NARP News June 2012

www.narprail.org Trains: A Travel Choice Americans Want 2013 Appropriations: “Train to Maine”: 10 Years and Growing Capitol Hill Update Brunswick, Freeport Development Blossoms Ahead of Route Extension A House subcommittee has approved Amtrak’s Downeaster in a decade To build $1.8 billion for Amtrak in Fiscal 2013 of operation has become a poster child support for which compares with $1.45 billion re- for rail passenger success. Annual rid- that exten- ported from the Senate Appropriations ership jumped 108% from 250,000 in sion, TRN Committee April 19. 2004 to 519,668 last year. did two pub- The intercity passenger rail totals, The train has been named “one of lic events—a including what is now the “High Per- America’s friendliest trains.” luncheon for formance Passenger Rail Service” (HP- As well, TrainRiders/Northeast Brunswick PRS) program, are: (TRN) and its chairman and founder, and Freeport • White House: $2.5 billion (March -Image: Northern New England Pas- NARP Council Member Wayne Davis, business NARP News, p. 2); senger Rail Authority have set a gold standard for effective leaders, and • House: $1.8 billion; citizen action. a breakfast for business leaders and the • Senate: $1.55 billion (includes $100 leadership of the state legislature. million for HPPRS, restricted to up- Founded in 1989, TRN engaged in The latter event gave business lead- grading existing services). 12 years of hard grassroots campaign- ers the opportunity to tell legislators • Fiscal 2012 actual: $1.42 billion ing and work with elected offi cials and how important the Brunswick exten- The House Subcommittee on Trans- the host railroad. The result is a much- sion was. portation and Housing & Urban De- loved Maine institution—and on-time velopment (THUD) action on June 7 performance among Amtrak’s best. Extension Spurs Development included no funds for HPPRS or Trans- NARP honored Davis with our John As the service enters its 11th year of portation Investments Generating Eco- R. Martin Passenger Train Advocacy operation, it prepares for the 28.5-mile nomic Recovery (TIGER) grants, for Award (June 2009 News, p. 4). In May, extension to Freeport and Brunswick. the second straight year. 2011, NARP presented Golden Spike The Recovery Act has funded track, The THUD Amtrak level has just Awards to Senators Olympia Snowe signal and grade crossing improve- $350 million for operations—$100 mil- and Susan Collins (R-ME) for their ments, as well as new high-level plat- lion below Amtrak’s request and $116 work in support of the Downeaster and forms for both new stations. million below this year’s level. How- passenger rail in general. Starting this November, two daily ever, the bill lets the DOT secretary ap- December 14, 2011 marked the 10th round-trips will continue as far as prove a transfer of up to $80 million in anniversary of the service’s return af- Brunswick, where connection can be capital funds to operations. ter a 36-year hiatus. Downeaster now made to the Maine Eastern Railroad’s Also, $500 million of the House’s offers fi ve daily round-trips between excursion service east to Rockland. Amtrak capital money is earmarked for Boston (North Station) and Portland. New shops, restaurants, and other (continued on p. 5) The service is operated by Amtrak amenities already are blossoming and managed by the Northern New around the stations in anticipation of ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: England Passenger Rail Authority the extended service. Federal Railroad • HSR poll misleads California public 2 (NNEPRA), a State of Maine agency. Administrator Joseph Szabo appeared • California High-Speed Rail updates 2 A Popular Train in Freeport and Brunswick May 14 to • New NARP Council members 3 celebrate the new platforms and ac- Strong grassroots support for the • New Amtrak maintenance bases 3 knowledge the economic development • Battle Creek, MI station rebuilt service led to the 1995 passage of a 4 the train’s prospect is already stimu- • NARP’s summer interns 4 ballot initiative to create NNEPRA and lating. He was joined by Maine DOT • Downeaster’s “Track Star” 5 fund the trains. • NARP addresses Midwest Interstate 6 Commissioner David Bernhardt and lo- Passenger Rail Commission TRN’s work continued after the start- cal business leaders. • NARP serves on Rail Cooperative 6 up of service. The extension to Bruns- Research Prgm. oversight committee “The Downeaster expansion is cre- wick was one of TRN’s original goals. (continued on p. 5) - 1 - HSR Poll Misleads California Public NARP News A poorly-worded poll released June ©2012 National Association of Railroad 1 has helped fuel new attacks on Cali- MAJOR ADVOCACY GROUP Passengers. All rights reserved. BOOSTS HIGH-SPEED RAIL 505 Capitol Court, NE, Suite 300 fornia’s high-speed rail project. Washington, DC 20002-7706 The USC Dornsife/Los Angeles A major boost to the high-speed (202) 408-8362; fax: (202) 408-8287 Times supposedly shows that 55% of rail project came on June 13 from [email protected] www.narprail.org respondents would vote against the TransForm, California’s larg- project if it reappeared on the statewide est transportation nonprofi t. The Robert J. Stewart Chairman ballot. group’s analysis (www.bit.ly/tns- John Delora Vice Chair Poll wording obscures the fact that fmhsr) emphasized the 100,000 Albert L. Papp, Jr. Vice Chair the initial Merced-Bakersfi eld segment new jobs the project would cre- Arthur Poole Vice Chair is being funded by bond money vot- ate, and that it would be necessary David Randall Vice Chair ers approved specifi cally for that pur- to the longer-term maintenance of Stephen J. Salatti Secretary pose, with the rest coming from federal functioning, livable metropolitan Kenneth T. Clifford Treasurer funds that Congress appropriated for areas in the face of population Ross B. Capon President & CEO High-Speed and Intercity Passenger growth. NARP praised the report Sean Jeans-Gail Vice President Rail. Money was not taken from other (www.bit.ly/calrprt) in a June 14 Malcolm M. Kenton Director of programs or accounts. release. Outreach & Engagement Also, pollsters discussed high- Luis Olmo-Rivera Coordinator of speed rail’s costs but not its benefi ts. Resource Development Lawrence E. Scott Special Assistant The media has not done a good job of to the Chairman conveying that it would cost the state rail’s construction. This has news through June 18. much more than HSR’s $68 billion pri- Vol. 46, No. 5 was mailed May 25. cetag over the coming decades to meet If you live in California, please con- the mobility needs of the state’s grow- tact your state Senator and Assembly tion. Call the Capitol Switchboard at ing population in the absence of HSR. Member at their Sacramento offi ces. (916) 322-9900 and ask for your Sen- And the longer the state waits to build Remind them that building high-speed ator’s offi ce, then call back and ask for high-speed rail, the more its pricetag rail saves the state money over the next your Representative’s offi ce. You can will escalate. few decades and continues California’s also use our easy online email-writing • One question infl ated the amount by forward-thinking leadership of the na- tool: www.bit.ly/hsremail „ which the total project cost increased from the original estimate. The amount CALIFORNIA HIGH-SPEED RAIL UPDATES was derived from a comparison that is not apples-to-apples. • US Transportation Secretary Ray proof opponents would have to meet • Another question presented a dis- LaHood, visiting Sacramento, called to successfully challenge HSR in agreement between “some people” and on state lawmakers May 11 not to court under the California Environ- “other people” without identifying the wait until fall to approve the project’s mental Quality Act (CEQA). They people or their qualifi cations or wheth- budget. would have to convince a judge that er the statements are factual. • Federal Railroad Administrator the project would cause “major envi- Building HSR should cost the state Joe Szabo announced June 5 that ronmental problems” and not simply less in the long run purely to move the Obama Administration remains reveal minor fl aws in the environ- people from A to B, and improve travel committed to the project. “Ameri- mental review process. Absent this for those who don’t ride it by reducing cans want—and they deserve—more change, which some environmen- highway and air congestion. transportation choices,” Szabo told tal organizations support, necessary Also, it will create good paying jobs the American Public Transportation work could not be completed by that can’t be outsourced, and spur sta- Assoc. 2012 Rail Conference in Dal- 2017 and the federal funding would tion-area economic development in las. “They’re tired of being stuck in be lost. ways that roads and airports do not. traffi c, delayed in airports, and fac- • Jeff Morales was named CEO of the The tax revenue generated by this ing pain at the pump.” California High-Speed Rail Author- development and the additional travel • Gov. Brown called on the legisla- ity on May 30. He had been working Californians will undertake without ture June 1 to pass, as part of the HSR on the project as a Parsons Brincker- having to worry about congested high- funding package in the 2013 budget, hoff project manager. He succeeds ways and airports should eventually a provision increasing the burden of Roelof van Ark, who left in January. more than pay the cost of high-speed - 2 - New Florida, California Maintenance Bases WELCOME, NEW Off er Vastly Better Work Environment COUNCIL MEMBERS! Amtrak Mechanical crews who per- spections and routine maintenance on NARP welcomes these newly-elected form safety inspections, servicing and Silver Meteor and Silver Star equip- members of the Council of Representa- maintenance in Hialeah, FL (near Mi- ment. All single-level, long-distance tives, the Association’s national, all-vol- ami) and Los Angeles now have vastly cars (Viewliner sleepers, Amfl eet II unteer advisory body: Nimi R.B. Andersen-De Rivas (Wash- improved workspaces that should re- coaches and cafes, and Heritage dining ington, DC): Experience in grant writing sult in higher-quality work done more cars) are cycled onto these trains for & review & hospitality industry. Pursuing effi ciently. heavy maintenance. MBA at Univ. of Maryland. Has been ac- The new Hialeah Progressive Main- A similar new facility in Los An- tive in many civic and charitable causes, including Boy Scouts and Help the Home- tenance Facility, which opened April geles opened Aug. 18, 2011, and was less Walk-a-thon. Personal friend of D.C. 20, is 50 feet by 920 feet. It features a funded with $24.5 million in Recovery Mayor Vincent Gray. 600-foot in-ground pit with an in-fl oor Act funds. It houses crews that inspect Aaron Berkovich (New York, NY): jacking system to remove and replace and service all the Amtrak trains serv- Native of Belarus; earned M.S. in Trans- wheel trucks. There are administrative ing Los Angeles. portation Planning from Polytechnic Uni- offi ces, training rooms and employee versity (now Polytechinic Inst. of N.Y. The L.A. facility, which NARP lead- University), and M.A. in Computer Sci- locker and lunch rooms. ers toured on Oct. 20, relies more on ence. Works as Staff Analyst in MTA New Previously, much of this critical canopies with giant ceiling fans than York City Transit’s Division of Opera- work was done outdoors without cover. on indoor spaces because of southern tions Planning. Active in his synagogue. Workers endured muggy heat, frequent California’s climate. It is earthquake- Larry Blake (Newbury, MA): Retired reporter and copy editor; worked 25 years rain and tropical storms common to resistant and incorporates many LEED- for the Salem (MA) Evening News. Be- south Florida. With the new facility, al- certifi ed features. Much of its work was lieves a network of feeder buses and taxis most all work is done indoors or under previously performed outdoors without is vital for the success of passenger rail. a cover, with air circulation provided shelter. Hon. John Businger (Brookline, by giant ceiling fans. The new facility Seattle MA): Former MA State Representative is designed to withstand hurricanes. (1971-1999); Past President of National A similar $43 million project in Se- Corridors Initiative (2003-2011) & Mem- The facility has a number of features attle, scheduled to offi cially open in ber, Regional Transportation Advisory that meet Leadership in Energy and En- late summer 2012, will allow Amtrak Council. Has been a long-time champion vironmental Design (LEED) standards to move its maintenance work for Cas- of Boston’s North-South Rail Link. for environmentally sustainable con- Rev. Michael Cooper (Portage, IN): cades equipment, and servicing of Em- Native of North Carolina; M.Div. from struction. The 2009 Recovery Act’s pire Builder & Coast Starlight consists, Chicago Theological Seminary. Lived grant to Amtrak covered $29.4 million into an enclosed facility, and its head- in Boston many years and served as co- of its $32.7 million cost; the rest came quarters, warehousing, and other sup- President, Assoc. for Public Transporta- from Amtrak’s regular capital budget. port functions from deteriorating trailer tion (2007-2011). Many years active in grassroots train advocacy. Hialeah crews perform nightly in- facilities into a modern building. „ Dr. Burton Eisenberg (Wyncote, PA): Dr. of Optometry; retired high-school sci- ence teacher. 10-year AARP Mature Driv- ing Instructor. Board member, Delaware Valley Assoc. of Rail Passengers. Active in National Railway Historical Society. Tom Heard (Little River, TX): Railroading career includes 10 yrs as Manager of the TXU Electric RR. Fmr. Member, Western Coal Transport Assoc. Board member, Temple Railroad Heri- tage Museum. Current Caretaker of the McGregor, TX Amtrak station. Carol Haslett (Chagrin Falls, OH): Political strategist, consultant to Cleve- land-area elected offi cials. Active in edu- cation & serves on many panels & com- missions. Long-time member, Amtrak Customer Advisory Cmte & All Aboard Ohio. Experienced public speaker, writer -Bob Stewart & event organizer. Amtrak Mechanical employees celebrate the new Hialeah, FL maintenance facility, built Continued next page... with Recovery Act funding, on Apr. 20. NARP Chairman Bob Stewart attended. - 3 - Batt le Creek, Michigan Passengers Enjoy New Digs A completely rebuilt intermodal sta- The bus ticket counter has been Funding came from a federal Recov- tion in Battle Creek—serving Amtrak’s moved down a hallway to the west, and ery Act grant awarded to the city on a three daily Chicago-Detroit-Pontiac is now more conveniently located to competitive basis. Mayor Susan Blake Wolverines, daily Chicago-East Lan- the intercity bus boarding dock. Battle noted “the number of Amtrak pas- sing-Port Huron Blue Water, and Battle Creek Transit buses now use a loop sengers using this station each year is Creek Transit, Greyhound and Indian west of the station with a shelter for roughly equal to our city’s entire pop- Trails buses—opened to the public on each route. ulation.” „ May 23. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held June 12. The facility at 119 McCamly Street South features a new entrance and pas- senger pick-up and drop-off area, a fenced long-term parking lot, improved exterior lighting and landscaping, new passenger lobby with a vending area featuring cafe seating. The new long- term parking lot can be accessed off of -John DeLora - John DeLora Shots of the Amtrak passenger waiting area in Battle Creek before (left) and after (right) the former Capital Avenue entrance. the renovation.

NARP Welcomes Volunteer Interns CORRECTION Four students, interning in the NARP sophomore in Politics, Philosophy, Eco- The new bridge over the Osage offi ce from June 13 through Aug. 10, will nomics and Law at the Univ. of Arizona. River near Jefferson City, MO, learn about transportation policy, legislative Davis Strench of Riva, MD, a rising se- makes the route double-track be- advocacy and nonprofi t management while nior at South River High School in Edge- tween there and St. Louis. The assisting NARP staff. water, MD. April newsletter incorrectly stated Yufan Cui of Yantai, Shandong, China, a Riley Whitelock of Vancouver, BC, that double-track will now extend rising junior pursuing a Master of Business Canada, a rising junior in Political Science to Kansas City. The western por- at the Univ. of Maryland, College Park. and American Studies at the University of tion remains single-track. Chris Romero of Tucson, AZ, a rising British Columbia.

NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS cont’d ber of NARP and Wisconsin ARP. Veteran visory Cmte. & Steering Cmte. Member, Amtrak rider. Denver Univ. Intermodal Transp. Institute. John Hostage (Watertown, MA): Har- Brett McCall (Black Mtn., NC): Pro- Pres. & CEO, Park City Ctr. for Public vard Law School librarian. M.A. in Library fessional storyteller, game theorist, game Policy. Grew up in Alaska, retired Naval Science from Univ. of Wisconsin at Madi- evangelist, fi lmmaker and social media Reserve Offi cer. Operated a fi shing lodge son. Treasurer of Assn. for Public Trans- strategist. Degree in Computer Engineer- & worked in mineral exploration. portation/Mass. Assn. of RR Passengers. ing, Univ. of Texas at Dallas. Asst. Girls Geza John Vamos (At-Large; Cleve- Emmy Koponen (Dixon, NM): Ac- Varsity Soccer Coach, Carolina Day land, OH): Focused on making trains and claimed artist, environmental advocate, co- School. Founder, The People for Rail to transit more accessible to people with dis- ordinator of horse clinics, tutor of children Asheville (citizens’ org.). abilities. Member, Nat’l Federation of the and young adults with disadvantages. Built Timothy Moore (Plaistow, NH): Re- Blind, Knights of Columbus & All Aboard 2 off-grid solar houses. Passionate about tired from Lucent Technologies after 35 Ohio. First in family to graduate college. education & nuclear disarmament. Long- yrs. Chairman, N.H. Rail Transit Authority Frequent Amtrak & transit rider. time dedication to public transportation. & Chairman, Plaistow Conservation Com- Roy Walthall (Waco, TX): Appointed Stan Kozaczka (Cazenovia, NY): M.A. mission. Active in Plaistow Area Transit by the Governor to Texas High Speed Rail from Florida State Univ.; 37-year higher Advisory Cmte. & TrainRiders/Northeast. Advisory Board & Trans-Texas Corridor education professional. Library Director at Brian Nelson (Minneapolis, MN): Fmr. Advisory Commission. MPA from Texas Cazenovia College. Regional director for NARP Region 7 Board member. Veteran A&M Univ. Was involved in reorganiza- Empire State Passengers Assoc. rider of Amtrak & pre-Amtrak trains. tion of Texas Constitution. 15-year NARP Daniel Krause (Pasadena, CA): Exec. Alan Schmitt (Chicago, IL): Education and Texas ARP member. Has ridden many Dir. of Californians for High-Speed Rail; director at various Chicago-area churches trains in U.S. & abroad. Board Member of Rescue Muni (San Fran- since 1987. M.A. in Theology from Loyola Charles Welsh (St. Louis, MO): Re- cisco). Masters in Urban Planning from University in Chicago. Eagle Scout. NARP tired Master Sergeant, Marine Corps, San Jose State Univ. Believes high-speed member since high school. Counter-Intelligence. Major shareholder of rail advocacy is key to catalyzing all rail Jim Souby (Denver, CO): President, a coal and coke company. Experience with investment. Colorado Rail Passengers Assoc. Member, railroad operations. Bob Lenz (Waunakee, WI): Life mem- Colo. Dept. of Transp. Transit & Rail Ad-

- 4 - Downeaster’s 10th Anniversary from page 1 Patricia Quinn: Downeaster “Track Star” ating jobs and spurring local economic Besides $38.3 million for Portland- development even before the trains ar- Brunswick capital work, FRA has Patricia Quinn, Executive Director of rive,” said Szabo. “The Northern New granted NNEPRA $21 million to im- the Northern New England Passenger England Passenger Rail Authority de- prove the Boston-Haverhill (MBTA) Rail Authority since 2006, has gained livered this project on time and on bud- segment. Work should begin this wide recognition for her work in man- get, and when the line opens in the fall summer to rebuild the mainline track aging and promoting the Downeaster. it will increase tourism and mobility and install a section of double track to Secretary LaHood selected her as a vot- choices for residents from Boston to eliminate a bottleneck. ing member of the National Coopera- Brunswick.” tive Rail Research Program (p. 6). She NNEPRA plans to build a layover began consulting for NNEPRA in 2000, Szabo stayed at the Inn at Brunswick, facility in Brunswick to support the ex- becoming executive director in 2005. a new hotel that is part of a develop- panded service.” She had no previous rail experience, ment that has medical offi ces, restau- A Unique Service but knew the hospitality business, hav- rants, retail stores and the train station. Downeaster was the fi rst Amtrak ing been general manager of Portland’s Project manager Michael Lyne said the route to get on-board wireless Internet Doubletree Hotel. She proved to be a development would never have moved service, another NNEPRA initiative. quick study who knew the right ques- forward without the new train service. Maine and Oregon are the only states tions to ask. In a male-dominated fi eld, In Freeport, headquarters of cloth- to use federal Congestion Mitigation it was serendipitous that she presented ing manufacturer L.L. Bean, retail- and Air Quality Improvement Program to the NARP Board in 2006 at the same ers anticipate that shoppers visiting funds to support Amtrak operations. time we were honoring Crawfordsville, by train will boost sales, according to The Senate’s S. 1813 (May News p. 1) IN high school students for their work Deb King, Executive Director of the would end the need for Congress to pe- improving their train station. Thus, the Greater Freeport Chamber of Com- riodically make exceptions to the three- girls from that class saw fi rst-hand that merce. Freeport’s latest attraction is a year limit on this use of funds. a woman could do a top-notch job of new $2.5 million movie theater next to managing a passenger railroad service. TRN coordinates a volunteer Station the train station. Development is also Maine Business Journal on Aug. 8, and Train Host Program. Hosts are occuring near the station in Portland, 2011, gave her a nice write-up under aboard most runs to welcome passen- where nearly $1 million in additional the headline “Track Star”: www.bit.ly/ gers, answer questions and offer advice tax revenue per year is projected. mequinn „ about attractions along the route. Sta- “An independent study shows that tion hosts assist passengers at Maine’s 2013 Appropriati ons from page 1 by 2030, Downeaster train service will three stations without Amtrak ticket spur nearly $7.2 billion in new con- agents. This, the nation’s fi rst volun- “high-priority state-of-good-repair... projects on infrastructure owned by struction along the corridor,” reports teer host program, inspired similar ones [Amtrak] or States for the benefi t of ex- Szabo. “Nearly 18,000 new jobs will in California and North Carolina. be created. State and local budgets will isting intercity passenger rail services.” Downeaster also is the only route benefi t each year from nearly $75 mil- While the relatively favorable treat- not sharing any stations with another lion in new tax revenue generated from ment of Amtrak at this fi rst stage of the Amtrak route. MBTA’s Orange Line increased economic activity.” House’s funding process may surprise links North Station and Back Bay; some, the House-Senate conference is taxis or two subway lines likely to have a different result. are required for the mile be- The Senate committee has $500 mil- tween North and South Sta- lion for TIGER, which has been widely tions. NARP still supports praised as the federal government’s fi rst the North Station-South Sta- competitive grant program for all forms tions Rail Link, but no early of transportation. Rail (mostly freight action is likely, especially rail) won about one-third of the $3.1 as the MBTA currently has billion in TIGER grants to date (Fiscal major funding problems and Years 2009-2012). will be cutting back service Continue to remind your legislators on commuter rail. that passenger train investments are Finally, on-board food ser- vital for creating jobs and improving

-Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority vice is provided by a private mobility, especially as our senior popu- Administrator Szabo (left) steps off a special train onto contractor. „ lation grows and our young people are the new Freeport, ME platform on his June 14 visit. less auto-oriented: 202-224-3121. „ - 5 - ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Nonprofi t Org NARP News U.S. Postage P A I D Permit #1400 National Association of Railroad Passengers Suburban, MD 505 Capitol Ct. NE, Ste. 300 / Washington, DC / 20002-7706

Vol. 46, No. 6 June 2012

our mission: a modern, customer-focused national passenger train network that provides a travel choice americans want. President’s Corner: NARP Addresses Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission The Midwest Interstate Passenger paying their $15,000 a year dues. I presented NARP’s Vision of ex- Rail Commission’s (MIPRC) annual One skeptical state legislator saw panded passenger train routes, and the meeting this year was in Kalamazoo, passenger rail as “a new system that the surprisingly similar vision in the 2007 MI, on June 11. There were presenta- market has already turned down. When report of a federal commission. I not- tions by Amtrak, the Federal Railroad you board a train, we have to go to where ed the value that conservatives put on Administration, Southern Illinois Uni- the government says when they say.” choices—including those that let peo- versity, Illinois State University, the But he added this, which many could ple avoid road congestion—and cited University of Illinois and me. agree with: “When property values rise, trains’ relative energy effi ciency. MIPRC was created by an interstate those who benefi t should pay.” --Ross Capon compact—11 states passing identical legislation. The commission “pro- NARP Serves on Research Committee motes, coordinates and supports re- The National Cooperative Rail Re- State Highway and Transportation Of- gional improvements to passenger rail search Program (NCRRP) Oversight fi cials, American Public Transportation service.” Committee, on which NARP serves Association, Association of American MIPRC consists of state elected offi - as an ex offi cio member, recently met Railroads, EPA, FAA, and TRB itself. cials and their designees—four resident for the fi rst time. The day-and-a-half- Twenty-two voting members come members per state. Each governor ap- long meeting produced a list of seven from academia, state DOTs, major points two (one as his/her designee; the projects to be funded with the $5 mil- freight and commuter railroads, Am- other from the private sector) and leg- lion available to the committee from trak, the Alaska Railroad, Federal Rail- islative leaders appoint two members NCRRP’s initial, FY 2010 appropria- road Administration, and a major engi- (one legislator from each chamber; tion. neering fi rm. leaders may also appoint alternates). The new program is administered by Some of the research projects: MIPRC has focused on promoting Transportation Research Board (TRB), • Building and Retaining Work- the benefi ts of regional passenger rail an arm of the National Academy of Sci- force Capacity for the Rail Industry development and supporting the devel- ences. Congress did not fund NCRRP ($725,000; see May News, p. 5, regard- opment of plans for fast, frequent Mid- for either 2011 or 2012, so the pro- ing the importance of this subject); west service. The meetings bring to- gram’s future is uncertain. • Passenger Rail in the Context gether people with profoundly different Highway, airport and transit coop- of a Competitive Economic Market views. What I found most encouraging erative research programs are well ($500,000; would examine competitive was the respectful tone of conversation established. Highways get about $40 relationships between rail and air, in- among all participants and guests. million a year—a percentage of each tercity bus and private automobile); Gov. Scott Walker’s (R-WI) private state’s federal highway funds. • Passenger Rail Project Delivery sector representative attended and par- Transportation Secretary Ray La- and Operations Through Multi-State ticipated, as did Illinois DOT Secretary Hood named NARP President Ross Organizations ($400,000). Ann Schneider. Capon to the Committee. The six other Seven projects are at http://online- But Nebraska, North Dakota and organizations with ex offi cio represen- pubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/ncrrp/docs/ Ohio were absent. A few states are not tatives are American Association of NCRRP_Announcement2012.pdf - 6 -