October /November 200 999
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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.