24 - THE HKRALD, Wed., April 29, 1981 Serving the Manchester, Conn. Manchester area Thursday, April 30, 1981 for 100 years iJIanrhrHtrr 25 Cents r : ^ Necessary but inconclusive :. /I CRCOG unit backs housing By MARTIN KEARNS CRCOG staff person cautioned that —trimmed the developer’s request agency expects no new Section 8 tral to that decisiun. but held out the whether the Oakland Heights Herald Reporter HUD’S final approval was anything by about $225,000. new construction or rehabilitation remote possibility that more funds project would be accepted by Hie HARTFORD — In a necessary but certain. The planning agency’s limited subsidies after the current federal could become available should other town. Barnes responded the town s but Inconclusive move, the Policy In fact, Mary Barnes, support of the Oakland Street year ends. approved projects die on the chief executive oifieer. Robert Board of the Capitol Region Council spokeswoman for the Housing Com­ project leaves Harold Rothstein, The Reagan Administration has drawings boards of ill-financed Weiss, has expressed a need for the of Governments Wednesday ap­ mittee of the regional planning president of Utility Development, announced plans to shift emphasis developers. project, and referred to the town proved an East Hartford agency, warned the Manchester with an eye toward alternate fun­ away from new construction, in­ Just blocks from the Main Street planning eommission's .April 20 aii- The Los Angeles-Seattle Coast Starlight passes south of Mount ding sources. At the same time, stead awarding rent subsidies for location of the South Congregational proval of preliminary site plans The Los Angeles-Seattle Coast Starlight rounds curve headed for developer’s request for $546,000 in project is the most tentative of the Rainier. As the train snakes through tunnel after tunnel down the U.S. Department of Housing and Ur­ five proposals approved yesterday Barnes’ remarks yesterday confirm existing housing units, said Barnes. Church, where area officials yester­ another tunnel in the Cascade range near Cascade Summit, Ore. Quickly, Mayor I’enny clanlied majestic Cascade Range, It is difficult to remember why President ban Development annual rent sub­ by CRCOG’s decision-making body. that HUD’s support — the expected The decision is expected to leave day were considering an application The Starlight is operated by Amtrak and is popular with the public. Scenic view that the suit and tlie request for ad Tunnel travel Reagan wants to kill the long-distrance passenger train. (UPl sidies for the proposed Oakland Utility Development, which built cornerstone of the project — is ten­ CRCOG's Area wide Housing Oppor­ for a low-income housing project in So popular that reservations have to be made weeks ahead. (UPl the moderate-income Spencer tative. tunity Plan — funnel for the region’s Manchester, the town began Its litional liousing subsidies arc two photo) Heights housing project in distinct issues .According to I’enny, photo) Manchester. Street housing project in Section 8 new-construction subsidies defense in federal court against dis­ Manchester, originally drafted The federal fiscal year expires — bereft of new funijs. crimination charges resulting its the U.S, Justice Department s case Although Manchester Mayor against the town results solely Irom Stephen Penny joined 13 other plans for a 110-unit, low and Sept. 30, and Barnes said HUD has The Oakland Heights project is 1979 withdrawal from a federal moderate income complex, only seven available subsidies left one of two which received partial program. its decision to witlidraw from the Policy Board members in un­ federal Community Development animously ratifying the proposal of CRCOG’s Housing Committee for the entire state. More funding according to CRCOG’s plan. Apparently aware of the trial, one Amtrak faces cut as it improves Utility Development Corporation, a —seeking projects of 50-units or less significantly, the regional planning Barnes explained its size was cen­ member of the Policy Board asked Act grant program lU DON I’ill l.u r s cover at least 50 percent of its costs trains are to a large degree the here running the trains,” said particularly with conductors who Envoy is CA.SC.VuK SI MMIT, Ore (UPl) from passenger fares. nostalgia limited," and that waiter Ferdinand Daliet, who are employed by the railroads and Superliners -- With snow swirling outside the stressed nonetheless that he not Amtrak, and with harried crew Amtrak President Alan Boyd says America must decide if it wants a But perhaps Amtrak’s greatest floor-to-ceiling lounge car windows that for $240 million more, Amtrak "rolling national park." couldn’t “say anything bad but members toward the end of trips. everything good” about the new But for the most part, courtesy coup was the new doubledeck as the tr,un snakes through tunnel can continue operating most of the The administration does not want Superliners, which operate on seeking a:lei tunnel down the majestic system. to kill the heavily traveled Boston- passenger cars and the way they are seems to prevail on both sides. C.iseade range, it is difficult to New York-Washington Northeast attracting riders. routes west of Chicago and New But the adm inistration has Orleans. rememher why President Reagan remained adamant, and the Senate Corridor because officials feel it Daliet, a former merchant sailor M. C. Fetzer, a Southern Pacific wants to kill the long-distance who has been with Amtrak since it These cars — which include meetings budget committee voted against ad­ fills a need, but they point out that conductor who sometimes handles sleepers, coaches, diners and a new passenger train ding funds for Amtrak. The House adequate alternate transportation was formed, also said the fast-food the San Francisco Zephyr from Between jokes and laughter, and such as buses is available in the rest attitude of Americans in general has lounge that is nearly all glass on the budget committee voted to add Sparks, Nev., to Oakland, Calif., upper level — not only are more ef­ BELFAST. Northern Ireland an occasional gasp as the train about $180 million to the Amtrak of the country. led to some of the problems. says the better crew attitude is ficient and nearly trouble-free, but (UPl I — I’ope John Paul ll's envoy skirts along a sheer cliff, some of budget, however, and a fight looms "People don’t want to wait brought about by a better passenger the more than 500 passengers anymore," he said. “People used to they have been an instant success today .sought to meet again wilh IH.A in Congress. Social service attitude, which in turn is brought with passengers. activist Bobby Sands to try to per­ aboard the Coast Starlight also puz­ One of the keys to the Amtrak bat­ have a cocktail before they even about by the new passenger cars. zle over the possible death of a train Passenger trains are a money­ thought about what to order.” An official of a major Western suade him to break the fast that has tle is Sen. Robert Packwood, R- railroad, which has made no secret left him near death Catholics that IS so popular that they had to Ore., new chairman of the Senate losing proposition everjrwhere in the But now, he said, passengers have “With the old equipment, after ask for re.servations weeks ahead. world. No train makes money, even a "Jack in the Box and Kentucky of its desire to get Amtrak off its planned a mass evacuation ol Commerce Committee that has people had spent two nights on the railroad so as not to interfere with women and children from potential But as .Amtrak approaches its 10th jurisdiction over Amtrak. Although in Japan, France, Germany and the Colonel” attitude. train coming from Chicago, I’d get anniversary on May 1. that is exact­ other countries of the world that its freight trains, expressed surprise battle zones If Sands dies. Packwood has expressed hostility to Yet, even with the overcrowding, on the train at Sparks and they’d at the quality of the new cars. "1 am hoping to liave iiirther ly what i? happening Reagan has the long-distance passenger train, have extensive modem passenger the traditional acrimony between look me in the eye like they were proposed a budget that in effect train systems. No matter where “After 10 years, Amtrak finally meetings. " said liev .lohn Magee, he has so far avoided comment on passengers and crew has all but dis­ ready to kill,” he said. did something right,” said the of­ the pope’s personal representative would force .Amtrak to drop all his legislative plans. they run, trains are considered a appeared. It’s a far cry from 10 But now, Fetzer said, “To us, it’s passenger trains outside the Boston- social service. ficial, who asked not to be named. as lie left the residence ol tlie years ago. a picnic, ’ne crew has a better at­ “Amtrak. I can’t believe it.” Homan Catliolle Primate of .All New York-Washington Northeast But all the other train systems of There still are some incidents. titude.” Corridor Pro-train lobby the world cover at least 55 percent 'reland Trains such as this one. the Los of their expenses, with Amtrak Sands. 27. Iiospitalized at Maze Angeles-Seattle Coast Starlight, and Lobbying is becoming intense. lagging "behind at 41 percent. The priyon 10 miles soutli of liellast. met numerous others would grind to a Rail passenger groups are sprouting U.S. taxpayer must make up the Wi.Incsday with Miigee, but spurned halt next Oct. I. a little over 10 years up around the country, such as Other 59 percent.