HomeMy WebLinkAboutAssn. of Railroad Passengers (2)MONTANAIWYOMING
Association of Railroad Passengers
MTWYarp 2110 Wingate Lane Billings, Montana 59102
November 2001
THIS EDITION OF THE OFFICIAL
NEWS OF THE "MONTANA/WYOMING
ASSOCIATION OF RAILROAD
PASSENGER" IS WITH THE SUPPORT
OF THE FOLLOWING BUSINESS
CHICO HOT SPRING RESORT
PRAY, MT 406-333-4933
LEWIS TREE SERVICE
225 SHERMAN
ROCK SPRINGS, WY 307-382-8675
Ackley Painting
2009 So 9' St W.
Missoula Mt 406-728-2178
THIS SPACE IS FOR OTHER
SUPPORTERS WHO WOULD LIKE TO
HAVE THEIR NAME PLACED IN VIEW
OF ALL AS A BUSINESS WHO
BELIEVES IN RAIL PASSENGER
SERVICE FOR MONTANA AND
WYOMING.
We need more business to sponsor the
newsletter. We are sending it now to all the
Chambers, the County Commissioners, and
the Mayors. I would like to start also with the
Planning Boards of each County/City plus the
Economic Development Councils. This takes
money to print, and postage to send. Dues
takes care of other expenses
AMTRAK REORGANIZATION
Recent newspaper articles are talking about
the Amtrak Reform Council's decision to
liquidate Amtrak and reorganize it. For a long
time there have been advocates stating that
Amtrak should be split into two identities. One
of them would be like air terminals and
highways - only dealing with the infrastructure.
This group would be responsible for the
equipment and the actual track that Amtrak
owns in the Northeast Corridor. There is a
shortage of equipment and there are close to
200 cars that need repaired. Money would
be appropriated for the repairs and purchase
of new equipment. The second identity would
be stickily operational. They would just run
the passenger trains and rent equipment they
need. In their analysis they strongly
recommend direction towards a more national
railroad system with more long distance train
service. If this recommendation is accepted by
Congress, then as citizens wanting more and
better train service in Montana and Wyoming,
it will be up to us to lobby our Senators to fund
the two identities properly. It would not hurt if
you let them know right now that is what is
needed. This might be the right thing for our
project. Of course nothing will happen until
we complete the study, which can not be done
until the money is collected to pay for it.
REGION 8 MEETING
For every $200 we can scrap together we will
send one of our officers to the National ARP
meeting in Portland next March, as I believe
we should be represented and keep in contact
with the others in the region.
MONTANA/WYOMING
Association of Railroad
Passengers
2110 Wingate Lane
Billings, Mt 59102
STUDY
- CGS;
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P
V& 09 y
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I'
Mayor, City of Laurel
Laurel, Mt 59044
There are people saying we can do the study
for $2000, or if we collect that amount then the
(?) government will pay for the rest. Both Mt
Senators offices were contacted and asked if
knew who was going to pay for the rest of
the cost. Nobody will say. Of course the
Sara bill states that Amtrak will do the study
for a route across Southern Montana. They
would probably say to us it is not feasible to
go from Spokane to the Twin Cities via
Southern Mt as they have done%%%N , `3
_Js why MTAAfYarp _must control the --study:. so it -
is done on the route we want and just not cast
it off as another attempt to revive the North
Coast Limited route. Amtrak's government
affairs office replied to me as follows:
"Mr... Green,
Sorry I have not been able to get back to you,
but I have been on the trains thru Michigan,
Illinois and Missouri this week. When I travel
like that I don't have access to my e-mail. I am
now just getting caught up with my e-mails. I
apologize I could not get to this before now.
Since last week I have had another
conversation with Tom Steyaert from Montana
DOT. We both concur that a study of a
southern route or any route through Montana
can not be completed for $2000. Amtrak did
say we could do a study or contract out for a
study or MT/WY ARP could do a study, if
someone would come up with the money.
Amtrak did not commit to do a study for any
specific amount of mone I ho a this is
OTHER RAIL BILLS
As of now there are three proposals pending
in Congress. Two are in Bill format and have
been introduced. 1. The High Speed Rail
Investment Act which we have talked about
before to the tune of $12 billion in bond sales.
2. The $71 billion Rail Infrastructure
Development and Expansion Act (RIDE21).
The third proposal is relief request for $3.2
billion for security and capacity expansion. A
fvyrtp, propos 4I b ing Fopsirl r ,for $37
1,IIIilkk+?h+et3nitl1tl. P66)ldR hldh4boeed rail
_and- maglev technn!ogu This- is the first time
in history that there are this many proposals
and bills in Congress that are considering
passenger rail service. In the past we have
been lucky to get one bill in Congress for $'/2
billion. More on these proposals and bills in
December after it is better known what is
being asked for and what is being offered.
After the 9111 attacks, Amtrak added 1600
daily seats to the Long Distance trains, 300
seats to West Coast trains, and 3000 seats to
the Northeast Corridor trains. Passenger
trains have gotten a lot of attention and if the
employee.'s of Amtrak and Amtrak officials play
their cards right this way of travel might be
resurrected. With the long waits at airports
and the reduction of flights it makes riding the
trains a real pleasure.
TRAIN SHOWS
Y• p -
helpful. If you have any other questions
please let me know. Mary" (copied riglA 4`.`
from email) ?: r
If you know of a train show in your area, model
or otherwise let's get some pamphlets out. It
would be nice to have a table at a show with
information at any exhibition sha1,4ny type.
.
A model train-running around a tr*ck-will
•-4
attract people =' " .,,
- -I „_
Main
From: "NARP" <narp@narprail.org>
To: "NARP" <narp@narprail.org>
Sent: Friday, November 09, 20014:27 PM
Subject: Statement on ARC action; Information on legislative progress
To NARP Members--November 9, 2001:
Below is the statement we issued today. Please also see today's hotline
on our website, particularly with regard to progress on the High Speed
Rail Jnvestment Act.
--Ross B. Capon,
NARP Executive Director
National Association of Railroad Passengers
900 -- 2nd St., N.E., Suite 308 202/408-8362, fax 202/408-8287
Washington, DC 20002-3557
w_ww.narcrail org
For Immediate Release
Friday, November 9, 2001 - #01-12
lS
L NOV rf
2 0 2001 /f U/
C' I?l R L
The Amtrak Reform Council met in Washington today and approved a
resolution, on a 6-5 vote, to report formally to Congress a finding that
the ARC believes Amtrak will continue to require operating grants after
December 2, 2002 -- in other words, miss the 1997 legal requirement of
operational self-sufficiency.
Significantly, the resolution was opposed by DOT Secretary Mineta's
representative (Mark Yachmetz of the Federal Railroad Administration)
and by the Council's Republican chairman, Gilbert Carmichael (who served
President H. W. Bush as Federal Railroad Administrator). Also, the
leading proponent of the resolution, Paul M. Weyrich, a long-time member
of this Association, has made clear that he supports a national rail
passenger system Weyrich emphasized that, in spite of today's vote, "no
trains are going to stop."
That last quote is important: the trains will keep running. [A similar
point needs to be made with respect to the lawsuit filed yesterday
against Amtrak by Bombardier: the Acela Express high-speed train sets
will continue to operate, and Bombardier will continue to deliver the
five remaining sets in the 20-set order.
With regard to the Council's action, NARP is concerned, however, that at
a time of national crisis--one directly related to intercity passenger
transportation--Amtrak, whose resources already are stretched to the
limit, now must find time to draft a plan within 90 days for its own
11/9/01
Page 2 of 2
liquidation. Additional staff time doubtless will be consumed dealing
with potentially negative consequences of that task on the its
relationships with its lenders, and perhaps even with the willingness of
customers to make long-term travel plans with Amtrak.
NARP believes that the ground under the U.S. transportation
establishment has shifted fundamentally--and favorably towards rail--as
a result of September 11.
* In the past two months, we have seen unprecedented editorial support
for passenger rail and for Amtrak.
* In October, ridership on Acela Express and Metroliners in the
Northeast Corridor was 43% above a year ago and revenue growth was
substantially greater. Ridership was 11% above plan. Sleeping-car
occupancy rates and revenues on most routes was stronger than a year
ago. Amtrak's share of the total travel market likely rose, since
airlines in October reported a 65% occupancy rate (down from a year ago)
on flight schedules that most carriers had cut 20%.
* Yesterday, the Senate Finance Committee approved a tax stimulus
package that includes a 3-year, $7 billion version of the High Speed
Rail Investment Act, plus $2 billion for a new railroad tunnel under the
Hudson River.
-- - -
-Like Amtrak, we -are-unaware iliartt'i-ie Couttciis action re ected its -
statutory mandate to account for "acts of God, national emergencies, and
other events beyond the reasonable control for Amtrak."
The fundamental problem facing passenger rail is inadequate public
funding in general, and--in particular--the lack of a federal program
for partnering with states on improving tracks which would in turn
improve the economic performance of trains (including long-distance
trains) running on the various federally designated high speed
corridors. We do not see an Amtrak reorganization as likely to solve
that problem.
Enactment of the High Speed Rail Investment Act and adquate annual
appropriations for Amtrak are critical if the U.S. is to get the
balanced transportation system we need to face the challenges of the new
century.
11/9/O1
Pagel of 3
Main Identity
From: "John and Elsa Dornoff <jdornoff@worldnet.att.net>
To: <jdornoff@woddnet.att.net>
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2001 11:26 PM
Subject: imtnwestrailj FW: What we can expect from Amtrak, Jr.
More from Bruce Richardson of URPA regarding last week's ARC actions..
For NARP opinions and updates, go to: <http://www.narprail.com> and check
"NARP Hotline" as well as What's New"
[Fwd: [A_A] What we can expect from Amtrak, Jr.]
The dust has settled now for a weekend and a day after the ARC did what
Congress mandated that it do - make a realistic finding on the viability
of Amtrak as we know it today.
Lots of people have started scrambling since midday Friday. Lots of
things have gone into motion, jockeying for position, influence, and
desired outcome.
Here are some thoughts about Amtrak, Jr.:
1. The ARC's mandate was to find Amtrak, as it is today, fit or unfit.
They found it unfit. That does not mean that the National Railroad
Passenger-Corporation will- disappear: It- most likely-means-if will be
changed and updated, hopefully with its major flaws removed. It would be
a monumental task to completely form a new company, negotiate new
contracts with labor, host railroads, and more vendors than you can shake
a stick at.
NRPC as a living entity was up for reauthorization this fiscal year
anyway. Like in 1997, it could be changed (which it was then, with some
major changes in the way it conducted business and changes to labor
agreements), updated for current needs, and keep merrily going along its
way.
2. What is almost a 100`,} sure bet is that Amtrak senior management and
the current members of the board of directors will be gone after
restructuring. Along with that will mostly likely be their simpleminded
policy that only corridors should constitute. our national system. There
is a lot of educating which must be done teaching opinion makers and
decision makers that long distance trains are desirable, and not
dinosaurs which have no potential.
The chances of ANY long distance train, be it the Silver Meteor,
Crescent, California Zephyr, Sunset Limited, or the Coast Starlight going
away are very slim.
3. People, both well known and not well known will be coming out of the
woodwork in the next month with their thoughts and opinions. Joe Vranich
wasted no time in getting his opinion known. He is a master practitioner
at public relations, and does it very well. That is why you are seeing
his name early and often. What that does not guarantee is that his ideas
will go anywhere. There is no sure bet that he has a consensus for what
he is proposing.
11/13/01
?I
Amtrak senior management's response to the ARC finding seemed like that
of a spoiled child that had finally been disciplined by a weary parent.
Other voices which are always in lockstep with Amtrak senior management
made the same mistakes in their announcements. The fact is, for that
group of senior managers and the board, the show is over. They bet the
farm or, one single strategy, and that strategy failed.
4. Gloom and doom predictions are neither necessary, nor desirable. Do
not focus on the terrible things your mind thinks may happen. Focus on
the positive aspects of a fresh start that has the best of the past along
with the brightest ideas for the future. There is as much wrong with
Amtrak as it is structured today as there is right. Forget about the
wrong stuff. People who know what they are doing are already working to
cut away the bad parts. Focus on the good parts, like long distance
trains. More trains to more places in the long term likely outcome.
5. Do not demonize the ARC. The were given a mandate by Congress, and
they followed their mandate. They made, in the majority of honest
opinions of 11 patriotic Americans, the best choice. The interesting
focus is that the vote was so close. Over the next period of time, it
will be revealed that the vote would have been much more lopsided in
favor of the final outcome than the original 6-5 vote. Many of the five
that voted against voted that way because they were supporting the Bush
administration's desire for this to not happen until after the start of
the calendar year. They were trying to stall because of time
considerations, not because of philosophy.
When the ARC plan for restructuring comes out, you will most likely find
it strongly favors long distance trains over disjointed corridor
operations. Keep faith in this outcome.
b. Manv of_us.who have been vocal critics of Amtrak are,. in reality. more
critical of current senior management than the organization itself. We
recognize it has organizational flaws which must be corrected to be
viable. But, since the departure of Graham Claytor in the early 19903,
Amtrak has been run by a combination of people who have far too much
interest in transit, and not enough interest in a balanced domestic
transportation network. That has been manifest in the current ARC
finding. We're working hard for Amtrak, Jr. to be structured correctly.
We don't want it to go away, we just want it to have successful heart,
liver, lung, and brain transplants and some very, very good plastic
surgery.
Bruce Richardson
Jacksonville, Florida
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