RUN RAIL NEWSLETTER USERS NETWORK WINTER 2019 VOL. 16 ISSUE 1

INDIVIDUAL THE FIGHT TO SAVE THE RAIL SYSTEM HIGHLIGHTS (Reprinted from Passenger Train Journal, 2018-4. Issue 277) By Richard Rudolph, Ph.D., were pleasantly surprised to week. At the April California Rail Election 2018: Chairman, Rail Users’ Network learn that Congress actually Passenger Summit, for example, increased Amtrak’s total President Anderson quoted Title 49 View from This is the fifth in a series of articles appropriations. The passage of the U.S. Code Section 24101 as Cascadia p. 2 that highlights what Rail Users’ Consolidated Appropriation Act of justification for his actions making it Network members and other rail 2018 was certainly good news to the sound like his corridor strategy is RUN's Annual advocates are doing to improve and millions of Americans who depend on mandated by this law. He expand passenger rail and transit Meeting p. 3 public transportation to travel to maintained that the mission of services in North America. work, visit relatives, seek medical Amtrak is to provide efficient and attention, and procure food and other effective intercity passenger rail Things Get Given that the Heritage necessities of life. One might have mobility consisting of high quality Worse for NJ Foundation and other expected that with a larger total service between city pairs. His claim, Rail Riders p. 4 conservative think tanks have budget, Amtrak would be thinking of however, for what he is doing is not become the brain trust behind adding or improving service. true. Nothing forces a focus on 300- President Trump on a variety of Unfortunately, this doesn’t appear to 400 mile corridors. Report from the issues, it shouldn’t have come as be the case. Southwest p. 5 a surprise that the Trump Public Law 210-432 Division B administration’s FY 2018 Amtrak Since becoming President and CEO Section 228(b) states: It is the Canada Report budget proposal called for the of Amtrak, Richard Anderson has sense of the Congress that (1) elimination of the 15 long- p. 6 been threatening the very existence long-distance passenger rail is a distance routes. This has been of the national train network without vital and necessary part of our their goal for many years. justification and apparently without national transportation system 2018 New Starts authority to do so. At various forums, and economy and (2) Amtrak p. 10 While members of the Rail Users’ he has indicated a preference for a should maintain a national Network as well as other rail corridor strategy between city pairs passenger rail system, including advocates had braced RailNation 2018 and reducing daily service on some long-distance routes, that themselves for the worst, they of the national routes to three days a Continued on page 7 Conference p. 11

Long-Distance Rail NEWS FROM NEW YORK: MTA CHAIR in the Western U.S., Part 4 p. 13 DEPARTS AND AMAZON ARRIVES By Andrew Albert job at NYU-Langone Medical Center. and will continue to be Riding the Train He took no salary, while putting a instrumental in bringing our to and from As always, the transit scene in tremendous amount of time and system. consisting of NYC Transit RailNation p. 15 New York is bursting with news! effort into the job of MTA Chair, (subways & buses), Long Island even while maintaining his other Rail Road, and Metro-North MTA Chairman job. It’s a miracle he got any sleep, Commuter Railroad, Into the 21st with two very important century. Andy Byford is now Joe Lhota resigns! careers! While his tenure as President of NYC Transit, and Chairman was short by any comes to us by way of Toronto, This is Lhota’ssecond stint as Chair measure—just a little over a year— London, & Sydney. He is an of the largest transit agency in North he is responsible for several extremely knowledgeable leader, America. He resigned shortly after important initiatives that will bring and has enlisted the workforce, as Governor Andrew Cuomo won re- lasting improvement to our well as all New Yorkers, in the election as New York’s Governor. It sprawling transit system. task of getting the necessary should be mentioned that Lhota funding for his Fast Forward agreed to take the job of Chairman, Firstly, he put in place several Plan—which will even though he has an important agency Presidents who have been Continued on page 8 RAIL USERS’ NETWORK NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 OF 16

ELECTION 2018: VIEW FROM CASCADIA

By Lloyd H. Flem decisions made by top Amtrak leadership, it is Republican that could speak at their essential that urban and rural work together. annual meeting in Olympia! I did and A glance at the map of the 435 U.S. House In many ways the results of the Nov. 6 supplied a good one for them. But our Districts depicted in Red and Blue following the election in Washington state were a world of intercity passenger rail advocacy results of the 2018 Election shows that microcosm of what occurred nationally. must, by necessity, move out of just the Republicans still strongly dominate the square One congressional seat, Washington -8th, cites and encompass citizens and elected miles in our country, even after a significant flipped from Republican to Democrat, officials of wide and varied locations and political persuasions. pickup of seats and now a majority held by the despite the addition of conservative Democrats. Even in the bright blue West Coast counties east of the Cascades with the post-2010 redistricting. In the Legislature, A long-term goal for all Aboard States, the densely populated western portions of Washington is to see the restoration of WA, OR, and CA were the stronghold for the densely-populated and prosperous intercity passenger trains from Auburn, Democrats, with the physically larger interiors of corridor from Olympia north to the Canadian border became even brighter south of Seattle, east across the Cascades the three states remaining predominately mountains, into the Yakima Valley, joining Republican. Blue, with the last Republican legislators being defeated in the Seattle suburbs. the south leg of the Empire Builder at the Eastern Washington remained almost town of Pasco. This was the original And even though the popular vote for the U.S. entirely Republican, the exception being Northern Pacific route, which had Amtrak Senate had Democrats with a higher national service until 1981. total, the Republicans picked up seats. Some one Spokane District. But both houses of our Legislature plus the Governor Jay people, mostly Democrats, favor doing away Inslee (who loves trains – that go 250 In attempting to see the restoration with that portion of the Constitution that mph!) are now heavily through, area citizens and legislators must grants representational equality to states in the Democratic majority. Our neighbors from do most of the heavy advocacy work. Upper House. I emphatically support efforts to Oregon also increased Democratic control AAWA can serve as a catalyst, and offer limit gerrymandering of House districts, which of legislature and re-elected their ideas, strategies, and encouragement, but does damage to fair populational Democrat governor. eventual success will have to come from representation. But I also support the U.S. the home folks, who mostly vote for and Senate remaining with two Senators for each Just as I believe urban rail advocates nationally are represented by Republicans, of the 50 states, not becoming simply a second should support and not dismiss those Red House with but fewer members. State Senators who want to save THEIR Assuming folks directly served by this restored passenger trains, in my 35 years of working for Old NP route will work for such restoration, As an advocate for intercity passenger trains intercity passenger trains in Washington state, I another job for AAWA is to encourage which are an interconnected national network, have always advocated working both sides of Westside legislators, mostly Democrats, to I see a great advantage in the Senate status the aisle and both sides of our very work with their Eastern Washington quo. It is Senators from often lightly-populated geographically diverse state. But some Eastern colleagues to get legislation and funding. While Red states who will work hardest for a national Washington citizens and legislators have gone we have some partisan polarization in network. Senators from such as Montana, so far as to want to form a 51st state, because Washington state, it has not reached the level North Dakota, Kansas, and the Gulf states will of the feeling of being dominated by “Seattle.” suffered in Washington, DC. As said, AAWA has fight to retain or restore a complete Wiser heads from their dry side of Washington been traditionally bi-partisan and we will concede it is taxes from “Seattle” which help continue working in that direction. interconnected Amtrak system. Former support services in the less-affluent areas away senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) was pro- from the prosperous Olympia to BC border As I will be retiring for the prime responsibility Amtrak, but famously said “National or corridor. of political advocacy at the end of 2018, I’ll Nothing.” Of course, six senators, three Rs and continue in 2019 serving to assist my three Ds, forced the issue with Amtrak, and While “Seattle” is shorthand for the replacement, Mr. Luis Moscoso, formerly a managed to at least temporarily save the political and cultural behavior of that member of the Washington State House from complete train on the Southwest Chief. which Red district people in my state northeast of Seattle. Luis, though a liberal dislike, I concede some citizens of Seattle Democrat, worked cordially and had mutual Most active advocates for intercity passenger and “Seattle” can indeed be both arrogant respect with conservative Republicans on rail and rail transit do reside in now- and provincial. An example: An many issues. Luis and his GOP friends are affluent Seattle-based “alternative overwhelmingly Blue metropolitan areas. But if modern state-level versions of Humphrey- transportation” group (meaning other big- city rail advocates want to be able to travel Goldwater or Reagan-Tip O’Neill, who had than by private motor vehicle), favors by train beyond a relatively few corridors and strong ideological differences but were friends in the vicinity of a few hubs like Chicago, they bike, pedestrian, and urban transit- including urban rail, but usually forgets who worked for the well-being of our country. need to join their small-town and rural about intercity rail transportation. If We need more of this again nationally. brethren in pushing for preservation and reminded, they concede intercity restoration of such as the Empire Builder and passenger trains are OK. Knowing I worked Lloyd H Flem is Executive Director, All Sunset Limited. Given the concerns raised by bi-partisan, they once asked if I knew ANY Aboard Washington. RAIL USERS’ NETWORK NEWSLETTER PAGE 3 OF 16 RAIL USERS’ NETWORK ANNUAL MEETING / PUBLIC FORUM By Richard Rudolph, Ph.D., service to and from Greenfield, intercity passenger rail. It involved partnerships Chairman, Rail Users’ Network Northampton and Holyoke to Springfield, and collaboration: 30 legal agreements, seven MA and then into New York City. He separate construction contracts, one service with The RUN annual meeting / public forum was believes additional East-West train service is two operators and a first-ever “Not to Exceed” held at the Pioneer Valley Planning critical and addresses two challenges. In price and schedule agreement with Amtrak. Prior Commission headquarters in Springfield, Eastern Massachusetts, the challenge is to 2018, Amtrak ran a two-car shuttle service back MA on Oct. 13 with over 60 people in cost; in Western Massachusetts, the and forth from New Haven to Springfield six times attendance. challenge is limited access to the booming a day. The new service will offer up to 17 economy. Connecting the two, he stated, roundtrips per day once double tracking is finished Rail Users’ Network Chair Richard Rudolph would benefit everybody, because it would and is projected to increase to 25 roundtrips in the welcomed the attendees and guests and provide the same access to quality of life. future. The Hartford line one-way fare from New provided a brief history of the inception of Haven to Springfield is $12.75 on both CT Hartford the organization. Tim Brennan, the Rep. Richard Neal also gave opening line trains and Amtrak. Amtrak’s 2017 prior one- Executive Director of the PVPC, introduced remarks. He is the senior Democratic way fare ranged from $17-$46. Bernick also talked Massachusetts State Sen. Eric Lesser. Sen. member of Ways and Means, the chief-tax- about the Hartford Line as an economic Lesser has led a four-year effort to convince writing committee of the U.S. House of development catalyst: $400 million had been the state legislature and the governor to Representatives. He described the role of a invested in TOD before the line even opened for provide funding for an East-West Rail study , legislator—you really are supposed to business, and 794 new residential units have been which could lead to the expansion of legislate. It’s not enough to just have a built near stations along the CT Hartford line. passenger rail from Boston to Pittsfield, MA. dream; you need to have a plan. He Currently, the only option to travel by train credited Connecticut Gov. Malloy for Our next speaker, Tim Brennan, an from east to west is Amtrak’s Lakeshore investing in transit and Massachusetts outstanding rail advocate, shared Limited, which is often unreliable. Governors Deval Patrick and Charlie Baker MassDOT’s plan to conduct a two-year for their efforts to expand passenger rail pilot to extend rail service along the Sen. Lesser said it’s an exciting time for and transit in their state. northern end of the Knowledge passenger rail in western Massachusetts, Corridor. The current proposal involves given the startup of the new CT Hartford Next up was John Bernick, the Assistant Rail using two Amtrak shuttle trains in the Line, restoration of Springfield’s Union Administrator for CT DOT. He talked about morning, traveling south from Greenfield, Station and a pilot program to provide rail the CT Hartford Line as a new model for Continued on page 9

The Rail Users’ Newsletter is published quarterly by the Rail Users’ Network, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit corporation. Current board members include: Name Location Affiliation Richard Rudolph, Chair Portland, ME NARP / TrainRiders Northeast, Maine Rail Andrew Albert, Vice-Chair New York, NY Group New York City Transit Riders Council Chuck Bode, Membership Secretary Philadelphia, PA Tri-State Citizens’ Council on Transportation Steve Albro, Treasurer Cleveland, OH Cleveland RTA Citizen Advisory Board David Peter Alan, Esq. South Orange, NJ Lackawanna Coalition Mela Bush-Miles Boston, MA Greater 4 Corners Action Coalition (MBTA) James E. Coston, Esq. Chicago, IL Corridor Capital LLC Bill Engel Canal Fulton, OH Ohio Rail Tourism Association Dana Gabbard Los Angeles, CA Southern California Transit Advocates Steve Hastalis Chicago, IL National Federation for the Blind J.W. Madison Albuquerque, NM Rails Inc. Andy Sharpe Philadelphia, PA SEPTA Phil Streby Peru, IN Indiana Passenger Rail Alliance Ken Westcar Woodstock, ON InterCityRail

Please send comments, letters to editor or articles for possible publications to the Rail Users’ Network at: RUN; P.O. Box 8015, Portland, ME 04104 or email to [email protected]

Editor for this issue: Paul Bubny RAIL USERS’ NETWORK NEWSLETTER PAGE 4 OF 16

THINGS KEEP GETTING WORSE FOR NEW JERSEY’S EMBATTLED RAIL RIDERS By David Peter Alan all other lines have lost some of their unlikely to change any time soon. service. There are substitute buses on lines If four months ago you thought that things that have lost all of their service and to Meanwhile, this writer has scored a media could not get worse for the beleaguered train Gladstone on weekends, but nothing is breakthrough by having comments published in riders of the Garden State, you would have filling the gaps left when specific trains Railway Age with an approving response by been wrong. The past few months have were eliminated. The Lackawanna Editor-in-Chief W illiam C. Vantuono. The story featured cancellations of entire rail lines, Coalition has started a Twitter campaign, can be found on the magazine's website at continued train annulments, delays, a reduction #fullrestorationinjanuary. https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/com of transparency at New Jersey Transit (NJT), muterregional/if-youre-not-at-the-table-youre- and one small positive accomplishment by the The Lackawanna Coalition won a victory for on-the-menu/. Lackawanna Coalition. its late-evening inbound riders from Morris New Jersey’s advocates have also joined RUN in County on the Morris & Essex Line. One of declaring “no confidence” in Amtrak’s president NJT management blames a shortage of the casualties of the new schedule is the Richard Anderson. The Lackawanna Coalition engineers and the race to install Positive last train on weeknights, which left Dover passed such a resolution in August (the Train Control (PTC) on its entire system at 11:30 for Hoboken. Now the last train concept) and September (final wording). The (except for the Amtrak-owned NEC leaves at 10:29. This writer called on NJT to New Jersey Association of Railroad Passengers between New York and Trenton) by the run a bus at that hour, which would make went further, specifically calling for Anderson to end of the year. Despite recent service the same stops and drop riders at Summit, be fired. cuts, annulments continue and delays have where they could catch the last inbound mounted. NJT now blames Amtrak, the train, which originates at Gladstone. These are difficult and perilous times for aging Portal Bridge and leaves falling on rail riders, both in New Jersey and the tracks for the additional delays. Transit managers swung into action and elsewhere on Amtrak. Garden State riders contracted with the Lakeland Bus are faring worse under Gov. Murphy than For its part, NJT is beginning to train more Company to run that service. It takes 30 under his predecessor, the infamous Chris engineers (although it will take at least minutes longer for these riders to get Christie. Murphy has promised another year before they are on the job), home, but a longer trip is far better than improvements, but riders and their and promises to restore all of the lost being stranded for the night. advocates are skeptical. Still, they hope service in January. At this writing, NJT has that improvements will come someday, not committed itself to a specific date or It is getting more difficult to advocate on behalf although they probably will not come said whether service will be restored of NJT's riders, since the agency has stopped soon. As far as Amtrak is concerned, that is gradually or all at once. giving members of the public any background a different battle, but New Jersey material concerning items on the agendas of its advocates have taken the lead, along with There is no service on the Atlantic City Rail Board meetings. Without this information, RUN, in calling for change. Line between that city and Philadelphia, or advocates cannot comment as intelligently on on the “Dinky” shuttle between Princeton issues as they could in the past, and reporters David Peter Alan is a member of the RUN Junction and Princeton Station, closer to lack the background they need to inform their Board and Chair of the Lackawanna downtown Princeton and the Princeton audiences appropriately. The policy runs Coalition, which advocates on behalf of University campus. There are no weekend counter to Gov. Philip Murphy's campaign New Jersey Transit’s riders. trains between Summit and Gladstone, and promise of increased transparency, but it is

See any red on your address label? It means your dues are past due! Please remit immediately to continue receiving the RUN Newsletter! RAIL USERS’ NETWORK NEWSLETTER PAGE 5 OF 16 REPORT FROM THE SOUTHWEST By J.W. Madison During the relatively short (18) years that I’ve improvements, like electrification, pervasive been a train activist, I’ve seen, and played a very grade crossing protection, and trackside News from the Southwest: small role in arenaissance insome aspects of renewable energy, are too big and cost too passenger rail, notably metro and regional (light much up front, to be achieved by anybody but The TEMPO Meeting In Texas rail, rapid streetcar, and commuter). the government (that is, the entire country). On Oct. 13, there was a conference of the Texas At RUN’s Minneapolis conference, a BNSF Eagle Marketing and Performance Organization I’ve also witnessed a continuous, though retiree asserted after my speech, in response to (TEMPO) in Marshall, TX, to which I was invited erratic, erosionof passenger Rail at the national my nationalization proposal, that the Class I’s to speak about things in New Mexico. I covered level—we get attacked, we retreat, we fight (like BNSF) do a pretty good job, as private the SW Chief, and about how to someday clean back, we win an occasional temporary and companies, of running trains and keeping up up our Rail transportation operating model partial victory, we get attacked again, we lose and improving their infrastructure. once and for all (see elsewhere in this issue). I some more… it never seems to end. So the spoke primarily for Rails Inc, but attended for little minds of Rails Inc have for a long time Damn good point, worthy of a respectful RUN and somewhat for the RWU. chewed on the notions of Why? How did this rebuttal. There is considerable difference in happen? And how can we ever achieve some competence and skill from one Class I to TEMPO is a going outfit, decently diverse in race hope of breaking out of this trench warfare? another. But however good a job any given and gender, and has saved the Eagleat least Class I is doing on its network, it’s doing this once since the 1990s. I respect them, and I’m It seems to this amateur that theroot causes, in good job from its own standpoint, which means hoping to interest at least some of them in some kind of order, are: going for the greatest profit as quickly as membership in RUN, including Richard 1. Our love for the private automobile; possible. This does not always lead to operating Anderson (different one——very different). 2. A loss in the number of national track-miles our trains, freight or passenger, in the interests and station stops since after WW II; of either the general public or common sense. If I can score some minutes or proceedings from 3. Socialization (federal funding) (subsidy) of the conference, and contact information for our streets, highways, airports, All our other transportation infrastructures are TEMPO, I’ll make them available to RUN. and waterways, especially the Interstate operated as “public utilities”. So should our Highway System; tracks be. Albuquerque's “ART” Project (We hoped 4. Private ownership of most of our national it couldn’t get worse): track network; I would enlist the best Class I talent as potential This is excerpted from the lead story in the 5. One skimpy and under-funded national consultants to assist in the transition to theRI, AlbuquerqueJournal, Nov. 14: passenger rail service, neither and I would compensate them generously for “Mayor pulls the plug on electric bus properly private nor properly public. solid (public-friendly) advice. deal”. Here’s the first paragraph: Item 1 is being eroded by history, energy problems As to staying in business running their stock “The City of Albuquerque is pulling the plug on (and solutions), technology in general, and changing along the RI, the Class I’s will still operate just the Chinese manufacturer (BYD—JW) awareness on the part of the public, especially the fine thank you, although not at quite the contracted to supply 60-foot electric buses for younger public. Item 3 has been a good thing, insanely bloated and dangerous scale as they do the much-maligned and delayed Albuquerque although incomplete. This leaves the onerous now, and they can sure as hell still make Rapid Transit Project”. presence of items 2, 4, and 5. money. As can the companies hired to maintain and improve the RI as time goes Reasons include brake failures, battery It also seems to this amateur that long-term on. These companies might even include the overheating, unsafe battery mounting systems, release from the stranglehold of items 2, 4, and Class I’s themselves. Ain’t America great? insufficient range between charges, “electrical 5 can only be effected by a long-proven issues”, and failure on the part of BYD to American solution; namely, to bring our Rail The RI will likely facilitate a resurgence in short construct needed supplementary charging operating model into line with those of all our and medium-scale freight, express, passenger, stations. Plus several other reasons, other transportation modes. and mixed-consist services, making our under- notably, “the electric handicap chair lock used track segments busier, and more job-and- becomes insecure when the driver turns on the Once again I suggest, in the face of all ordinary revenue-generating. The RI will also give both air conditioner”(!) tactical thinking: private and public start up Rail services a shot at breaking even or better. I’m informed by a The best ART-salvage option at this time is • Nationalize our major rail former short-line operator that paying a share putting in “non-electric” buses (made in infrastructure. Rails Inc calls this the Rail of infrastructure taxes is something of a bargain America,with an 18-month lead time) till such Interstate. in comparison with the burden of owning and time as the desired technology becomes • Either privatize or socialize Amtrak entirely. keeping up said infrastructure. feasible. Please know tha t Rails Inc and I have • Open the moving parts (trains) up to hoped all along that ART would eventually competition. We keep thinking incrementally. We keep succeed, as a forerunner to eventual Urban • Build, and rebuild, more tracks. retreating incrementally. This has to Rail. Hope springs eternal… • Enact some common sense laws addressing stop. Ifthere’s any other way to haul ourselves train length and crew size. free of this swamp, I’m listening. Let’s get these To learn more, and O is there more, go • Start electrifying most of the “RI”. ideas out in the open, and stir up some to http://www.abqjournal.com/1246094/ . • Install renewable energy facilities alongside righteous debate. the tracks, for system power, and sell any Commentary from the Southwest: surplus. J.W. Madison is a RUN Board Member and president of Rails Inc, based in Albuquerque, NM. How do we put a stop to the endless war In recognition of all concerns, including those of against passenger rail? the Class I railroads, some critical RAIL USERS’ NETWORK NEWSLETTER PAGE 6 OF 16

CANADA REPORT: NOVEMBER 2018 By Ken Westcar greenfield line between Toronto and Ontario provincial governments will show London was put on hold when the provincial interest. Given that the population within Trains again rolling into government changed from the Liberals the Greater Toronto Area to London axis is (centrist) to the Progressive Conservatives scheduled to increase by at least 30% Churchill (PC) (right leaning). A cabinet shuffle in between 2017 and 2041, the tail-chasing October saw the original PC transport solution of highway expansion seems highly After a year of uncertainty over who is to minister moved to another portfolio and a inappropriate. But, with political parties pay for track washout repairs between replacement appointed. working on a four-year beauty contest Winnipeg and Churchill, Manitoba, a new horizon, concrete and asphalt may yet prevail. operating consortium comprising private Although there has been no firm news on sector capital, First Nations and the the HSR environmental assessment, Toronto Union Station Canadian federal government reopened informed opinion suggests that the C$25- In the age of long-distance steam and diesel the line in early November. Omnitrax, billion + project will be considered passenger trains, Union Station was iconic. who were unwilling to pay for the unaffordable given the Province’s Historic romance has been replaced by the remediation work, are no longer involved ballooning debt levels. The new transport need to accommodate massive growth in in operations. minister also has a better appreciation of GO Train commuter services (possibly a the HSR business case (or absence thereof) 300% increase by 2041) while maintaining Residents of Churchill celebrated the line’s and may decide to scrap it entirely or track capacity for VIA Rail intercity reopening, as it provides relief from the broaden its scope to include improved operations. While the station is undergoing perils of relative isolation on Canada’s Arctic services on existing VIA Rail routes in a controversial renovation to increase its tidewater and sky-high prices for life’s southwestern Ontario. capacity and improve passenger experience, airfreighted necessities. While a sense of it still has very finite traffic limitations. relative normality has settled over the town, The County of Oxford recently published an the question remains as to whether it is alternative plan for passenger rail and bus When InterCityRail, an advocacy group, studied sustainable, given the limited amount of services throughout the region and it’s the now dormant HSR plan that would involve marine traffic flowing through the port and available here: up to 50 additional intercity trains daily by if eco-tourism can help drive the economy. http://www.oxfordcounty.ca/Your- around 2030, it was immediately obvious that Government/Speak-up-Oxford/Campaign- Union station lacked the needed capacity—by a At the time of writing this article, it was unclear Details/ArticleId/14251 long shot. Toronto, in common with many large when VIA Rail will reinstate scheduled North American cities, finds itself in a passenger services. It will need to be satisfied You will note that it emphasizes an transportation bind when there is no room for that the track is safe, especially during the alternative service delivery called highway expansion and public transport is spring melt when washouts might reoccur. “SouthwestLinx” that moves away from VIA limited by the capacity of a single heritage train Check the VIA Rail website for news. Rail’s current operating model and stresses station. Solving this requires vision and leadership that’s sorely lacking in our society. Ontario high-speed rail (HSR) the need to remove usage barriers. The project fading County has budgeted significant funds to Ken Westcar is co-coordinator of promote the concept, but it remains to InterCityRail. The proposed 250-kph (156-mph) partly be seen whether the Canadian federal and

Your Help Is Needed! By now you should have received our annual appeal letter. While it is always difficult to ask for financial help, your generosity will help us to continue and deepen our work in the coming year. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution before the end of this tax year. Rail advocacy is important to a balanced national transportation system. Each organization is stronger working together rather than individually; RUN can make a stronger case for rail service with a geographically diverse, larger membership base. Your contribution will strengthen our impact and broaden our reach as we continue to represent all rail passengers, including long distance, commuter, and transit riders. You can donate online using your credit card or PayPal account on the Rail Users’ Network website or make a check out to RUN and mail it to Box 8015, Portland, ME 04104. We thank you in advance for your support and hope you have a great holiday season and new year. RAIL USERS’ NETWORK NEWSLETTER PAGE 7 OF 16

THE FIGHT TO SAVE THE Officer, Scott Naparstek, recently told the the future. Such eliminations have left House Subcommittee on Railroads, customers stuck in dangerous places in the RAIL SYSTEM Pipelines and Hazardous Materials that middle of the night, resulting in a threat to “Amtrak’s goal is to continue to operate all the safety and security of those customers. Continued from page 1 its current routes after the first of the year… Exactly how we accomplish this will Given the above, what should advocates connects the continental United States vary across our network, based on the do? At its most recent Board Meeting, held from coast to coast and from border to specifics of each route,” he said. “But, we in New York City on Sept. 8, the Rail Users’ border. Title 49 United States Code Section believe we will have strategies in place that Network Board of Directors adopted a 24701 – National rail passenger will permit us to continue operations until resolution of no confidence in Anderson transportation system states, “Amtrak shall operational PTC or PTC- equivalency is and has requested the appropriate House operate a national rail passenger achieved for all our network.” and Senate Transportation Committees transportation system which ties together conduct hearings regarding Andersons existing and emergent regional rail Anderson has also alienated actions. It is our hope that other rail passenger service and other intermodal constituencies whose support is vital to advocacy groups as well as individual rail passenger service.” Amtrak, and has severely reduced the advocates will join the fight to call for his sort of amenities and services that have removal. As one well known rail advocate Anderson’s strategy, if implemented, would be attracted the public to rail travel. These has stated, “The dirty tactics that Anderson extremely harmful to the health of the national policies include reducing the senior and company are deploying to dismantle network. Instead of eliminating or cutting discounts from 15% to 10% on riders 65 the national system do not deserve a nice some routes back to tri-weekly, we should be years of age or older and eliminating guy response.” “It’s time to end the denial making sure ALL routes are daily! A passenger them completely for riders 62 to 64 and to take action to oppose the current should not have to consult a calendar to see if years of age and student discounts. Amtrak management.” “Anderson was the journey he/she intends to make operates These groups have historically been never the right leader for Amtrak, a on a particular day of the week! It could be supportive of passenger trains and have company which depends on competent wonderful to introduce another daily historically been a loyal constituency for relations with politicians and its frequency between shorter distance city pairs rail travel. This is also the case with supporters.” such as Chicago to St. Paul / Minneapolis or private rail car owners who in the past Chicago to Denver, but not if it means have been able to move their cars on Rail advocates must not only continue the shortchanging passengers living in remote Amtrak trains. There is now essentially a fight to maintain the national network, but areas of the nation wherethere are few ban on charter trains. This policy was we also need to expand our efforts at the mobility options available for traveling from implemented on the pretext that adding state level to restore and expand passenger their communities to other places in the such private cars to train consists delays rail service. This may seem delusional given United States. Anderson’s plan would also Amtrak operations, although there is no the present car centric political render unlikely the survival of a number of evidence of any such delays. environment in which we live, but there are state-supported trains that presently connect a number of success stories that provide with trains that his plan targets for elimination. Anderson has also eliminated dining car hope. The best example is what is service on the Lakeshore Limited and happening in New England. With the start- Anderson has also revealed a plan to Capitol Limited. Sleeping car passengers, up of the new CT Hartford line, commuters discontinue the Southwest Chief as a through who pay a premium fare, instead get box will now be able to travel from New Haven, train between Chicago and Los Angeles and meals that they can consume in their CT to Springfield, MA. The one-way fare is replace the center of its route between Dodge rooms or in a special food service/lounge $12.75, and Amtrak accepts CT Rail City, KS and Albuquerque, NM, with an 11- car. He has also recently issued a request Hartford Line tickets on board all regional hour bus ride; a plan that would almost for proposals to provide box breakfast, and shuttle trains except the Vermonter. certainly result in the elimination of the entire lunch and dinners on all of the long The state of Massachusetts has also agreed route after a short time. He has also proposed distance routes. This will undermine one of to establish a two-year pilot program to the elimination of a number of trains because the wonderful features that makes train offer commuter rail service along the of the lack of Positive Train Control on track travel attractive and makes no financial northern end of the Knowledge Corridor over which these trains operate in spite of a sense, since Amtrak has spent hundreds of from Springfield to Holyoke, Northampton waiver that the Federal Railroad millions of dollars to purchase 25 new and Greenfield, MA, starting in 2019. There Administration has issued. By threatening to ViewlinerII Dining Cars, which were is also a plan to establish seasonal weekend do this, he is not only defying the lawful originally ordered in 2010 and are now service called the Berkshire Flyer from authority of the appropriate regulatory body, available for use. Pittsfield, MA to New York City in 2020 and the FRA, but also the U.S. Congress, which has MassDOT has commissioned an East-West appropriated sufficient funds to ensure There will also be no more meal service for Passenger Rail Study to determine the continued operation of the entire existing coach passengers for trips that can require feasibility of restoring passenger rail service Amtrak network, and the United States Senate, more than 24 - 48 hours to complete, end from Boston to Springfield and beyond to which voted 95-4 to call for the continued to end. Anderson has also eliminated ticket Pittsfield, MA. None of this could have been operation of the entire Amtrak network. agents at a number of stations, with the accomplished without the efforts of rail result that customers using those stations advocates who have worked tirelessly over For the time being, it appears that Amtrak are inconvenienced and some may be the years to make this happen. has backed off. Amtrak’s Chief Operating discouraged from traveling on Amtrak in RAIL USERS’ NETWORK NEWSLETTER PAGE 8 OF 16

many positive things that could be his Vernon-Jackson (#7 line), or Queensboro NEWS FROM NEW legacy—provided that our politicians Plaza (N,W,#7), with Queens Plaza YORK: MTA CHAIR realize the vital importance of this adjacent (E,M,R). transportation system, and fund it DEPARTS AND accordingly. And that is anything but a sure While it is not clear the hours that the AMAZON ARRIVES thing. workforce at Amazon will utilize, it is very likely that rush hours at any of Continued from page 1 Amazon comes to Queens! those subway stations will be impacted. There are also two Long Island Rail As everyone has heard by now, Amazon is Road stations in the vicinity: one at bring the subway infrastructure into moving half of its second headquarters to st Long Island City, and one at Hunters the 21 Century, with new signals, Crystal City, VA (outside DC), and half to Point Avenue, which will also be continuous welded rail, accessible Long Island City, Queens. While this will stations, drainage, rolling stock, and impacted. Every one of these transit bring hundreds of jobs to New York, there facilities needs work: new stairways to much more. He has held community are many problems associated with this accommodate the additional traffic, meetings, to enlist the public in each move. borough, as the plan is estimated to extended platforms, new entrances, wider passageways for transfers cost $40 billion. That kind of funding Obviously, it means billions of new tax between lines, and more. Not one of doesn’t come easily, and political and dollars, and New York City Mayor Bill de these stations is scheduled to receive popular support is essential if we are Blasio and New York State Gov. Andrew any of these things. Queensboro Plaza serious about repairing an aging but Cuomo, while not agreeing on much, essential economic engine for the (N,W,7) is scheduled to be made accessible, but that’s it. entire region. While it is not clear the In the meantime, President Byford has hours that the workforce And to top it all off, when the Canarsie initiated the Subway Action Plan, which is Tube (L line) shuts down next April for attacking problems such as signals, water at Amazon will utilize, it is repairs dating from Superstorm Sandy, remediation, and tracks on various sections thousands of additional riders will be of the subway, with surprisingly positive very likely that rush hours utilizing the Court Square complex to results. On-time performance for October at any of the subway transfer between the G train and E,M, or #7 was the highest it’s been in 15 months! trains to get to Manhattan! One would Likewise, Lhota brought in Phil Eng as stations near the Amazon have expected our elected officials to have President of the LIRR, the nation’s largest site will be impacted. made a better deal, given Amazon’s (or commuter railroad, with similar aging ANY company’s) need for a skilled, diverse infrastructure, and which is undergoing workforce, but as of this writing, this has reconstruction on many of its branches, not happened. agreed on this deal. And it is a “deal,” as it including Main Line Third Track, which will bypassed any community or City Council We are still hopeful that Amazon will show add an important third track to the line review, gave Amazon a huge break on between Floral Park and Hicksville stations, itself to be a good new neighbor, and do taxes, provides Jeff Bezos with a helipad on and allow reverse commuting, and service the right thing. Some elected officials have the East River, but provides (at least at this improvements. There will also be blasted the deal to bring Amazon to New point) nothing for Long Island City’s aging electrification of the Central Branch, which York, and many residents and local infrastructure and already overcrowded runs south from Farmingdale to Babylon, businesses are fearful of being priced out of subways. and which will add additional service to the neighborhood. And Long Island City is Babylon on two routes. experiencing an amazing building boom, There will be two locations in Long Island with giant towers saturating the area, City that will host Amazon: one in the Finally, Lhota selected Cathy Rinaldi as bringing many additional riders to an Citicorp Tower next to the Court Square President of Metro-North Commuter already bursting transit system. It is subway complex (E,M,7, G), and one on Railroad, which has three branches east of possible that, with this important new the East River, several blocks from the the Hudson River, as well as two west of economic Goliath in the area, nearest subway station. As anyone who the river. The commuter railroads will improvements will be scheduled on these uses the Court Square station knows, if benefit from the East Side Access project, seven subway lines and the LIRR. For the there is a delay on any of the four lines which will bring the LIRR into Grand Central sake of an already beleaguered travelling serving that complex, the station public, we can only hope so. Terminal, and through the Penn Access becomes extremely crowded, and it is Project will bring Metro-North’s New tough to move between lines. It is Haven line into Penn Station via Amtrak’s Andrew Albert is Vice-Chairman of RUN, the expected that Amazon will run its own Hell Gate Bridge route. This major Chair of the NYC Transit Riders Council, and shuttle jitneys between their proposed improvement will require extensive work in Riders’ Representative on the MTA Board. East River location and one of several the area of Harold Interlocking, the U.S.’s subway stations: either Court Square, busiest rail junction. Lhota has put in place RAIL USERS’ NETWORK NEWSLETTER PAGE 9 OF 16

RAIL USERS’ NETWORK Our next speaker, Tim Brennan, an The two final speakers of the day focused outstanding rail advocate, shared on rail advocacy in the Berkshires and the ANNUAL MEETING / PUBLIC MassDOT’s plan to conduct a two-year pilot Pioneer Valley. Kathleen Christensen, the FORUM to extend rail service along the northern President of the Train Campaign, talked end of the Knowledge Corridor. The current about the ongoing effort to restore Continued from page 3 proposal involves using two Amtrak shuttle passenger service on the Housatonic trains in the morning traveling south from Railroad from Pittsfield, MA. to Danbury, CT Northampton and Holyoke to Springfield, Greenfield to Northampton, Holyoke and and Southeast, NY to Grand Central MA and then onto New York City. He Springfield, MA and two return trips in the Terminal. This route is more direct than believes additional East-West train service is afternoon/early evening. The new service going to Rensselaer and then south to New critical and addresses two challenges. In will enable people to commute by rail to York City. It would benefit northwestern CT, Eastern Massachusetts, the challenge is work and make it possible to travel to New with stops in Canaan, Great Barrington, Lee cost; in Western Massachusetts, the York City and back in one day. and Pittsfield and undoubtedly generate challenge is limited access to the booming more economic development. Housing economy. Connecting the two, he stated, The proposed service, however, doesn’t options for NY and CT employees would would benefit everybody because it would include reverse commuting and there are expand and full-time residency and property provide the same access to quality of life. concerns about the proposed fares. values would increase. Brennan hopes MassDOT can be convinced Rep. Richard Neal also gave opening to help underwrite costs. Current Amtrak Ben Heckscher, the co-founder of Trains in remarks. He is the senior Democratic one-way fares range from $18 to $24. He The Valley, described the organization’s member of Ways and Means, the chief-tax- and other advocates attending the meeting mission to advocate for improved and writing committee of the U.S. House of believe the fare should be no more than expanded passenger and freight rail service Representatives. He described the role of a that of the CT Hartford line. Otherwise, it is in the Pioneer Valley region of western legislator—you really are supposed to likely that there will not be enough riders to Massachusetts. At a high level, the legislate. It’s not enough to just have a sustain the service beyond the two-year organization provides people with dream; you need to have a plan. He credited pilot. information, advocates for users and works Connecticut Gov. Malloy for investing in to increase transparency of information. It transit and Massachusetts Governors Duval The new executive director of the Berkshire acts as local “eyes and ears” on the ground Patrick and Charlie Baker for their efforts to Planning Commission, Thomas Matuszko, and points people in the right direction. Its expand passenger rail and transit in their talked about Berkshire Flyer, the proposed website is outstanding: TrainsInThe state. seasonal service from Pittsfield, MA to Valley.org provides up-to-date information Rensselaer, NY and then south to New York about what is happening with freight and Next up was John Bernick, the Assistant Rail City. Matuszkohas been recently appointed passenger rail in the Pioneer Valley and Administrator for CT DOT. He talked about the as co-chair of the Berkshire Flyer 2.0 contains an online newsletter called the Rail CT Hartford Line as a new model for intercity Steering Committee. This committee is News Roundup. passenger rail. It involved partnerships and charged with making agreements with collaboration: 30 legal agreements, seven Amtrak and CSX, as well as marketing and In keeping with our shared vision and past separate construction contracts, one service last-mile issues. precedents, time was also set aside for with two operators and a first-ever “Not to attendees to share their ideas about how Exceed” price and schedule agreement with Jennifer Slesinger, Project Manager, passenger rail service can be improved and Amtrak. Prior to 2018, Amtrak ran a two-car MassDOT, provided an update on the expanded. A brief annual meeting was held shuttle service back and forth from New proposed East-West Rail Study. A consulting to nominate and vote on the slate of Board Haven to Springfield six times a day. The new firm has been retained to conduct a $1- Members that the Nominating Committee service will offer up to 17 roundtrips per day million feasibility study to restore passenger recommended. The vote for the slate was once double tracking is finished and is rail service from Boston to Springfield and unanimous. projected to increase to 25 roundtrips in the further west to Pittsfield, MA. The study future. The Hartford line one-way fare from will look at up to six alternatives for The meeting closed with Andrew Albert, the New Haven to Springfield is $12.75 on both CT passenger rail service, with at least one Vice Chair of RUN, giving closing remarks. Hartford line trains and Amtrak. Amtrak’s alternative for 90-minute or less travel time “The consensus from a day of testimony and 2017 prior one-way fare ranged from $17-$46. between Springfield and Boston. The study various speakers, including elected officials Bernick also talked about the Hartford Line as will also determine whether additional is: people want rail service in their an economic development catalyst: $400 stations are needed such as in Palmer, MA. communities: it enhances their quality of million had been invested in TOD before the Mass DOT’s outreach efforts for the study life; it connects them to the rest of the line even opened for business, and 794 new will include a Study Advisory Committee of world, while providing an economic & residential units have been built near stations stakeholders, public meetings, briefings for sustainable form of transportation.” along the CT Hartford line. legislative leaders as well as outreach through social media and its website. RAIL USERS’ NETWORK NEWSLETTER PAGE 10 OF 16 2018 WAS NOT A GREAT YEAR FOR NEW STARTS, BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING FOR EVERY REGION OF THE U.S. By David Peter Alan Elsewhere in Florida, SunRail in Orlando The only expansion on the West Coast this extended service south from its former year was on the Bay Area Rapid Transit At the beginning of 2018, transit officials terminal at the Sand Lake Road park-and-ride (BART) system, and it is different from the hoped to open 15 new train or rail transit station to Poinciana, south of Kissimmee. other BART lines. It is called eBART and it is a lines in the United States and Canada. Some The 17-mile extension opened for service on diesel light-rail operation, rather than the of those starts have been delayed, so riders July 30. The historic station at Kissimmee, metropolitan-style electric trains that in those places will have to wait until where Amtrak’s Silver Meteor and Silver Star operate elsewhere on BART. The new 10.1- sometime next year. Still, every region of this also stop, is on the route. So are two other mile line opened for service on May 28th and country has new service somewhere, and the park-and-ride stations between Sand Lake links the Pittsburg – Bay Point station at the proliferation of new streetcar lines continues. Park and Kissimmee. northeastern end of the electrified system with two more stops at Pittsburg Center and The most dramatic of the new starts took There were also some service Antioch in eastern Contra Costa County. The place in South Florida, where the new enhancements: more mid-day trains, a units are made by Stadler and are similar to Brightline trains began running between northbound train later in the evening, and a the ones in use in Austin and Denton, TX and West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale on new shuttle bus between the Sanford station on New Jersey Transit’s River Line between Jan. 13. We ran a feature on the line in our and downtown Sanford. There is no new Trenton and Camden, in South Jersey. BART summer issue. Since that time, service was railroad involved, but there are new stations has plans to extend the eBART line, as well as extended to Miami on May 19. The on the line. A trip now takes 88 minutes from its conventional electric line in the East Bay equipment is new and the trains are end to end. There are plans to extend the to Berryessa toward San José. The latter conventional in nature, while the route is line northward to the Deland Amtrak station segment was originally scheduled to open historic. It is the Florida East Coast (FEC) and establish a connection to Orlando this year. Railway, originally built by real estate Airport, presumably to connect with the developer Henry M. Flagler. future Brightline station there. Streetcars are back in downtown Milwaukee, and have been since Nov. 2. The line uses Real estate development still plays a large The sole upgrade in the Northeast this year “modern” streetcars made by the Brookville part in the planning for the line, with new features no new stations, but constitutes a Equipment Company, similar to those on the stations in downtown Miami, Fort major service enhancement over part of its new Dallas Streetcar. The line is known as Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Brightline route. It is the CT Rail Hartford Line between the M-Line and the “Hop”; part of a is unique in that its operator is a private- New Haven and Springfield, built and sponsorship deal with the Potawatomi Hotel sector corporation, Florida East Coast supervised by the Connecticut Department of and Casino that also allows riders to ride free Industries (FECI), the real-estate arm of the Transportation. The new trains began running for the first year. The two-mile line snakes company that owns the railroad. Amtrak and on June 15, and the new service augments the through downtown Milwaukee, local rail transit are in the public sector, and existing shuttle service which Amtrak operates northeastward from its origin on Fourth the industry is watching to see how on the same line. Trains run every day, with Street, one block from the Intermodal Brightline performs. It is doing well, service between New Haven and Hartford Terminal used by long-distance buses and according to spokesperson Ali Soule, but the running about every two hours; more at peak- Amtrak trains. Construction is underway on company does not disclose ridership commuting times. There are only a few new the “L-line” which will branch off the current numbers. Trains run essentially hourly on trains to Springfield, but officials expect to run line in the Historic Third Ward (the city's weekdays, but with some gaps, and every more when double-tracking along the line is district of refurbished warehouses) and head two hours on weekends. The trip takes 74 completed. toward the Lakefront. That line is scheduled minutes. Customers must make reservations to open in 2020. through their website, The only light-rail expansion and the only www.gobrightline.com. new line in the South is the LYNX Blue Line The other dramatic “new start” is the return extension of the Charlotte Area Transit of streetcar service to El Paso, TX, with cars Brightline has expansion plans, too. The next System. The 9.4-mile extension eastward that ran there in the past. They are extension will be north to Orlando Airport, from Uptown to the University of North Presidents’ Conference Committee (PCC) when a new line is built between there and Carolina – Charlotte opened on March 15 cars that started their lives in San Diego and the FEC at Cocoa. Brightline managers hope and almost doubled the length of the line, ran in El Paso from 1949 until 1974. The cars to have trains running there in 2021. There which was previously 9.6 miles. There are were stored in a dry desert location, and are also recently-announced plans to extend plans to extend the Gold Line streetcar, and the bodies were sufficiently well-preserved service to Tampa in the future. Will there be eventually to initiate commuter rail service trains on all of the historic FEC line to north from Uptown Charlotte (their name for Continued on page 12 Jacksonville someday? Time will tell. “downtown”). RAIL USERS’ NETWORK NEWSLETTER PAGE 11 OF 16 RAILNATION 2018 - RAIL PASSENGER ASSOCIATION’S MEETING IN MIAMI By Phil Streby developing the service plan (train operations), During lunch, Stephen Gardner, Executive VP & selecting the rolling stock (trainsets), designing Chief Commercial Officer –Amtrak, addressed us. RailNation is the RPA fall meeting held around of the rolling stock maintenance facilities, His message, boiled down, was that Amtrak is the country to bring passenger rail hiring and training of operating crews interested in operating trains throughout the information and talk out to its members and (engineers & conductors), projecting country, provided there is sufficient funding and other groups making up the passenger rail operating costs and revenues and preparing equipment to do so. He spoke of Amtrak’s focus advocacy movement. This year, it was held in the company’s passenger rail operations on safety and how Positive Train Control (PTC) is Miami (next year to be held in Sacramento, program. Brightline is building toward operationa l on all Amtrak controlled routes as well CA). The event convened Friday, Oct. 19, and Jacksonville, and intends to provide service to as many of the host railroads’ routes. He ran until midday Sunday, Oct. 21. Tours and Orlando and Tampa. continued with Amtrak implementing a safety other events were scheduled to take management system to identify risk across the advantage of the area in addition to planning • “How to Pay for Infrastructure; Unlocking the Value network. The company wishes to overcome any sessions and guest speakers. of Real Estate,” moderated by Abe Zumwalt (RPA public perception of danger riding Amtrak, and Director of Policy Research), included on the panel reduce accidents, which cost Amtrak $50 million Friday evening kicked off with a “fireside” chat Albert Hernandez, Assistant Director for Planning and in the last year. moderated by Jim Mathews, CEO of the Rail Development for Miami-Dade County, and Jose Passengers Association, and including Joe Gonzalez, Senior VP Business Development at Florida Amtrak is re-investing in track structure and bridges Boardman, immediate past president of Amtrak; East Coast Industries. in the Northeast Corridor, which Gardner stated has David Gunn, also past president of Amtrak; Michael suffered from decades of under-investment. It is Dukakis, former governor of Massachusetts; and Mr. Hernandez led the efforts in completing MDT's working on a station improvement program to Fred Frailey, Trains magazine columnist. The topic Metrorail AirportLink project, which involved provide travelers with better conditions including was “Envisioning the Future of the US Rail extending Metrorail from the Earlington Heights seating, ADA accessibility, signage, restrooms, etc. Network.” One of the highlights was Mr. station to the Miami Intermodal Center (MIC). The Boardman suggesting that the RPA take over the project budget was over $500 million and was Amtrak is also refurbishing its fleet of sing le task of organizing and running National Train Day, a completed in 2012 under budget and on level cars, with the Amfleet I equipment nearly task that Amtrak has been conducting until this past schedule. He was also responsible for several other finished. Locomotives need to be replaced year to celebrate the driving of the gold spike transit projects, such as upgrades to several Metrorail since the P42s are nearly worn out, and don’t connecting the west coast with the rest of the and Metrobus maintenance and operation facilities, meet even the minimum emissions country May10, 1869 with the completion of the construction of new park and ride lots and requirements. Equipment replacement is at first transcontinental railroad. Visit the website of aggressively pursuing public private partnerships the top of the list because what Amtrak has is the National Park Service through Transit Oriented Developments at several old and, in some cases, beyond repair or at: https://www.nps.gov/gosp/ pla nyourvisit/2019- existing rail and bus stations. refurbishment. The company is looking at 150th-anniversary-of-the-completion-of-the - state partners to take advantage of large- transcontine nta l-ra ilroa d.htm for more information Mr. Gonzalez is responsible for pre- order cost reduction for off-corridor service, concerning the 150th anniversary of the driving of development project issues including land use, and they are preparing to replace the also- the golden spike, and follow additional links for environmental, traffic and general aging Acela equipment. even more information on the history of the governmental regulation, as well as property railroads and towns involved. acquisition and seller issues. Mr. Gonzalez’ Shifting focus, he promoted the idea that Amtrak is involvement spans across projects for FECI and preparing for growth in the coming decade as the RailNation Saturday events included six its subsidiary companies including Flagler, federal government dictates to Amtrak what it concurrent sessions, three each in the Brightline, and Flagler Global Logistics. wants from the company. Amtrak is essentially morning and afternoon. working from the 1970-era skeletal system. While • “Why the Swiss Can Build Big Projects Cheap • “RPA’s Envisioning of the Future of the US Rail the U.S. demographic is shifting southward and and We Can’t…” facilitated by RPA’s Vice- Network,” led by Jim Mathews described how the westward, and re-urbanizing the cities therein, such President-Policy, Sean Jeans-Ga il with Gene National Association of Railroad Passengers (RPA’s re-urbanization continues to occur throughout the Skoropowski, a noted and acclaimed former name, and also known as NARP) entire country as people chose to work and passenger rail expert with more than 40 years researched and developed the national network recreate nearer to where they live. of railroad industry experience in both the plan known as “Grid and Gateway.” Jim described private and public sectors. the comprehens ive interconne ctiv ity of core Rail’s natural fit is to connect those 400-500 routes developed from the work, by NARP mile corridors with multiple frequencies serving Gene was responsible for establishing volunteers, unifying state passenger rail plans into the core business district and new population Brightline, the nation’s newest and best a true national plan, and described the benefits, centers to meet the travel demand these passenger railroad now operating between both economic and social, of that intensified centers generate. Amtrak wants to be Miami and West Palm Beach in Florida, connectivity. Continued on page 12 RAIL USERS’ NETWORK NEWSLETTER PAGE 12 OF 16

• Session 2 with moderator Carolyn Cokley, RPA American Public Transportation RAILNATION 2018 Customer Advisory Programs; Patrick Kidd, Gov’t Association, lent a very credible presence Affairs—Amtrak; Bryan Sawyer, District Station to the conversation. He is a 39-year Continued from page 11 Manager—Amtrak; and Carey Maynard- veteran of public transportation at the Mooney, Station Redux in Lawrence, KS spoke local, state, and national levels. Among positioned to provide the levels of service about Amtrak’s volunteer Station Host Program, other things, Guzzetti is responsible for required, providing improved trip time and which RPA endorses as an interim solution to the APTA’s extensive policy research agenda, reliable service with new equipment. Expansion widespread lack of Amtrak station agents at policy analysis and development, into new markets is a goal, and will require most location around the country. While roles transportation information, and statistics. Congress to greatly improve funding for the may vary, station hosts are trained uniformed He and the APTA team work with the third leg of a national transportation network. volunteers whose role is to meets and greet legislative and executive branches of all passengers, provide local community levels of government and with other Following lunch, we enjoyed three more information, distribute appropria te Amtrak national associations, think tanks, and concurrent program sessions. literature , and be familiar with emergency interest groups to cultivate the ideas, • Joe Aeillo, RPA Northeast Field procedures all while volunteering a mandatory relationships, and advocacy initiatives that Coordinator, moderated the panel “Miami number of hours and times each month. will propel public transportation forward. SMART Plan’s First Mile/Last Mile Opportunities,” which concentrated on • Session 3 concerned Amtrak’s annual Sunday morning was devoted to RPA internal plans and opportunities for “getting there” reauthorization and how we might better business, with reports from the Chairman of the from the train station to one’s final push this agenda toward consistent and Board, Peter LeCody; the President, Jim Mathews; destination. Aileen Boucle, executive improved funding. Richard Harnish, Midwest Treasurer Ken Clifford; Sean Jeans-Gail on Policy; director of the Miami-Dade Transportation High Speed Rail, presented a detailed study Mark Colucci on resource development; and Planning Organization, joined him. utilizing the Chicago to Indianapolis route as Bruce Becker for next year’s event in an example of what true high-speed rail could Sacramento. Resolutions were discussed and Ms. Bouclé is responsible for conducting the offer to a region. Using PowerPoint slides, he voted on and committee business was attended planning for Miami-Dade’s complex demonstrated the potential, which could be to separately. After lunch, some of us traveled to transporta tion network, which includes unlocked with a core high-speed service the Gold Coast Railroad Museum, while others implementing policies established by the MPO between the two major cities, supplemented took a ride on the new Brightline route. governing board, as well as directing, managing, with standard speed service from close in but and planning for projects and programs that outlying cites near both. In the case of See you next year. Remember, all enhance the county’s transportation. Also Indianapolis, those cities would mainly include passenger rail advocates are encouraged joining the discussion was Alfred Lurigados, a Cincinnati and Louisville, but also smaller to attend. board member with Friends of the Underline, nearby cities such as Anderson and which is an ambitious plan to utilize the space Muncie. Other trains as well as buses would Phil Strebyis a RUN Board member and a under the People Mover system in Miami as a feed the core as a true corridor route. board member of the Indiana Passenger 10-mile long by 100-feet linear park with Rail Alliance. walking/bicycling paths. (www.theunderline.org ) Art Guzzetti, VP Policy at APTA, the

between noon and 11:00. Officials plan to short-turn loop will operate in Bricktown on 2018 NEW STARTS increase service when the third car they Fridays and Saturdays, in addition to the ordered is delivered. The service began with regular service on the full line. Continued from page 10 two vintage cars made by the Gomaco Trolley Company for a “vintage streetcar” There were more “new starts” planned for that they could be sent to the Brookville line in downtown Portland, Oregon. The 2018, but they were delayed. They include Equipment Company to be modernized and fare is $2 for a two-hour ride and $5 for a the G-Line in Denver (conventional rebuilt. They retain much of their original day pass, with seniors, children and persons suburban railroad) and TexRail in Fort appearance. The original line went to with disabilities riding for half fare. The last Worth (diesel light-rail, like Denton and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, but the new line time streetcars ran in St. Louis was in 1966. Austin). There are also two new starts stays on the El Paso side of the border. It planned for the Province of Ontario in comprises two loops in the downtown area, The last new start of the year has not yet Canada: the Confederation Light Rail line in and it is part of the local Sun Transit system, occurred at this writing, but a “modern” Ottawa and ION Light Rail in Kitchener and but with no regular Sunday service. We streetcar line is scheduled to begin service Waterloo, northwest of Toronto. There are hope to have a feature story on this service in Oklahoma City on Dec. 14. The new 4.6- other service expansions planned for restoration sometime next year. mile line, also known as MAPS 3, will have opening next year, too. We will watch for 22 stops, linking the city's central business them and report to you about them. In a surprise move and after two years of district with downtown and Bricktown, a delays, the Delmar Loop Trolley began collection of historic warehouses and similar David Peter Alan is a RUN Board member service in St. Louis on Thursday, Nov. buildings that has been re-purposed as an who lives and practices law in South Orange, 15. The 2.2-mile line runs between entertainment district. The line is owned by NJ. He has already ridden Brightline, several University City and the Missouri History the City and will be operated by Herzog trips on the Hartford Line, the Milwaukee Museum in Forest Park, mostly on Delmar Transit Services. As in Milwaukee, it will run “Hop” streetcar, and the track over which Boulevard and DeBaliviere Avenue. Service with modern-style Brookville cars. There SunRailoperates. He plans to ride the rest is limited: Thursday and Sunday between will be no Sunday service, but a separate of the new lines next year. noon and 8:00, and Friday and Saturday RAIL USERS’ NETWORK NEWSLETTER PAGE 13 OF 16

A SURVEY OF LONG DISTANCE AND STATE-SUPPORTED PASSENGER TRAIN SERVICE IN THE WESTERN U.S.– PART FOUR: EXISTING (Continued) By Dana Gabbard Maps claims is mostly flat. In the alternative, Gardner made an impression with his taxi service is available in Williams, and options appearance, unfortunately not a positive one. To keep this survey at a manageable length, to get quotes and make reservations online Johnson quotes one of the attendees, Steve it is being divided into multiple parts. This exist. It might be prudent to call the Holiday Inn Cottrell Assistant City Manager of Garden City, part deals with existing long distance at (928) 635-2221 for their advice on the best KS, which was the sponsor of the first passenger train services in Southern option to get to the depot. The shuttle costs Transportation Infrastructure Ge ne rating California. Part five in the Spring issue will $24 each way. I agree with the Amtrak website, Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant for upgrading explore the under construction California “We recommend that you research and tracks. He complained Amtrak should be high speed rail project. while part six will be arrange your self-transfer transportation working with stakeholders about the future of on proposed new routes, plus efforts to options prior to your trip.” the Chief and questioned Gardner’s comments revive discontinued Amtrak routes. that Amtrak had no pre-conceived end-game in As I described in the last issue (“Can the SW mind. Cottrell averred, “.. To get blindsided by Please see the introduction to part one in Chief Stay on Track?”) advocates are engaged in this bus-bridge thing and then come in and say the Spring issue regarding the purpose and a battle for the Chiefinvolving its mid-section, they have no preconceived idea just kind of set certain other underlying aspects. responding to Amtrak’s demand for additional a negative tone to the meeting.” Trains conditions to be met before providing a obtained a copy of Gardner’s PowerPoint Southwest Chief previously promised $3 million toward the presentation (as have I) and notes it is very Santa Fe began its Super Chief between match of a $16 million federal grant for detailed ,which understandably belies the no Chicago and Los Angeles in 1936. Amtrak upgrading the tracks and its proposal to replace preconceived end-game claim. continued the Chief after it began the mid-section with a bus bridge (between operations May 1, 1971. In 1974 the name Dodge City,KS or La Junta, CO and In September, testimony before the House was changed to Southwest Limited after Albuquerque, NM). Since the last issue, there Transportation & Infrastructure Rail Santa Fe withdrew permission for Amtrak to have been a number of developments. Subcommittee hearing on PTC implementation, use the name, citing what they perceived as Amtrak’s Executive Vice President and COO, Scot a decline in the quality of service. In In late August, Colfax County hosted a Naparstek stated, “we believe we will have response to service improvements, Santa Fe meeting on the Chief attended by more strategies in place that will permit us to continue allowed the name to be changed to than 40 state and local officials from the operations until operational PTC or PTC- Southwest Chief in 1984. route’s corridor. In the meeting, Amtrak equivalency is achieved for all of our network.” Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial The Rail Passengers Association (RPA) in its Hotline It serves 32 stations, operates daily and is Officer Stephen Gardner made comments e-newsletter #1,084 noted, ”… Mr. Naparstek’s 2,265 miles long. The major stops besides that Trains magazine initially summarized as testimony does appear to undermine one of the Chicago and Los Angeles include Kansas “Amtrak will not operate passenger trains central rationales Amtrak has put forward for City, MO; Topeka, KS; Albuquerque, NM; on lines without positive train control after breaking up the Southwest Chief route with a bus- Flagstaff, AZ; and San Bernardino. CA. It is Dec. 31, 2018,” even for lines granted PTC bridge. In its presentation to local officials, Amtrak the seventh highest ridership long-distance waivers by the Federal Railroad stated it would “require PTC for this segment for train with 363,000 riders (all ridership Administration which would impact the long-term operation,” with an estimated $23 figures are for FY 2017, taken from the aforementioned mid-section (“Amtrak says million in installation costs and $3.5 million in Monthly Performance Report for Sept. 2017 it will not run trains on routes without PTC” annual operating costs. By identifying “PTC- (Preliminary and Unaudited) dated Dec. 27, by Bob Johnson, posted August 27). equivalencies” for main track exemptions, Amtrak 2017 and posted on the Amtrak website). is admitting what RPA has been arguing all year: Amtrak hurriedly issued a statement there are lower-cost alternatives to ensuring the On Jan. 1, the change described in the article “A (“Amtrak Statement Counters Trains' safety of the Chief’s passengers. Tourist Train Runs Between Amtrak and PTC Article”) refuting the Trains piece: “For Majestic Scenery, At Least for the Moment” by those carriers and routes operating under an At an Oct. 3 Senate Commerce Committee David Peter Alan in the Fall 2017 issue took extension or under an FRA-approved hearing under questioning by Sen. Tom effect. Those wishing to take the Southwest exemption, Amtrak is performing risk Udall (D-NM), Naparstek testified, “We Chief to the Grand Canyon Railway [whose analyses and developing strategies for plan on running the Southwest Chief as-is website is thetrain.com] now get off in Flagstaff, enhancing safety on a route-by-route basis to through fiscal year 2019.” Udall echoing AZ and take a dedicated connecting Thruway ensure that there is a single level of safety Cottrell stated, “I reiterate the need for motorcoachto the Holiday Inn Express in across the Amtrak network. For those very Amtrak to work with the communities Williams, AZ, 1150 W. Cataract Lake Rd. From limited routes where a host may not achieve impacted to create a real plan for the there one must arrange what Amtrak describes an alternative schedule by year’s end, future of the Southwest Chief.” In a video as a “self-transfer” to get to the Grand Canyon Amtrak will suspend service and may seek posted on Facebook, Udall is shown at the Railway Depot (280 N Grand Canyon Blvd). The alternative modes of service until such routes hearing to have also pressed Naparstek for distance is about ¾ of a mile which Google come into compliance.” a commitment from Amtrak to make Continued on page 14 RAIL USERS’ NETWORK NEWSLETTER PAGE 14 OF 16

Nov. 1996-Oct. 1997 its endpoint was Affairs to talk about their ideas. LONG DISTANCE AND Sanford, FL; then it was extended to Orlando. The Sunset Limited is the object of three STATE-SUPPORTED In 1996, a rerouting eliminated direct service separate but inter-related aspirations: to Phoenix, AZ. Due to track damage by • daily service PASSENGER TRAIN Hurricane Katrina, the route returned in 2005 • service east of New Orleans along the Gulf to only running east as far as New Orleans, Coast SERVICE which it does to this day. Service east of New • resuming direct service to Phoenix Orleans is described as “suspended.” Continued from page 13 Stakeholders working on these include It serves 22 stations, operates tri-weekly, and RailPAC, RPA, Southwest Rail Passenger available the $3 million for the TIGER grant is 1,995 miles long. Major stops besides New Association, All Aboard Arizona (AAA), Rails but the Amtrak official only would state Orleans and Los Angeles include Houston, Inc., Louisiana Association of Railroad despite repeated prodding, “We are San Antonio and El Paso, TX; Tucson, AZ; and Passengers, Florida Coalition of Rail committed to continue to work with the Palm Springs, CA. Of the 15 long-distance Passengers and the Southern Rail stakeholders and to try to find [a] successful trains, it has the lowest ridership with 99,000 Commission (SRC). resolution.” riders. Some of the salient points in favor of these On Oct. 7, a community Q&A was held at the There has been some interest among local changes: Lamy, NM Amtrak Station, sponsored by stakeholders in Benson, AZ to have a replica • Studies predict daily service would double the New Mexico Rail Passengers Coalition of the historic depot become the station, ridership (the two lowest ridership Amtrak (formerly the NM Section of the Southwest replacing the current barebones stop whose lines, the Sunset Limited and the Cardinal, Chief Coalition) in partnership with the Lamy amenities consist solely of a bus-stop-style are the only ones that are tri-weekly) Station & SFS Railway Lamy. Adrian Gurule, shelter, but this is a very nascent effort at the • The New Orleans-Orlando segment President/Founder of NMPRC and organizer of moment. accounted for 40% of revenue in fiscal year the event, says it had around 50 attendees plus 2004, the last full year it was operated a number of local officials, a staffer from the Bruce Flohr worked at Southern Pacific, became • Maricopa, 35 miles from Phoenix, has much office of Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Amtrak Deputy Administrator of the Federal Railroad lower boardings/alightings than was experienced spokesman Marc Magliari and RPA President Administration in the 1970s and finally founded when Phoenix had direct service Jim Mathews. RailTex, which specialized in owning and managing short line railroads before being sold to RailAmerica At the 2018 California Passenger Rail Summit, Passenger Rail Kansas (PRK) in 2000. He has gotten some media attention Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson stated [www.passengerrailks.org/] held a Kansas- (“Amtrak Considers Marfa Stop,” Big Bend Sentin el categorically extending the Sunset to Orlando Oklahoma Passenger Rail Summit in Topeka, Feb. 8, 2018) and a favorable response from will not happen, declaring it doesn’t make KS on Oct. 12 with over 70 attendees. Many Amtrak to his proposal that the Sunset Limited stop economic sense since the train for that local officials spoke, along with in Sanderson, TX be shifted to Marfa, TX which has distance is too slow. representatives of state and federal elected growing recognition as an art mecca (it was th e officials, plus a number of advocates. Several subject of a photo essay published earlier this year In February 2016, SRC co-sponsored with Amtrak videos of speakers at the Summit are posted in the travel section of the New York Times). an inspection train trip from New Orleans to on YouTube. Kudos to PRK President Evan Jacksonville, FL that received substantial press Stair for organizing this important event in Flohr is quoted in the aforementioned Sen tin el coverage and participation by elected officials in just a few months for coalition building in the article after watching trains stop at Sanderson, the corridor. SRC is holding regular meetings, the affected corridor. “Nobody got on or off in Sanderson…” Which most recent of which was held Sept. 7, 2018 in doesn’t surprise me since that station in fiscal year New Orleans. Besides an extension of the Su nset At this point, the next battleground will be 2017 had only 193 boardings/alightings (per the Limited, it is promoting service from Baton Rouge the FY2019 federal appropriations act. As I Texas Fact Sheet FY 2017 posted on the Amtrak to Mobile, AL via New Orleans, with possible mentioned last issue, the Senate version website). Not merely the worst in Texas, but the eventual extension to Jacksonville, FL. contains provisions to aid the Chief. This is to worst by a substantial margin (the second-to- be heard in a House-Senate conference bottom station is Del Rio with 1,764). Anderson at the Summit spoke favorably about committee during the post mid-term lame this proposal, which is hung up at the moment by duck session. Rails Inc and its A Marfa stop is not a new idea. In 2015, the a lack of funding commitments by the states of President/Founder (and RUN Board member) University of Texas at Austin School of Alabama and Mississippi. SRC Chair John Spain J.W. Madison are continuing their efforts to Architecture posted online a concept for the informs me in October it applied for a federal advocate for the Chief as do the numerous design of a Marfa station. Last year, then- Consolidated Rail Infrastructure Safety and stakeholders I mentioned in the last issue. Mayor Dan Dunlap mentioned it during a Improvements grant for Gulf Coas t passenger rail The New Mexico Rail Passengers Coalition meeting of the West Texas Economic restoration. It is doing so on a 1:1 basis ($32.99 has announced on its Facebook page two Development Board. million federal funds matched by an identical rallies it plans to hold next year. Be assured amount raised from various public and private RUN will continue to be at the forefront of Ann Marie Nafziger, Mayor of Marfa, informs sources). The statute establishing the program the effort to save the Chief. me Bruce Ashton, RPA South Central Division gives preference to 1:1 applications which makes Leader, is slated to make a presentation on SRC feel its application is extremely competitive. Sunset Limited the station proposal at the Dec. 11 City SRC’s website is at During the era of private passenger rail Council meeting. It appears this proposal may www.southernrailcommission.org service, Southern Pacific operated its Sunset bear fruit. Limited between New Orleans and Los A Daily Sunset Limited Coalition organizing Angeles (and in some periods continuing on Regarding these two station-related meeting, spearheaded by AAA and attended to San Francisco). By 1970, service was aspirations, Amtrak spokesman Magliari by a cross section of stakeholders, was held reduced from daily to tri-weekly. Amtrak noted, “Station location ideas often originate Oct. 24, 2017 in San Diego. continued the route when it began operation with the communities.” He further stated in 1971, unchanged from how Southern that while Amtrak is not in current Dana Gabbard is a RUN Board member and Pacific operated it (including the frequency). conversations with Benson or Marfa, he executive secretary of Southern California In 1993 it was extended to Miami; FL; from would be happy to connect the communities Transit Advocates. with the right people at Amtrak Government RAIL USERS’ NETWORK NEWSLETTER. PAGE 15 OF 16

TAKING THE TRAIN TO/FROM RAILNATION MIAMI By Phil Streby Train No. 97 departed DC on time. Our which was quickly repaired, the trip to DC group enjoyed a nice dinner in the diner, was uneventful. Members of the Rail Passengers and retired to our accommodations for Association (RPA), formerly known as the additional conversations. Arriving the next morning in DC, Duane National Association of Railroad Passengers Chattin and I went out to see the city, (NARP), converged in Miami, FL October I awoke several times during the night. At touring several sights. Heading 18-21, 2018 for several days of events, one point we had stopped because of a westbound on No. 29, the Capital, we speakers, tours, and fun. Traveling from Positive Train Control (PTC) fault. At least were “entertained” for about 1 ½ hours South Bend, IN to Washington, DC on we know the fail-safe is to shut off the by an unruly, intoxicated passenger Amtrak train No. 30, the Capital, I met up locomotive, and it works. Too bad a multi- who was taken off the train in with more RPA members traveling south on billion-dollar system took the place of the Meyersdale, PA. train No. 97, the Silver Meteor. fireman (second engineer) on our trains both passenger and freight. I’m guessing While easy to “Monday morning Most of us traveled with sleeper the railroads aren’t too happy about having quarterback,” I believe that when the accommodations allowing us to enjoy the to spend the money they just saved by crew was notified the police would be dining car fare on the Meteor. The meals reducing crew forces. Another issue half an hour arriving, the train should were cooked to order and quite delicious, involved a passenger pulling out the have continued on to Connellsville, PA, and much conversation ensued since we, emergency window. the next station stop, about 40 miles for the most part, dined together. distant. I realize they had their hands We arrived in Miami that evening after a full with this miscreant, but they Too bad the same thing could not be said long train ride, and took rental and Uber should have isolated and restrained for the Capital, which did not have a cars to the hotel, about seven miles him away from the rest of the coach functioning dining car. Cold, boxed lunches distance. Yes, there is another train passengers who were subjected to his are the normal fare on this train, and from vulgar and crude rantings.We lost my observation, while it included yogurt even more time from that point on, with granola topping, fruit, and juice, did America’s love affair with and left Pittsburgh over 3 ½ hours not appear to be satisfying. I spoke with the automobile is over, but late! We were further delayed by both one couple who thought the packages freight and passenger trains from the would be quite troublesome for those with we still don’t have an time we arrived in Cleveland until I arthritis or any other restrictive use of adequate alternative. More disembarked at South Bend. hands. The resulting mound of trash appeared to be discarded rather than and better train service Infrastructure needs vast recycled. would cause the auto to improvement to replace what the railroads ripped out from the 1950s About 7 a.m. the next morning, a group of become the alternative. through the ‘80s to avoid both taxes us were sitting in the Sightseer Lounge and maintenance costs.It makes no (often mistakenly referred to as an station, brand new even, that Amtrak economic sense from the passenger observation car) when the car got very doesn’t utilize because when it was under standpoint to have delays caused by cold. I found the conductor in the lower construction, Amtrak failed to reply to this lack, but I understand that the lounge with several other employees and many requests for input. railroads had to do it, since the nearly complained that several of us upstairs were bottomless bucket of public money cold. Further questioning and commenting Because of this failure, the station tracks built the infrastructure allowing us to only garnered an “Okay” as a response. No and platforms would allow Amtrak train to be “in love with the automobile.”That apologies for the situation or any effort to block street crossings. Now additional time love affair is over, but we still don’t correct the situation were offered. Instead, and money needs to be spent to correct have an adequate alternative. More he suggested that I contact the train this situation before Amtrak will be allowed and better train service would cause manager, Linda Anderson, if I wanted more to park its trains in the new station! the auto to become the alternative, information. She did not appear to be any save for the trip to the train station. more conversive. Returning to Indiana the following Monday, many of us retraced our Phil Strebyis a RUN Board member and a At Cumberland, a passenger became irate journey on the northbound Meteor, No board member of the Indiana Passenger because he was unable to get off to smoke, 98. This time I traveled via coach. I Rail Alliance. and started swearing. I forgot my place as should have gotten a sleeper. Some of a passenger, and ordered him to cease his us are just too tall to stretch out outburst with a curt “That will be enough comfortably in the coach seat; I felt as of that language!” He immediately settled though I was sliding out of my chair all down… night. Except for an air hose problem, FROM THE RUN BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Rail Users’ Network Newsletter is published quarterly by the Rail Users’ Network, a 501 (c) Please become a member of RUN... (3), nonprofit corporation. We invite you to become a member of the Rail Users’ Network, which represents rail passengers’ interests in North America. RUN is based on the successful British model, We welcome your which has been serving passengers since 1948. RUN networks passengers, their thoughts and advocacy organizations, and their advisory councils. RUN is working to help secure an interconnected system of rail services that passengers will use with pride. RUN forms a comments about our strong, unified voice for intercity, regional/commuter, and transit rail passenger interests. newsletter. Please By joining together, sharing information, best practices, and resources through write to us: networking, passengers will have a better chance of a vocal and meaningful seat at RUN, P.O. Box 8015, the decision making table. Portland, ME 04104 RUN members enjoy newsletters, international conferences, regional rail forums, and other meetings to share information while working to improve and expand rail As a grassroots passenger service. organization, we depend upon your Membership is open to passengers, official advisory councils, advocacy groups, public contributions to allow agencies, tourist and convention bureaus, carriers and other profit-making us to pursue our organizations. important work. We hope you will join — vital decisions and legislation affecting the North American rail Please donate to transportation system are being made daily. Don’t be left behind at the station! help us grow.

Please register me / us as a member of RUN today

______Advocacy or Advisory Group or Agency Name (affiliation if appropriate)

______Name of individual Applicant (or group, Agency, or Company Contact Person’s Name

______Street Address City State/Province Postal Code RAIL USERS NETWORK P.O. Box 8015, ______Portland, ME 04104 Phone Number Fax Number E-Mail

Enclosed are dues of: RUN _____ $40 (individual/family) _____ $100 (Advocacy or Advisory Group) RAIL _____ $250 (Public Agency or Bureau) USERS _____ $250 (Private Carrier or For-For-Profit) NETWORK Mail to RAIL USERS’ NETWORK. P.O. BOX 8015, PORTLAND, ME 04104 USA