Hotline #837

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has announced it will begin construction to rehabilitate the Fall River and New Bedford railroad lines, a critical step in bringing passenger trains to the South Coast rail corridor.

The project will deliver commuter rail to Taunton, Fall River and New Bedford, the only Massachusetts cities within 50 miles of Boston that are not served by commuter rail.

“South Coast residents deserve the benefits of a reliable and convenient connection to Boston and points in between,” said Governor Deval Patrick. “This work is another step in a methodical, comprehensive process that will move South Coast Rail forward.”

Beyond the immediate economic stimulus that will come from construction and engineering work, the project is projected to create nearly half a billion dollars in development each year by bringing economic activity to aging, industrial cities struggling to deal with high unemployment rates and disinvestment.

“South Coast Rail represents economic opportunity and smart growth for the cities of New Bedford, Fall River, and Taunton,” said MassDOT Secretary Richard Davey.

Workers will install over 42,000 rail ties, along with thousands of spikes, along the 33 mile corridor leading to Fall River and New Bedford. Crews will continue until the ground is frozen, and resume in spring 2014 after the thaw.

Following successful negotiations between the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners and Amtrak, intercity passenger rail service is coming to downtown St. Paul in early 2014.

Ramsey County approved a 20-year lease of St. Paul Union Depot with Amtrak. The agreement covers 3,800 square feet for a first class passenger lounge, ticketing, baggage handling, a back office, and staff quarters.

In the first year of the agreement, Amtrak will pay up to $144,586 as its share of operating costs, increasing 3 percent per annum over the course of the 20-year lease. Amtrak has the option to extend the lease for one additional 20-year period.

“We do estimate that their costs at Union Depot would be right around that $140,000 or $150,000 amount,” Jean Krueger, a representative of the Ramsey County Regional Railroad authority, told Trains. “The lease establishes that as their initial limit. If their actual costs are less than that, they will pay actual costs.”

Amtrak currently serves St. Paul via Midway Station, located halfway between St. Paul and Minneapolis. Midway will close upon the opening of St. Paul Union Depot, though the tracks at Midway will continue to be used for private cars and coach switching. The lease stipulates that Amtrak’s annual rent limit will increase by an additional $44,000 if the building is sold or demolished.

A rendering of Kansas City’s future streetcar. Image via PlanningKC.

Though it is two years away from being operational, the Downtown Council of Kansas City is reporting that the city’s new streetcar has already led to 33 new development projects within the project’s Transportation Development District (TDD).

TDDs can impose a sales tax to fund construction and maintenance of transportation infrastructure—up to a 1 percent sales tax by Missouri law. The count of 33 includes projects completed, under construction, and those which have been announced within the boundaries of KC Downtown Streetcar’s TTD.

The line will run two miles, north to south, and includes 18 stops spaced every two blocks. The city has seen a mix of commercial, office, and residential development along the line. Kansas City transportation planners envision as a pedestrian friendly, densely developed corridor.

More than one year after Hurricane Sandy devastated cities and infrastructure all along the East Coast, Amtrak is still unable to use $81 million in federal recovery funds due to an idiosyncrasy in the relief bill’s language.

Amtrak received $111 million in relief funds, after sequestration cuts are taken into account. Around $30 million went to immediate repairs, with the remaining $81 million allocated for mitigation projects to help the railroad deal with future storms. However, the bill included language that prohibits Amtrak from transferring funds between operating and capital accounts, both for the Hurricane Sandy relief act and “any other act”—which would include future appropriations.

While Amtrak does not consider these funds fungible, day-to-day business operations requires a certain amount of liquidity. Thus, money received from a capital grant could be used to pay employee salaries, the transfer is temporary; year-end expenditures are strictly in accordance with funding levels established by Congress. To protect its ability to function as a business, Amtrak hasn’t touched the $81 million included in the relief bill.

The constricting language has been known about for many months, but it was again highlighted during a November 14 House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee hearing on Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts.

“We propose an amendment in an appropriations bill to amend the Sandy act to delete this prohibition on temporary fund transfers,” said Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo. “That way the money can be fully invested in better preparing the Northeast Corridor to face future natural disasters… We continue to have dialogue with what it would take for an appropriate fix. Again, it's really a matter of simply deleting four words and those four words are ‘or any other act.’”

Congressional leaders haven’t set a timeline for a fix.

Registration is now open for the 10th Annual Southwestern Rail Conference, an event that brings together the public and private sectors to discuss important transportation issues.

Hosted by Texas Rail Advocates, a grass roots, non-profit organization, the event features presentations by NARP Chairman Robert Stewart, the Texas Department of Transportation's Rail Division, Texas Central High Speed Railway, BNSF Railway, Union Pacific Railroad, KCS Railway, and others.

The conference will be held January 23-24, 2014 at the Holiday Inn/SMU-Park Cities in Dallas. NARP members can take advantage of a Half-Price Discount ($75.00) for the Friday, January 24 conference. Details at the NARP Event Calendar.

In a hearing held before New Mexico’s state legislature this week, Amtrak reiterated its support of a resolution involving equal cost-sharing between the five parties affected by the infrastructure crisis threatening the Chicago-Los Angeles Southwest Chief.

"I still think the five-way split is the most manageable way to go and is the best solution here for the public,” Amtrak’s Ray Lang told the State Legislature's Transportation Infrastructure Revenue Subcommittee on November 12. “We would love to find a way to keep the train on its route… Rerouting trains is very painful, very difficult and very expensive to do. It's our corporate position to try and find a way to stay on this route.”

NARP has been organizing nationally to save the train, and—when informed of the potential loss of service—communities along the route have banded together to protect this vital transportation and economic link. And while New Mexico’s Governor Susana Martinez (R) has expressed support for the train, recent statements raise concern about the viability of a cost-sharing solution.

“We’re happy to discuss various proposals around this important issue,” Martinez said in a statement to The New Mexican. “But Amtrak was created and funded by Congress since its inception, and thus, any agreement should not stick the taxpayers of New Mexico with a large tab. According to the New Mexico [Department of Transportation], the state has never provided state funds for Amtrak service. We’re willing to work together on this issue, but any agreement needs to take that reality into account.”

There is no one best solution, but it is vital that our leaders hear about the how important this train is to the communities that depend on it. Residents of New Mexico can participate in NARP’s campaign to get New Mexico on board with saving the Southwest Chief.

Travelers’ Advisory

—San Diego’s COASTER commuter trains, Metrolink, Amtrak, and BNSF freight trains will not be operating in San Diego County to allow necessary work on the Santa Margarita Bridge. The work will include adding a second main track, greatly improve reliability and on time performance. Service will resume in time for the Monday morning commute on November 18.

—The Metropolitan Transportation Authority unveiled new and improved schedules following the completion of a major track improvement project in the Bronx. Trip times to New Haven will improve on weekdays and weekends, and additional trains have been added to the Danbury branch. The changes go into effect Sunday, November 17. You can find out more on MTA.info.

—Amtrak Cascades is offering University of Oregon students additional direct Cascades Thruway motorcoach service from Eugene to Portland Union Station for the busy Thanksgiving travel week. Amtrak will run the busses straight from campus on November 27 and December 1, two of the busiest travel days in the year.

From the NARP Blog

—Thanksgiving means crowded trains: If you’ve ever traveled on the Northeast Corridor during the Thanksgiving holiday, you’re probably used to arriving at the station and finding the platforms teeming with travelers and their bags. You’re probably also used to the sight of your Amtrak train pulling into the station without the typical consist of Amfleets. Instead, you’ll often see borrowed commuter cars from NJ Transit and MARC; a necessity given the crush of passengers. And, at every station along the Corridor, you can spot more passengers lining the platform. If they’re not about to board your train, then they’re likely waiting for one just after yours. [Read More]

—South Africa Takes Bold Step With Train Order: With the average age of Amtrak equipment just topping 28 years, any regular passenger of the U.S. intercity rail network can tell you how desperately new rail cars are needed. Beyond simple comfort, aging equipment decreases reliability and on time performance, and increases the cost of maintaining Amtrak’s fleet. [Read More]

—More information = better decisions = more trains & transit: An introductory course in economics will teach you that one of several conditions that must be met to have a properly functioning market, where prices for goods and services are established based on the optimal intersection of supply and demand, is “perfect” information. Both buyer and seller must have access to all the relevant information about the product or service in order to establish a fair price. But too often when people make decisions, information is imperfect, or unavailable. [Read More]

—Dr. Anthony Perl on the Bipartisan Reality of Trains and Transit: During NARP’s Fall Meeting in Jacksonville, Florida, our Council of Representatives was lucky enough to hear from Dr. Anthony Perl. Dr. Perl is a professor of political science and Director of the Urban Studies Program at Simon Fraser University, in Vancouver, British Columbia—though he started his career in transportation as a NARP intern in the mid-1970s. [Read More]

—Prophets of Smart Growth: A new service offered by the U.S. government will allow for better information for home buyers with regard to associated costs of ownership- including proximity to transportation infrastructure. It is remarkable that in the late 19th century, these costs were not only known and felt, but were also crucial in deciding where to live. [Read more]

—Students speak out for passenger rail: Since I started working in the passenger rail industry I continue to hear this ignorant and unsubstantiated claim that only a certain demographic rides trains and thus they’re not worth investing in. The truth is that passenger rail is part of everyday American lives wherever it exists in this nation. If it’s present in your town, city, or state; believe it’s being used by many of your fellow citizens no matter the age or race. [Read More]

—John Mica’s Circus Sideshow, Part ∞: Rep. John Mica (R-FL) held yet another hearing this morning focusing on the financials of Amtrak’s food and beverage (F&B) service. NARP has never been shy to point out places where Amtrak could improve. But it’s time to restore a modicum of perspective to this whole process; Mica’s intense focus on this one aspect of Amtrak’s business is completely misdirected. [Read More]