Washington Rail News February /march 200 999

www.AllAboardWashington.org

Publication of All Aboard Washington A Not ---for-forforfor----profitprofit Consumer Organization “Moving forward...On Rail ."."."

established with the relaunch of the Amtrak ridership bucks national trends with Builder in August 2005 and the public strong growth in 2008; Northwest train capacity continues to show its support by riding this train. strained even as new stops and improved stations It’s rather amazing that Coast Star- encourage continuing ridership increases light ridership increased in 2008, con - Nationwide, Amtrak ridership was 760,323, up 12.8% over sidering the route was partially or com - soared 11.1% in fiscal year 2008 2007; revenue was $20,999,003, pletely annulled between Jan. 20 and (ending Sept. 30) over 2007, setting a up 15.8%. Total Northwest Corri- May 6 because of the massive land - new all time record. This increase dor ridership (including Coast slide t hat wiped out the Union Pacific comes at the same time auto and air Starlight passengers riding solely mainline in the Oregon Cascades. The travel have plunged. And even the in the corridor) was 847,563, up Starlight received upgraded amenities substantial drop in gas prices since last 15.4% over 2007. and services this past summer and on- July has had little impact on the pub- • Empire Builder: FY 2008 time performance has improved mar - lic’s reductions in driving, though the ridership was 554,266, up 9.8% kedly from 2007. This improvement led over 2007; revenue was Amtrak to announce that effective Feb. $59,461,168, up 11.8%. 23 northbound passengers on train 14 • Coast Starlight: FY 2008 will again connect to the eastbound ridership was 353,657, up Empire Builder at Portland. This will 2.9% over 2007; revenue eliminate the day long bus ride from was $28,117,404, down Klamath Falls to Pasco that passen - 3.6%. gers have endured for several years. The Cascades again set a Stations new ridership record last year. Vancouver , Washington’s 100- Double digit growth continues year-old Amtrak station reopened on though capacity constraints Jan. 13, 2008 following a six-month The newly remodeled and expanded waiting during holidays and in the sum- $650,000 renovation of the station’s room at the Vancouver, WA Amtrak station mer prevent many passengers interior. The station is owned by the opened January 13. By opening up former un- from being able to travel when used office space, the waiting room has doubled city. The focus was on maintaining the they want to. Amtrak despe- in size, providing a much more pleasant facility building’s historic character while for Vancouver’s growing ridership. rately needs additional equip- moving the tick et counter adjacent to Photo by Jim Hamre ment throughout the country, in- the baggage room for more efficient cluding here in the Northwest. operation, doubling the size of the economic crisis is the main factor now There is hope that Congress will finally keeping motorists off the road. cramped waiting room and upgrading appropriate the funds for new equip- (See Ridership, page 4) Amtrak ridership for 2008 was ment contained in last year’s 28,716,407. Passenger revenue was $13 bill. Amtrak reauthorization. more than $1.73 bill., up 14.2% over Amtrak and the O regon and 2007. Washington state DOTs know Vehicle miles traveled (VMT) on the that additional Talgo trainsets nation’s roads and highways dropped are needed if the Cascades are 5.3% in Nov. 2008 over Nov. 2007. For going to continue to grow and the first 11 months of 2008 VMT was offer people more options to down 3.7% over 2007. driving I -5. Airline passenger boardings The Empire Builder continues dropped 7.0% in Nov. 2008 versus to be Amtrak’s premier national Nov. 2007, continuing a year long network train. It has by far the trend. J. Craig Thorpe’s painting shows the proposed highest ridership of all the long design for Leavenworth’s Icicle Sta tion. Phase For Amtrak routes serving our state, distance routes. Amtrak has one of the station project is planned to start con - here are the impressive numbers: done an excellent job of main - struction in March and start serving Empire • Cascades: FY 2008 ridership taining the high level of service Builder passengers in September. page 2 The governor’s proposed budget ap- speed rail corridor, would again be in line From the desk of pears to fund only option one, except that for a significant piece of this additional $2 the Executive three major ongoing infrastructure bill. in funding. Director projects (Vancouver, WA rail yard, Pt. The ostensible primary purpose of the Defiance bypass and Kelso -Martins Bluff) stimulus legislation is to provide and pre- bybyby would receive continued funding. With serve good jobs and to get the economy Lloyd H. Flem WSDOT now an executive ag ency, the moving . The country would be well governor’s proposed budget is effectively served by investment of federal dollars in Transportation Lobby Day; that of the DOT. In the past , DOT could rail infrastructure and new and rebuilt Rail Funding; North to Vancouver? and did send its own budget proposal, passenger train equipment. Tuesday February 24 is Transporta- independent of the governor , to the state Most economists, business and labor tion Lobby Day at the state capitol in Legislature . leaders, and many governors and Olympia. This is when advocates of “al- The Legislature, not the governor, mayors, as well as pragmatic members ternative” transportation (everything ex- does have the final decision on state of Congress from both parties agree the cept more single occupant vehicle ca- budgets (short of a veto). I have thus best buy for taxpayer stimulus dollars pacity) meet with their legislators. All spent much time meeting with the lea- comes from infrastructure investments, of Aboard Washington is part of a coalition dership and many members of Senate which rail infrastructure and equipment urging increased investment in safer, en- and House Transportation Committees. needs sh ould be a part. It is not too late vironmentally sound and more fuel effi- Option four would be ideal and would to emphasis this to your representative cient movement of goods and people. be similar to investment strategies in and senators sin ce the final version of While AAWA surely cooperates with the most other industrialized countries and the bill continues to be debated . other groups participating in Transporta- many rapidly developing counties (such We must understand that these state- tion Lobby Day we tend to go intended stimulus dollars our own way. Most of the The ostensible primary purpose of the would NOT require a state other participants’ interest is stimulus legislation is to provide and match. However, the Amtrak on intra-metropolitan issues reauthorization bill, which also (especially in the Seattle preserve good jobs and to get the includes funds for states with area); we are most interested economy moving. The country would good rail programs, has a in intercity passenger trains. section that requires a 20% PLEASE inform me ASAP be well served by investment of federal state match. The leadership if you plan to participate so I dollars in rail infrastructure and new and key member s of the state can make appointments for House and Senate Transpor- you with your legislators. In and rebuilt passenger train equipment. tation Committees with whom I’ve met have all agreed o ur addition, I will prepare talking as India and China) outside North Amer- points relevant to current realities con- passenger rail program is important and ica . However, Washington does have “fi- do support funding for the state portion of cerning state passenger rail policies and nancial constraints” and option three is investments. You should of course em- the match so that we can receive the the reason able choice to pursue. federal dollars . While nothing is certain phasis your own viewpoints and expe- Responses from the legislators with riences when meeting with your state until the dollars are delivered, we can be whom I’ve met s ince mid January have pleased about their commitment to date. senators and representatives. My contact been positive. All have agreed on the ☯☯☯☯☯☯☯ information is on page 5. need for and desirability of more North- ☯☯☯☯☯☯☯ west Corridor passenger trains. Many AAWA members and others The WSDOT Rail Office has prepared Now, let’s look at potential federal from both side of the British Colum- a midrange plan for our Amtrak Cas- funding for passenger rail. At this writing , bia/Washington border continue to won- cades service covering FY 2010 to FY the news is dominated by the multi hun- der when the second Amtrak Cascades 2017 (go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/freight/ dred billion dollar “economic stimu- round-trip that now turns in Bellingham publications for links to the plan and ap- lus/ recovery” package. Assuming the will continue to its logical terminus in pendices). I served as the AAWA repre- stimulus bill passes, it will likely contain Vancouver. Counterproductive bureau- sentative on the Stakeholders Committee far less investment for rail than rail advo- cratic hang -ups are by no means limited and provided significant input prior to the cates believe is justified based on the to the United States. The Canadian Bor- publishing of the final report. safety, fuel efficiency and environmental der Security Agency (CBSA) unilaterally The plan proposes four options for the advantages offers by passenger and decided to charge $1500 per trip for the level of state investment in our success- freight trains. second train from Seattle to Vancouver ful, nationally praised, but-now-often- The $4.9 bill. for intercity passenger as it defined th is train as a “new service.” sold-out corridor trains. The first option rail proposed by the U.S. House (only It appears that the CBSA has been simply maintains existing service; no about one -half of one percent of their charged with “cost recovery” from people added capital investment or trains. The proposed stimulus package) was then required to use its services. Neither second includes modest capital funding. slashed to $1.1 bill. – $800 mill. for Am- Washington State or Amtrak is willing to The third option would allow substantial trak and $300 mill . for states like ours pay the $1500 per day, a position with infrastructure investment and two more which have successful and well planned which I totally agree. The province of Seattle-Portland roundtrips. The fourth rail programs. British Columbia , the Vancouver busi- option assumes “no financial constraints” The Senate proposal would add ness community and other transportation and would allow a rapid increase in the another $2 bill. for high speed rail providers (such as airlines, bus compa - number of Seattle-Portland and Seattle- projects to the House’s $1.1 bill. Our nies and cruise ships) agree the fee Vancouver, BC roundtrips. Northwest Corridor, designated as a high (See Flem, page 5) page 3 Well, except for a few NIMBYs. traveling that fast, and besides, would you The View let your children play on the freeway? How NIMBY Neutralizer is the railroad right -of-way any different?” Down the Using the term NIMBY to describe those It is a commercial thoroughfare. Tracks who don’t want what we want has negative Apply the same logic to the rail line as connotations. Now that seems obvious be - you would the “car/truck” line or even the ======cause the word is an acronym for Not In My “airplane”’ line. The logic of such compari - with Jim Cusick Back Yard. That statement is in itself sons will prevail. strongly worded. What they left out is the We’re Growing Up! “Please.” Let it Snow! Let it! Well, at least “Railwise,” that is. It The Eastside rail line appears to be get- Get out of my way! I’ve fired up my gas seems our rail passengers are starting to ting closer to becoming a reality. Now that guzzling Imperium Condescendor! I can go complain. Now I know we have a reputation Parsons Brinkerhoff has completed the anywhere in this snow. Punc h that All of whining here in the Northwest (just check study with Sound Transit the results are Wheel Drive option, and nothing can stop any local Internet forum if you don’t think quite encouraging. me! so), so why does that make me happy? What’s interesting about this study is Egad, what a Christmas holiday! How - What’s really great is that rail passen- that while Sound Transit and Parsons Brin - ever, I LOVE the idea that the Puget Sound gers are whining when the service is dis- kerhoff gener ally “gold plate” their systems doesn’t use salt. Makes my Imperium Con - rupted. They aren’t just shrugging their in the design stage (building for the long descendor last longer, thank you very shoulders and saying “Oh well, we’re lucky term), it still concludes that commuter rail much. to have a train.” They are starting to take service on this line is quite feasible. Of However, many of us who think rail i s the regular service for granted. They aren’t course, we at All Aboard already knew that. the superior product felt let down. We know giving up on rail since it’s no longer a no- Actually, I think the ridership numbers that rail performs well in the cold and snow, velty; it’s starting to weave itself into the fa- are a bi t low, since Transit Oriented Devel- since most of the Midwest and North - bric of their travels, especially the Puget east is regularly blanketed with the Sound commute. What’s really great is that rail stuff. So why was the Amtrak Cascades The only people who seem to be pe- passengers are whining when service canceled? Why did Sounder rennial complainers are those who can’t suffer? Why stop ru nning the Empire find enough parking at the stations! the service is disrupted. Builder? Even though both Amtrak and Sounder One of the primary reasons to sus - opment wasn’t taken into account and that find themselves in situations where they run pend service is SAFETY. We can accept out of capacity, which is a good thing, they would show much higher numbers as the that. Certain portions of the Empire also need to look forward and build for the years go by. Builder’s route put the train in danger from However, as many other commuter rail future. In other words, think like a “growth avalanches. As we are all too aware of here systems that have started up around the company.” in the Pacific Northwest, avalan ches have country have found out, it is not always ne - Hopefully with the incoming Obama had a devastating effect on rail travel. The cessa ry to build the full blown system right administration, rail agencies will get the Wellington Rail Disaster had the highest away. It is quite reasonable to begin service funding they need to really perform like loss of life for one train accident. To halt with the moderate upgrades needed to re - growth companies. service until the danger passed is com - move the areas with speed restrictions and What does that mean? What makes a mendable. build modest platforms and waiting shelters. growth company different? Simply that each But what about the service that was This has already been done by Sound dollar spent has value as a long-term in- suspended that wasn’t to prote ct the safety Transi t as exemplified by the temporary vestment as opposed to the short-term pay- of rail passengers? Tukwila station. This station is still func - back. Companies that are in a contraction Make no mistake, this was one nasty tioning well and cost about as much as a spiral create a self-fulfilling prophecy. As snowstorm. Switches normally controlled by typical suburban home, approximately they cut back inventory or services, or remote dispatchers failed because of the $350,000, when it was built. whatever they are selling, they create an weather and required train crews to ma - Here’s the snag, though. I’ve talked atmosphere of less. The atmosphere of nually clear them of ice and snow. They about this many times, but it bear s repeat- lowered expectations. then had to ensure the switch was correctly ing. There will be hearings for the neigh - For instance, if a retailer starts cutting lined, creating many delays. Another prob - borhoods to discuss how this commuter line back on inventory to save money for the lem was bridges with movable spans, which should be built. There will be many people short term, they can actually start to run out were also plagued by the same issues. testifying how it will negatively impact them. of items which not only translates directly Even the Sounder Seahawks specials In some cases, there might be negative im - into lost sales, but also to the perception by were delayed at King St. Station, while pacts, but these are not insur mountable. the customer that “they never have what I BNSF’s maintenance -of-way personnel There are many opportunities to improve need.” They go shop somewhere else. made heroic efforts to clear the manual and the functionality and livability of their neigh - The same can be said of services, in the remote switches at both ends of the borhoods. our case, rail service. When the public just station. Just as one was cleared out, the What we as rail proponents need to do dismisses the interruption in service, it other switch was al ready iced over. is help provide solutions to the issues which means they don’t really think much of it. Station platforms were caked with ice will be brought up. So, in a strange way, customers who and snow, navigating them was treacher - I realize that some issues they raise will thought it was totally unacceptable that ous for passengers and personnel alike. be very parochial and uninformed, such as Amtrak had to suspend service during the Snow in the shoes, snow on the luggage, “my children have always played on those recent weather calamities, and Sounder snow on the head, snow…everywhere. Wet tracks and if you send these giant trains customers who complained about cutbacks snow, dry snow, slushy snow…What fun! hurtling through our neighborhood at 79 or delays in service despite the blizzard Why put up with it? miles an hour, someone will get hurt.” conditions and floods, really are a sign that Because passengers get to travel in These can be met with succinct res- things are looking up for rail in the comfort and arrive relaxed as they didn’t Northwest. ponses that don ’t compromise, but make (See Cusick, page 5) People are starting to get it. the point, such as “These trains will not be page 4

Ridership, from page 1 Amtrak Station Data the restrooms. The contractor, Skyward Six-Year Washington State On & Off Totals (calendar year) Construction, Inc., maintained the his- toric finishes by matching the existing Station 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 '08 -’07 wall plaster, refinishing the original % Change maple wood flooring and custom man- Bellingham 48,594 55,033 56,087 52,356 51,315 70,990 +38.3 ufacturing new solid Douglas fir doors. Carpenters also replicated original inte- Bingen -White Salmon 1,190 1,460 1,938 1,924 2,307 2,959 +28.3 rior wainscoting, bead board and trim Centralia 19,644 19,771 19,089 18,816 21,060 23,663 +12.4 patterns. The city purchased the station Edmonds 25,869 25,415 28,404 27,320 27,543 31,204 +13.3 from BNSF for $1. (Information reported Ephrata by the Vancouver Columbian.) 2,462 2,773 2,985 3,469 3,923 4,365 +11.3 In Leavenworth , the city is moving Everett 37,895 37,339 39,532 40,047 41,567 48,420 +16.5 toward a March 2009 ground-breaking Kelso -Longview 21,289 20,573 20,956 21,411 23,519 28,330 +20.5 for its Icicle Station project. The new Mt. Vernon 15,964 17,186 21,172 20,206 19,328 24,280 +25.6 stop for the Empire Builder is expected Olympia -Lacey 43,180 41,613 42,404 44,205 49,659 58,133 +17.1 to open in September 2009. The city and local merchants plan to team up to Pasco 16,355 18,710 22,056 27,147 28,072 29,202 +4.0 provide shuttle service from station, Seattle 627,534 628,836 650,061 609,104 634,193 668,037 +5.3 which is about a half mile from down- Spokane 39,284 40,106 42,491 46,096 48,484 59,001 +21.7 town, into the city. Tacoma 106,840 106,180 102,255 102,703 110,869 124,351 +12.7 Though Amtrak has not yet set the schedule, the approximate times the Tukwila 9,017 11,470 14,214 16,082 18,887 22,292 +18.0 Builder will call at Leavenworth will be Vancouver 68,123 71,487 72,266 74,907 84,766 97,554 +15.1 8:12 p.m. eastbound and 6:13 a.m. Wenatchee 14,543 15,094 18,157 19,992 19,085 20,945 +9.7 westbound. While the Puget Sound area is a natural market for the new Wishram 938 1,154 2,446 1,403 1,683 1,814 +7.8 stop, the city plans to market the faux- TOTALS 1,098,703 1,114,200 1,156,513 1,089,235 1,186,260 1,315,540 +10.9 Bavarian tourist destination all along the Station totals include Thruway bus ridership numbers. Builder’s route. In addition to visiting Leavenworth, tourists can venture into the Cascades for camping, hiking and rock-climbing. The Stevens Pass ski Trains Servering Washington State resort is interested in offering ski Six Year Totals packages to train passengers. (calendar year for NW corridor; federal fiscal year for Builder & Starlight) According to Mayor (and All Aboard Washington board member) Rob Ea- 900000 ton, the city is conducting it final push to raise the last $100,000 for the station 800000 project. You can help by donating to the campaign with a tax deductible contri- 700000 bution. Visit www.iciclestation.com/ for more on the project. A donation flyer 600000 can be downloaded at www.icicle station.com/pdf/capcam.pdf. 500000 The Stanwood station project is also ready to move into construction in 400000 March. According to Kirk Fredrickson, Ridership 300000 the WSDOT project manager, bid opening for the project is Feb. 13 and if 200000 the bids are favorable construction will move forward with an expected station 100000 opening date in September. What will be built is considered an interim facility 0 because the city of Stanwood is devel- oping a master plan for its new munici- NW Corridor Empire Builder Coast Starlight pal campus and the ultimate station will be a part of the campus. The stop will 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 consist of a passenger platform with shelters. Amtrak will manage construc- tion of the station facilities for WSDOT. Visit ton and Tukwila to proceed with the eastern An improved facility with better shelters www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/rail/stanwood extension of Strander Blvd. across both the and an Amtrak ticket vending machine will station/. BNSF and Union Pacific tracks. Part of the encourage more people to ride the Cas- Sound Transit is now moving forward plan includes relocation of the UP tracks cades from Tukwila. Another needed ele - with the permanent Tukwila station that easterly so they are adjacent to the BNSF ment for the station that All Aboard Wash - serves both Sounder and the Amtrak Cas- tracks, though the timing of the relocation is ington has pushed for many years is a cades. The permanent station, located di- still up in the air. Sound Transit plans to Thruway bus connection from all trains to rectly south of the existing temporary sta- start construction o n the permanent station Sea-Tac airport. See www.soundtransit. tion, has been waiting for the cities of Ren- in 2010 with or without the rail relocation. org/x1821.xml for more details. page 5 When it was all said and done, being Cusick, from page 3 Flem, from page 2 wet, cold, covered in snow and tired is a have to drive in it. should not exist. good feeling, if you are delivering when no They were disappointed in the cancella- From the business perspective, dollars spent one else can. tions. They were disappointed in the delays, each day in Vancouver by train travelers from the During the events around the holidays, it although navigating that mess in the car south would exceed by 12 to 15 times the $1500 the seemed that the weather hit Amtrak hard, seemed like an option because the free- CBSA would earn by charging for the second train. and since it’s been on a starvation diet for ways were empty. They were all on the With the upcoming 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, so long, it got sick fast. train! Sounder saw numbers that day that actions which imperil a good means of access to that Why shouldn’t Amtrak get more money they usually see on regular weekday com- magnificent Canadian city are surely ill advised. I, for equipment and anything it needs to mute service. They were overwhelmed, but along with other Canadian and U.S. rail and business perform? After all, Amtrak is entitled to it. they kept fighting. advocates (independent of, but cooperating with, However, why do railroad employees Entitlement? government agencies) are working to block imple- put up with it, since last time I checked they That’s been the latest pejorative buzz- mentation of this fee. don’t get snow pay just for working a regu- word lately. Let’s hope wisdom will prevail and the second lar shift in it. Why should they be disap- Ah, the Entitlement Generation (which- train to and from Vancouver will be realized by the pointed that trains were canceled? ever one that is) is described as the one summer of 2009! Pride. that feels everything should be handed to People who work in those conditions them, as if life were an entitlement. Transport 2000 Canada awards its know that while it’s lousy when they’re How dare anyone feel they are entitled Lemon Prize to CBSA for Cascades doing it, there is a sense of pride delivering to anything! Vancouver extension delay when no one else can. The government isn’t here to hand out Transport 2000 Canada Pres. David Airports were shut down, roads were money, is it? After all, private industry has Jeanes Feb. 2 announced the award of the impassable, but the trains could keep run- built this country, with private dollars. No association’s Lemon Prize to former Solici- ning. At least that’s what we thought. government handouts here…Yesiree! tor-General Stockwell Day and to Susanne There will be many arguments about Well, ignore the fact that $350 bill. of our Hurtubise, Deputy Minister responsible for what should have been done. We know tax dollars were just GIVEN to the banking the Canadian Border Services Agency, for trains can operate very well in the snow and industry no questions asked! With $350 bill. preventing the startup of a second Seattle- cold, snowier and colder than what was ex- more on the plate. As if they are Entitled to Vancouver train. perienced here, because they do it all the it! Jeanes noted: "The Province invested a time in the Midwest! How DARE Amtrak ask for money. few million dollars to put in a passing track Why not here? Can’t they run their operation like a suc- to increase capacity on the line but the This is one of those paradigm shifts cessful business, like the Banking System? State of Washington – who funds the pas- that’s beginning to appear. To keep the Like the Auto Industry? senger service – has been told by the scheduled trains running, do you invest in Whoaaah, okay, bad examples. CBSA that it must pay $1,500 per train things like switch heaters even in climates The Oil and Auto industries are in line each day because it is seen as a “new fa- that don’t get as cold and inclement as the for their portion of the Stimulus Package cility.” Our attempts to get information on upper Midwest. and it appears that they are getting every- this holdup through Access to Information No doubt Amtrak’s shortage of equip- thing they are asking for. As if they were have met the usual year-long delay." ment played a part, since delays at one end Entitled to it. However, there are represent- Commented John Bakker, President of of a train’s route forced delays at the other, atives balking at giving Amtrak and the Transport 2000 BC: "This $1,500 charge is because there is no spare equipment to various transit agencies their money, how- nonsense as the secure customs and im- send out to keep the schedule. ever small compared to what is going to be migration facility has been at the Vancouver And then…the flooding! spent on roads. After all, it’s important that station for years and is used by a train each What next? we have enough roads to keep cars on the way each day. This stubborn obstruction is A plague of locusts? road and gas prices high. already harming tourism in the Lower Main- Although the flooding of Jan 7-8 closed What Amtrak and our transit agencies land and will be a distinct handicap for the down all service from Portland to Seattle and, yes, even the freight railroads need to Olympics." and from Seattle to Spokane, it appeared do is behave like the other members of pri- The Lemon Prize is awarded by Trans- rail was failing us again, except that (with vate industry when it comes to government port 2000 to "winners" who go out of their the absence of mudslides) Sounder was money. way to make life miserable for transporta- able to perform its regular duties. Act like you are Entitled to it! tion users and have acted counter to the development of sustainable transportation. All Aboard Washington Officers Important Addresses and Phone Numbers Loren Herrigstad, Centralia..President ...... 360 736-5783 ... [email protected] U. S. House of Representatives: Jim Hamre, Puyallup..Vice President ...... 253 848-2473 ... [email protected] Washington, DC 20515 Rocky Shay, Federal Way..Secretary ...... 253 925-2085 ... [email protected] U. S. Senate: Washington, DC 20510 Harvey Bowen, Seattle..Treasurer ...... 206 322-2729 ... [email protected] Capitol Switchboard (all members): 202 224-3121

State Legislature: State Capitol, Olympia 98504 Lloyd Flem, Olympia.. Hotline for leaving messages: 800 562-6000 Executive Director ...... 360 943-8333 ... [email protected] Office FAX ...... 360 943-0136 Amtrak Reservations/Information: 800 872-7245 Address ...... 3704 22 nd Ave SE, Olympia 98501 All Aboard Washington: AllAboardWashington.org Jim Hamre, Puyallup..Newsletter Editor ..... 253 848-2473 ... [email protected] NARP: www.narprail.org Warren Yee, Seattle..E-newsletter ...... 206 723-0259 ... [email protected] NARP Hotline: www.narprail.org/cms/index.php/hotline/ Amtrak: www.amtrak.com All are evening numbers, except Lloyd's, which is available 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily. Amtrak Cascades: www.amtrakcascades.com Sound Transit: www.soundtransit.org page 6 At the Nov. 8 membership meeting Rail, the “Critical Link” All Aboard News the following people were elected to the Amtrak has created a publication called February 24 (Tuesday): Trans- All Aboard Washington Board of Critical Link. It provides excellent informa- portation Lobby Day, Olympia . The Directors: tion on the importance of rail passenger George Barner, Olympia service as an integral component of our event kicks off at 10:00 a.m. at Tri- Harvey Bowen, Seattle country’s transportation network. Topics nity Lutheran Church, 2020 Franklin Jim Cusick, Edmonds covered in Critical Link include: St SE. Then we will proceed to the Rob Eaton, Leavenworth • Highway and airport congestion Jim Hamre, Puyallup mitigation capitol to meet with our legislators. • Rides from the Olympia/Lacey Am- Loren Herrigstad, Centralia Economic development at both the Carl Jackson, Auburn national and regional level trak station will be provided. Con- • Bob Lawrence, Mill Creek Travel choices • tact Lloyd Flem to set up appoint- Bill Myers, Anacortes Energy efficiency and environmental ments with your legislators and to Tedine Roos, Longview benefits • arrange for a ride from the train Rocky Shay, Federal Way Safety Some interesting facts from Critical Link: station. See p. 5 and see his col- Ron Sheck, Seattle • Though Horizon Air has nearly 30 Zack Willhoite, Puyallup umn for contact information and roundtrip flights a day between Warren Yee, Seattle more details. Seattle and Portland, and other March 28: Northwest rail advo- airlines have additional flights each At the January 10 board of directors cates membership meeting at the day, Amtrak, with four Cascades meeting the board elected the following roundtrips, has 66% of the air/rail Izaak Walton Inn, Essex, MT. All Aboard Washington officers: market share. Registration flyer has been sent to Loren Herrigstad, President • Amtrak serves more than 170 com- all members. Registration postmark Jim Hamre, Vice President munities with limited or no commer- deadline is March 9. Travel via the Rock Shay, Secretary cial air service and more than 50 Empire Builder . For more informa- Harvey Bowen, Treasurer without intercity bus service. • A Harris poll found nearly 80% of tion, contact Jim Hamre (see p. 5). After many years of service to All Americans ranked more long dis- May 9: Amtrak’s second annual Aboard Washington, our long time tance and commuter rail service as National Train Day. All Aboard Chairman Chuck Mott and President their top transportation priorities. Washington will be participating in Tony Trifiletti have decided to step back • Amtrak’s energy efficiency, meas- events in our state. More details will from the spotlight. We all thank Chuck ured per passenger mile, is better than both commercial airlines and be available in the next newsletter. and Tony for their leadership over the years as All Aboard Washington grew in the automobile. • All Aboard Washington welcomed the stature and advanced the cause of rail in Railroads rank best in four of five following new members in December and our state. types of air pollutant emissions. January: Veronica Marohn, Tumwater; The entire report is available on Am- Sylvia Swazey, Olympia; Lynn & Glen All Aboard Washington members contri- trak’s web site. To find it go to www.amtrak. com and click the News and Media link at Scroggins, Olympia; Jeff Conner, Lake- buting to this newsletter include Zack the bottom of the page; click the Govern- Willhoite, Warren Yee, Lloyd Flem, Jim wood; Tom Hamre, Puyallup; Barry ment Affairs link on the left; click the Amtrak Green, Glendive, MT; and Patrick Cusick, Rob Eaton, Carl Fowler and Kirk Information link; and click the Critical Link – Bowen, Bridgeport, CT. Fredrickson. 2007 link.

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