduction in Amtrak outlays (cash actually spent in a year), President Clinton breaks his previously stated commitment "to providing the American people with high - quality, reliable rail service. I remain committed to Amtrak and to improving intercity rail service" (letter to NARP, January 15, 1997). He also breaks faith with the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes agreement recently brokered by Secretary of Transportation Rodney Slater. If this budget stands, Amtrak under that agreement could void wage increases not yet paid, and face new strike threats.

For the full press release go to: http://www.worldweb.net/~narp/rel.html

CLINTON BUDGET--AMTRAK CAPITAL FUNDING SHOULD PAY FOR MAINTENANCE-- FEBRUARY 2, 1998. The Clinton administration has released its FY 99 budget proposal and so far it is not good news for Amtrak. It asks Amtrak to use some of the money earmarked for capital improvements for maintenance. This would reduce the funding available to purchase new rolling stock and other equipment that was released in November following approval of the reauthorization bill. The budget further calls upon states, cities and private interests to supplement federal funding of Amtrak saying that this is not the responsibility of the federal government alone.

AMTRAK CITY OF NEW ORLEANS ADOPTS MARDI GRAS PARTY THEME IN FEBRUARY NEW ORLEANS, January 31, 1998 -- The Amtrak City of New Orleans will be transformed into a series of Mardi Gras party trains, from Feb. 18-24, 1998, operating with expanded capacity and offering a variety of special on-board features.

Among the special amenities will be complete dinners and lunches of Cajun cuisine, including red beans and rice, gumbo and jambalaya. Additional serving areas in the lounge car will be opened to improve customer service.

New Orleans¹ special brand of jazz will be offered by brass bands between Greenwood, Miss., and the Crescent City. Dance and music contests will be offered on-board, with Mardi Gras coconuts, caps, shirts, beads and other items as prizes. The trains will be decorated to reflect the festive Mardi Gras spirit.

In Chicago, Memphis and New Orleans, Mardi Gras-bound passengers will be greeted by costumed Amtrak employees who will escort them to and from their accommodations.

The full press release from Amtrak can be found at: http://www.amtrak.com:80/amtrak/news/press/atk98008.html

PACIFIC CLASS SERVICE STARTS ON AMTRAK WEST--January 26, 1998. I'm told that beginning in February, Amtrak West will begin a new service on the San Diegans. It's called "Pacific Club Service". This will replace the existing "Custom Class" service. It will differ from the previous service in that it will be a true "first class" service. Improvements include, a train attendant on every San Diegan in the Pacific Club Car, which will be a new "Concept 2000" coach (Amfleet), placed in the same position in the consist that the current Custom Class car occupies. A new menu will be offered and additional amenities include, pillows and seat-side service, utilizing rolling "trollies", much like the ones used by cabin attendants on the airlines. The Pacific Class Service will be offered by reservation only, however, upgrades will be offered on a space available basis. Plans are underway to create a "first class" lounge area in the end of the dinette car closest to the Pacific Club coach. Also, very soon, two of "The Great Domes" will be added to the San Diegans. The full-length dome cars were originally built for The Empire Builder in the mid-fifties. Plans are to dedicate these cars to the Central Coast San Diegans which run between San Diego and San Luis Obispo.

AMTRAK INTERCITY PROPOSES DINING CAR SERVICES REDUCTIONS-- December 31, 1997. UPDATED January 26, 1998.

In what could be a most disturbing development, Friends of Amtrak has learned that Amtrak's Intercity Business Unit is in the process of conducting a test of possible food service "changes" (read reductions) to partially reduce a $74.2 million shortfall. The goal in FY '98 is to reduce this by $6.2 million. Amtrak Intercity, in a memo to employees, has identified a five point action program plus a review of the current pricing structure which would result in price increases.

The five point action program includes:

1. Reducing inventory in the commissary. 2. Use of different products in the diner to reduce preparation work. 3. Substituting plastic ware for china. 4. Developing more consistent menus among the long distance trains, and 5. Testing non-traditional methods of serving in the dining car.

This five point program is being tested on the California Zephyr. However, the memo states that the fifth point, the non-traditional approach, is now being tested on the Silver Service trains (to Florida) where the food is served in "traditional family style bowls" which are placed on the table and the "customer serves themselves." Reports that I have indicate that most food is pre-prepared and pre-cooked, coming in a tray meal format and that only one item or so will be made on train.

The second action, which Amtrak Intercity hopes will have the greatest impact, would use "value added products" such as pre-cut vegetables, some fruits, individual containers of sour cream and cheese and pre-prepared chicken and salad mix containing red cabbage, carrots, etc...

The third point, substituting plastic for china, will also result in staffing reductions and "adjustments" to the menu for the test period of 45-60 days which began on October 26. Vinyl tablecloths are being used for all meals.

On point #4 - developing more consistent menus, the memo states that "by mid-January 1998, Amtrak intercity trains will have more consistent menus. Each menu will contain the same number of items per meal...for example, five dinners, four lunches, etc. There will be standard core items, steak (we may change from strip to filet), chicken, etc. Each train will have a 'signature' item which is unique to that train..." which will be the decision of the product line.

The October 22, memo from Al Edelston, Vice President of Customer Service for Amtrak Intercity, notes that a survey would be conducted to assess customer satisfaction and that employee input would be sought. This information will be presented to the Amtrak Board of Directors in December or January.

I've already heard that a 2% increase will be implemented effective January 1, 1998.

Customer Communications
Amtrak Intercity
210 South Canal Street
Chicago, IL 60606
Phone: (312) 655-1314

Or you may send e-mail to Amtrak by CLICKING HERE.

Amtrak and VIA Now Selling New North America Rail Pass - Pass Offers 30-Day Unlimited Travel Throughout the U.S. and Canada-- WASHINGTON and MONTREAL, Jan. 26, 1998. Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada's new North America Rail Pass goes on sale Jan. 27, the first pass designed for travel in both the United States and Canada for one low price. The 30-day pass with unlimited stopovers allows travel along 27,000 miles of scenic railways in the U.S. and Canada, with more than 900 destinations from which to choose. Connecting terminals are in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.

"At long last, United States and Canadian residents can buy a pass to see their own continent comparable to the Eurail passes they have enjoyed abroad," said Amtrak president George Warrington.

The introductory off-peak fare for the new North America Rail Pass is $450 USD and $625 CND (Jan. 27-May 31, 1998). Fare during peak season (June 1-Oct. 15) will be $645 USD and $895 CND. Fares apply to all customers ages two and over. No other discounts will apply.

Amtrak Reaps Biggest Ridership Increase in 14 Years During First Quarter FY 1998--January 23, 1998. Amtrak ridership jumped nearly seven percent October through December 1997, the largest quarterly increase in 14 years. The 6.8 percent leap represents 5.3 million passengers for the first quarter of Fiscal Year 1998 (FY 1998), versus 4.96 million during the same period the previous year. Passenger revenue for the quarter increased 3.4 percent, totaling $235 million, versus $227 million for the same period in 1997.

Improved Amtrak ridership and revenue are the result of actions taken under the company's strategic business plan, which include restoring daily service to several routes having the greatest growth potential, operating newer equipment which provides more reliable service, better marketing practices and increased state support for key state-funded routes.

CLINTON MAY PROPOSE ELIMINATION OF AMTRAK OPERATING SUBSIDIES - UTU and NORTHEAST SENATORS FIRE AT CLINTON - WHITE SAYS NOT SO! --January 17, 1998. A report in the New York Times this week says that six U.S. Senators are accusing President Clinton of backtracking on his earlier pledges of support for Amtrak. The six Senators, Republicans and Democrats from the northeast, sent an angry letter to the White House denouncing the President's proposed budget that would reportedly cut off all federal operating subsidies for Amtrak. The six Senators include Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-NY), John Kerry (D-MA), Joseph Biden (D-DE), William Roth (R-DE) and John Chafee (R-RI). In the letter the Senators said that the Clinton proposal, if enacted, would leave Amtrak "woefully short of money and unable to continue operating as planned" and would undermine efforts "to keep Amtrak from going bankrupt." Amtrak spokesman Cliff Black said eliminating operating subsidies would lead to widespread layoffs and cutbacks in service.

However, White House press secretary Mike McCurry told reporters, "Everything that I've been led to believe indicates there will be substantial operating subsidies and substantial capital investments for Amtrak in the budget the president will propose in February."

In a related development, the following is a press statement from UTU (United Transportation Union) National Legislative Director, J. M. Brunkenhoefer:

"Well, President Clinton's advisors have rolled out the "blue smoke and mirrors" again. Some Republicans want to kill Amtrak outright and now some Presidential advisors want to play games with the numbers so that Amtrak will starve to death for lack of operating money. Either way, Amtrak would die. Thousands of our members' jobs would be lost and railroad retirement would be threatened. Why? Because some at the White House want to play theoretical games. They want to play a flim flam shell game that moves the numbers around so that the numbers look good on paper but there is no money.

"Call John Podesta, Deputy Chief of Staff at the White House, (202) 456-1414. If you can't reach him, call Karen Tremontano at the same number. Tell them to keep their commitments to Amtrak. It is time for our members to stop worrying about their jobs. It is time for our retirees to stop worrying about their pensions. It is time to stop worrying the public about the continuation of Amtrak service. I think it is horrible, after what we all went through last year in Congress, to see a few people in the White House try to break the deal. Call the White House. Tell them to keep their word." Let the White House know how you feel

CALL (202) 456-1414

SAVE AMTRAK !

WARRINGTON NAMED AMTRAK PRESIDENT--January 11, 1998. Philadelphia Inquirer is reporting that George D. Warrington, President of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor unit, and acting Amtrak CEO since the resignation by Tom Downs one month ago, has formally assumed the Presidency of Amtrak. According to the story by Inquirer Staff Writer Henry J. Holcomb, Warrington "hopes he won't be in the job for long" and "says he truly doesn't want his boss' job." His ambition is to get back to his job as Amtrak's president of the Northeast Corridor.

NEW TEXAS EAGLE--January 8, 1998-- Due to exceptionally heavy advance bookings which resulted in sold out conditions, Amtrak will be adding an additional sleeping car to the inaugural trip of the TEXAS EAGLE - California Service, leaving Chicago on Friday evening February 6.

It is expected that this car will also sell out quickly. Those desiring to travel on all or part of the Eagle inaugural should make reservations promptly. This additional car should appear in the train inventory (and be available for reservations) within the next 24 hours. Coach space is open also.

Various members of Amtrak's intercity management have expressed interest in participating in this event. Elected officials along the route will also participate, either by riding or at trackside ceremonies. Inaugural festivities for those on board the train will include musicians and other entertainment.

The operation of this train southbound through Arkansas and Texas on Saturday February 7, and the operation of the regular Texas Eagle northbound on Sunday February 8, offers an excellent opportunity for a unique train ride.

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