I would agree, insofar as high speed intercity rail.  We do need to build up commuter rail, and yet we also need to get started on intercity rail so that the groundwork is laid for high speed rail at a later date.  Also, in the current state of all things rail, improving the rail infrastructure will have the side benefit of improving freight traffic.  The more freight we can move by rail the fewer intercity trucks we need.

Commuter rail and intercity rail is not and should not be an "either-or" proposition.  They both need to develop and advance as complimentary systems. 

 

The fact of the matter, however, in Ohio is that the 3C project is the farthest along in development and has secured funding.  To suggest that it should be delayed  or switched in favor of an effort to do a commuter rail start-up just isn't realistic. We would be xdelaying any kind of passenger rail in this state even longer than it already has been.

 

Such arguments are fine in theory, but the reality is that the Feds recognized the 3C Quick Start as the most viable and funding-ready project in Ohio and also one of the best such projects in the nation.  $400-million from the FRA speaks loudly.

A good place for posting transit funding news, such as what New Jersey Transit is facing, is at:

 

http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,22318.0.html

 

Let's keep this thread focused on Amtrak news, travel stories and discussion.

Sorry, I interpreted "Amtrak & Passenger Rail News" as including all passenger rail news.

 

I'm still kinda confused. Though I do see how the article I posted is (also) relevant to the other thread.

 

In truly Amtrak news:

 

Acela gets Wi-Fi.

 

This week, Amtrak launched Wi-Fi Internet service, called AmtrakConnect, on all 20 of its high-speed Acela Express trains for routes between Washington, D.C., New York and Boston. Wi-Fi service will also be available in ClubAcela lounges and in six stations along the northeast corridor (Washington Union Station, Baltimore Penn Station, Philadelphia 30th Street Station, New York Penn Station, Providence Station and Route 128 Station in Boston). The service will be free for all passengers (Acela Express only offers business and first classes) for an undetermined introductory period.

 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704548604575097830905708718.html

I heard its Pretty good in terms on wifi standards , I will try it out in April when i take Amtrak Northeast Regional form Newark Penn to DC Union Station.

See the Amtrak press release below. Ohio is served exclusively by Amtrak long-distance trains (namely the Lake Shore Limited, Capitol Limited and Cardinal).....

 

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/BlobServer?blobcol=urldata&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobkey=id&blobwhere=1249206715549&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobheadername1=Content-disposition&blobheadervalue1=attachment;filename=Amtrak_ATK-10-024_Amtrak_Long_Distance_Trains_Running_Strong.pdf

 

 

AMTRAK LONG-DISTANCE TRAINS RUNNING STRONG

Increased ridership, higher customer satisfaction,

and improved on-time performance

 

WASHINGTON – The long-distance trains that serve as the backbone of America’s national intercity passenger rail network are attracting more passengers as Amtrak continues to implement its comprehensive and multi-year Route Performance Improvement (RPI) program.

 

“Amtrak long-distance trains are running strong,” said President and CEO Joseph Boardman. “We are making changes, improving our service and passengers are responding favorably,” he said.

 

Boardman noted total ridership on Amtrak’s 15 long-distance trains reached nearly 4.2 million in fiscal year 2009, an increase of 13 percent from fiscal year 2006. During the same period, the on-time performance of long-distance trains improved from 30 percent to 75 percent contributing to higher customer satisfaction scores, increasing from 65 percent to 80 percent.

 

This turnaround in long-distance trains is the result, in part, of the RPI process initiated by Amtrak in 2007 that focused on several routes addressing all elements of train service that impact the passenger experience. Employee-passenger interactions, staffing levels, food service and amenities, equipment cleanliness and reliability, stations, and schedules are part of the in-depth RPI analysis. Changes were made based on the findings.

 

For example, on the Coast Starlight (Los Angeles – Seattle), Amtrak upgraded sleeping cars, enhanced room service, re-trained employees to focus on high-level customer service delivery and just recently re-introduced full china service in the dining car. In addition, on the Lake Shore Limited (Chicago – New York / Boston), Amtrak added sleeping car service to Boston, overhauled the dining cars, introduced a menu with higher quality items, and changed the schedule to depart Chicago earlier in order to arrive earlier in New York.

 

Boardman said Amtrak is now working on a plan to dramatically improve the performance of the Sunset Limited (Los Angeles – New Orleans) and increase it from tri-weekly to daily service. The idea is to extend the daily Texas Eagle (Chicago – San Antonio) to Los Angeles and establish connecting service between New Orleans and San Antonio to provide an attractive daily schedule to additional communities. The change would cut seven hours from the schedule to the west coast, provide daylight service to major cities along the route, increase ridership by more than 100,000 passengers, and improve financial performance. Amtrak has been working with affected communities and is presently in discussions with the host freight railroad seeking its cooperation and support. A final decision is expected later this year.

 

In 2010 Amtrak is expanding the RPI process into Performance Improvement Plans to include evaluation of additional financial and operational issues as well as continuing to measure customer satisfaction. The focus is on the five poorest performing long-distance routes to identify and implement changes where possible. In addition to the Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle, the Cardinal (Chicago – Cincinnati – New York), Capitol Limited (Chicago – Washington, D.C.), and California Zephyr (Chicago – Emeryville, Calif.) are being analyzed.

 

About Amtrak

 

As the nation’s intercity passenger rail operator, Amtrak connects America in safer, greener and healthier ways. Last fiscal year (FY 2009), the railroad carried 27.2 million passengers, making it the second-best year in the company’s history. With 21,000 route miles in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian provinces, Amtrak operates more than 300 trains each day—at speeds up to 150 mph—to more than 500 destinations. Amtrak also is the partner of choice for state-supported corridor services in 15 states and for several commuter rail agencies. Visit Amtrak.com or call 800-USA-RAIL for schedules, fares and more information.

In addition to the Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle, the Cardinal (Chicago Cincinnati New York), Capitol Limited (Chicago Washington, D.C.), and California Zephyr (Chicago Emeryville, Calif.) are being analyzed.

I have a suggestion. How about running during daylight hours? Seriously, the Capital limited is about 16 hours end to end, so if you leave DC around 6am you could get to Chicago around 9pm.

The fact of the matter, however, in Ohio is that the 3C project is the farthest along in development and has secured funding.  To suggest that it should be delayed  or switched in favor of an effort to do a commuter rail start-up just isn't realistic. We would be xdelaying any kind of passenger rail in this state even longer than it already has been.

 

Such arguments are fine in theory, but the reality is that the Feds recognized the 3C Quick Start as the most viable and funding-ready project in Ohio and also one of the best such projects in the nation.  $400-million from the FRA speaks loudly.

 

It seems like the feds simply deferred to Ohio's own inexplicable insistence on 3C-above-all, and gave us $400 million largely for being a swing state and for being a hole in the system.  But I haven't seen anything to indicate that the feds preferred 3C over any other Ohio project, including local or commuter rail.  There's a LaHood quote over in the 3C thread which seems to confirm a degree of federal ambivalence.  Obviously ARRA is not premised on a local or commuter rail expansion, but it's not like we're getting "high speed" out of the deal either.  This whole thing is starting to look grossly mismanaged and poorly planned, at all levels.  Why?

 

1)  It seems entirely unclear who's in charge.  The feds mandate what the states mandate what the feds mandate.  What, in the end, is truly mandatory?  What has been mandatory at any point and why?  What options have been dismissed, and why?  This is a fustercluck of responsibility and it needs to be cleared up pronto.

 

2)  Coordination between cities and states is virtually non-existent.  If Indiana can apply for CLE-CHI funding, and Ohio can refuse to apply for anything regarding its portion of that line, and Ohio can still claim Chicago's unreachable and blame Indiana... something is drastically wrong with the system.  Indiana may not have done EPA studies on its portion, but as far as I can tell neither did Ohio, because Ohio was hell bent on 3C.  It seems like the blame for failing to effectuate the Chicago Hub, vis a vis Ohio, is largely Ohio's.  Not the feds, not Indiana.  Neither one of them forced Ohio to ignore CLE-CHI.  Nobody forced Ohio to focus on 3C.  But because there's apparently no coordination at any level, it seems impossible to know any of this for sure.  And that in itself is a serious problem.

I have a suggestion. How about running during daylight hours? Seriously, the Capital limited is about 16 hours end to end, so if you leave DC around 6am you could get to Chicago around 9pm.

 

Good suggestion for Ohio. Bad suggestion for those connecting to other trains at Amtrak's hub in Chicago.

Ohio chose to apply for 3-C funding because that's the line the Ohio Rail Development Commission has been focused on. It has been focused on that corridor because the state legislation approved in Voinovich's administration required the commission to develop a 3-C passenger rail line as its passenger priority. The feds chose to fund that line because it is the most densely populated corridor in the country without a rail line.

[ ... ]

 

2)  ...  Indiana may not have done EPA studies on its portion, but as far as I can tell neither did Ohio, because Ohio was hell bent on 3C ...

 

That's the only part of your statement that came close enough to coherence to merit a response.

 

The infrastructure - roadbed, rails, etc. - for the 3C project is largely in place and much closer to being ready for passenger trains than the infrastructure for the Cleveland-Toledo-Fort Wayne-Chicago project, and although $400 million may sound like a lot of money to those unfamiliar with the realities of the costs of railroading, it's pretty small considering the distance involved.

 

On the other hand, the infrastructure for the Cleveland-Chicago route is a long way from being anything a passenger train could use, even on a ferry move without passengers. West of Fort Wayne the second track and the signaling system have been removed; most of the line is fit only for local freight trains traveling at restricted speeds. East of Fort Wayne into Ohio, the portion of the proposed route that I've seen is about as near to abandoned as it could be without actually being so. I've driven along part of it, and in places rails barely show above the weeds, with ties completely buried. So much of the Cleveland-Toledo-Fort Wayne-Chicago right-of-way has been neglected for so long that rails and ties will need to be torn up, ballast removed, the grade rebuilt with proper drainage, and reballasted, and then new ties and rails and a complete signaling system installed. That clearly will require a more rigorous environmental assessment than will the upgrades to run passenger service on the 3C corridor.

 

The money should be spent where it will make the biggest difference in the shortest time frame, and that's clearly the 3C corridor. As much as we'd love to have Chicago trains back in Fort Wayne, before they can become a reality, both Ohio and Indiana are going to have to commit a bundle of money to the prerequisites, and although Governor Daniels has given lip service to the idea, his real passion is roads-and-bridges and he continues to push taxpayer dollars into the I-69 southern extension, a boondoggle that is ill-conceived in so many ways it could be the subject of a book that most people wouldn't care enough to read.

 

 

 

The money should be spent where it will make the biggest difference in the shortest time frame, and that's clearly the 3C corridor.

 

This is not only debatable but currently under debate.  And rightly so. 

 

My other less coherent points, ironically enough, raise issues of coherency as to how we reached this point, finding our hands so thoroughly tied... and how we might improve upon the process for future endeavors.  That's at least worth looking into, isn't it? 

 

And I might read your I-69 book... sounds plenty interesting to me.

There is no debating where the 3C ARRA funding will go.  It is project specific (like all federal grants) and cannot be spent on any other project.  But a successful 3C start-up will help Ohio build a stronger case for other corridors, as well as quiet the critics.

Few things in government are ever so black and white... ever, hence my discomfort with the notion... but I'm taking it as a given for discussion purposes.  3C is carved upon stone.  Fine.

 

What's debatable is whether, in hindsight, 3C really will give us the biggest difference in the shortest timeframe.  If we used bad metrics or bad polling to reach the 3C conclusion... or if it's simply been obsolete for years... we have no time to waste in updating our approach, so as to not find ourselves so irrevocably trapped once again.  We break huddle, we called a run, and there's 9 guys in the box.

What other corridor in Ohio even comes close to serving the three largest cities? What other corridor has the right-of-way and much of the track in place? What other corridor has been a focus of rejuvenation for almost 40 years?

Why is it a priority to serve only these cities and not others?  Ohio is not an island, and it seems like Ohioans might get more use out of a rail line that involves at least one transit-heavy destination.  Ohio doesn't have any.  By limiting ourselves to Ohio cities, we ensure that not one single station will offer competitive local transit service.

 

And what does the past 40 years have to do with what's best for our present and future?  Have we really thought about why this line doesn't already exist, if it's such an overwhelming no-brainer, and similar service is so "successful" elsewhre?  Maybe it's because the conditions for that success don't exist in Ohio... not in sufficient quantities, not quite yet.

You forget that the ORDC got approval from the ODOT Transportation Review Advisory Council (TRAC) to begin the environmental review of 4 more rail corridors in Ohio for future service.  Completing that initial review positions all four corridors as eligible for further federal funding from the next Transportation Bill.

 

What do the past 40 years have to do with our present & future?  In order to know where you're going, it helps to remember and learn from where you've been.

 

The only condition that fails to make rail viable in Ohio right now is a political culture stuck in the 20th century model of highways-only. We have to start somewhere, and it only makes sense to start in the corridor with the greatest (by far) number of potential customers and the most cost-efficient corridor to develop. It's that simple.

Few things in government are ever so black and white... ever, hence my discomfort with the notion... but I'm taking it as a given for discussion purposes. 3C is carved upon stone. Fine.

 

What's debatable is whether, in hindsight, 3C really will give us the biggest difference in the shortest timeframe. If we used bad metrics or bad polling to reach the 3C conclusion... or if it's simply been obsolete for years... we have no time to waste in updating our approach, so as to not find ourselves so irrevocably trapped once again. We break huddle, we called a run, and there's 9 guys in the box.

 

The Ohio Hub study has been updated since 2001, you can see the progression here:

^It's been studied/advocated for a long time. During one of my early Cleveland visits in late 1978 or early 1979, a newscast reported on a test run by the state Public Utilities Commission, I think, using Amtrak equipment to investigate the feasibility of 3C service.

3C actually made more sense in 1978.  How much development was outside the outerbelts, and in the collar counties, back in 1978?  And those maps on the previous page don't really demonstrate an entire plan being updated.  The plan has been the same all along... we do 3C first, without question, no matter what changes occur in Ohio or in the national economy that might suggest a new priority on out-of-state connections.  A plan is not just a map, it's a set of decisions about what to do when and why.  Notably, I see Youngstown, Toledo, Pittsburgh, Chicago, and a host of other lines and connections on all those maps.  They don't attempt to answer the question of priority... but somebody did, and I'm still trying to ascertain how they did that.

3-C is such a no-brainer, I don't know what else to tell you. Maybe I'll start by asking what other corridor should be considered for Ohio and federal investment that would come close to serving so many people and that would be feasible in terms of start-up costs.

Don't. He'll repeat things he's said five times already even though he's been given facts six times why they aren't practical. I admire 327's tenacity and can-do approach, but not his ability to listen to those who have been there before and to concede points to them.

3C actually made more sense in 1978.  How much development was outside the outerbelts, and in the collar counties, back in 1978?  And those maps on the previous page don't really demonstrate an entire plan being updated.  The plan has been the same all along... we do 3C first, without question, no matter what changes occur in Ohio or in the national economy that might suggest a new priority on out-of-state connections.  A plan is not just a map, it's a set of decisions about what to do when and why.  Notably, I see Youngstown, Toledo, Pittsburgh, Chicago, and a host of other lines and connections on all those maps.  They don't attempt to answer the question of priority... but somebody did, and I'm still trying to ascertain how they did that.

 

I have a family member who, no matter what simple statement of fact I make, has to jump in and invalidate it in any way he can contrive. I'm not the only one he does it to, though; he does it with everyone. As far back as I can remember, he's been driven by a compulsion to prove he's smarter, more perceptive, more objective, more analytical than anyone else about anything, any time, anywhere. I'd probably get pissed at him if I didn't feel sorry for him.

I have a suggestion. How about running during daylight hours? Seriously, the Capital limited is about 16 hours end to end, so if you leave DC around 6am you could get to Chicago around 9pm.

 

Actually, I take that route quite often and the timing makes sense from one perspective, namely, that most of the trip is during non-business hours.

 

The solution to the problem that you mention would be shorter runs that depart and arrive at different times, say, Cleveland to Chicago, Cleveland to Pittsburgh, Cleveland to DC, rather than to change the Capital Limited. As an example, look at the Silver (Atlantic Coast) Service where you have multiple trains but some, like the Piedmont and the Carolinian, only run on part of the course. These will likely come about naturally once improvements have been made to these corridors. Ideally, there would be dedicated track for passenger rail which would allow for more flexible scheduling.

 

The problem, of course, is the old B&O route through the Allegheny Mountains which really limits how fast the DC to Pittsburgh segment can be. It is a beautiful trip, though.

 

 

Ohio Rail Development Commission •  News Release

1980 West Broad Street • Columbus, Ohio 43223

http://www.dot.state.oh.us/ohiorail

 

Two Ohio Amtrak Routes to Get Performance Evaluation

Ohio’s existing train stations show 10 percent increase in ridership

 

COLUMBUS (Wednesday, March 10, 2010) - With more than 128,000 riders getting on Amtrak trains in Ohio last year - up 10 percent from the year before - the nation’s largest passenger rail operator is looking for ways to improve customer service on two of its three long-distance routes through Ohio.

 

The efforts are part of Amtrak’s multi-year Route Performance Improvement program. Amtrak shared an update on the program with the Ohio Rail Development Commission and the Ohio Department of Transportation earlier this week.

 

“Amtrak long-distance trains are running strong,” said President and CEO Joseph Boardman. “We are making changes, improving our service, and passengers are responding favorably,” he said, noting that total ridership on Amtrak’s 15 long-distance trains reached nearly 4.2 million in fiscal year 2009.

 

Upcoming performance reviews of five national system routes will include the “Cardinal” - a tri-weekly train between Chicago, Washington DC and New York City that serves Cincinnati - and the “Capitol Limited” - a daily train between Chicago and Washington DC with stops in Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria, Cleveland and Alliance.

 

Amtrak reported 128,174 total riders at Ohio train stations in 2009, a 10 percent increase from ridership rates in 2008. The busiest Ohio stations in 2009 were in Toledo with 54,488 riders and Cleveland with 39,371 riders.

 

These upcoming reviews will focus on all elements of train service that impact the passenger experience: employee-passenger interactions, staffing levels, food service and amenities, equipment cleanliness and reliability, stations, and schedules.

 

“We are very pleased that Amtrak is undertaking this review and support it as it is consistent with our statewide passenger rail strategy to work together toward better service on the existing long distance train routes through Ohio”, says Ohio Rail Development Commission Executive Director Matt Dietrich. 

 

Dietrich pointed out that service improvements at both Cincinnati and Cleveland will be even more important as Ohio gets passenger trains rolling again between Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati with the 3C “Quick Start” project.

 

In January, Ohio received $400 million in federal stimulus funds to connect cities along the 250-mile 3C corridor with passenger trains running up to 79 miles per hour. Independent ridership estimates show that more than 478,000 riders would use the 3C “Quick Start” in the first year of operation.

 

###

 

For more information contact:

Stu Nicholson, ORDC Communications, at 614-644-0513

or Mark Magliari, Amtrak Media Relations Manager, at 312 880.5390

 

 

While use of Amtrak trains to/from Ohio stations grew 10 percent, driving in Ohio declined 1.57 percent, or 1.7 billion vehicle-miles, in federal fiscal year 2009 (Oct. 1-Sept.30 -- same as Amtrak's accounting period). This was during the worst of the nationwide recession and in spite Ohio's middle-of-the-night train service. I think this strongly suggests Ohioans will ride expanded, daytime train service in even greater numbers. The first priority for travelers is low cost which modern passenger trains, especially on the 3C Corridor, offer to Ohioans. 3C fares (Amtrak Midwest: 8-14 cents/mile) will be one-fifth the cost of driving (AAA and IRS: 54 cents/mile).....

 

For Ohio 2009 driving data, see the FHWA data summarized here:

http://members.cox.net/ohiohsr/Ohio%20driving%202009.pdf

News Comment of the Day: Amtrak trip a balance between convenience and comfort

By cleveland.com

March 12, 2010, 11:19AM

Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer

 

Many who have taken a train ride out of Cleveland over the years have complained about the odd hours for arrival and departure of trains.  Amtrak is now asking for those riders to share their thoughts and comments as they review routes that pass through Cleveland.

 

Check out the Cleveland.com news comment of the day at:

 

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/03/news_comment_of_the_day_amtrak.html

The busiest Ohio stations in 2009 were in Toledo with 54,488 riders and Cleveland with 39,371 riders.

 

Go Toledo!!!

Go Toledo? Apparently they're already going.

Amtrak: Ridership, market share grow; equipment ages   

 

At a meeting Thursday in Washington, D.C., Amtrak officials said ridership for the first fiscal quarter of 2010 (Oct.-Dec. 2009) was up over the comparable period in FY09, when ridership declined due to recession. But the first quarter also trumped its first-quarter FY08 counterpart; Amtrak notched record ridership in the 12 months of FY08.

 

“Ridership and revenue are ahead of plan,” said Amtrak VicePressident of Government Affairs and Corporate Communications Joe McHugh, addressing members of the Railway Supply Institute assembled to exchange ideason Amtrak’s supply needs.

 

Full story at: http://www.railwayage.com/breaking-news/amtrak-ridership-market-share-grows-equipment-ages.html

Amtrak, Kansas DOT analyze ways to restore passenger-rail service in six cities

 

On Friday, Amtrak and the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) released a study that identifies four alternatives for state-sponsored passenger-rail service between Kansas City, Kan., Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, Texas.

.

The start-up costs range from $156 million to $479 million. Each alternative, which is based on input from BNSF Railway Co., would restore passenger-rail service to six cities in Kansas and Oklahoma that lost Amtrak service in 1979 as part of federally mandated cuts.

 

The alternatives include:

Full story at: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article.asp?id=22768

Amtrak marks creation of high speed department

March 24, 2010

 

In a letter addressed to company employees, Amtrak President Joe Boardman announced the creation of a High-Speed Rail Department, to be led by a vice president reporting directly to Boardman himself. 

 

“Specifically, this department will work on the planning and development activities that will allow us to significantly increase operating speeds above 150 mph (240 kph) on the Northeast Corridor,” Boardman wrote. “It will also pursue partnerships with states and others in the passenger rail industry to develop federally-designated high-speed rail corridors such as the new projects moving forward in California and Florida.”

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.railwayage.com/breaking-news/amtrak-s-boardman-notes-creation-of-high-speed-department.html

http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article.asp?id=22845

 

Amtrak seeks congressional funding to replace aging rolling stock

 

Testifying before a House appropriations subcommittee yesterday, Amtrak President and Chief Executive Officer Joseph Boardman asked Congress to provide an additional $446 million for the replacement, expansion and modernization of the railroad’s aging fleet of locomotives and passenger-rail cars.

 

Amtrak would use the proceeds to buy new equipment and support the development of a domestic rail manufacturing base to create American jobs, Boardman said, according to a prepared statement. The supplemental funding would be in addition to Amtrak’s previously submitted FY2011 budget of $2.1 billion.

 

Full story at link above:

 

Looks like Amtrak is getting serious about getting and keeping their rolling stock in shape.

 

Amtrak awards contract for Seattle maintenance facility upgrades

 

Earlier this week, Amtrak awarded a $37 million contract to PCL Construction Services Inc. for a two-phased upgrade to the Seattle King Street Coach Yard Maintenance Facility.

 

Scheduled to begin April 1 and be completed by 2012’s end, the project will improve capacity, efficiency and working conditions of the shops, which perform inspections and tests, and maintain locomotives and passenger-rail equipment, according to Amtrak.

 

Full story at: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article.asp?id=22874

Not sure if this is the best place for this. If not, I can always move it someplace else.....

_______

 

http://www.fra.dot.gov/Pages/press-releases/200.shtml

 

Funds Complement President Obama’s $8 Billion Down Payment to Enhance Passenger Rail in America

 

Contact: Mark Paustenbach

Telephone: 202-493-6024

 

Wednesday, March 31, 2010 (Washington, DC)

 

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) this week will begin accepting applications for $115 million in planning and construction project funds for high-speed intercity passenger rail.

 

These solicitations will make available $50 million in planning project funds appropriated under the FY 2010 DOT Appropriations Act, and approximately $65 million in residual construction project funds appropriated under the FY 2009 DOT Appropriations Act.

 

“We are excited to move forward the President's vision on high-speed rail and are working quickly to get funding in the hands of states,” said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood.

 

“We look forward to working with states to lay the groundwork for their high-speed rail programs and also help other states get specific projects off the ground so that jobs can be created in the near-term,” said FRA Administrator Joseph C. Szabo. “These funds supplement the President’s initial down payment on high-speed rail and represent a commitment to developing a world-class transportation network.”

 

Applications and proposals for these funds will be due back to FRA by May 19, with selection announcements made during summer 2010.

 

The Notice of Funds Availability (NOFAs) are available at:

 

FY 2009 FD/Construction

http://www.fra.dot.gov/Pages/476.shtml

 

FY 2010 Planning

http://www.fra.dot.gov/Pages/475.shtml

 

FY 2010 Multi-State Planning Proposals

http://www.fra.dot.gov/Pages/474.shtml

Amtrak would be the nation's 8th largest airline if its trains had wings....

 

http://www.bts.gov/press_releases/2010/bts015_10/html/bts015_10.html#table_03

In the May, 2010 issue of Trains on page 8, long-experienced and insightful Don Phillips' column, High speed rail is only the past disguised as the future, is recommended reading for those too young to remember the American passenger-rail era before the decline and disinvestment that gathered momentum in the 1960s and culminated in the malaise that existed 1971 when Amtrak was born. He writes of speeds in the range of 90 - 100mph behind steam and diesels running on jointed rail as routine, and writes about what is needed in order to achieve those speeds again.

 

On pages 12 and 13, articles provide synopses of the potential effects of High-Speed grants and stimulus funds, especially as their application may affect Amtrak service into and out of Chicago, a notorious choke point in the system that contributes to many delays.

 

Finally on page 14, Fred Frailey, another experienced and acknowledged authority on most things railroad, writes Amtrak's bright and perhaps not-so-bright future - Five predictions for the next five years.

 

Those are all concise, interesting reads, and the issue is rich with Summer tourist-train information, too, including a very good article by Craig Sanders about the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.

 

 

Rail corridors equipped with PTC could allow passenger trains to travel at above the current 79 mph limit -- assuming that track conditions and grade-crossing signal timings would permit it...

 

http://www.fra.dot.gov/Pages/press-releases/201.shtml

 

FRA Announces $50 Million Safety Technology Grant Program

 

Contact: Warren Flatau

Telephone: 202-493-6024

 

Wednesday, April 7, 2010 (Washington, DC)

 

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will soon begin accepting grant applications for the deployment of positive train control (PTC) collision avoidance systems and complementary advanced technologies under a new $50 million Rail Safety Technology Program, FRA Administrator Joseph Szabo said today.

 

FRA will begin accepting grant applications on April 9, 2010. Eligible applicants include passenger and freight rail carriers, railroad suppliers and state and local governments. “Safety is our highest priority,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “These grants will help us get the right kinds of technologies out there to prevent train collisions and other accidents.” The program requires that the funded PTC projects or related systems be ready for deployment within 24 months of the grant award.

 

“This grant program will accelerate the installation of PTC on key portions of the nation’s rail system,” said Administrator Szabo. “We are glad that we can help railroads meet the statutory deadline of 2015 for PTC implementation, and look forward to working with them to achieve that goal.”

 

FRA will give preference to collaborative projects sponsored by multiple railroads and public authorities that satisfy one or more specific objectives, particularly interoperability. PTC systems are comprised of several components that control train movements and speed to prevent collisions or derailments. Those seeking funds for PTC under the program must have either received FRA approval of a Technology Implementation Plan and PTC Implementation Plans or successfully demonstrate to FRA that they are currently developing them.

 

The Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (RSIA) mandates the deployment of interoperable PTC systems by December 31, 2015 on mainline tracks that carry passenger trains or Poison Inhalation Hazard /Toxic Inhalation Hazard materials. The new grant program was authorized under RSIA and has an 80/20 cost-sharing requirement. Applications will be reviewed immediately following the July 1, 2010 filing deadline. Selection announcements will be made on or around September 3, 2010.

 

A Notice of Funds Availability was published in the March 29th Federal Register, inviting prospective grant recipients to submit applications.  More detailed program information and grant applications instructions can be found on Grants.gov (http://grants.gov) under funding opportunity number RS-TEC-10-001.

 

####

Sent via e-mail.........

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 8, 2010

ATK-10-042

 

Contact: Media Relations

202 906.3860

 

AMTRAK RIDERSHIP ON RECORD-BREAKING PACE

13.6 million passengers ride during first six months of FY 2010

 

            WASHINGTON – Amtrak is on pace to break its annual ridership record carrying a best ever 13,619,770 passengers during the first six months of fiscal year 2010 with the historically busier summer travel season still ahead.

 

            The 13.6 million passengers who rode on Amtrak trains during the first two quarters of FY 2010 (October 2009 - March 2010) contributed to a 4.3 percent increase over the same period the prior year.  It also is about 100,000 more riders than the 13.5 million posted in FY 2008, which turned out to be Amtrak’s best ridership year in company history when America’s passenger railroad carried 28.7 million passengers. 

 

            “Americans are beginning to travel again and are choosing Amtrak as an affordable and efficient way to move around the country,” said President and CEO Joseph Boardman, noting a slowly improving economy and continued high fuel prices as factors in Amtrak ridership growth.

 

Ridership Highlights

 

            Comparing March 2010 to March 2009, ridership increased by 13.5 percent to a record 2.47 million passengers for the month.  In addition, every single Amtrak route carried more passengers with several experiencing double-digit growth. 

 

            The Northeast Corridor experienced strong ridership growth in March with Amtrak’s high-speed train, Acela Express, seeing a 14.3 percent increase and Northeast Regional trains up 12.9 percent.  For the first six months of FY 2010, Acela service increased 2.9 percent and Northeast Regional service grew by 4.7 percent. 

 

            Ridership on long-distance trains increased by 16 percent in March and is up 5.2 percent for the first two quarters of FY 2010.  Long-distance trains posting strong six-month numbers include City of New Orleans (Chicago – New Orleans ) up 16.4 percent, Sunset Limited (New Orleans – Los Angeles) up 15.1 percent, Silver Star (New York – Raleigh – Tampa - Miami) up 8.3 percent and Coast Starlight (Los Angeles – Seattle) up 7 percent.

 

            In the Chicago hub, ridership on Lincoln Service (Chicago – St. Louis) showed significant growth with an 18 percent jump in March and 11.6 percent for the six month period.  Hiawatha Service (Chicago – Milwaukee) continues to grow with a 14.3 percent increase in March and up 4.8 percent fiscal year to date.  Elsewhere in the Midwest, the Missouri River Runner (Kansas City - St. Louis) is up 24.2 percent for March and 15.8 percent for the first half of the Amtrak fiscal year, while the Blue Water (Chicago - Port Huron) increased by 21.7 percent in March and 5.2 percent for fiscal year to date. 

 

            In the West, ridership on San Joaquin (Bakersfield – Oakland) is up 13.2 percent for March and 5.4 percent for the year.  Pacific Surfliner (Los Angeles – San Diego) increased 7.5 percent in March and its six-month figures are about even with the same period a year ago.  Amtrak Cascades (Eugene, Oregon - Vancouver, B.C.) increased by 11.4 percent in March and saw a 16.7 percent increase for the first six months of the fiscal year.

 

            Amtrak’s popular Auto Train saw significant growth in the month of March, increasing 25.1 percent over March 2009, and carrying nearly 25,000 passengers and their cars, motorcycles and other personal vehicles between Lorton, Va., and Sanford, Fla.  For fiscal year to date, Auto Train ridership has increased by 8.6 percent. 

 

            The FY 2010 Amtrak ridership figures are consistent with the annual growth seen during the last several years that saw a 32 percent increase in passengers from FY 2002 to FY 2008.  In order for Amtrak to continue to accommodate increasing demand for intercity passenger rail service it must replace, expand and modernize its fleet of aging locomotives and passenger rail cars.  Mr. Boardman describes this as the railroad’s “most urgent unfunded need” and recently requested $446 million from Congress to fund its Fleet Acquisition Program.

_____

 

About Amtrak

 

As the nation’s intercity passenger rail operator, Amtrak connects America in safer, greener and healthier ways. Last fiscal year (FY 2009), the railroad carried 27.2 million passengers, making it the second-best year in the company’s history. With 21,000 route miles in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian provinces, Amtrak operates more than 300 trains each day—at speeds up to 150 mph (241 kph)—to more than 500 destinations. Amtrak also is the partner of choice for state-supported corridor services in 15 states and for several commuter rail agencies. Visit Amtrak.com or call 800-USA-RAIL for schedules, fares and more information.

 

# # # 

Note the red print...

 

Thursday, April 8, 2010, 12:54pm EDT

Amtrak expects record 2010 ridership

Washington Business Journal - by Jeff Clabaugh

 

Amtrak, which is asking Congress for additional funding to modernize its fleet and meet growing ridership demands, said it expects record ridership in fiscal 2010.

 

Through the first two quarters of Amtrak’s fiscal year, total rail ridership was 13.6 million, up 4.3 percent from the same period a year ago. With its busiest travel months ahead, Amtrak expects to beat its previous annual record of 28.7 million passengers.

 

...Between 2002 and 2008, Amtrak ridership grew by 32 percent, and it expects ridership to grow another 15 percent between now and 2014.

 

Read more at:

http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2010/04/05/daily51.html

What's especially interesting about the above Amtrak release is the ridership performance of the state-supported corridors in the Midwest...

 

"In the Chicago hub, ridership on Lincoln Service (Chicago – St. Louis) showed significant growth with an 18 percent jump in March and 11.6 percent for the six month period.  Hiawatha Service (Chicago – Milwaukee) continues to grow with a 14.3 percent increase in March and up 4.8 percent fiscal year to date.  Elsewhere in the Midwest, the Missouri River Runner (Kansas City - St. Louis) is up 24.2 percent for March and 15.8 percent for the first half of the Amtrak fiscal year, while the Blue Water (Chicago - Port Huron) increased by 21.7 percent in March and 5.2 percent for fiscal year to date."

 

Ahh....but critics say people will never ride "slow trains".... :roll:

 

 

Too Often, The ‘Trouble’ With High-Speed Rail Is Misinformation

By Chuck Squatriglia

 

April 12, 2010

 

The Obama Administration loves high-speed rail, having set aside $8 billion in stimulus funds to help bring bullet trains to the United States. The big questions are how we’ll pay for those huge projects and just who will ride them when they’re built.

 

Those are two questions Liam Julian lays out in “The Trouble With High-Speed Rail,” a scathing, though ultimately weak, critique published in the journal Policy Review. Julian, the journal’s managing editor and a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, argues “the economics of high-speed rail do not work,” and says the projects underway in California and Florida are an unnecessary boondoggle.

 

“High-speed rail is simply an imprudent and inefficient answer to an unreal American transportation need,” Julian writes. “One has only to look at the history and development of the nation’s most-advanced, Obama-touted high-speed rail projects in Florida and California to see that the administration’s plan is merely a high-speed way to waste untold billions.”

 

Julian makes that claim despite convincing evidence to the contrary.

 

Read More At:

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/04/the-trouble-with-high-speed-rail/#ixzz0kzghdg2j

^One can say that there is a lot of misinformation and misrepresentations on the highway front as well. It can work both ways.

 

Amtrak weighs long route improvements

By Matt Leingang, AP, April 14, 2010

 

COLUMBUS — In many states, travelers who take Amtrak's long-distance trains for vacations or out-of-state business trips board in the middle of the night and return home from such cities as Chicago or New York City at times that are just as inconvenient.

 

But some improvements are on the way. Amtrak, the country's only major passenger train system, is re-examining timetables and finding other ways to improve its 15 national routes to bring in more riders and revenue. Among those under review are two routes that dip into Ohio and are practically hidden at night, their trains passing through when most people are sleeping.

News from a state-supported corridor on the West Coast....

 

Amtrak Cascades breaks first-quarter ridership record

 

In the first quarter, Amtrak Cascades set a ridership record at 183,773, a 22.4 percent increase compared with first-quarter 2009’s total. The Pacific Northwest service marked its highest first-quarter ridership since 1994.

 

Ridership growth was driven by service to and from Vancouver, British Columbia, according to Amtrak Cascades. In August 2009, Amtrak and the Washing State Department of Transportation added a second train to and from Vancouver, including direct service from Portland, Ore., for the first time. Since then, the second train’s ridership has totaled 32,091.

 

Full story at: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/news/article.asp?id=23059

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 20, 2010

ATK-10-050

Contact: Media Relations

202 906.3860

 

NEW SURFACE TRANSPORTATON BILL NEEDS TO BE ‘REVOLUTIONARY’, AMTRAK TESTIFIES

 

            WASHINGTON – Stressing that the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization bill should be “revolutionary, not evolutionary” when it comes to federal investment in intercity passenger rail, Amtrak testified today before a Congressional field hearing in Chicago that “[t]he need for reliable, multiyear funding is our biggest policy challenge.”

            “Long-term, sustainable funding is the key and without it Amtrak and the whole system will continue to limp along failing to live up to the promise of what we know rail can do for the nation,” said Joe McHugh, Vice President, Government Affairs and Corporate Communications.

            McHugh explained that previous federal surface transportation bills largely ignored and failed to provide any meaningful support for the development of intercity passenger rail.  The current law expired in September 2009, but is temporarily extended through December 31, 2010.

            From replacing and modernizing Amtrak’s aging fleet of locomotives and passenger rail cars to creating new high-speed rail corridors, McHugh said is it critical to “find a way to bring constancy to our capital funding program” because without it, “it will be almost impossible for us to truly develop the type of system America deserves in the 21st Century.”

            With the upcoming debate on what should be included in a new surface transportation bill, “[w]e have a real opportunity to give people another transportation choice, to make their lives better and their communities healthier,” McHugh stated.  “[T]he investment in Amtrak is worth it,” he added, highlighting that America’s passenger railroad is on pace to set an all-time ridership record this year.

            McHugh noted one possible route for stable funding is climate change legislation where “[f]unds developed through a carbon pricing policy could be used for investments in cleaner and more efficient modes such as rail, helping to reduce the nearly 30 percent of carbon emissions that comes from the transportation sector.”         

            Mr. McHugh testified before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials along with key Midwest transportation policy leaders.  Amtrak’s written testimony is attached.

 

About Amtrak

As the nation’s intercity passenger rail operator, Amtrak connects America in safer, greener and healthier ways. Last fiscal year (FY 2009), the railroad carried 27.2 million passengers, making it the second-best year in the company’s history. With 21,000 route miles in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian provinces, Amtrak operates more than 300 trains each day—at speeds up to 150 mph (241 kph)—to more than 500 destinations. Amtrak also is the partner of choice for state-supported corridor services in 15 states and for several commuter rail agencies. Visit Amtrak.com or call 800-USA-RAIL for schedules, fares and more information.

 

# # #

 

STATEMENT

 

OF

 

JOSEPH H. McHUGH

VICE PRESIDENT - GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AND

CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS

NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION

60 MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE, NE

WASHINGTON, DC  20002

(202) 906-3867

 

 

BEFORE THE

 

 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON RAILROADS, PIPELINES, AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

OF THE

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

 

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 2010

9:30 A.M.

 

JAMES R. THOMPSON CENTER

100 WEST RANDOLPH STREET, ROOM 503

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

 

Good morning, Madam Chair and Ranking Member, and thank you for the opportunity to testify on the investments we are making in our nation’s high-speed and intercity passenger rail network.  Chairman Oberstar, I would also like to thank you for your abiding passion and dedication to intercity passenger rail which is irrepressible.  I was here for the Englewood ribbon-cutting in March.  We appreciate the way you’re out there every day trying to build support for what we’re doing.

 

Most of all, I’d like to thank you all for the two pieces of landmark legislation that have really changed the dynamics of the national conversation about transportation and travel--the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA) of 2008 and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).  These two laws literally have ushered in a new era of high-speed and intercity passenger rail development, and we know we have your leadership to thank for that. 

 

Most significantly, these laws created a new capital investment program for the states and Amtrak to fund high-speed and intercity passenger rail projects.  For the first time in our history, states can now expect the same type of partnership from the federal government that they have enjoyed for highway, transit, and aviation projects for decades, removing the funding bias that has pushed states to make investments in other modes even when rail might have been the best solution.  Today’s hearing is to review some of the incredible projects now underway because of this new program.

 

We at Amtrak are proud to have been an integral part of the development of the first round of grants.  We worked hand-in-hand with nearly 30 states on their applications for funding, helping to design projects, develop revenue, ridership, and cost estimates, and reach service and access agreements with host railroads and states.  Here in the Midwest, we worked with all of the states that submitted applications to enhance or expand our system, and we were extremely excited to see so many of these applications receive the funding they deserve.  With the enactment of PRIIA, our nation’s intercity passenger rail system is new a truly collaborative effort between the US DOT, Amtrak, the states, and our host railroad partners.  We at Amtrak understand this, and our new focus is on supporting this collaboration, as the nation’s intercity passenger rail operator.

 

Let me also congratulate the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Administrator Szabo for their tremendous work in administering this new program.  PRIIA substantially expanded FRA’s role in the development and oversight of intercity passenger rail, and the FRA has risen to the challenge, accomplishing a Herculean task with very limited staffing and time.  The FRA’s grant selections demonstrate the expertise and understanding of the agency, as they have wisely launched an investment plan that focuses both on improving and expanding our foundational system of conventional intercity services and launching a new generation of high-speed rail.

Building upon this, we see the next significant statement on rail coming in the form of the upcoming surface transportation reauthorization bill.  We hope this bill will be revolutionary, not evolutionary.  The Committee has authorized $50 billion for further investment in intercity passenger rail; this is a bold statement that rail is here to stay and signals an important message to all regarding the future role of passenger rail in our country.  For our part, I see three critical areas that Amtrak must successfully address if we are to realize the PRIIA vision.  The first is the need for good planning, the second is the need for close cooperation with states and other stakeholders, and the third is the urgent requirement for a reliable multiyear capital funding source.

 

One of the major priorities in coming years needs to be the state planning effort.  PRIIA mandates that states complete state rail plans covering both passenger and freight services in order to be eligible for grant funding.  While this requirement was waived for the ARRA grants and upcoming PRIIA grant round, we believe that these plans are an essential part of the development of the system, as they ensure that rail’s role has been identified and integrated into the state’s overall transportation program.  States will have to develop planning capacity, both to build a rail plan and do the legwork of partnership and relationship building with Amtrak, freight railroads, the FRA, and other involved entities, even though many of them do not have planning staffs today.  Equally important will be the process of integrating state rail plans into the FRA’s now under-development National Rail Plan.  The ultimate goal of these planning efforts is to facilitate an integrated network of passenger and freight services that provides sustainable mobility solution for the nation, and the responsibility for coordinating this vision clearly lies at the Federal level. 

To further these planning efforts, Amtrak is dedicated to supporting the states and FRA.  This means assisting the states with their plans, working with the host railroads to integrate planned and existing services, and preserving and improving service quality and reliability.  We enjoy longstanding relationships with the freight railroads and a statutory right of access that applies across the American rail network.  Consequently, we have the unique understanding of the national rail network that can only be acquired when you operate, as we do, on every Class I carrier.  Our combination of operational experience (both at high and conventional speeds), longstanding relationships, and access rights makes us a strong candidate for partnership with states wishing to inaugurate or expand service, and we are doing everything we can to build on these strengths.

 

The third critical need is funding.  The need for reliable, multiyear funding is our biggest policy challenge, and I hope we can find a way to bring constancy to our capital funding program in the coming months.  Without this, it will be almost impossible for us to truly develop the type of system America deserves in the 21st Century.  From replacing our fleet to creating new high-speed corridors, long-term, sustainable funding is the key and without it, Amtrak and the whole system will continue to limp along, failing to live-up to the promise of what we know rail can do for the nation.  In addition to the next surface transportation reauthorization bill, one possible route for such funding is climate change legislation.  Funds developed through a carbon pricing policy could be used for investments in cleaner and more efficient modes such as rail, helping to reduce the nearly 30% of carbon emissions that comes form the transportation sector.  In any event, solving this matter will need creativity, persuasive arguments, and the deft political skills you have demonstrated in the past.

 

If we can find a way to address these needs, we will take a huge step toward building the intercity passenger rail system America needs.  And that system is an integrated, multi-speed, multi-purpose network that spurs economic growth and sustainable development.  High-speed services on dedicated routes are supported by a network of corridor and conventional train services which are feed by commuter and transit services.  These systems feed one another and provide consumers with a full range of travel choices and connectivity, providing a viable alternative to the car and plane.  Look at what’s happened right here in the Chicago region.  In 2006, with the support of the state of Illinois, we added a second daily train to the two routes that connect Chicago with Carbondale and Quincy, and we added two additional trains to the

St. Louis to Chicago route.  By 2008, we had almost doubled ridership on the Carbondale route.  On the St. Louis route, we grew ridership by 92% between 2006 and 2009, and we saw nearly 70% growth on the Quincy route over the same period.  The state of Illinois has been a strong partner, and the planned HSIPR investment in the corridor routes linking Chicago with Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Detroit will build on the work that’s already been done, fostering a stronger transportation system and providing the region a much-needed transportation alternative in the near term, not just twenty years down the road.

 

We all know that resources are tight; but have any of us ever known a time when they were not?  We have a real opportunity to give people another transportation choice, to make their lives better and their communities healthier.  And the evidence shows that they would like to see more of what we’re offering.  Let me end on a positive note.  We just finished our second quarter, and in the teeth of a serious recession, Amtrak has posted the strongest first half in its history.  If things hold, we’re on our way to a ridership record, and we haven’t had a gasoline price spike like the one we saw in 2008.  This tells you a lot about people’s desire for a quality product, and I think it’s a fine statement about their perception of the value we offer.  We’ve come a long way, and with all of the work you did to get us there, I hope that you’re as proud as I am to say that the investment in Amtrak is worth it.

Amtrak Media Relations

202 906.3860

 

AMTRAK SECURITY EFFORTS AIM TO DEFEAT AND DETER MOST DANGEROUS AND LIKELY TERROR TACTICS

 

WASHINGTON – Amtrak testified today before a Senate committee that “the security of our system is our top priority” and its efforts are focused on defeating or deterring the most dangerous and likely terror tactics, including use of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on board a train or at a station and the emerging threat of an active shooter.

 

“We are devoting our efforts to making it harder and harder for terrorists to use their preferred strategies to attack our stations, trains, and passengers,” said Amtrak Chief of Police John O’Connor, citing as examples rail bombing attacks in Madrid (2004), London (2005) and several in Moscow including last month, and an active shooter at a station in Mumbai (2008).

 

He said America’s intercity passenger railroad has implemented robust counterterrorism initiatives and is looking “to expand aggressively our efforts to defend our system against the most probable and devastating methods of attack.”

 

Chief O’Connor explained that Amtrak has more than doubled the size of its Explosive Canine Detection Program to 45 teams, including several that have received highly specialized “vapor wake” training where the bomb-sniffing dogs can detect the presence of fumes left after someone passes through an area with an explosive device.  In addition, he said Amtrak instituted a random baggage screening program in 2008, and has since screened tens of thousands of passengers and their bags as they boarded thousands of trains across the country.

 

Amtrak also has performed more than 325 joint Visible Intermodal Protection and Response (VIPR) security operations with the Transportation Security Administration since 2007 that involve an unannounced surge of uniformed officers on trains and at stations to deter and detect suspicious behavior.  He said the installation of fencing, cameras and other security improvements to harden stations, tracks and other critical infrastructure is ongoing and added that Amtrak is committed “to let our risk assessments drive security investments.”   

   

“We are enthusiastic about programs that help us bring more people, technology, and animals to bear on the task of keeping our stations and trains secure,” Chief O’Connor stated.  However, he stressed that improved cooperation and coordination among all rail and transit stakeholders is “the paramount need because our opponents know how to exploit gaps—and they only need to get lucky once.”

 

The Chief said that Amtrak is working closely with countries around the world to learn from their experiences and that he has traveled to Mumbai as part of a State Department initiative to exchange information and collaborate with Indian rail officials on counterterrorism strategies.  Additionally, Amtrak partners with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies—including participation in FBI Joint Terrorism Task Forces— to share intelligence, conduct exercises and carry out security-related operations.

 

Chief O’Connor testified with other federal and railroad industry security experts before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.  A copy of his written testimony is attached.

About Amtrak

 

As the nation’s intercity passenger rail operator, Amtrak connects America in safer, greener and healthier ways.  Last fiscal year (FY 2009), the railroad carried 27.2 million passengers, making it the second-best year in the company’s history.  With 21,000 route miles in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian provinces, Amtrak operates more than 300 trains each day—at speeds up to 150 mph (241 kph)—to more than 500 destinations.  Amtrak also is the partner of choice for state-supported corridor services in 15 states and for several commuter rail agencies. Visit Amtrak.com or call 800-USA-RAIL for schedules, fares and more information.

A thoughtful piece from the Washington Post....

 

Amtrak ridership is up, but passengers grouse about frequent delays

 

By Andrea Sachs and Nancy Trejos

Washington Post Staff Writers

Sunday, April 25, 2010; F01

 

Amtrak's Northeast Regional train No. 177 was scheduled to arrive at Union Station at 1:25 a.m., but at that witching hour, it had made it only as far as Philadelphia, where it was stopped cold.

 

A half-asleep passenger asked a more conscious traveler what had happened. "Someone got hit by another train" farther south, outside Wilmington, Del., he replied.

 

In the cafe car, the staff had laid out free bottled water, trail mix, shortbread cookies, crackers and a cheese spread. But the travelers wanted their beds, not a buffet. The train finally left Philly at 2:58 a.m., arriving in Washington a little over two hours later. The sun was rising, and cabs were scarce.

 

Full story at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/22/AR2010042205620.html

 

Once, when taking the Silver Meteor we hit a car which had attempted to cross against the signal to beat the train. There were fatalities and the investigation took almost 8 hours before the train was allowed to leave. Of course it wan't Amtrak's fault but that didn't appease the passengers, much.

 

Marketing project by students at the Univ. of New Hampshire: asking why students like to ride Amtrak's Downeaster.

 

 

Awesome, I wish I had the ability to take the train back home. Not that that would be an option for me because I am pretty sure the Ohio Hub Plan leaves out Mansfield and Kent (and Akron?).