Hotline #745

The Amtrak board met October 28. No equipment orders were approved, but the following items were -- $7 million for improvements to Sunnyside Yard train servicing facilities; $9.6 million for retrofitting some Amfleet II, Horizon, and Superliner cars with retention toilets and for waste-handling trucks; a $9.4-million, five-year lease on luggage-rack movie screens for Silver Meteorand Silver Star coaches -- which Amtrak expects to more than recover; $35 million for heavy overhauls on certain cars and locomotives; the sale of the Amtrak station at Sandusky, O., to the city; the sale of two dome cars; and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance at eight key stations.

Amtrak's fiscal year 1992 operating cost recovery was 79.1%, up slightly from 78.5% in 1991 -- that despite a major drop in revenue. Final ridership figures for 1992 will be available next time. Amtrak has new mail business at Orlando, Charlotte, and White River Junction. It is using trucks to take some mail from Lynchburg to Roanoke, Pittsburgh to Cincinnati, and Boston to Providence and Springfield. The Carolinian has mail for the first time.

Amtrak began on-board telephone service on its Chicago-Detroit trains this week. The Carolinian now has checked baggage service and the Montrealer regained it.

An often emotional tribute was paid by the Amtrak board to a past member, Charlie Luna, who died October 1. Luna served on the board since the beginning and right up to his death. Amtrak President Graham Claytor called him the "most valuable board member we ever had."

Five thousand people rode Metrolink commuter trains in Los Angeles on their first day of operation, October 26. Service on the three new lines was free all this week.

Along with the five ISTEA high-speed rail corridors announced this month, the following intermodal station projects received grants from the FRA -- Orlando, Denver, San Antonio, Portland (Me.), Chicago O'Hare Airport, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Seattle.

President Bush signed the Amtrak reauthorization bill, H.R.4250, into law on October 27. It is Public Law 102-533.

Amtrak has investigated more fully an incident we reported last week in which a woman fell from the California Zephyr near Price, Utah, on October 17. Contrary to previous reports, she did not walk off the door on the rear of the train, but rather off a side door in a coach. Amtrak crew said all latches on the door had been closed. The woman, who survived, told local police she had been having emotional problems and the police closed the case.

Groundbreaking ceremonies for new Amtrak stations were held in Emeryville, Cal., on October 27 and Oakland on October 28. Both cities plan to have temporary facilities open by next July, at which time earthquake-damaged Oakland-16th Street will close for good.

NARP director Barry Green submitted written testimony this month in two state hearings considering a request by Burlington Northern to remove its freight agents at Wolf Point and Malta, Mont. Amtrak reimburses BN for Amtrak work the agents do, but said it would supply its own agents at both stations for a year. However, because Amtrak is not bound to the same state regulations as BN, it could pull the agents if it chose. Therefore, Green told state regulators that removing the BN agents now could lead to total removal of agents by Amtrak later.

SEPTA is about to being taking delivery of a new fleet of 26 cars for its Norristown High Speed line. The N-5 car will replace the old Bullets that ran from 1931 to 1990. The N-5 was originally to be built at Amtrak's Beech Grove shops, but after many delays, the order will be completed at ABB's Elmira plant instead.

NARP's latest timetable hotline lists many errors in the new Amtrak timetables. Call 202/408-8331 for this free service.

November 3 is Election Day, one that could have a profound impact on the future of balanced transportation in this country. Please cast your vote accordingly.