Hotline #772

The House Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, chaired by Bob Carr (D.-Mich.), held on May 5 its annual hearingon 1994 Amtrak funding. Amtrak made a convincing pitch for a 1993 supplemental appropriation, but supplemental funding for Amtrak realistically depends on the White House seeking the money. It is not clear what the White House will do. One supplemental bill may reach the full House Appropriations Committee on May 12 and the floor on May 17, but it is unclear if any transportation items will be included. Please tell the White House and members of House Appropriations of the crucial need for Amtrak supplemental funding.

At the hearing, under questioning from Chairman Carr, who noted that Amtrak seeks an operating subsidy increase for 1994, Amtrak President Graham Claytor said it became clear "a couple of years ago" that self-sufficiency could not be achieved by the year 2000. He said progress toward the goal cannot continue in a travel recession and without more capital.

Carr said he co-sponsored the Administration's high-speed rail bill only because of its emphasis on operating self-sufficiency. Carr said Claytor has supported incrementalism but "the first increment should be self-sufficiency. Second, perhaps, getting all of the Northeast Corridor truly high-speed."

Studying route statistics, Carr asked Claytor if he would like to discontinue the Montrealer and the Atlantic City trains and noted that the Sunset Limited and Empire Builder also are weak. Claytor said that he'd like to improve the Montrealer with new equipment; that Atlantic City service does well from distant cities; that the Sunset Limited is always sold out; and that the Empire Builder is vital to rural areas with little other transportation. Carr joked, "Maybe we should stop the train and create a wilderness area. I imagine thatwill make the paper in North Dakota."

Carr suggested it might come down to a choice between abandoning weaker routes and cutting back on capital. When Claytor said the eliminating routes does not save money because of labor protection, Carr suggested that labor protection provisions might be changed. Carr is frustrated by the gap between the funding allocation his subcommittee expects and the transportation hopes the Administration has raised. Clearly, given President Clinton's desire to "full fund" ISTEA, increase aviation spending, and have some "high speed rail" money, this appropriations season will be just as difficult as ever for Amtrak.

Meanwhile, no new heavy overhaul work is starting except on some AEM-7's and Superliners, though furloughs were postponed pending news on a supplemental funding bill.

Dates have been announced for the X2000 tour. It begins at the ABB plant in Elmira Heights, N.Y., on May 11, and follows with the Empire Corridor May 11-15, Washington-Charlotte corridor May 26-29, Florida corridor May 31-June 10, Midwest corridor June 16-30, and Northwest corridor July 4-9.

Amtrak introduced a deep-discount, non-refundable All Aboard fare for sale through June 17, good in first class but not in Florida. The one-zone fare is just $138 for travel through December 16, except that from June 18 to August 22 it is $178.

Rep. Fred Upton (R.-Mich.), an Energy and Commerce Committee member from Kalamazoo, held a hearing there on April 6. Conrail testified that is has a trackage rights agreement with Grand Trunk Western that would end use of the Detroit-Kalamazoo line by through-freights if the line is purchased and upgraded for passengers. Conrail also expressed opposition to improving its main line between Chicago and Porter, Ind., for use by faster trains.

The Canadian Transport Ministry announced it will cut VIA Rail's budget drastically in coming years. Particularly threatened would be the Canadian, the Maritimes trains and the remote services. The budget would go from $350 million in 1994 to $300 million in 1995 and $250 million in 1996.