Flocking to Amtrak

[Lunican]

Flocking to Amtrak
New Orleans Times-Picayune
By Robert Cohen
December 18, 2007

Amtrak ridership jumped to a record 25.8 million passengers in the last fiscal year, fueled by discontent with airline delays, highway congestion and rising gas prices.

Yet the national passenger railroad continues to struggle with a budget that loses a half billion dollars annually, a total debt of $3.4 billion, deteriorating infrastructure and a White House that for the last seven years has wanted to see it dismantled.

"The tide has turned with the public about how the railroad is perceived. People are voting with their wallets for intercity rail transportation," said Thomas Downs, a former Amtrak president and now head of the nonprofit Eno Transportation Foundation.

"The question," he said, "is whether that will finally translate into additional political will and support in Congress for properly funding the railroad."

Since the Democrats took control in January, Congress for the first time in years has shown signs of getting behind the government-subsidized rail system.

On Oct. 30, the Senate took a big pro-Amtrak step by voting 70 to 22 for an $11.4 billion, six-year authorization bill sponsored by Sens. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., and Trent Lott, R-Miss.

The measure establishes a blueprint for predictable operating subsidies and calls for an average of $815 million a year for improving tracks, bridges and tunnels and buying rail cars - about $320 million more per year than is allocated now. It also increases financing for debt relief and offers matching grants to the states for local rail projects.

Moreover, the legislation eliminates a decade-old requirement that Amtrak make enough money to cover operating costs, an unfulfilled goal of fiscal conservatives.

The House is expected to follow the Senate's lead and approve an Amtrak bill early next year. But even with final congressional passage, obstacles will remain.

President Bush has stopped short of threatening a veto, but the White House issued a statement saying the administration will not finance Amtrak at the levels authorized in the Senate legislation, and criticized the bill for failing to include enough financial and governance reforms.

Even after Bush leaves office in 2009, Amtrak's supporters acknowledge they will have to wage yearly battles to secure the financing levels outlined in the legislation because of budgetary constraints and political opposition.

Amtrak has never recorded a profit since it was created by Congress in 1971 to replace money-losing and bankrupt private intercity rail lines that had been operated by freight railroads. Meanwhile, it has received more than $40 billion in federal aid.

Amtrak reported an all-time high for ridership during the 2007 fiscal year that ended Sept. 30 - 25.8 million passengers. That represents an increase of 1.5 million riders from the year before, and marks the fifth straight year of gains.

In addition, ticket revenue in fiscal 2007 reached $1.5 billion, an 11 percent increase over $1.37 billion in fiscal 2006. With contract services included, Amtrak said its total revenue reached $2.2 billion.

Amtrak received $1.29 billion a year from Congress in fiscal 2006 and 2007, and is slated to get $1.34 billion for the current 2008 fiscal year for operations, capital needs and debt service. Amtrak has averaged an operating loss of about $485 million a year for the last several years.

The Senate bill envisions Amtrak appropriations increasing to an average of $1.9 billion a year for six years, with some of the money going to states for improvements to local transit systems.

Alex Kummant, Amtrak's president, said in a recent statement that highway and air congestion combined with volatile fuel prices and environmental concerns are making rail travel "relevant in today's world."

Downs agreed, saying "people are sick to death of flying, paying more than $3 a gallon for gasoline and being stuck in traffic."

One recent Amtrak convert is Bill Shearer, who was heading to the Metropark station in Iselin, N.J., from Washington's Union Station last week after two days of business meetings. Shearer said he has taken Amtrak for the last two years because "it's on time and I don't have to stand around airports forever. . . . It's less hassle than flying or driving, plus I can do work on the train."

Amtrak spokesman Cliff Black called passage of the Senate bill "a positive development" that could allow for "modest growth." He said the capital funding would support rail improvements and better service along the busy Northeast Corridor.

Lautenberg said he believes passing the legislation "will improve Amtrak and make train travel a more attractive option throughout the country."

[Nawdry]

.
... All of which provides a segue for me to put on one of my OTHER hats, my Amtrak hat, and encourage any of you interested in restoring Amtrak's Sunset Limited (Trains 1/2) east of New Orleans to attend the founding meeting of the Sunset promotional and marketing organization that is being formed. This meeting will be held as follows:

Date/Time: Sat. 19 January 2008, 10:00
City: New Orleans, La
Location: New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal (NOUPT)

This meeting will include a number of speakers from Amtrak, NARP, and TEMPO (Texas Eagle Marketing & Performance Organization).  The group will approve (hopefully) goals and leadership;  major goals will probably include:

* Restoring service east of NO...

* Increasing frequency to DAILY service...

* Restoring service to Phoenix...

I have been active with TEMPO for several years and back in the late 1970s played a key role in helping get improvements to Amtrak service in Texas.  The Sunset group is to be modelled after TEMPO as much as possible.

Appended below is an invitation I've sent to some members of TEMPO.

LH

*************

The organization to support Amtrak's Sunset Limited train (#1 and 2), including resumption of service east of New Orleans, will hold its founding meeting in New Orleans on Saturday, 19 January 2008.

Time: 10:00 in the AM until (about) 15:00
Place: New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal

Amtrak management has been extremely helpful in assisting us in obtaining use of the NOUPT facilities for this meeting.

Information on this meeting will be revised/updated as details are developed (e.g., agenda, speakers).  We hope to have speakers representing Amtrak and TEMPO, and political reps from points along or near the route.  Because the operations of the Sunset and Texas Eagle are interlinked, TEMPO members are particularly encouraged to attend this important meeting.

Anyone who is definitely planning to attend should contact:

Barbara Tucker
webarb@earthlink.net

[gatorback]

I'd so put my Rover on the car/train thingy and come to Jacksonville from Austin.  Does Amtrak still run AutoCar--I guess that's what it's called.  I always wanted to do that.  Anybody ever do it?

[RiversideGator]

I believe the Auto Train is still in operation from Lorton, VA to Florida.  I havent tried it though.  I agree that this service should be extended nationwide.  If you can take the train (which costs nearly as much as an airline ticket) and bring your car this would give train travel a competitive advantage over air travel.