UTU News Digest - Friday, January 29, 1999

UTU Daily News Digest

Information of interest to operating railroad and transportation employees

Friday, January 29, 1999

Slater announces extension of Chicago Hub high-speed rail corridor to Indy, Cincy

CHICAGO -- U.S. Secretary of Transportation Rodney E. Slater, joined by Federal Railroad Administrator (FRA) Jolene Molitoris, yesterday announced the continuation and expansion of a successful public-private partnership to extend the Chicago Hub High-Speed Rail Corridor to Indianapolis and Cincinnati.

Secretary Slater also presented a check for $200,000 to Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson for a study of the impact of a new high-speed, turbine-powered locomotive on the Chicago Hub Corridor. The locomotive is being developed under the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) Next Generation Program.

"Projects like this demonstrate President Clinton's commitment to safety as the highest transportation priority and help build the transportation system for the new millennium," Secretary Slater said. "The American people will benefit from safe, comfortable, reliable, high-speed passenger rail service, which provides an attractive option for travel between major urban centers and helps cities manage the increased congestion that is forecasted."

The proposed extension will serve an urban population of more than 4 million persons which is in addition to the Chicago Hub Corridor population of about 20 million.

This extension of the Chicago Hub Corridor entitles the area to federal funds which will be combined with state and local funds to make highway grade crossing improvements in the corridor and accommodate speeds of 110 miles per hour. To eliminate hazards at grade crossings, the states plan for a mix of grade separations, improvements and closures. There are an estimated 1,075 grade crossings in the 970-mile Chicago Hub Corridor.

This is the first year of a six-year funding program under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century. A total of $5.25 million has been made available for all high-speed rail corridors for fiscal 1999 and each year through fiscal 2005.

"We are committed to flexible choices in shaping our transportation system for the 21st century and high-speed rail will be critical to improving safety, protecting the environment and reducing congestion for millions of Americans," Administrator Molitoris said. "This corridor is a continuation of the movement across our country to develop high-speed rail service."

Molitoris said that high-speed trains on the Northeast Corridor have demonstrated how train travel can be safe, reliable, economical and comfortable. Trains on the Northeast Corridor already travel at speeds of 125 mph and will ultimately travel at 150 mph on certain segments.

Currently, Alabama, California, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and Washington are investing in upgrades to existing rail corridors in order to provide improved passenger rail service.

Since initial costs can be a major deterrent to reaching truly desirable service levels, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is actively engaged in several public-private partnerships in order to provide affordable alternatives for designated high-speed corridors. Under its Next Generation High-Speed Rail Program, the FRA is working with the private sector to develop new satellite-based train control systems and innovative grade crossing treatments in addition to the new high-speed, turbine locomotive.

The goal of the Federal Railroad Administration's Next Generation program is to facilitate the introduction of high-speed rail service by lowering costs in corridors such as the Chicago Hub Corridor.

Amtrak Reform Council elects Carmichael chairman

WASHINGTON -- The eleven-member Amtrak Reform Council has elected Gil Carmichael, of Meridian, Miss., as chairman. Carmichael was Federal Railroad Administrator during the Bush Administration, and is currently vice chairman of the board of MotivePower Industries, Inc., of Pittsburgh. Paul Weyrich, president of the Free Congress Foundation, was re-elected vice-chairman.

Carmichael is well known as a strong advocate of intercity and high-speed railroad passenger service, and is chairman of the board of the University of Denver's Intermodal Transportation Institute. He was a member and subcommittee chairman of the National Transportation Policy Study Commission and served as chairman of the National Highway Traffic Safety Advisory Committee.

Carmichael and Weyrich have previously served on Amtrak's board of directors.

In December, the Speaker of the House appointed Wendell Cox from Illinois to the council. Previously, Cox was appointed to three terms on the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission. Today he is principal of an international consulting firm specializing in public policy, economics, transport and demographics.

Congress established the Amtrak Reform Council as an independent commission under the Amtrak Reform and Accountability Act of 1997. Its members are appointed by the Senate and House majority and minority leadership and the President.

The council's mission is to evaluate Amtrak's performance and make recommendations to Amtrak on cost containment and productivity improvements. The council also is charged with determining whether Amtrak will require federal operating subsidies after Oct. 1, 2002. If the council makes such a determination at any time after Dec. 2 of this year, it must submit an Amtrak restructuring plan to Congress and Amtrak would be required to submit a liquidation plan.

Carmichael stated that the council's primary role is that of fact-finding and helping Amtrak achieve self-sufficiency: "Council members are dedicated to fulfilling their responsibilities under the Act. Our role is that of 'honest broker.' We will examine all financial and operating data, consider all options and make a realistic judgment as to the capability of Amtrak to succeed. We intend to give Congress, as well as Amtrak, a well-considered and documented report and recommendations."

The other council members are Bruce Chapman, Seattle; Christopher K. Gleason, Johnstown, Pa.; S. Lee Kling, St. Louis; Clarence V. Monin, Cleveland; John Norquist, Milwaukee; U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater; Donald R. Sweitzer, West Greenwich, R.I.; and Joseph Vranich, Irvine, Calif.

Bullet trains may be dead in the water

WASHINGTON -- Florida had what seemed to be a visionary plan to reduce airport crowding and traffic congestion: Build a 200-mph train that would whisk tourists and the like between Orlando, Tampa and Miami.

But the state's new governor, Jeb Bush, killed the project nine days after taking office. The move cast doubt not only on the future of high-speed rail in Florida, but also in the rest of the country.

On the same day, the General Accounting Office told Congress that most of the 10 other high-speed corridors under development in the United States "have not determined their funding sources" -- a stop, look and listen warning for high speed.

The 10 include the Gulf Coast, the Texas Triangle, Midwest corridors between Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis and Minneapolis, plus similar tracks through California, the Southeast, upstate New York and the Pacific Northwest.

The auditors concluded: "These systems may be an effective alternative in corridors where travel is increasing and it is difficult to expand highway and airport capacity.

"However, high-speed rail systems are costly, and thus ridership levels may not be high enough in the United States for systems to cover their costs."

An exception is in the Northeast Corridor, where Amtrak will begin operating 150-mph trains between Boston, New York and Washington in October. Amtrak expects its high-speed trains to help revive the financially strapped national railroad, as well as provide momentum for the proposed systems.

"High-speed rail is not just a metropolitan solution; it is a solution also for my part of the country," John Robert Smith, mayor of Meridian, Miss., and a member of Amtrak's board of directors, said last year.

High-speed trains are typically defined as those capable of traveling more than 125 mph. They achieve those speeds either with special tracks and locomotives or through technology allowing trains to tilt into existing curves.

Japan, France and Germany, three nations with long rail histories, have taken the lead in developing such systems. When France opened its first TGV line between Paris and Lyon in the late 1980s, the internal French airline, Air Inter, had to cut back on its service because the 180-mph TGV was faster.

Last June, when a 175-mph InterCity Express train crashed near Eschede, Germany, killing 101 people, it was a blow to the national psyche. The trains were viewed as a symbol of German innovation and over their 10-year history had become an integral part of the country's travel network.

The Florida project was to have mirrored such foreign innovation. The late Gov. Lawton Chiles signed a deal in 1996 with Florida Overland express, a private consortium. It planned to run French-designed trains on new tracks that would cross existing obstacles with underpasses and overpasses, instead of traditional grade crossings. The project carried a price tag of up to $8 billion.

Bush questioned the projected ridership and whether the routes might lead to unwelcome development around the Everglades. His biggest concern, though, was money. The state had already committed to $28 million to the project.

"There are better alternatives for $70 million per year compounded at 4 percent," the newly elected governor said.

Anne Chettle, spokeswoman for the Washington-based High Speed Ground Transportation Association, said Bush's decision shows why if high-speed rail is to spread across the United States, it will have to be done in increments.

Typically, that means straightening track curves, rebuilding existing stations and buying trains with higher top speeds -- exactly what Amtrak is doing in the Northeast Corridor.

"That seems to set lawmakers at ease, because it is not the big chunk of money they so often see advertised. It may not be the wisest use of money and actually lead to higher costs, but it seems to be the most palatable," Chettle said.

The Transportation Department is encouraging the approach by designating routes as "high-speed rail corridors," making them eligible for special development money. Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater is traveling to the Midwest this week to make such a designation for the line between Chicago and Indianapolis. Amtrak currently makes one run a day between the cities.

Despite the GAO's dire assessment, rail advocates believe high-speed trains can flourish in the United States, given the right approach.

"What we're trying to do here is not really all or nothing," said Amtrak spokesman John Wolf. "If you use an incremental approach and build on existing rights of way in partnership with states and private businesses and freight railroads, we believe it will work."

Gamblers could create new Amtrak rail passenger business

BOSSIER CITY, La. - A steady stream of gamblers coming from Texas to Shreveport-Bossier City casinos could justify Amtrak taking its Fort Worth route as far east as Bossier City, officials say.

A $10,000 passenger rail study, paid for by the Bossier City Council and steered by the Southern Rapid Rail Transit Commission, will soon tell local officials whether the route is worth its $5 million price tag.

The study is a first step among many required before Amtrak rolls in.

"From all the things we've looked at so far, there's plenty of people coming over here and plenty going to Dallas," said Bossier City resident Joe Littlejohn, who heads a campaign to bring Amtrak to Bossier City. "I think it will work out fine."

Amtrak officials concluded their last visit this past weekend, taking time to study the reasons tourists visit Shreveport-Bossier City. The observations will help officials determine how many trains the area could support, what kinds of cars the train would need, and how often they should run.

"The study is concerned with whether there is enough ridership to make it worth it - we think there is," Littlejohn said. "We're just getting more and more entertainment here."

A $500,000 Amtrak depot is one of several capital improvement projects planned for 2002 - a benchmark Littlejohn said he believes is still realistic. Officials simply have to show Amtrak how they would pay for whatever ticket sales did not cover, he said.

State lawmakers in Texas and Louisiana could cover any shortfall in the project, Bossier City Mayor George Dement said.

"If the study comes out in favor of the project ... then we would jump through hoops to find the money to do that," Bossier City Finance Director Charles Glover said.

Hudson-Bergen Light Rail could get more federal funds

WASHINGTON -- The Hudson-Bergen Light Rail Project would get an increase in federal funding of more than 40 percent for ongoing construction of the new line under President Clinton's proposed budget.

The administration will formally ask Congress for $99 million for the Hudson-Bergen project when Clinton unveils his budget proposal next week, but New Jersey lawmakers applauded the decision in advance.

"We are extremely pleased," said Ken Miller, a spokesman for NJ Transit.

Last year, Congress and the administration agreed on providing $70 million for the light rail project, a proposed 20.5 mile line from Bayonne to Ridgefield Park. So far all funding, including the newest proposal for fiscal year 2000, covers the first phase of the project, the 9.5-mile stretch from Bayonne to the Hoboken terminal.

Aides said keeping the funds flowing for the first phase of the project was the best way to ensure that Congress and the administration agree to fund the second phase, which is more vital for Bergen County. That phase will run from Hoboken to North Bergen. The final phase of the project would connect the line to Ridgefield Park.

"New Jersey has the third largest mass transit system in the country, and financial resources are vitally important to maintain the quality of service that New Jersey Transit's

173 million riders deserve every year," Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg, D-N.J., said in a statement.

Miller said the state had been expecting a budget request of about $100 million from the administration as part of a five-year deal, during which Washington will provide about $600 million for the first phase of the project. The state and local governments are expected to provide another $400 million.

Although he praised Lautenberg for his work on the first phase of funding, Miller said NJ Transit would soon be seeking a new round of funding for the second phase of the Hudson-Bergen project.

"We certainly hope that the senator is equally successful," he said.