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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMT/WY Assn of RR PassengersMTWYarp DEDICATED TO PRESERVING, IMPROVING AND INCREASING RAIL PASSENGER SERVICE IN MONTANA AND WYOMING. JULY 2006 _- ANNUAL MEETING SEPTEMBER 9, 2006 SATURDAY VALUE-INN MOTEL 3001 BROOKS STREET MISSOULA, MONTANA REGISTRATION FEE $15 INCLUDES LUNCH OR NO LUNCH AGENDA 9AM MEETING WITH COUNTY COMMISSIONERS 1lAM ASSOCIATION BUSINESS MEETING (elections) NOON - 1:30 PM LUNCH 1;30 PM - 2:30 PM PUBLIC MEETING PLANNING TO ATTEND CALL MIKE AT 406-728-2178 OR JIM AT 406-652-1339 OR SUSAN AT 406-222-2199 (60 WE CAN GET A LUNCH COUNT) WHAT'S ON THE TABLE? There are a lot of things happening not only nationally, but here in Montana. We attended a seminar in Missoula the middle of June about light rail. There is a feeling that it would be advisable to have a light rail between Darby (the southern end of the Bitterroot Valley) to Missoula. The talks given were positive, but with caution that it would take five to ten years to get it done. The economics of it are very interesting. Another line could be from Poison to Missoula. This is why some of us will meet the morning of our annual meeting with the commissioners from Missoula, Ravalli, and Lake counties (hopefully). It has been suggested that we meet with them to be of a neutral party in politics of county government. I have contacted the Yellowstone County commissioners and we have scheduled a time slot for me to talk during their meeting in August. I suggested we should start thinking about a light reil system around Billings. We could have one from the West (Livingston, Bozeman, Columbus) into Billings. A line from Hardin and Big Horn County or maybe from Custer County into Billings. There ~re other lines to consider also. With the way the gasoline prices is going it might be a blessing for a lot of people to be able to hop on a train and go to a medical center or a major shopping center. Of course it still would be a benefit to Montana if we could get a passenger train running from Billings area to the Sandpoint/Spokane area. At those place~ connection could be made to the Empire Builder. When we are in Missoula we would like to visit with Montana Rail Link people about this as it would be on their tracks as some of the light reil proposals. We all realize that the passenger rail system in this country needs to be expanded and the Federal government needs to realize that this · is the transportation system that will save this country in time of disasters and economic downturns. I hope to get some responses from the politicians on their views of these matters. Each and every one of you must really get diligent in letting the state and federal politicians this is a high priority for this state. WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF THE COUNTRY! Green There is a lot of movement all over this country to get states to do more for their citizens for travel. Illinois, Ohio, Missouri, California, Texas; Oregon and Washington are just a few. We realize that most all of those states with greater population and less area are in a far better situation to do something than we arc. But do we have to sit around moan and watch the rest of the country work towards more and better rail passenger service~ A route through Southern Montana like the old North Coast Limited had would be ideal. Aisc the concept of light rail and corridor routes is something we must consider. The big thing that we must all do is not keep saying things that represent the past. The past is gone so is a lot or reil routes. What we got to realize is that we are in a dead position, so we must concentrate on the resurrection. It is up to us to push the stone from in front of our progress so we can cause the resurrection of rail routes not only here in our beautiful state of Montana, but throughout the country. This is why I am trying to get the County Commissioners set afire as they are the ones that must carry the cross. Next each of us has to work on our local Chambers, City Councils, and Mayors to get them to realize that the economic state of Montana will lay with them if we can get these modem day modes of travel activated. What about the politicians in Helena and Washington DC? Well as I see it once we can get the people mentioned above the politicians will jump on the band wagon or face the voters the next election who probably would vote them into retirement. It is therefore that the membership and those that are friends of our mission increase. When you start thinking about the Missoula annual meeting, think who you could convince to take time to travel to Missoula so we can send a message to those that need it. We have sent invitations to the Governor and Lt Governor along with members of the Department of Transportation. We will invite Bums, Testor, Baucus, and Rehberg. Hopefully they will be there and not be labeled a Centurion. REGION 8 - AT HAVRE We had over 60 people in attendance at the annual meeting of NARP's Region 8, which includes Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Montana and Alaska. All states were represented except Alaska. Bob Rice, the Mayor of Havre welcomed the attendees and even gave his cell phone number in case we needed something. Sen Burns could not attended but sent a message via video. We had a message fxom Sen Baucu~ from his field representative Christina Davis. David Jacobs from the Montana DOT was the next speaker who stated that thc Empire Builder was the life line for the residents of Northern Montana. He also stated that they were working on getting the bus service between Great Falls and Shelby restored. Each state group gave a report on their activities. We broke for lunch and upon our return Mark Magliafi from the Amtrak office in Chicago spoke on some of problems facing Amtrak. He spoke of the good relations they have with BNSF which is one of the reasons for the on time performance of thc Builder, which is a problem i~ some areas of the country. He stated that Congress has not passed an re-authorization of Amtrak ia over three years. Art Poole, a Vice President of NARP, and a member of MARP, WASHarp, and AORTA gavc a talk on rail passenger concerns in his area thc Wesuu'n states. Art seat a message to us staling how well he thought the conference was held and organized. The final speakcr was the President of NARP, George Chilson, who gave a inspiring message. He stated he was impressed at the turnout. He said that we needed transportation reform and not Mineta's Amtrak reform. Then he relayed to the attendee's that we should not be surprised at the storm that is coming. With an increase in gasoline prices, skyrocketing oil prices, and thc funding menhanism with our dependanco to oil the country is going to have to come up with something fast. Rail transportation will play a major role in solving this problem if alinwed to. E-MAIL MESSAGE From: "Batty Groan" To: "James Green" Subject: Fw: E-Mail Reply from Congressman Denny R. ehberg Date: Sun, 2 Jul 2006 15:29:34 -0600 Jim Sun. July 2, 2006 Note Ross Capon's remarks regarding Congressman Rehbea'g's E-muil comments to me about restructuring A.mtrak. You may have some personal insight on this wording either fi'om the Congres.~man himself or from one of his Billings staff members that you could offer to both Ross and myself. Thanks. Barry-Thanks for this. I wonder what Rehberg has in mind with regard to restructuring? This looks like fence straddling to me.-Ross Subject: Fw: E-Mail Reply fi.om Congressman Denny Rehberg (R-MT) Re. Amtrsk From: "Congressman Denny Rehborg" To: <bgrcen~nidrivers.com Sent: Tuesday, June 20, 2006 11:27 AM Subject: Reply from Congressman Denny Rehberg Thank you for contacting mc regarding Amtrak. I appreciate hearing fi.om you on this important issue. Transportation is a vei'y imporUmt part of Montana's economy and infrastmctare, and I am concerned about maintaining economical, viable, and safe modes ofmmsportation. Because of this integral function, I support funding for the Empire Line, which connects a number of Montana communities that wood otherwise be isolated from public transportation. Amtrak passenger rail service needs to be rezl~ucta~ed in order to improve passenger service in Mo~mn~ and throughout the United States. The chronic d~mcOfies that Amtrak experiences spring primarily from an 0rgani~ion that is obsolete, cannot do what it is charged to do, will not coustdar recommendations for change, and desperately needs to be redesigned. Them are no easy sohrdoas to restructuring Amtrak. I will work hard to ensure that Montana's passenger rail service is maintained, and if possible, improved by any re-stnmturing. Pm committed to working with my fellow House members and Amtrak to develop a long-term plan that will ensure the safe and efficient service rail passengers need and deserve. Amtmk requested $1.8 billion in funding for Fiscal Year 2006, while the administration proposed eliminating funding aitogethar. I supported and voted for recently passed measures to restore $1.2 billion, equivalent to funding for Fiscal Year 2005, and to la, Vent the closure of long d/stance lines. While I am very concerned about continued funding for train service along the hMine, the President's budget is only the first step in a long process. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I will keep your thoughts in mind as issues regarding Amtrak come before congress. Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me on this matter. For more information or to sign up for my e-nev~nletter please visit www. house.gov/rehberg. Keep in touch. AN ARTICLE RECEIVED FOR U The False Hope nfBio-fuels For Energy and Environmental Reasons, Ethanol Will Nevar Replace Gasoline By James Jordan and James Powell Sunday, JOy 2, 2006; B07 Bio-fuels such as ethanol made from eom, sugar cane, switch grass and other crops are being touted as a "green" solution for a large part of America's transportation problem. Auto manufacturers, Midwest corn farmers and politicians are excited about ethanol. Initially, we, too, were excited abut bio- fuels: no net carbon dioxide emissions, reduction ofoil imports. Who wouldn't be enthusiastic? But as we've looked at bio-fuels more closely, we've concluded that they're not a practical long-term solution to our need for transport fuels. Even if all of the 300 million acres (500,000 square miles) of currently harvested U.S. crop land produced ethanol, it wouldn't supply ail of the gasoline and diesel fuel we now bum for transport, and it xvould supply only about hnlfofthe needs for the year 2025. And the effects on land and agriculture would be devastating, lt's difficult to understand how advocates of bio-fuels can believe they are a real solution to kicking our oil addiction. Agriculture Department studies of ethanol production fi.om eom -- the present U.S. process for ethanol fuel - find that un acre of corn yields about 139 bushels. At an average of about 2.5 gallons per bushel, the acre then will yield about 350 gallons of ethanol. But the fuel value of ethanol is only about two4hirds that of gasollne -- 1.5 gallons of ethanol in the tank equals 1 gallon of gasoline in terms of energy output. Moreover, it takes a lot of input energy to produce ethanol: for fertilizer, harvesting, transport, corn processing, etc. Afl-er subtracting this input, the net positive energ~y available is less than h~lf of thc flgtu'~ cited above. Some researchers even claim that the net energy of ethanol is actually negative when all inputs are included - it takes more energy to make ethanol than one gets out of it. But allowing a net positive energy output of 30,000 British thermal units (Btu) per gallon, it would still take four gallons of ethanol from corn to equal one gallon of gasoline. The United States has 73 million acres of eom crop land. At 350 gallons per acre, the entire U.S. corn crop would make 25.5 billion gallons, equivalent to about 6.3 billion gailous of gasoline. The Uulted States consumes 170 billion gallons of gasoline end diesel fuel annually. Thus the entire U.S. corn crop would supply only 3.7 percent of our auto and truck transport demands. Using the entire 300 million acres of U.S. crop land for corn-based ethanol production would meet about 15 percent of the demand. It is argued that rather than using corn to make ethanol, we can use agricultural wastes. But the mounts are still a drop in the bucket. Using the crop msidnes (cailed corn stover) from corn production could provide about 10 billion gallons per year of ethanol, according to a recent study by the U.S. Energy Information Adminlslxation. The net energy available would be greater than with ethanol fi-om corn - about 60,000 Btu per gnllon, equivalent to a half-gallon of gasoline. Still, all of the U.S. corn wastes would produce only the equivalent of 5 billion gallons of gasoline. Another factor to be considered Not plowing wastes back into the land hurts soil fertility. Similar limitations and problems apply to grnwi~ any crop for bio-fuels, whether switch grass, hybrid willow, hybrid poplar or whatever. Optimistically, assuming that switch grass or some other crop could p,roduce 1,000 gallons of ethanol per acre, over twice as much as we can get fi-om corn plus stover, and that its net energy was 60,000 Btu per gallon, ethanol from 300 million acres of switch grass still could not supply our present gasoline and diesel coasumption, which is projected to double by 2025. The ethanol would meet less than hail of our needs by that date. Perhaps more important: The agrlanlttwal effects of such a large-scale program would be devastating. Recently, there has been lots of excitement and media coverage about how Brazil produces ethanol for its automobile fuel and talk that America should follow its lead. But Brazil consumes only 10 billion gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel annually, compared with America's 170 billion. There are almost 4 million miles of paved roads in America - Brazil has 60,000. And Brazil is the leading producer of sugar cane - more than 300 million tons annually -- so it has lots of agricultural waste to make ethanol. Finally, considering projected population growth in the United States and the world, the humanitarian policy would be to maintain crop land for growing food -- not fuel. Every day more than 16,000 children die from hunger-related causes -- one child every five seconds. The situation will only get worse. It would be morally wrong to divert crop land needed for human food supply to powering automobiles. It would also deplete soil fertility and the long-term capability to maintain food production. We would destroy the farmland that our grandchildren end their grandchildren will need to live. Do you want a lunch when you attend the meeting on September 9th in Missoula? Then make your call now to either Mike, Susan or Jim If you want a place to stay either Friday night or Saturday night call the motel now. From: "Arthur Poole" To: "James Green" Subject: NARP Region g Meeting Date: Sun, 2 Apr 2006 14:56:25 -0700 Dear Montansns, This note is to thank the Montana Associnfion of Railroad Passengers for hosting one of the most successful NARP regional meetings held anywhere in the USA. I know many hours were spent in preparation for the meeting. The results were a huge success. There is much value in mee'dng in small urban cities, such as Havre. Where else, for example, would a mayor give you his personal cell phone number! I think the follow-up pobl!eity in the Havre paper and the Great Falls TV station quoting Jim Green, George Chilson, or Mare Magliari gave further outreach to what rail passenger advocacy is ail about. The news coverage was picked up all across the country by folks who glean the media for news about Amwak. We probably would not get that kind of attention in Portland or Tacoma where we have also had successful NARP Region 8 meetings. (Note fi.om Jim Green) From those interviews 1 received cails wanting more information about our mission and goals. I got a cail fi-om a gentlemen in Edmonton, who has coaches end would like to have an excursion train run from there to Denver via Shelby, Great Falls and Billings. We do have the opportunity to have more passenger service in Montana if we would all get together with a common goal. Remember we am not dead, we just have to muster help to move the boulder so we can have a resurrection. Attend the meeting and help us in this cause and be part of bonlder movers. Mission - Retaining, Improving and Inerensing rail passenger service in Montana THESE ARE THINGS YOU HAVE TO BE THINKING ABOUT b¥.,i., In Montana as in the rest of the country there is a tremendous growth in not only Medical services but services in general. Tax increment money is a reinvestment of what is our quality of life. The quality of life in any area is the engine of economic growth and development. The auto industry is having a lot of problems and will each slide further and further into economic depression. All light rail systems should and do star/small in distance as well as structure. The development must be in accord with established freight railroads. We must convince them that this is a boost to them also. All the freight railroads are having a hard time with not enough equipment and resources, so adding another dimension does not seem interesting to them at first, so we must present our case with great ease and forethought. Funds are distributed on regional plans and not social including economic impacts strategies for growth. As we talk with politicians and the press~we should not condemn the airways and highways as we star/ out on a negative basis. We should always remember that we need to be positive in our talks, goals and associations. The main thing to stress is that we want to improve the quality of life for everyone. INFORMATION FROM ROSS CAPON - NARP EXEC DIR. * I suggested that profitability is not a good goal for Amtrak's on-board food service. Our new analysis suggests that-based on 2004 data-Amtrak's sleeping cars represent at least $40 million in incremental profit. * Modem Passenger Trains: A National Necessity is a June 2002 NARP report (Revised December 2003) making the overall case for a major commitment to intemity passenger roil. * The big, two-volume Union Pacific history of which I spoke so highly is Union Pacific: Volume II, 1894-1969 by Maury Klein, originally published by Doubleday in 1987, and published this year in paperback by U of MN Press, Klein is a groat storyteller, equally at home in political analysis, business history and biography. Incidentally, he argues that Pres. Theodore Roosevelt was a disaster for the railroad industry in general, not just UP and Harriman. While he finds no evidence specifically linking TR to launch of an ICC investigation aimed solely at the Harriman roads, he calls that investigation an incredible coincidence (given TR's views on Harriman at the time). I plan to road Volume I (1862-1893) as soon as I finish Vol. II. * I mentioned James Howard Kunstier, and quoted a respected science writer who fundamentally endorsed what Kunstler is saying. Bottom line is that a "plateau" in oil production would create serious dislocation in our society-you don't need a downturn. * As Dharm suggested, the U.S. may be a Iow-tax nation, but politicians at least appear to cato about expenses of the average household. Even before the recant gasoline-price spike, Surface Transportation Policy Project (with some good media coverage) showing that household Transportation costs aro lower where mass transit is better. *The number of passenger vehicles has leapt 270% since 1960, far ahead of the 86% increase in the adult population. We now have one car, van, pickup truck or sport-utility vehicle for every adult...Houses and transportation accounted for 52% of all expenditures in 2002-03, up from less than 41% in 1950." A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT OF NARP TO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY MINETA President George Chilson wrote to U.S. Transportation Sec. Norman Mineta on June 13, asking why the Department's recently released white paper on reducing tmnsportaiton congestion did not cite either freight or passenger rail as possible solutions. In the letter, Chilson wrote, '"~Vhile you aro right to target congestion as a serious and growing national problem, we are dumbfounded that you failed even to mention rail in National Strategy to Reduce Congestion on America's Transportation Network...Neglect of roil-both by federal policy and the state policies that it encourages-is the primary reason that our nation continues to spend enormous amounts on transportation infrastructure without satisfactory results..." Chilson's letter opened an issue that has troubled many transportation experts: the continuing reluctance of the federal government to Include railroad infrastructure development in its transportation plans or budgets, Although rail is the most economically efficient form of transportation to operate and build, and the nation's key rail rights-of-way hold much undeveloped capacity, too few of the nation's travelers and too little of its freight aro using rail because, without federal infrastructure assistance, private capital cannot afford the heavy bill for creation of the needed rail capacity. Highways, airports, the FAA's Air Traffic Control System, and the Inland Waterway System are publicly owned and funded, but the pdvate railroads have been considered off-limits to federal policy except for safety regulation. Chilson said NARP believes the time has come for that policy to change. "Private ownership of the nation's rail infrastructure does not render it less valuable to the American people, place it beyond the purview of federal transportation policy or make in ineligible for public funding," he wrote to Mineta. Chilson cited the successful rail program in Mineta's home state of California, where state investments in track, signals, bridges, stations and passenger rolling stock have led to a popular and fast-growing network of 60 daily passenger trains that carry more than 4 million passengers a year on a three-route, 800-mile network. Besides making passenger trains useful and appealing, state funding for double-tracking, signaling and grade-separation projects also has benefited freight operations. "California has proven that a dollar spent developing a railroad will buy us four or five times as much freight- and passenger-hauling capacity as a dollar spent on airports or highways," Chilsen said. "California also has proven that government can use its funds to develop a railroad's property without interfering with the shareholder% dghts to use their property for profitable freight hauling," he said. "Government devek)prnent of railroad infrastructure clearly is a win/win/win situation, and there's no reason why a federal government that claims to be concerned about air and highway congestion should not adopt it." Chilson's letter to Mineta noted a "growing consensus" for rail development. He cited two reports issued in 2003 by the. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). The reports, Intercity Passenger Rail Transportation and Freight-Rail Bottom Line Report, said failure to develop rail capacity would confront even the best-developed highway system with enough excess traffic to throw key segments into permanent gddlock. The freight report cited a $53 billion gap between investment needed to maintain rail's existing market share and what the railroads are likely to invest without government help. Chilson also noted that Joseph Boardman, who chaired AASHTO's Standing Committee on Rail Transportation when the reports were issued, is now Federal Railroad Administrator. "The availability of so much experience and judgment at USDOT makes it all the more puzzling and disappointing that the Department has failed to acknowledge rail development as a key element in any strategy intended to solve the nation's congestion problems," Chilson said. "At NARP, we are looking forward to answers and seeking a fruitful dialogue." Secretary of Transpor/ation Mineta has resigned from his position, which we all hope will be a blessing if we can get someone who does not talk out of both sides of his mouth at one time. By Jim Green REMEMBER IF YOU ARE UPSET ABOUT THE PRICE OF GASOLINE. THEN BE PRESENT AT OUR ANNUAL MEETING AND LEARN WHAT CAN AND SHOULD BE DONE TO SAVE OUR COUNTRY IN TIME OF A DISASTER AND TURN AROUND OUR DEPENDENCY TO THOSE FOREIGN COUNTRIES WHO ARE NOT OUR FRIENDS WHEN WE NEED THEM. HOTEL RESERVATIONS 406-721-9600 OR 800-443-7777 MENTION MONTANA PASSENGER ASSOCIATION 1 BED/1 PERSON $58.00 1BED/2 PEOPLE $65.00 2BED/2 PEOPLE $70.00 If we rent 15 rooms the meeting room will be free. AUTOS AND AIRLINES By Sholrm Freeman Washington Post Staff Writer When it comes to greenhouse gases, U.S. drivers are getting more of the blame. Americans rrepresent 5 percent of the world's population but contribute 45 percent of the world's emission ofcurbon dioxide, the main pollutant that causes global warming, according to a report by the no-profit group Environmental Defense. Americans own 30 percent of the world's vehlcles, drive farther each year than the international average and bum more fuel per mile, the report says. Additionally, the sport-utility boom of the past decade put vehicles on the mad that could be spewing carbon dioxide for years to come. Consumers could buy gas-electric hybrids or cars with smaller engines that bum less fuel and they could be more aware of how much they are driving, no matter the gas mileage of their cars. The authors also suggest that Comm~mities reconsider land use policies because Americans are taking more and longar trips, ofien to shop. On Monday, the Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments on whether the federal government has the authority to regulate carbon dioxide. The Bush administration is seeking to convince the court that the federal government has no obligation to restrict greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide is a byproduct of burning gasoline in vehicles. Scientists say the atmosphere can absorb a great deal of it, but many worry that people are adding more than nature can handle. The Environmental Defense report found that in 2004, U.S. cars and light macks emitted 314 mCaic tons of carbon dioxide, the equivalent ora coal train 50,000 miles long. Airline lobbyists aim to gut pension reform. The Ho~e and the Senate have each passed bad bills that, once. again, would make the under funding of airline workers pontoons worse rather than better. The Bush administration, in a ram show of'determination, has threatened a veto. This has driven the House and Senate conference negotiators to improve their legislation, and until recently reformers were quietly predicting victory. At the eleventh hour a posse of airline lobbyists has held up the process, demanding special permission to shortchange pension promises. The airlines and their.allies argue that they need special treatment to keep their pension plans afloat; they don't have the money to fund their promises properly, so if forced to do so they will terminate .their pension plans and dump them on the taxpayer-hacked insurance system. This is unconvincing: A/dines have been given similar relief in the past, but that didn't stop some of ..~. em fiom terminstinl~ their pension plans anyway. DO YOU BELIEVE IN OUR MISSION? DO YOU LIKE THIS AND OTHER NEWSLETTERS? DO YOU WANT MORE ~ PASSENGER SERVICE IN MONTANA? [t. ELP US BY JOINING WlTIi AN ANNUAL I)UES OF JUST $24.00 OR MORE. THINGS ARE NOT DONE FREIg OR BY TIlE WAVE OF A WAND, STATEMENT EXPRESSES NARP'S STANCE ON RAIL CAPACITY WASHINGTON (June 30)--in a statement submitted today to the Senste Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportafion's Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine, the National Association of Raiiroad .Passengers rcitereted its provisional support for the 25% investment tax credits sought by the fialght railroads. The June 21 hearing on "Economics, Service, and Capacity in the Freight Railroad Industry" was held by the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Memhant Marine of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, chaired by Trent Lott (R-MS). The written statement, by NARP .Executive Director Ross B. Capon, also recognized the anportant role that public-private parmerships can play in enhancing capacity and efficiency of the nation's railroad network. However, Capon cautioned that the combinations of partnerships and tax credits will fall short of filling the huge gap between the billion dollar Investments needed to ensnm that fi-eight railroads are able to maintain existing market shares in a growin~ economy, an investment that the railroads are likely to make or finance on their own. According to estimates released in a January 2003 report by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the predicted investment shortcomings will be between $33-53 billion by the year 2020, a tact cited in thc prupa~xt testimony of Aasociaflon of American Railroads President and CEO Edward IL Hambergor. Capon cautioned, "Some of the legitimate, sapacity=enha~cing investments that will dq~end on public support may be not lend themselves so obviously to specific 'public's for the 'public.private parlxlership' to work. Indeed, there may not be enough 'CREATE,'s that is, projects with benefits that draw in public partners, to yield public funding anywhere near $33.53 billion." [CREATE is a major project to improve railroads and highway/raliroad crossings in the Chicago area.] Developing federal program that identifies and addresses other projects potentially involves objection from freight railroads all'aid of both losing competitive edge and re-regulation. In his statement Capon also said, "The National Association of Railroad Passengers has both a specific and a general interest in a healthy, reliable railroad network where average speeds are increasing, not decreasing...Our specific interest, of coursa, is to see that railroads do a good job ofrenning Amtrak and commuter trains. Amtrek's current and recent expe~ence is not good." Potential exists for a greatly-expanded role for passenger rail. It is widely recognized as maximizing energy and economic efficiency, minimizing envimnmentai damage, and increasing the safety of our overall transportation system. Capon ci~l recently issued energy efficiency measures fi'om the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's annual "Transportation Energy Data Book" that prove rail's benefits to the environment and energy conservation. MONTANA WYOMING ASSOCIATION OF RAILROAD PASSENGERS 2110 WlNGATE LANE BILLINGS, MONTANA 59102 406-652-1339 iimabiffC~,itm.net NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 309 BILLINGS, MONTANA Mayor, City of Laurel 115 W. 1~t St. Laurel, Mt 59044 THIS EDITION OF THE OFFICIAL NEWS FOR "MT/WY ARP ~ IS WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE FOLLOWING BUSINESS WE ASK YOU TO SUPPORT THEMIJ WE NEED MORE LIKE THEM. WE NEED MORE TO PAY DUES, OR BE A SPONSOR, OR FIND THEM FOR US. WE WANT TO CONTINUE THE NEWSLETTER. PLEASE LEWIS TREE SERVICE 225 SHERMAN ROCK SPRINGS, WY 307-382-8675 ROBERT & KATHERINE OF FISHTAIL ACKLEY PAINTING 1603 JACKSON ST MISSOULA, MT 59801 406-728-2178 HALCOOPER OF WASHINGTON MCCARTNEY-WARE CNSTRTN INC P O BOX 163 WHITEFISH, MT 59937 406862-5449 OR 862-7646 CHICO HOT SPRNGS PRAY, MONTANA 59065 4O6-333-4933 BUTTE NP DEPOT JANELL MADRAZO BUTTE.MT 59701 406-494-4968