October /November 200 999

Washington Rail News October /November 200 999

www.AllAboardWashington.org

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

Strategic Planning for H igh Speed Rail By Michael Skehan, range plan (same link as above and click All Aboard Washington member on the mid -range plan) is the foundation If All Aboard Washington had unli- from which to buil d. Starting from scratch mited resources and a staff of hundreds, or frag menting our current resources with I wouldn’t even be writing this article. The endless debate over pet projects will only reality is that our organization continues consume time and yield few, if any, re - to foster more and better service for rail sults. To fulfill the ambitious program our passengers with mostly volunteer labor Rail Office and Legislature have agreed and small budgets. With that said, our upon, and supported by AAWA, will re- opportunities in the coming years to ac- quire broad based support by citizens complish the mission are huge, so maybe and legislators alike. As opportunities this is a good time to talk strategy. arise, we should continue our public edu - High Speed Rail (HSR) is the newest cation campaign as a non -profit organi- and sexiest talk in Railtown, USA. We’ve zation, along with some serious arm been touting the European and Asian ex- twisting in the Lloyd Flem “Pra ise and perience for decades, but it wasn’t until Push” model. President Barack Obama put real money Washington has asked the feds for on the table that mainstream America $1.8 billion in stimulus funding under took notice. $13 billion, over 5 years, tracks 1 and 2. Likewise Oregon wants seems like an enormous pot of gold, about $2 billion. That’s about 10 times considering the previous administration our “fair share” allotment if state popula - Top photo: Leavenworth Mayor Rob Ea - tried to drive the final stake into Amtrak’s tion and congressional clout were the ton shows his enthusiasm for the first withering body. $103 billion in pre-appli- on ly criteria. “But were a better corridor,” regularly scheduled passenger train ser- cation ARRA (“stimulus”) funding re- we cry. And so do the other 10 corridors, vice to the Bavarian -themed village in the quests in July by 40 states is remarkable so that’s not going to get much traction in eastern Cascades foothills in dec ades. and may mark the turning point for a “Rail DC. “We’ve paid our dues, over a billion He had just detrained from the Empire Renaissance” in this country. It’s also 10 dollars invested in the last 10 years,” Builder with 70 other people who times the available revenue. As the Fed- shout others. That’s true, but when I travelled from the Puget Sound area for eral Railroad Administration gave each asked th e FRA deputy administrator if the celebration. Bottom: Mayor Eaton state a personal dose of reality after the prior funding would be part of the for - speaks before the crowd of over 400 unfettered wish list was published, the list mula, the answer was NO. It’s what we people as the Builder departs for Wenat- of Track 1 (shovel ready projects) was plan to do from here on out that really chee and points east. Many years of winnowed down considerably by the Au- matters. That means “skin in the game,” hard work by the mayor and many others gust 24 submittal deadline. WSDOT is as Scott Witt, WSDOT Rail Office man - has paid off for the city and surrounding hoping for somewhere over $400 million ager, recently told me, and righ t now, our area. This is the most enthusiastic sta - as the first installment of a 20 year, $7 statewide support for a robust passenger tion opening AAWA members can recall billion long range HSR plan that carries 3 rail program is in serious doubt. since the rebuilding and opening of new million riders a year from Seattle to Port- So, where are we as an organization? stations in the state got into full swing land or Vancouver, BC, taking about two some 15 years ago. I think this is only a question that can be Left photo by Jim Hamre; and a half hours each way (www.wsdot. answered by individuals within AAWA. right photo by Zack Willhoite wa.gov/freight/publications/amtrak Each person has a different level of per - cascades.htm and click the long range sonal inv olvement and a different set of around a long time and have a good rep - plan link). values. Maybe it’s time to include a poll utation with all the new players. That’s a Our mission is to improve passenger of the membership in a newsletter or re - huge advantage as we move forward. rail service in Washington State. Eva- newal mailing or possibly online at the Our working relationship with partner or - luating the current situation, establishing website to reassess the level of support ganizations is also well established and our priorities and mapping the actions individual members are willing to commit on firm ground. within our means are an essential first to. Establishing priorities is something steps to accomplish that mission. The core of the organization is rock our current directors, officers and execu - Supporting our current Amtrak Cas- solid, even as personnel changes have tive director need to accomplish and cades service long range plan, with in- taken place within the rail office, legisla - communicate to the membership. We cremental progress defined in the mid- ture and AAWA itself. We’ve been (See HSR, page 4) page 2 others) down the list. East Asia. From the desk of Bruce Agnew also asked our delegation Ralph, Bruce, and I believe our work in the Executive to try to streamline the international border DC materially helped the cause of more issues that both add significant time to train and faster passenger train service in the Director trave l between Seattle and Vancouver, BC Northwest Corridor. Will keep i nvolved and bybyby and generally inhibit all modes of travel keep you informed. Lloyd H. Flem between Washington and British Columbia. ☯☯☯☯☯☯☯ Ray Chambers, with long experience in After years of patient persistent efforts, transportation, including rail, previewed the dream of Leavenworth Mayor (and Visiting the Washington State some good ideas for future Federal rail AAWA Board member) Rob Eaton and Delegation in DC; Welcome to funding that wou ld not involve the relatively many others came true Sept . 25 with the Leavenworth!; Annual AAWA shrinking motor fuel tax trust fund. inauguration of regular daily service on Holiday Function Knowledge of the specific nature of pas- Amtrak’s Empire Builder to Washington’s A fast trip to the Nation’s Capital yielded senger rail monies in ARRA varied among charming Bavari an-theme city. For many two very full days, Sept. 15 and 16, of the six electeds with whom we met, but all years, the most requested (to my know - meetings with members of Congress, their the staffers from all ten offices visited ap - ledge) Amtrak service improvements by staffs, and others of importance to the pas- peared to know of o ur state’s rail program AAWA members and others, other than senger rail future of the Pacific Northwest. and the grant re- more frequencies Our group consisted of Ralph Munro, our quests from in the Northwest Secretary of State for five terms (then and WSDOT. In that Corridor, have now de facto ambassador from Washington regard, been daytime State), Bruce Agnew of the Seattle-based WSDOT’s recent service between Cascadia Institute and myself. Both Ralph efforts at inform - the Puget Sound and Bruce are active All Aboard Washing- ing our DC Dele - area and Spo- ton members with a long history of support gation concern - kane, and a reg- for passenger trains in Washington and the ing those re- ular stop in Lea- Pacific Northwest. We were joined at many quests have venworth. Mayor of our meetings by Ray Chambers of the been well - Rob has noted DC area, a Fellow of the Cascadia Institute received. the great impor- and veteran DC lobbyist. It was gratifying Representing All Aboard Washington and Cas - tance of Empire We were able to meet personally with to note the full cadia Institute at the m id Sept. Congressional Builder passen- Sen. Patty Murray (D), and Reps. Jim support given meeting with Sen. Patty Murray were, from left , gers to the tour- McDermott (D-Seattle), Adam Smith (D-Ta- from all we vi - Ralph Munro, Lloyd Flem and Bruce Agnew. ist-oriented town coma), Dave Reichert (R-Auburn), Norm sited. We did Photo courtesy of Sen. Murray ’s office of Whitefish, MT Dicks (D-Belfair) and Doc Hastings (R- NOT hear any and feels Lea- Pasco). We also met with staff people from brush -off language – “Thank you for your venworth will realize a similar result. The the offices of Sen. Maria Cantwell (D) and views. I will consider them .” – received by full cooperation that exists among local Reps. Brian Baird (D-Vancouver), Rick Lar- constituents when the member of the governme nts, private non -profits and busi- sen (D-Lake Stevens) and Jay Inslee (D- House or Senate cares little or even op - nesses will surely allow this Amtrak stop to Bainbridge Island), as well as staffers from poses the position of the constituent. I be - be a success for all concerned. the offices of the six elected officials we vi- lieve we reinforced and placed to a higher The first eastbound train left Seattle and sited with. priority the Washington , DC delegation’s arrived Leavenworth 8:07 PM on Friday the th While the message varied a bit based preexisting willingness to make certain our 25 to considerable ceremony at both upon whom we met, the essential theme state gets full consideration when USDOT places. Besides Mayor Eaton, elected offi- was urging our delegation to help ensure makes ARRA grants. cials involved on the “first train” include d that Washington State would receive a well- Bruce also met with Sen. Mike Crapo Sen. Patty Murray (D), via a representative earned piece of the $8 billion ARRA (“sti- (R -ID) to offer our support for a return of the from her office, and State Sen. Linda Evans mulus”) funding set aside for passenger Pioneer train which would pass through the Parlette (R-Wenatchee) , who has been the train “high-speed” corridors. In our meet- populated southern part of Idaho on its way Washington Legislature’s champion in be - ings, Mr. Munro usually led off with a brief to Denver and on east. half of the Leavenwort h Amtrak stop. Other summary of the very considerable sums our Other meetings during the two days speakers included representatives from state and other public and private entities were with Amtrak VP Joe McHugh (with Amtrak, BNSF and local governments and have invested in the Northwest Rail Corri- whom I have enjoyed a long and very cor - businesses. At Leavenworth , I represented dor (Vancouver, BC to Eugene, OR) and dial professional relationship), Congress - AAWA, congratulating all concerned from the needs for Northwest Corridor infra- man Pe ter DeFazio (D-OR), Governor Gre- this forward step in passenger train service structure improvements and new trainsets. goire ’s DC representative Mark Rupp, in our state. My bit was as self-appointed worrier, offer- Rupp’s Oregon counterpart, and a woman Icicle Station, the Leavenworth Amtrak ing concern that, while Washington’s history from the Coalition for America’s Gateways stop’s name, is complete in Phase One, es - of investment, excellent Northwest corridor and Trade Corridors. All graciously received sential for safe and efficient operation on partnerships, and explicit fulfilling of all our message and all were very positive in this BNSF mainline. Subsequent phases Federal requirements in seeking ARRA response. will include a building and other amenities. passenger rail grants would put us at or We traveled to DC by plane, fast and AAWA, as well as individual AAWA mem- near the top of the list for those grants, big statistically safe, but much less pleasant in bers, have donated to the f unds needed to states with lots of electoral votes and, in all respects to travel by intercity passenger continue development of Icicle Station. some cases, aggressive “we want that train. While these cross -continent flights will Book your passage on the Builder to Lea- money” campaigns, might tacitly or actively continue to be practical from a time stand - venworth (LWA) . The most hospitable citi- use their political clout to push Washington point, I would hope short hop flights will b e zens of the Kleinstadt will welcome you! and the other well-qualified handful of replaced by faster intercity train service, as ☯☯☯☯☯☯☯ medium-sized states (NC, WI, a couple of is increasingly the situation in Europe and (See Flem, page 4) page 3 in Leavenworth. road can be a very dangerous environment. The View Yaaahooooo! A quote from an old head reads “com - Or is that… placency around the railroad will get you Down the Yoooodelllleeeeooooo….Hooooo!! killed in an instant.” Tracks The little Bavarian village has fully em- Rather than just keep the level of the braced the idea of taking the train to come message as “Don’t go on the tracks,” which ======visit, stay and enjoy (and shop!). is legally the only valid statement, it might with Jim Cusick After all, the yearly Snow Train excur- be helpful to modify that to say at least “Re - Traveling should not be an sions were a bit hit, so now they are bank - spect railroad property.” ing on regular service making their town the The train is, in effect, a moving house. Olympic Event destination of choice for Oktoberfest yode - Imagine you are the Wicked Witch of If you are booking airline tickets to the lers and the (shopping inducing) festivities the East. Even with her magic, sweet Do - 2010 Winter Olympics, well, SHAME ON around Christmas and any other time for rothy was able to deliver her to an untimely YOU, especially if you’re an All Aboard that matter! end (at least from the witch’s point of view). member. Icicle Station awaits you, as do the There is a certain romance to the idea Of course you should be booking TRAIN shuttle buses to take you into and out of of walking down a set of railroad tracks , and tickets, but be aware, once people discover town. maybe trying to balance on the railhead. the advantage of the train, it won’t be long Just makes me feel warm all over. Lift Why do people think they can get away with before they run out of space. that stein for another brew and feel good, this? Well, because if a train is coming Even now, one way airline flights are relaxing without the worry of driving through surely they can hear it and jump off the $120 and up. A one-way Amtrak ticket that snow and ice over Stevens Pass in northbound (or southbound) set of tracks, (Seattle-Vancouver, BC) is only $55 for that win ter. and they’re home free. Well, we at AAWA time. A bargain, indeed. In fact, almost Santa would approve. kn ow the problem with that. Trains under TOO LOW, if you ask me! Trains are the friendly mode of CTC control can be on any track, coming Book now, because now that Cascades from any direction. Plus, the tracks trains 513 and 516 go all the way to in the Puget Sound region are very Vancouver, BC, they are already Don’t pay big bucks fo r airline busy. seeing a jump in ridership. flights, don’t wait hours and A few months ago I caught the Granted, some are bus riders story on KING 5 News about the that would normally have had to go hours to cross the border in your man who was struck by a freight to Seattle to catch the run up to car. Relax, take an inviting train train on the tracks next to Carkeek Vancouver, BC. (By the way, the Park. KING 5 did a fairly good job bus service Amtrak sells seats for ride, enjoy the scenery. reporting on the dangers involved, does not stop in the States.) but watch the video of the story: Think about it, the fare on the transportation. www.king5.com/video/?z=y&nvid=373317. train is higher, but people are opting for the Isn’t it nice. Friends of the victim said they always hang quality ride the same way commuters do for We here at All Aboard try hard to send out there, just “chilling” on the tracks . Sounder locally. the message that trains are not only the Now, to us that’s bad enough but if you Plus, there are more parking options up most economical, environmentally friendly go to the KOMO 4 website story the next the line. way to travel, it’s also just a plain fun w ay to day (www.komonews.com/news/local/ Face it, the train is much better. travel. 48735407.html ), they show the mourners And don’t forget, the morning/evening However, it’s time to put a stop to this!! setting up a memorial for their friend, along (510/517) trains will be Seattle, Edmonds to It’s time for… with a cameraman and a reporter doing an Vancouver, BC (and back) only during the Scary Trains! interview whi le ALL ARE STANDING ON 2010 Olympics. No “local” service. Essen- THE TRACKS! Given that KOMO had tially, Olympic Express trains! Also be Doesn’t Thomas the Tank Engine give your child the feeling that trains are lova - taken the picture from above, at the over - aware, the evening return train (517) will pass, the news crew is presumably from have a later departure from Vancouver ble? As though they were something to hug. another, uninformed news organi -zation, (7:45 PM instead of 5:45 PM), which allows and certainly not from KING 5, I hope. day trips from the Puget Sound region for Don’t we regularly portray trains as romantic? It’s the way they are advertised; Now that makes some observers jaded, in specific events. that if people are that stupid to stand in the The pattern now seems to be showing friendly and approachable. So much that they seem safe to be close to, to touch, exact same spot where their friend met his just as many passengers are coming down fate, then how much sympathy do they from Vancouver as are going up, but almost. Somewhat like how a Tiger is just a big deserve? whether they are Canadians coming down What I see is a cultural lapse in to shop, or US Citizens just returning from Kitten! Now most who read this column know perception. cruises, is not really obvious. The way I like to put things like this in The immediate ridership numbers point how I generally have a slightly irreverent slant on the issues, but I’m also able to perspective is to draw an analo gy with to a successful addition to options for going another instance where the same actions north. back them up with the facts. Safety around the railroad is an issue would seem ludicrous. So, take it easy, don’t pay big bucks for Let’s take the 2001 Nisqually earth - airline flights, don’t wait hours and hours to that is very, very serious. But I have to be honest, the standard quake, for instance. Right after any earth - cross the border in your car. Relax, take an quake, there are always aftershocks. What inviting train ride, enjoy the scenery. approach seems to be going over people’s heads. if the news organizations dispatched their Trains are the feel good mode of camera crews to the si dewalk right outside transportation. But I am willing to think “outside the box.” the Fenix Underground, in Pioneer Square? Get Your Yodel On! Here’s the deal: most railroaders know It was an old, pre -earthquake-compliant By the time you read this, train 8, the that while they have a passion for the trains structure, where a good portion of the front eastbound Empire Builder will be stopping they operate, they also know that the rail - (See Cusick, page 4) page 4 Although her injuries weren’t serious, HSR, from page 1 Flem, from page 2 and she was able to be transported on the can do better in that regard. The email list Not too early to consider AAWA’s fourth train to Edmonds (with the aid of a doctor of individuals getting Lloyd Flem’s re ports annual December holiday gathering, again on board making that diagnosis), it was a from Olympia is pretty small, compared to at Olympia-Lacey’s Centennial Station, this th still a traumatic event for all involved. the total membership of the organization. year on Saturday the 5 . This year’s theme, Muddy, but not bloody, the woman was ex- Warren Yee’s electronic news, filling in ”A Trainload of Goodies,” hopes to attract pected to make a full recovery. some of the voids between Jim Hamre’s non-AAWA members as well as readers of But the bigger question is, why did they tireless work of publishing our superb this newsletter. Prepare to donate both rail- feel it was okay to be that close to the newsletters , and the website kept current roadiana (I get a boot out of that word!) and tracks? Ignore for a moment that they were by Zack Willhoite are all good tools to quality non-railroad items for auction. A breaking the law, because this is an issue communicate by. I’m told we have Twitter couple of very generous donations have al- of perception. and Facebook, but as one of the old farts, ready come in. This Holiday event has It seems that along with the problem of I’m not sure if I’m ready for another dose of proved to be not only a good meeting, but being on the tracks, the woman misjudged technology overload. The individuals that has been a significant moneymaker for the closeness, and the size of the train. take the time to update the membership AAWA. Unlike many other advocacy or- Most people look at the rails and don’t should be thanked the next time you see ganizations, which are financed by corpo- think that the train really hangs over each them; ask for more. Maybe you have spe- rate and foundation grants, we rely on side almost 3 feet. cial talents to keep the membership in- memberships, member donations, and Again, it’s the perception that the envi- formed and active such as starting an events like this for nearly all our funding. ronment around the railroad is almost too AAWA BLOG. WSDOT Secretary Paula Hammond has cuddly, too romantic, too approachable. Mapping out actions comes after steps been invited to be our guest speaker. But it is cuddly, romantic and 1 and 2 (Evaluation and Setting Priorities). Please put Dec. 5 on you calendar. approachable! Sure, we all want fast, frequent, clean and INSIDE the train, which happens to be cheap trains running all over the place, so one of the safest ways to travel. is that the message? I don’t think so. Peo- Should we not put pleasing paint ple choose options that are generally in Cusick, from page 3 schemes on trains? their own best interest . It’s human nature brick façade collapsed onto the street. Should we stop marketing them along to think selfishly. Why do all the lanes in a Wouldn’t it have seemed totally insane the lines of the happy face of Thomas the busy highway have an equal number of to have survivors, cameramen and report- Tank Engine? cars? Because drivers constantly move ers standing right below the parts of the It brings another surreal thought: paint- about, sensing a slight advantage to building remaining standing, doing an inter- ing the trains with a hideous clown face, changing into the adjacent lane. view about their poor friends who might and changing the horn to that insane cackle I think here’s where our focus should have been casualties in the earthquake? of say, Cesar Romero’s portrayal of The be: Give good reasons for the average Surreal would be an apt description. Joker on the old Batman TV series. citizen to move from cars, busses and What on earth would they be thinking? That’d keep people off the tracks. planes to trains. Sometimes the shift is Well, how much sense does it make to Keep them awake at nights, too. Espe- pretty easy. Make gas ten bucks a gallon have done an interview on the railroad cially when their little ones wake up with full and Amtrak fares to Portland five bucks and tracks, when you know that there will be a blown night-terrors. you’ll have ‘em sitting on the roof. But train coming, but you don’t know when? While I sometimes think the public is change is more subtle than that, so it be- A big problem is that in certain getting a mixed message, what’s happening comes our job to point out the less than ob- stretches, the tracks hug the shoreline of is that they are just not showing the railroad vious – sort of like trying to convince a frog Puget Sound. the RESPECT it deserves. that the water in the pan is getting hotter all The inviting beaches entice people to We have to look at railroad safety in a the time. take shortcuts, crossing the tracks, or even way that does recognize this. Strategies to get a significant mode shift use the railroad right-of-way as a path to There is one thing that stood out for me to rail can run the gambit from talking one and from the beach. Of course they can al- about that post Carkeek interview on the on one to a co-worker planning a Portland ways hear a train when it comes and just tracks, and that was that everyone in that trip to electing a pro-rail candidate who hop out of the way! picture should have been cited for tres- rises to power over the decades, keeping We show a whole lot more respect for a passing, with healthy fines. Then, the mes- the rail vision alive. Each end of the spec- lane of freeway. Even in the wee hours, senger, the media, would understand the trum requires the same thing – someone when traffic is really light, we don’t walk seriousness of it. willing to speak up and point out the ob- down a freeway lane because it might be a I’m not the transportation czar, and that vious. Solid facts are important when great shortcut. would probably not engender cooperation speaking out. Give people good reasons to It sounds unbelievable in one from the messenger (the media). The next change their habits and let human nature environment. best thing is to have the media at least un- take its course. Perhaps another article in Why should we think it’s okay in derstand railroads. Understand their ad- the newsletter would be appropriate to load another? vantages and their dangers. the guns up with fresh ammunition. Is it because trains seem so friendly, The message of train safety shouldn’t Well, I’ve rambled on for too long and safe and approachable? just be aimed at young people. It’s the thank you for hanging in there with me. I More recently, two women were walking adults that need it! guess the short answer to all this is, “keep their dogs along the tracks in the Richmond I might know of at least one news media doing what you’re doing…just ratchet things Beach area. Thankfully, when the train ap- member who “gets it”, but there needs to be up some.” Since the early 90s, a lot of proached around a blind curve, the women a wholesale change in perception. progress has been made. The future for and three of their four dogs had gotten off I invite All Aboard members to give this passenger rail in Washington has never the tracks. Sadly, one dog (which was some creative thought. looked brighter. You’re the real voice of the killed) wasn’t budging from his position in With our successes in seeing better organization, so speak up, be accurate and between the rails, but at the last moment, passenger rail service, it’s best to keep The people will listen. one of the women bent down to try and pick the dog up off the tracks. Joker at bay! page 5

All Aboard Washington Officers Important Addresses and Phone Numbers Loren Herrigstad, Centralia..President ...... 360 736-5783 .. [email protected] U. S. House of Representatives: Jim Hamre, Puyallup..Vice President ...... 253 848-2473 .. [email protected] Washington, DC 20515 Rocky Shay, Federal Way..Secretary ...... 253 925-2085 .. [email protected] U. S. Senate: Washington, DC 20510 Harvey Bowen, Seattle..Treasurer ...... 206 322-2729 .. [email protected] Capitol Switchboard (all members): 202 224-3121

State Legislature: State Capitol, Olympia 98504 Lloyd Flem, Olympia.. Hotline for leaving messages: 800 562-6000 Executive Director ...... 360 943-8333 .. [email protected] Office FAX ...... 360 943-0136 Amtrak Reservations/Information: 800 872-7245 Address ...... 3704 22 nd Ave SE, Olympia 98501 All Aboard Washington: AllAboardWashington.org Jim Hamre, Puyallup..Newsletter Editor ..... 253 848-2473 .. [email protected] NARP: www.narprail.org Warren Yee, Seattle..E-newsletter ...... 206 723-0259 .. [email protected] NARP Hotline: www.narprail.org/cms/index.php/hotline/ Zack Willhoite, Puyallup..Membership Director ...... [email protected] Amtrak: www.amtrak.com Amtrak Cascades: www.amtrakcascades.com All are evening numbers, except Lloyd's, which is available 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily. Sound Transit: www.soundtransit.org

Efforts ramp up to restore southern Strohmaier gave a speech along with improving the train's historical performance Montana passenger rail service myself. There was music and students through a better mix of stops, better sched- By Michael Ackley, NARP member dressed up as train cars had a great time. uling, and improved connections to off-route Montanans are deeply involved in pa- We celebrated National Train Day on destinations such as Yellowstone and rallel studies being done by the Montana May 9, 2009 in downtown Missoula at the Grand Teton national parks. Dept. of Transportation (MDT) and Amtrak. former Northern Pacific station. We handed PRO is also studying what equipment The MDT study is analyzing restored pas- out flyers, Amtrak passenger train sche- Amtrak could deploy on a restored Pioneer . senger rail service across the southern dules and vacation guides, Amtrak pins and Ideally, the train should attract enough rid- Montana route, serving cities such as Bil- hats, and Great Northern magnets, all pro- ers to reduce its carbon emissions below all lings, Bozeman, Helena and Missoula and vided by Amtrak. We collected over 1,000 the competing modes – including intercity how connections can be made to the nation signatures supporting restoration of pas- buses, which typically generate only about Amtrak system on the east and west ends. senger rail service through southern Mon- 40% of the carbon than trains do, per pas- The Amtrak study is looking at restoration tana. They were presented to Sen. Tester senger-mile. To succeed in these environ- of the entire Chicago-St. Paul-Bismarck-Bil- at a Town Hall meeting in Bozeman on May mental terms, the Pioneer will have to be lings-Spokane-Seattle North Coast Hiawa- 28. well patronized and PRO is seeking to lay tha route, axed by Amtrak in 1979. The draft MDT study (a part of the the groundwork for the marketing efforts On August 24, 2009, Chuck McMillan, a state’s update to its rail plan) can be found that will maximize ridership and keep it retired Amtrak engineer from Helena, and I at www.mdt.mt.gov/pubinvolve/railplan. trending upward in years ahead. met with Virginia Sloan, field director from Amtrak’s draft North Coast Hiawatha Boosting ridership over historical levels Sen. Jon Tester's (D-MT) Kalispell office; study has not been released to the public. also means studying route alternatives, to Jim Lynch, director of MDT; and Zachary which the study draft gives only minimal Radford, legislative aide for Sen. Tester AAWA, Other Rail Advocates attention. PRO has promoted a route from Washington, DC. We met at Missoula Working to Restore Pioneer through Fort Collins rather than Greeley, City Hall to inform Radford what we've done By C.B. Hall, All Aboard Washington member Colorado – the latter being the historical with our grassroots efforts to bring back Grassroots action to restore Amtrak's route. The Fort Collins routing would serve passenger rail service to the southern route Pioneer between Seattle and Denver con- two college campuses, generating many and the latest news on the Amtrak and tinues as the national rail provider finalizes more riders This improves the train's finan- Montana DOT feasibility studies. The its study of the restoration's feasibility. All cial outlook and makes it easier for Con- studies are to be completed on Oct. 15. Aboard Washington members and a host of gress to support service restoration. Over the past year Chuck McMillan; other activists have sought local expres- In Washington State, AAWA volunteers Dave Strohmaier, Missoula city councilman; sions of support for the service restoration, Debbie Knapp and Tedine Roos have done Barry Green, NARP Montana representa- thus far garnering more than 60 such public the legwork in winning city council and tive and I have attended numerous meet- statements and resolutions. An ad hoc mayoral statements in Centralia, Kelso and ings with our Montana Congressional dele- group, the Pioneer Restoration Organiza- Longview. AAWA volunteers are seeking gation, mayors, and Gov. Brian Schweitzer tion (PRO), is coordinating the effort. similar declarations in Seattle, Tacoma, (D). We have had excellent television, The Pioneer served the Seattle-Port- Olympia and Vancouver. So far council and newspaper, radio and talk show coverage land-Boise-Wyoming-Denver route as a tri- mayoral statements have been received supporting our efforts. Positive support weekly train at the time of its discontinu- from communities that would be served by among the people of Montana, Sen. Tester, ance in 1997. Under the Passenger Rail 21 of the train's 30 prospective stops. the governor and many mayors has been Investment and Improvement Act of 2008, Amtrak is allowing only 13 days for overwhelming. Many resolutions throughout Amtrak must complete the feasibility study comment on the just-released draft and ef- Montana have been adopted in support of by mid-October. It released a draft of the forts on the train's behalf will be intense providing Amtrak passenger rail service study September 18 and PRO is formulat- during that period, but Congress' final deci- along Montana's southern route. ing its response. The key issue appears to sion on the restoration lies in the indefinite University of Montana students orga- be the daunting up-front capital require- future, promising the need for a sustained nized the "Rally For Rail" event on May 8, ments that Amtrak foresees for relaunching campaign. 2009 on the campus lawn in Missoula. The the train. Updates and further information are students made a giant "Thank You" card to Amtrak based its feasibility analysis on available at PRO's website, www.Pioneer present to Sen. Tester for his continued the train's history. In addition to creating a train.com. Amtrak also maintains a website support of passenger rail service in Mon- foundation of local political support, PRO on the Pioneer: www.Pioneerroutestudy.com . tana. Everyone signed the card. Dave has focused, however, on opportunities for (See Pioneer, page 6) All Aboard Washington NONPROFIT P. O. Box 70381 ORGANIZATION Seattle, WA 98127 U. S. 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All Aboard News All Aboard Washington welcomed the fol - NOTICE OF ELECTION OF lowing new members in August and Sep - DIRECTORS OF ALL ABOARD November 14, All Aboard Washington tember: Wendolyn Hawkins, Kennewick WASHINGTON Annual meeting at F.X. McRory’s and Sharon Redeker, Seattle. ALL ABOARD WASHING TON will elect Steak Chop and Oyster House, 419 All Aboa rd Washington members contri- five new members to its board. Each mem- Occidental Ave S, Seattle (two blocks buting to this newsletter include C.B. Hall, ber of All Aboard Washington who is of from King St. Station). We will order off Mike Skehan, Zack Willhoite, Mark Meyer, sound mind and legal age is entitled to run the menu, with individual settlement. Rob Eaton, Barry Green, Loren Herrigstad, for the office of Director and file a Declara - Jim Cusick and Lloyd Flem. tion of Candidacy by November 7, 2009. AAWA will also collect a $5 donation The Declaration of Candidacy shal l be in per person to help cover meeting costs. Amtrak Cascades writing and shall include the full name and Meeting will run from 12:30 p.m. to mailing address of the candidate and must 4:30 p.m., allowing travel from the train 513, newly ex- be delivered by mail, email or otherwise to north and the south on the Cascades. tended to Rocky Shay, Secretary, 820 SW 356th St., Invited speaker is Talgo Seattle’s Vancou- Federal Way, WA 98023. (For Shay ’s tele- Antonio Perez. ver, BC, phone and email information, see page 5.) If no more than five candidates have duly December 5, All Aboard Washington passes Photo by Zack Willhoite the under- filed for Director by 8 PM, November 7, gathering at 11:30 a.m. at Centennial 2009, all candidates who have filed Decla - Station, 6600 Yelm Hwy, Lacey . construc- ti on Stanwood station on Sept. 5. The new rations of Candidacy will be deemed Meeting is timed between arrival of stop between Everett and Mt. Vernon is ex - elected and the election will be canceled. trains 11 and 500 and departure of pected to open in November. Loadings on If an election is required, such election trains 507 and 516. Cost is $10 per trains 513 and 516 out of Vancouver have shall occur at the General Membership person cash or check for pizza and be- started fairly strong even though an adver- Meeting commencing at 12:30 PM at F.X. verages. We will have a small silent tizing campaign has not yet begun. McRory’s Steak Chop and Oyster House, 419 Occidental Ave S, Seattle on Novem - auction and railroadiana merchandise ber 14, 2009. Each active member of All Pioneer, from page 5 will be for sale. If you have items to do- Aboard Washington ( everyone whose dues The dra ft study can be accessed via Sen. nate to the silent auction, contact Jim are current) is entitled to b e present and Mike Crapo’s (R -ID) website at Hamre or Lloyd Flem (contact info on vote for candidates for Director. The new crapo.senate.gov/issues/transportation/ p. 5) Board members sha ll take office on Amtrak.cfm. Interested persons can also January 1, 2010 . contact C.B. Hall at 360 -468-2611.