~ SITUATION IN WAS'i·- ,'JGTON r C'? w STILL VERY CRITICAL------by OARP Pres. Tom Pulsifer II) ~ The Amtrak situation in Washington, despite record ridership systemwide, • • is still quite critical. The April 1979 Amtrak ridership figures show ~~M all long-distance routes posting -o 0~ ridership increases (some routes by 53 or 59%) and a systemwide 16.9% ridership increase. And remember it is the long-hauls that DOT Sec w ~~-c retary Brock Adams wants to elimin ate from the Amtrak network! It is ii~ reasonably certain that Congress is :J: going to act to retain some, and 0~ possibly all, of the existing Amtrak )( trains and routes. Sentiment is 1- Z£ turning against the 43% route cut as OB set forth by Brock Adams. But, in my opinion, the votes in Congress ti8 are going to be close. The White House has not budged as of this ~~ (continued on page J) CONSIST OF THIS ISSUE * OARP TAKES AMTRAK TO TASK OVER HAMILTON STOP
i< AMTRAK SERVICE AT SANDUS KY STARTS UP JULY 29th
i< MORE ON THE DAYTON BAG GAGE SITUATION ->< LATEST RIDERSHIP DATA FROM AMTRAK " SHENANDOAH INDEFINITELY ANNULLED v"JEST OF GRAFTON; BUS IS SUBSTITUTED i< CERTAIN TRAINS ARE ON THE DOT "HIT LIS'r" ir OARP WATCHING LOBBYING DISCLOSURE LEGISLATION JUL. * OARP, lVIEMBERS, IN THE AUG. NEWS * OUR JIM LEWIS IS DEAD No.3l 1979 AT 69 IN SPRINGFIELD THE OHlO ASSOCIA'TION OF RAILROAD PASSENGERS - P. 0. Box 6_53, Xenia, OH 4_538_5- _513-372-9868 PRESIDENT Thomas R. Pulsifer, 17_51 Wilshire, P.O. Box 371, Xenia 4_538_5 _513-372-9868 VICE-PRES. Rodger J. Sillars, 2_521 Euclid Hts. Blvd., Cleveland Hts. 44106 216-932-2781 SECRETARY Lt. Michael C. Fugate, contact through OARP address above TREASURER David S. Marshall, 243_5 Ridgeway Road, Dayton 4-_5419 _513-296-0227 IYiEJ.IIiBERSHIPGary D. Amatore, 3091 Shasta Drive, Columbus 43229 614-891-3162 ~ REGIONAL COORDINATORS are your local contact persons who represent OARP: ;j NORTHEASTERN OHIO REGION CLEVELAND AREA James Stevenson, 192 Franklin Drive, Berea 44017 216-234-_588_5 \J AKRON-CANTONAREA J. Howard Harding, 489 Overwood Road, Akron 44313 216-867-_5_507 YOUNGSTOWN--WARRENG. Douglas Hudson, 3981 Greenmont Dr. SE, 1tJarren 44484 216-8_56-2_5_57 ASHTABULA-CONNEAUTBill Hutchison, Jr., _58_51 So. Ridge W., Ashtabula 44004 216-969-1634 NORTHWESTERNOHIO REGION 0 TOLEDO AREA Willard B. Edson, 1008 Eton Road, Toledo 4361_5 419-.536-0643 - LIMA AREA John H. Keller, 721 Woodward Avenue, Lima 4_580_5 419-224-9936 AJ CENTRAL OHIO REGION COLUMBUSAREA Karl J. Gelfer, 67 W. 10th Avenue, Columbus 43201 614-421-7080 m COLS. & SO. OHIO David Lebold, #4, 26_50 Neil Avenue, Columbus 43202 614-261-1_549 MANSFIELD AREA Richard A. Fry, P.O. Box 381, Bellville 44813 419-886-287_5 q SOUTHWESTERNOHIO REGION CINCINNATI AREA Robert D. Goldstein, #22, 331_5 Jefferson, Cincinnati 4_5220 _513-861-2864 CINTI. & OHIO VALLEY Ronald D. Garner, 1934 Kress Road, Mt. Orab 4_51_54 _513-444-3098 0 WESTERN OHIO AREA THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF RAILROAD PASSENGERS AJ 417 New Jersey Avenue, S.E., Washington, DC 20003 202-546-1550 John R. (Jack) Martin, President -- Ross Capon, Executive Director -< 0 NARP REGIONAL DIREC'TORS (Region VI) FRO!VlOHIO: yO Dean E. Denlinger, 3307 Morrison Avenue, Cincinnati 4_5220 513-861-8256 >:::>-1f-'rj ' UJ :::;;; :::;;; (I) ~-:::;;; ~::Yrl->-1 :::> f-"• rj rl- IJj 0 f\l rl- rl- 0 f\l rl 0 0 rl aq Dl()tj f---'(1) f\l:::;;; rj rj 0:::;;; '""' >-1 :::;;; cr P UJ m c+ r"· f-l 0 rj :::r:: c+~r-"·:::;;;Ul ::Jc+::YW>-l;:Yf\l(l)~rj;:Y::Jf-'J::Y >:: f\l f-''D rj rj 0 rj 0 f\l rj f-"• 0 :>< :::1 ::Y 0 >::: f\l ::Y 0 :::1 f-"• ::Y (I) >::: rl- rl- rj 0 (I) ::Y f-"• 0 rj t::l :::> rj H >::Of\lf\JWf-'f-' f\JW ro::JW UJ :::1 (I) (I) f\l (I) 0 (I) UJ f\l ~ :::;;; rl- ~ f-"• 0 :::1 rj '< rl- aq ~ f-"• f-' f-"• )1J 0 )1J f-' 0 f-"Oti :::;;; Pl I Oti f-"• f-3 f-'J ~ UJ :::1 rj rl- rl- ?;"' y f-"• (I) rl-rl-f\l>-l~!llrl->::UJ (i)f-'rj 08UJUJ rl- (I) f-' f-"• :::> rj 'D rl- (I) (I) 0 ::Y (I) ?i"Z c+ c::: f\l r-"· ::Y o UJ w r· c+- o m >::: o :::;;;~ UJ rj f\l UJ ::Y 'D rj 0 rj '< f\l 0 ::Y rl- rl- 0 >-j (I) (I) - f-"• :::1 ·c+< (I) f-"• f-"· ::r> o w f\l :::> 'D 8 ::Y UJ c+ :::1 r· UJ ::Y cr f-'c+c+ ' 111111111111111 Another delegation from Ohio met with Pennsylvania legis lators and transportation officials in Harrisburg, June 22. E NEWS FROM AMTRAK Rep. Corwin Nixon (R-Lebanon) and Sen. Ronald Nabakowski (D-Lorain) addressed the Pennsylvania legislators urging A rolling monument to one of America's industrial titans introduction and swift passage of the interstate rail com celebrated its 50th anniversary Sunday, June 10th. The "mon pact bill. Pennsylvania State Sen. James Romanelli (D ument" is the Empire Builder, Amtrak's prime Chicago-Seattle Pittsburgh) chaired the meeting in Harrisburg. train, named in honor of James Jerome Hill, founder of the Great Northern Railroad. One June 10th, champagne and spec 111111111111111 ial birthday cake were served in the dining cars of the Em pire Builders departing Seattle and Chicago to commemorate The Board of ORTA voted June 19th to appoint Mark J. Rand the train's half-century of service and the man--and the all, P.E., interim executive director of the Rail Author legend--for whom it was named. ity effective July 1st. Randall, 27, has been chief of planning at ORTA since January 1977. Prior to 1977 he was 111111111111111 with the Ohio Dept. of Transportation. Randall received his B.S. in Civil Engineering from the Univ. of Illinois A new generation of computer processors has been authorized in 1973. He succeeds Nat Simons, Jr., who resigned the for Amtrak by its board of directors, approving an $8.J mil ORTA directorship to take a research post at Ohio State. lion program to replace the corporation's current computer equipment with two new IBM JOJJs, capable of processing four times as much information in a given time as the older IBM Many OARP members are also mem-- J70/158s that Amtrak had been using. The $8.3 million in bers of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION cludes four years' lease costs. of RAILROAD PASSENGERS, 417 New 111111111111111 Jersey Avenue, S.E., Washington, NARPDC 2000J. NARP is our voice on Rail travelers in Amtrak's Northeast Corridor can now call a Capitol Hill. Just as we must have a strong state ARP, so new toll-free number (800-424-5300) to hear a recorded gen must we have a strong ARP in our Nation's Capitol. Write eral estimate of how Amtrak expects its NEC trains to be run NARP directly for a copy of their membership brochure. Je ning. Extensive trackwork is under way in the NEC this sum sure to join and support NARP as well as your own OARP. mer as part of the federally-funded NEC Improvement Project. Amtrak's P lJONAL LIMITED derailed the evening of June 1Jth ) on the Co. koga Creek Bridge, about one mile east of Lancas ) ter, PA, while moving at close to 75 mph. All seven cars de railed but remained upright and in line with the track struc ture. Only eight were injured, none seriously. Initial blame was placed on a broken axle on the F40 diesel engine. A "make-up" train of four Amcoaches left Harrisburg at 4:00a the following morning, stopping in Columbus shortly after 2:00pm and in Dayton at 4:00pm. As the derailment tore down overhead catenary, other Amtrak trains were rerouted over the freight-only A & S Branch east of Harrisburg until the damage was repaired. 111111111111111 Unofficial figures show that 2,200 passengers boarded or de trained the Broadway Limited at Canton, Ohio, during May. Cincinnati's Amtrak station broke an all-time record in June with a 71% increase in revenue through over $100, 000 of sales. For the first time ever, a conductor reported to OARP that 6 passengers had to be turned away at Dayton on July 7th as the westbound National was jammed to capacity with 284 on board with 24 in the sleeper. With the heavy ridership on #JO and #31 the Amdinette frequently runs out of food halfway through the New York- Kansas City run. Unconfirmed (as of mid-July) reports indicate Amtrak time tables will be reissued July 29th, with a major schedule change in line for the eastbound Broadway Limited. #40 is expected to leave Chicago at 7:J0pm, instead of 4:00pm. Via Amtrak!Proving that Amtrak occasionally does stop in Hamilton. a group ofTafllligh School students are A San Diegan be added shown disembarking a coach at the Chessie System depot at Fifth and Henry Sls. Tuesday. The students were return seventh train is expected to July 29th. ing from a canoe trip in .Uinnesota. Another group is scheduled to depart for a similar trip Saturday, also by way of Train times for Sandusky, Ohio, will be listed. It's now Amtrak. Journal-News photo by John Janco. official; westbound 9:JJam and eastbound 10:25pm. June 27, 1979 (courtesy of the Hamilton (0.) Journal-News) 111111111111111 We've received word that Ed Edel, Amtrak's VP/Public Affairs, F OARP COORDINATOR MEETS WITH NARP's EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR by Karl J. Gelfer is leaving to become PR chief for Seaboard Coast Line Indus Under grey skies and cool temperatures, I met with Ross Capon, Executive Direc tries, parent company for the SCL Railroad. tor of che National Association of Railroad Passengers at the Amtrak Station in Columbus on Sunday, June 24, 1979. Capon was passing through Ohio on Amtrak's Amtrak's inspection car 10,000 has been recently active in National Limited, train #Jl. He got off and spent the time with me during the the State of Indiana. At the request of several Indiana National's servicing stop at Columbus which lasted about 25 minutes. The train Congressmen, inspection runs have been made on several lines arrived five minutes early that day! During Capon's brief stopover he had some including: Cincinnati to Indianapolis via the B&O thru Ham .., comments to make for OARP. He said that the National Limited can't win Brock I Adams' sweepstakes as far as ticket sales are concerned because of the limited ilton and Rushville; Indianapolis to Chicago via the former capacity of the train. On June 2Jrd, leaving New York and Washington, the Nat Monon line (now L&N); and Chicago to Terre Haute via the for ional contained two 60-seat Amcoaches from New York and one 84-seat Amcoach mer C&EI mainline thru Danville. The Cincinnati-Indianapolis from Washington. It had one sleeping car with three roomettes utilized by the trip occurred June 20th and was seen by several OARP members. Amdinette crew. Capon stated the train could be sold out, and still not make the 150-passenger arbitrary cutoff figure supplied by Brock Adams. Capon was Rumors are flying about rerouting the Cardinal and the Flor also concerned about the poor press attitude here in Columbus, and in particular idian, but at this time nothing is definite at all. At first, the attitude of one of the ranking Republican representatives from the Columbus Amtrak officials even denied the inspection runs were made! area-- one Sam Devine. An excellent article on Amtrak and train travel appeared in the June-July issue of Modern Maturity, the AARP publication. OARP has learned that the "progressive" i1iissouri Pacific has really been puc ting the screws to Amtrak's National Limited and Inter-American this sumner, A grassroots movement is underway to persuade Jimmy Carter to causing lengthy to each crain almost daily. Freight crain interference fire Transportation Secretary Brock Adams and also fire Am and trackwork are alleged culprits. We are watching chis situation. trak President Alan Boyd at the same time. One-sided cooperation: Amtrak clerks at Philadelphia's JOth St. Station may give out SEPTA/Conrail commuter info., but CR clerks are reprimanded if they give any Amtrak info. out. ! -) ) ) IIII •' OHIO ASSOCIATION OF RAILBOAD PASSJi:NGERs f%!1j PASSENGERTRAIN JOURNAL Post Office Box 653 Xeoiat Ohio ~5385 --- SPECIAL SUBSCRIPTICN FORM --- PTJ Publishing, Inc. P 0 Box 397, Park Forest, Ill. 60466 NanE of Organi-zation Instructions: 1. Rail organization to receive donation should identify itself in the upper right hand corner of this sheet. } 2. Subscriber should fill out the remainder of this form, and should sign form when ccrnpleted. IMPORTANTNOTICE ..... 3. Form should be sent with check or ITDney order, before JULY 31, 1979 to the ) address shown at the bottom of this sheet. Credit card orders should specify whether VISA or /1aster Charge, the appropriate credit card number, expiration THE SPECIAL OFFER OF A DONATIONTO THE NATIONALASSOCIATION OF RAILROAD date. PASSENGERSAND YOUR REGIONAL ORGANIZATION, HAS BEEN EXTENDEDFROM MAY 31 Type of Subscription: THROUGHJULY 31, 1979. 1-year, 12 issue subscription @ $19 THE OFFER WILL BE GIVEN PUBLICITY IN AN UPCOMINGEDITION OF THE NARP NEWS. 2-year, 24 issue subscription @ $38 (counts double for donation purposes) IN THE MONTHSAHEAD, THE FIGHT FOR BETTER RAIL PASSENGERSERVICE WILL 1-year, 12 issue subscription, first class postage, @ $28 ITENSIFY. WE BELIEVE THE SPECIAL PROGRAMWE HAVE INITIATED WILL BE AN IMPORTANTWAY TO INCREASE THE STRENGTHOF PASSENGERTRAIN JOURNALAND OUR Method of Payrrent: EDITORIAL VOICE, WHILE AT THE SAMETIME STRENGTHENINGYOUR TREASURY AND Check or Honey Order enclosed THAT OF THE NATIONALORGANIZATION. Billing Required (For organizations, submit purchase order or other necessary paperwork with this sheet.) IF WE CAN BE OF ANYFURTHER ASSISTANCE IN THIS DRIVE, PLEASE DO NOT VISA HESITATE TO CALL US, COLLECT, AT (312)481-7030, Master Charge KEVIN MCKINNEY, Card Number Expiration Date ------PUBLISHER Name and Address: (If gift, show recipient's name and address here: ) Name ------.2\ddress } City State Zip ______Zip Signature: ------SEND TO: PASSENGERTRAIN JOURNAL PO BOX 397 PARK FOREST, ILLINOIS 60466 Donations v1ill be made to the organization named on this sheet, a.11d to the National ,\ssociation of Jlililroad Passengers after 7/31/79. Thank you! )SANDUSKY AMTRAK STOP STARTS JU Ir ')29th ) = On June 27th Amtrak announced that effective July 29th it would begin Lake Shore Limited service at Sandusky, Ohio. MORE RIDERSHIP STATISTICS FOR YOUR INFORMATION courtesy of Amtrak ...•... The westbound Lake Shore will stop at 9:33am, the eastbound Lake Shore at 10:25pm daily. Work began June first on the renovation of the North Depot Street (ex NYCRR) station 0 N ...... , 0 which has been the property of Amtrak for several years. "': "' "' "'0 ~ ...... N "' ...... "'.... "' "' "' Knupke Constructors, Inc. of Sandusky is performing the sta "'... "' .... " "' "' tion upgrading. Total cost for the project is said to be .... ~ .... 0 ... 0 .... "0 ~ ., ., $40,000, according to John Jacobsen, Amtrak's special rep "' .,"' 0 N N ~ .,...... , ., 1iil 0 0 .... "'~ ~ N "'.... "' ...... resentative for public affairs. The Sandusky station will be unattended with no ticket agent nor checked baggage ser- ...... N .... q ...... N ...... 0 .. 0 ...... ~ .... 0 ~ .... vice. The City of Sandusky is planning several special e :i $ ~ "' .... "'.... "'.... "' ...... "' " "' vents on the weekend of the startup of the new Amtrak stop. .... 0 ., N ., N ~ ~ The first train, the morning of July 29th, will be approp "' ~ "' .... "'N ...... a .... N .... N N ~ .... "' .~ .. "' "' .... "' ~i riately welcomed with festivities at the Amtrak station 5 which is just off S.R. 4 south of downtown Sandusky. On .~ .... 0 ...... ~ ~ ., ...... "' "' .... "' Saturday the 28th, area organizations have been invited to •O 0 ., .... 0 . ~~ ., 0> N uo .... ~· "';>; "' .... ~ "' ...... ~.~ ~ .... N "' "' "' "' "' u participate in railroad-oriented displays at Sandusky Mall. .~ ...... 0 .... u N ...... "' OARP will also participate. Our member John Kempton of San N N .... "' .... ~ ., "' .... "' .... N ...... s l'! N ...... 'ill ~~ ~;\"' N \1 .... 11, dusky has offered to coordinate our as Sandus N ~ participation N "' "' " "' ~ "' ~ c" ky celebrates the implementation of Amtrak service there. .... ~ .., .... 0 .... 0. 0> ...... 5: § Several OARP members have already planned to attend the "'...... 0 .... "'0 00 ...... {., .. .. N ...... "' .~ "' .. .. ~ ~ and a few the ool;; "' '-' ~ first-day events are planning to ride first ~ " e g .~CI~ Lake Shore Limited to stop at Sandusky. "' 0.0> ...... N ... ii .... N N N !!i:E~ ~ .... ., N c .,_"' &l 0 ;Jl"' "' "' .... N "' N ~ ~~ "' " "' .... o. "' "'00 " .... ~ s ~8~~ .~ "'.... "' ., .... "' "' 00 "'., 00 .... 0 ...... "'N :>:,.:, N 0 "' "' "' "'0 ...... &; ~~~ .... "' ., N .... ~ .~ ~ .... N ...... "' i ~- ~~~ ...... <>;;; N ...... " N .... " -ffi C_, .... N ~ . 00 > ... ~ ~00 ...... N .... r "" N ...... " ., N 0 .... "' &~ N ...... gil"' " " 0 l"'"l.. -& s ~~ "' "'N 0 "'...... "' "' "' "' .... ~ "'0 "' "' 0 "'00 ...... , ...... ~ " N N .... N ...... "' "' ~ g "'0 PASSENGERMANIFEST "' ...... "' ~ .... "' 0.~a; $_ ...... 0 "' "' . -" ,.. "' ...... ,.; "' "' .... "' ~ r We are continually appreciative of the copies of correspond N 0 .... 00 .. .. ~ .0 .e- ~ .... "' "'11~ . ~.; ence received relative to the Amtrak situation, and we take "': "' "'N ...... "' .... "' .... .a ~ .... "' c"' "' c -; .~~~ opportunity again to thank all the members and friends of OARP who have taken the time to DO something to help save .... N ~-e~ ~: .... 0 0 .... N ...... "' "' ~ ~ and hopefully improve our trains...... "' "' 0 ~ N e "' .... "'00 N 0 "' 8• "' "' Jim Stevenson was inter .... N "' ii c ...."' "'.. N .... "· .... VI t-- ...... •.-I "' "' "' "'~ "' " ~;a "0 viewed on WERE in Cleveland on l\Iay 20th regarding Amtrak. ·~"' 00 ii "Amtrak Al" Mladineo was also interviewed by WERE. Howard N ...... N .... ;:) .... 0 ...... 10g b' Harding spoke before the Institute for Civic Education's "' ...... "' 0 "'!~~ g: ~ "'N N "' "' "' "' "' "' "' .... N ...... N .... N .... :; --og g Current Issues Forum at the University of Akron in May and ...."'· "' "' "' ~2" .;: also had a letter published in the Akron Beacon-Journal on E-·j s:: N . June 18th. George F. Rooney, Jr., had a letter published in ii -~ I' ~ ·: the Enquirer "Balanced ~-~ Cincinnati regarding Subsidies" for ~ ~ ff "'~ '5! ~ 6"" J! ~ ~ >- u transportation. Tom Pulsifer and John Edminson were inter ~ g :; ,_, u B~ ~ 'I! ~ ... .;a ~ viewed on a half-hour program on Amtrak in Dayton prepared 0 ~ 0 .... ·~.... " ~ u ~-5~ "' ~ ~ " 0 g ~ by WKEF- TV22. A by Tom was printed in the ~ letter Pulsifer "' ~ " "' "" "' ·~ 0 ~ " ii " w,...... l ·c ~ " ii "" ~ "':g t .... ~ 't .... N Columbus Citizen-Journal June 21st. 0 0 c i ~ :f:':;- ·~ " "' .~ "'" 0 -" 65 7. !'! §I c. 3 .... r;: u 65" u " " "' "' PASSENGER MANIFEST is a regular feature of "THE 6:5)" and through it we attempt to give recognition to those members of OARP who are DOERS. If we've overlooked something YOU'VE done for the cause, maybe it's because we didn't know about it. Don't be modest. Your Association truly appreciates the efforts of those who are spreading the word to others. AMTRAK'S SV-)''ANDOAH IS TEMPORARILY A BUS BETWEEN CINCINNATI fro-Amtrak, pro-passenger rail resolutions that ~ -) recently AND GRAFTO. NV, DUE TO SLOW TRACK ON CHESSIE'S MAIN LINE been brought to OARP's attention have been passeQ the Gin Amtrak began substituting bus service for train service be cinnati City Council, the Columbus City Council, and the Mid- tween Cincinnati and Grafton, WV, on Monday, May 21st, due Ohio Regional Planning Commission. to lowered track speeds that have caused unacceptable delays 111111111111111 to trains. A recent track inspection by the Chessie System of their track between Grafton and Parkersburg led to the Dayton is now the only Ohio city lacking any directional move by Chessie inspectors to add several dozen slow orders signs to the Amtrak station. OARP member Al Wolf, who is al to the line. The effect of the slow orders, which require so a member of the Montgomery-Greene TCC Citizens Advisory that Amtrak's Shenandoah operate over portions of the line at Committee, has promised to get involved in this matter. And, 10 mph speeds, was to add over four hours delay to the train at long last, snack food and canned beverage vending machines schedule between Grafton and Parkersburg. have been installed in the Dayton Amtrak station. Now if we The substitute bus can only get a better situation for long-term parking ... service between Cincinnati and Grafton will operate until sufficient trackwork has been completed to allow a reasonable 1111111II 111111 running time for the train. The buses will serve the inter mediate stops of Chillicothe, Athens, Parkersburg and Clarks Three abandoned rail lines in Ohio are being evaluated by the burg, connecting with the train at Grafton. The Chessie Sys Japanese rail research and development firm (JARTS) for a tem has assured Amtrak they are expediting trackwork in the high-speed rail test track facility. The current evaluation affected area to allow a return to normal operating speeds as is being done for the Joint House/Senate Special Committee on ORTA. soon as An Amtrak source OARP the subs High-Speed Rail and for Lines which have already been possible. told that E-L was be visited are the former mainline between Marion and Kenton titute bus service to in effect until the end of July and the former PRR line between Warren and Ashtabula. An a at the earliest. A Chessie source told OARP that there had been seven freight derailments in ten days in the general bandoned line in Lorain County is also under study. area of the track problems and that Chessie was rerouting 111111111111111 some of its through freight traffic through Columbus and Wheeling to avoid the problem-plagued West Virginia mainline. Patty Stewart, lead agent at Lima's Amtrak station, reported in the Lima News that ridership at Lima is sharply up. 1,100 boarded or departed Lima in May 1979 compared to 900 in May I 1978--·a 22% increase. Figures for April 1979 show 1, 040 a OARP FILES PROTEST WITH ICC AGAINST CUTTING BAGGAGE AT DAYTON gainst 775 in April 1978-·-a 34% jump. While no specific data Your OARP president filed a protest with the Interstate Com was cited, Amtrak agent Karen Grabowski told the Lorain Jour merce Commission against Amtrak's reopened petition to elim nal that Elyria ridership is also up, at about 30 persons a inate checked baggage and parcel express services at Dayton day using the train. by eliminating the train baggageman on trains #30 and #Jl. We attacked "facts" stated in two notarized statements by Am trak officials in the petition. Robert E. Gall, Director of Marketing Research for Amtrak stated that Amtrak did not have ON THE OHIO DIVISION precise data on ridership and checked baggage handling sub sequent to October 1978. OARP maintains that, at the time of According to our people who keep watch on the unusual, Crest- the filing of the petition, Gall (and others) could have had • line, Ohio, saw the passage of SIX Amtrak trains on July 8th! precise data at least through March of 1979! In addition to the regular Broadway Limited, both #30 and #31 Robert Herman, were between Vice-President of Operations Amtrak the (National Limited) detoured via Crestline Pitts for stated that train burgh and Columbus. And, thanks to a major CR freight derail baggageman is required solely for the provision of checked ment downtown Vermilion, the Lake Shore Limiteds were baggage Dayton. OARP in sent service to charged that this statement on a detour route through Crestline. was misleading and incorrect. As this is the only portion of the National Limited's route where there is an on-board bag gageman; he must take quite a bit of time and straighten up and sort out the contents of the car. A most necessary task. A FEW WORDS FROM GRETBOUND: Greyhound indicates a general 20- 25% increase with about a 10% increas~on We also took a dim view of any attempts to cut SERVICES to in ridership short haul schedules. They have about 4800 buses on the road now passengers and parcel express shippers, especially in light and could use 4800 more to handle the crowds. 250 buses went of recent increases in usage of the checked baggage and par- from the Cleveland area to the West Coast to help during the cel express service to and from Dayton. At th"lS wrl·t· lng we fuel crisis, but now they're needed in Ohio and on the East have had no response from the ICC. The baggageman is still Coast. Like Amtrak, Greyhound is also rehabilitating a lot on the train and the service continues as usual. of older equipment, keeping it in service to handle the in creased ridership. INFORl'IIATION One year ago we ran ? ~IZ which for your NO.2was subsequently rep~ ted in Pas REF[):(ENCEMARKS REFERENCE senger Train Journal. Several of and your USE! Ou1z• our OARP members have requested an SUMMARY OF AMTRAK RIDERSHIP ~ SALES STATISTICS FOR MAY 1212 encore; so your tongue-in-cheek editor has come up with yet another QUIZ of astonishing trivia to give you a little fun 1) Total TICKETS SOLD by the Automatic Ticket Machines in May in these trying times. Yes, all items are the truth. 1979 was 1,105,913. The number for May 1978 was 922,655. This is a 19.86% increase. 1) A recent visitor to Brock Adams' office reported the Sec- 2) Increase in DOLLAR VALUE OF SALES from new reservations retary of Transportation serves coffee to his guests in was 72.5% over May of 1978. May 1978--$19,128,342. May a) plain styrofoam cups. 1979--33,000,000 est. This figure represents sales by b) Amtrak coffee mugs. Central Reservations Offices (CRO) only. c) small peanut butter jars. d) Mickey Mouse mugs. 3) CALL VOLUME to Amtrak's five CROs broke all records in Nay of 1979. For example: MAY 79 ~~Y 78 2) Prominently posted over Brock Adams' desk is Total attempts •.•..• 6.8 million 1.7 million a) a photo of crowds boarding Amtrak's San Diegan. Busy signal .••...... 4.8 million 92,000 b) a photo of a traffic jam on an urban freeway. Reached CRO .••.•.... 1.9 million 1.6 million c) a heart-shaped collage of oil wells, gas pumps and Handled by agent ...• 1.5 million 1.5 million big automobiles. d) a poster of a terrified kitten clutching a pole and 4) Chicago's Union Station, a KEY HUB FOR RAIL TRAVEL showed the exhortation, "Hang in there, baby". an increase for Memorial Day Weekend only of 40.6% above last year's Memorial Day Weekend. 3) On May 24, 1979, in the Senate (according to Congression al Record, S6641), Senator Long said, "This means that 5) The six daily trains (12 total) in the SAN DIEGO- LOS AN the Federal Government is paying for two-thirds the cost GELES CORRIDOR carried 148,324 passengers or 4,784 a day. of an Amtrak ticket. On some routes, the subsidy per The unofficial previous record was about 125,000 carried passenger is over $100. Studies have shown that we during a single month by the Santa Fe Railroad during could buy these people first-class airline tickets, buy World War II. them a meal, and still save the Federal Government mon 6) Amtrak had to TURN AWAY 756,246 persons seeking tickets in ey." To which Senator Bentsen immediately replied, May 1979. a) "Hogwash!" b) "That can't be true." 7) On Memorial Day Weekend 1979, STANDEES were reported on 39 c) "Throw in a train set along with it." Amtrak trains, mostly short distance routes. The largest d) "I'm hungry. Get me some bean soup." group of standees, 280 passengers, were found on the 8:30a departure from Los Angeles to San Diego on May 27th in 4) The president of OARP recently rode the National Limited. spite of a consist of 12 cars instead of the usual 5. Upon being seated in the Amdinette the waiter a) asked if he knew how to operate a microwave oven. 8) On May 25th Amtrak's ARTS system contained the names of b) handed him a xeroxed copy of the menu. 200,000 individuals requesting future space on Amtrak c) greeted him courteously. trains. The highest level reached during May 1978 was I 106,000 indicating advance reservations are running over d) got lost. 90% above last year. 5) Early in 1979 Amtrak acquired forklifts for its stations at Cleveland, Columbus, Indianapolis, Buffalo and Mia RIDERSHIP/OHIO's AMTRAK ROUTES: Fiscal Year to date mi. The cost to Amtrak to have these five forklifts MAR 78 MAR 7~ ~ FY 1978 FY 1979 %chg. Note refurbished at a contract service garage near Xenia, Lake Shore Ltd. 20,612 19,28 ~ 119,592 124,533 4.1 Ohio, then delivered, was reported to be Broadway Ltd. 15,533 14,622 (5.9) 92,134 93,670 1.7 a) $8,700 +motor freight charges. National Ltd. 15,215 13,449 (11.6) 84,4?4 88,934 5.3 b) $4,350 +motor freight charges. Shenandoah 5,236 5,447 4.0 26,572 30,895 16.3 c) $2,175 Cardinal 8,992 8,504 (5.4) 66,867 49,895 (25.4) a +free delivery. Hilltopper 4,672 3,972 05.0) 10,372 23,059 122.3 b d) nothing. a- Cardinal route included Mountaineer ridership until 1/78. 6) Amtrak acquired these five forklifts for the express b- Hilltopper route excludes local Boston-Washington riders. purpose of a) handling containerized mail. b) having agents do wheeli9s up and down platforms to There's an item of $400,000 in the FY1980 FRA Administrative entertain passengers when trains are late. Budget for "Technology Transfer", research of railroading c) charging their cost against station revenues. technology in foreign countries. That's nice money! d) helping overweight passengers off Amdinette cars. 1 QUIZ #2 1 ,\;ntinued) OARP PRESIDENT URGES SUPPORT 0 F ~~" V E T 0 _: ) ______?) Since ),{e National Limited handles no containerized mail, SEEK BROCK ADAMS' RESIGNATION the forklift at Columbus a) has sat idle since the day it was delivered in mid- Dear Members and friends of OARP, March 1979. I am personally urging you b) is used regularly to haul the baggage carts. to actively support a growing grassroots movement to ask c) was commandeered by Conrail and painted blue. President Carter for the resignation of DOT Secretary Brock d) was commandeered by Chessie and used to stockpile Adams. I now strongly believe this would be in the best in kitty litter. terests of all rail passenger transportation supporters. IV!r. 8) Amtrak's Vice President/Marketing, Al Michaud, recently Adams has clearly been a gross disappointment to the develop left the employ of Amtrak to become ment of sensible transportation policies. He has publically a) Conrail's Vice President/Marketing. called Amtrak trains wasters of fuel at a time when most rep b) a salesman for mustache wax. utable studies, including studies made by the DOT itself, c) a broker of used railroad cars. show that modern passenger trains are among the most fuel d) Director of Marketing for McDonald's. efficient means of transport. Adams stated in late June of 9) According to current Amtrak for $51.00 you can this year on a "Today" show that there are lots of Amtrak tariffs, them. How he can buy a one way Amtrak coach ticket from New York, NY, to trains running without people riding sit a) Indianapolis, IN. and say this kind of garbage while all over the country the b) OH. trains are filled, the advance reservations are running very Toledo, away c) Piqua, OH. high, and people are actually being turned at the rail d) Lima, OH. station platforms! It lS. clear to me, and lt. should be clear be 10) A current Amtrak advertising campaign, including posters to you, that this kind of person cannot in charge of our and flyers, says, "Don't Let Upset Your Nation's transportation policies. I am recommen d.lng th a t you Summer Vacation ... Take Amtrak for Relief!". take a few moments and write a very brief letter to President a) James Schlesinger Carter and, as a concerned individual, request that Brock b) Gas Pains Adams be removed from office. You can easily cite the dis c) Brock Adams ANSWERS at bottom of the page crepancy between the present energy crisis and the 43% cut d) A Headache ~ ting of the Amtrak system as reason enough to get the man out of his post. You can send a copy of your letter to your Congressman. Here is the address to use: OARP MEMBERS ARE TRAVELING AND THE REPORTS ARE COMING IN in record numbers. Members are asked to send us a report on President Jimmy Carter each train trip they make. We have a one page form you can The White House fill out for that purpose. It helps us keep tabs on what's Washington, DC 20500 happening on our trains. Then we can use this information Time, again, is of the essence. I urge you to write right to help support the cause for better service; and to give now. The White House has heard plenty from the power forces. praise where praise is due. You can send us a business let Now the White House must hear from the grassroots, from the ter size SASE for four OARP RAIL TRIP REPORT FORMS. Some of little people who have so far been ignored in determining a our members have written very lengthy and detailed accounts reasonable, equitable and sensible national passenger trans- of their trips, and while we do appreciate having these for our files, it would be impossible for us to publish these portation policy. ~\Q.oJ/~ in the newsletter. We do, however, make light of things in these accounts which we feel should be brought to everyone's attention. Such as ... Karl Gelfer noted quite a few mem =t. ---- bers of the Illinois General Assembly "commuting" on Amtrak between Chicago, Joliet and Springfield (the state capitol) PLANNING TO TRAVEL AMTRAK THIS SUMMER? THEN PLAN AHEAD! a Chuck during recent week of train-riding in the Midwest. OARP strongly advises you to make your travel plans and res Young, riding a USA Rail Pass throughout the eastern U.S. ervations early. Space is hard to get on the Lake Shore and found that on-time performance, on-ooard services, and ac Broadway less than a week ahead. First-class space is much comodations in general were improved over past trips he made. harder to get, and that includes the National and the Card inal as well. The National te~dsto be sold out around the weekends; sometimes you can get coach seats at the last min •q ( 0 T ';) ( 6 'B ( 8 'B ( G ute during the week. The Cardinal seems to have no SRO con ( (t( ';) ( ( 'B 9 'B c; 'q 'p ( z 'p (T :z# Zifib O+ SH~MSNV dition at present. Shenandoah still a bus west of Grafton. ---··- MORE RIDEP))IP STATS (received just before we went to press) Amtrak Riu."'rship by Route/ April 1978 vs. April 1979: JAMESW. LEWIS• • • 19~\1·1979 Apr. 78 Apr. 79 ~hg, Hill topper figs. Lake Shore Limited 21,500 29,203 do not include It is with sorrow and with a sincere sense of loss to OARP Broadway Limited 16,006 21,731 ~35.8% local Bos-Wash that we must report that our Jim Lewis passed away early in National Limited 14,246 17,188 20.7% Corridor rider- the afternoon of June 17th in Springfield's Mercy Medical Shenandoah 4,561 5,883 29.0% ship. Center. Jim had been hospitalized since late April and was Cardinal 9,688 14,856 53.3% undergoing treatment for a malignant brain tumor. Jim was a Hilltopper 4,321 5,554 28.5% hard worker for OARP. He was a staunch supporter of rail transportation and served us well as our regional coordinator for Western Ohio. Jim was with us from the very first meet STATE OF CONNECTICUT PURCHASES NEW CARS FOR AMTRAK SERVICES ing of OARP's organizational committee back in the summer of 1973, Jim took a very active role and interest in various History was made on July 6th when Amtrak and the State of transportation matters in his hometown of Springfield. It Connecticut signed an agreement in Hartford's Union Station is to Jim's credit that much groundwork has been done to get that will make Connecticut the first state to purchase new rail passenger service back into Springfield, Jim's talents equipment for use by Amtrak. Under the agreement, Connect will be greatly missed by OARP. icut will purchase 13 self-propelled SPV-2000 rail cars James W, Lewis was born in Springfield from the Budd Company of Philadelphia for $12.9 million, GREATER CINCINNATI in 1909. He was a member of Anthony AREA OARP MEMBERS and will lease 12 of the cars to Amtrak for use on the New Lodge 455, F. & A.M., the High 12 Club, Haven- Hartford- Springfield line. are cordially in The new cars will result Shawnee Chapter 237 R. A. !Vl., Lambda vited to an inform in an increase in the number of daily round trips on that Chi Alpha Fraternity, the National Re al meeting to dis line from 9 to 14, including more frequent service during tired Teachers Association, Clark Co. cuss area Amtrak peak hours. The equipment will be operated and maintained Republican Men's Club, the Ohio Hist service and concerns orical Society, NARP and OARP. by Amtrak under a lease agreement with the state, and the with members of new services will be provided by Amtrak without any oper Jim graduated from Wittenberg Univer other rail-oriented ating subsidy from the state. sity in 1931, later received his mast organizations. The ers degree in education, and taught meeting will be most of his life at Springfield's held in the Cinti. South High School. During WWII he Railroad Club room RIO GRANDE ZEPHYR SAVED BEECH GROVE SHOPS, the Amtrak served as a warrant Surviv at Cincinnati Union heavy shops near Ind officer. The ICC has ruled that car repair ors include his wife, Louise Bell Lew Terminal, Wednesday the Rio Grande Zephyr ianapolis, has been working at is, and a sister, Marian Renick of August 1st, 7:30pm. (Denver-Salt Lake City) full capacity recently. Beech Columbus. Use the front doors. must continue running Grove has been able to put five cars a week back on the road in Services were held at 10:J0a on June Contact person on over its entire route revenue Newly 20th at the \floods-Allgier Funeral Home this meeting is Mike May 30, service. rebuilt at least until and refurbished HEP (head end in Springfield with Pastor R.R. Gar Weber at 851-7959· 1980. The D&RGW wanted of Trinity Lutheran Church offic Call him during eve- axe west power) equipped conventional cars rett to the run of have been showing up summer iating. Burial was in Sprin£field's hours ease. Grand Junction, CO, this on the Cardinal. These cars will ?erncliff Cemetery. The meeting is open go in service on the Lake Shore A small floral arrangement was sent by to anyone interested and Broadway Limiteds when AMTRAK RESCINDS CAR SALE full your president in the name of OARP and in passenger rail sets of the equipment are avail a small dele ion attended the call- concerns for the Amtrak recently withdrew able. A rumor has been circul ing hours on sday, June 19th. Cincinnati area. its offer to sell by bid ating recently that an HEP diner surplus conventional e will go into service on the Nat quipment. It returned I ional Limited, replacing the be RAILROADIANA AVAILA:SL.2:! - A f-::-iend of OAh.P, [.irs. Verna Gc_rd all bids and deposit leaguered Amdinettes. ner of Colur:Jbus, is anxious co disrcse of r,er late husband's checks to the bidders. extensive collec;~ionof 30,000 locomotive photos old Depending on the source, 1 ======rail maEa=ines. Interested ies write her o ~he Amtrak apparently has OARP hs.s lec_rned from a usually re-- America~a,380 Sou~h5~h St~eet, Co , OH This 300- 500 cars which, lic.ble sourc:e thc_t Alan Boyd recent- collection includes a complete nho'OS of all Sov.thern with some repair work, ly ordered top Amtr2.k execs to-, isi·c steam mo~ive power. could be put back into Congressmen urging de fee. ts of the Pacific revenue service again. Church and Gore-Fov.-ler amendments! "THE 6 :53' i the official bi-monthly (Jan-Mar-May-Jul-Aug-· j Sep-Nov) p~lication of THE OHIO ASSOCIATION OF RAILROAD PAS- I SENGERS. OARP is a not-for-profit organization of some 450+ concerned citizens working on a volunteer basis to promote rail travel and to help work for improved and expanded rail passenger services in and through Ohio. The work of OARP is supported solely through membership dues and by extra dona tions of time, talents, and dollars by our members. Annual dues are $5 (min.) for new members and $10 (min.) for member ship renewals. Join us today in the fight for better trains! x::u:::vo~ ~O~Iffi )>o:::voR- ox~e;~ Io-0(1) .r::..c.n 0 c.nv.>:8() 0.> (/)- 8; ~~ zO (j)Zmo \• ~- ~, 17'1 1.. ('. -- :. c" .~- -i ' - -, ·-' < - '-.I :;o {: '-.; ('/; ; ~' . (f) I '\)7~)>)> -I I ''1\ ) F' ;:.. .. < i ~~~; ~::'1 \ ~.:;:cw~ c'/ 0 -,_ '- .,, 0/ -~-~ ~ ·-~- --·--~--~ - - (f) ,,'') \I ( - ... ::-:: -~-, -·~ ~ • < -_, )> I-