Washington Rail News February/March 2007

www.AllAboardWashington.org

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

The Battle for King County’s Eastside Rail Amtrak reauthorization reintroduced (again!) Line By Alfred Runte Amtrak has been without authorizing All Aboard Washington has never the morning, members of the press ap- legislation for many years. Last year’s been in a tougher fight than its cam- peared and interviewed our gathering, six-year reauthorization passed the Sen- paign to save the Eastside rail line, the including KOMO-4 News, The Seattle ate on a 93-6 vote but House leadership 47-mile BNSF alternate main line be- Times, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, would not allow the bill to come up for a tween Renton and Snohomish (the and KIRO radio. Saturday night, we vote in that chamber. Woodinville Subdivision). On Friday, were further invited by KIRO talk radio Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and January to participate on the David Goldstein Trent Lott (R-MS) are trying again, and 19, the Show. expect an authorization to pass Congress Corridor If the facts mattered (which they this year. On Jan. 16, the two senators Advisory don’t), we would be chalking this up as introduced S. 294, The Passenger Rail Committe a victory. The county, BNSF, and the Investment and Improvement Act, at a e of the Corridor Advisory Committee are rely- press conference with Amtrak Pres. Alex Puget ing on heaps of misinformation to con- Kummant at Washington Union Station. Sound fuse the public. The tracks are so old "It's not going to be that difficult this Regional they are only good for scrap (tell that to year," Lautenberg said of passage. Al Runte is interviewed by Council the Spirit of Washington dinner train); it The bill would authorize $3.2 bill. a KOMO TV at the All Aboard year for intercity rail service for the next Washington protest on Jan. met at would cost hundreds of millions to up- six years while requiring efficiency im- 19. Photo by Jim Hamre the Red- grade the tracks (nonsense); it would mond cost billions to effectively restore the provements to continue. For the first time, Regional Library for its final vote, while line (utter nonsense). Meanwhile, the there would be federal money available to partner with state governments to members of All Aboard Washington county is admitting that the trail will cost improve passenger rail service. stood outside the library to protest. $800,000 a mile (asphalt these days is Lautenberg and Lott said that having Other friends of the railroad joined us, not cheap), for that is exactly what they a viable passenger rail option is vital to making for a very respectable showing intend for their “environmentally the nation's economy and environment. of between 15 and 20 folks. friendly” trail – more asphalt. "We cannot depend entirely on airplanes No surprise: The advisory commit- Stay tuned to the Washington Rail and roads," Lautenberg said. tee sided with King County Executive News for regular updates. The line (and In addition to carrots, the bill offers Ron Sims, voting to rip up the tracks dinner train) closes on July 31 if we several sticks, such as expecting Amtrak and build a trail, “The Granddaddy of don’t prevail. We intend to. Meanwhile, to reduce operating costs by 40 percent All Trails,” as Sims prefers to call it. All make sure you contact all your elected over six years. "This is about reform and Aboard Washington was ready with a representatives both state and (See accountability," Lott said. "It's not just a poster by J. Craig Thorpe comparing Eastside Line, page 5) big chunk of money." Sims’s vision and our own. Throughout The bill would authorize $1.7 bill. in debt repayment, $7.8 bill. in new bonding authority and $340 mill. a year for matching grants. The senators said the grants would encourage overall invest- ment in the system as well as states' sharing in the cost of providing services. Kummant said the bill fits his vision of the rail network of the future, which would be a series of state rail networks threaded into national corridors. Sens. Patty Murray (D-Bothell) and Maria Cantwell (D-Edmonds) are not yet Two visions of the future of downtown Bellevue: on the left is King County’s, with a bike cosponsors of S. 294. For more details trail on the Wilburton Trestle (top right) and a jammed up I-405; on the right is All on its provisions go to: Aboard Washington’s, with the Eastside line preserved and enhanced to provide www.narprail.org/cms/index.php/ regional and intercity passenger rail service as an alternate to driving I-405. Art by J. resources/more/s_294/ Craig Thorpe page 2 trips – and found he could use transit for US Senators Lautenberg (D-NJ) and From the desk of most of his transportation needs, leaving Lott (R-MS) have reintroduced a rail the Government his now-repaired car at home. Mike says funding bill, now numbered S. 294, es- Affairs Director travel time is about the same and he can sentially the same as that which passed "....read the paper, nap and am getting the Senate 93-6 last session. House by more exercise walking to the bus stops. leadership did not allow it to be voted on, Lloyd H. Flem My stress level has never been lower." but with the new Congress, it seems Mike also will use Sounder when the "re- likely to fully pass in 2007. verse commute" – Seattle to Tacoma – Passing an authorizing bill like this is Energy, Climate, Transportation begins. "I will never drive to Portland or easier than getting monies appropriated, – Be Like Mike!; US Senate Bill Vancouver BC again. I've taken the Am- particularly when transportation generally 294 – A Decent Little Start trak Cascades train to both cities at least and rail funding specifically is not a top a half dozen tim es this year,” he said. tier priority with most in Congress. The Now virtually "everyone," including Mike also awaits completion of Seattle main job of rail advocates will be to help President Bush, agrees that that the US Link and the South Lake Union streetcar, educate our US Senators and Repre- pattern of energy use has major faults further enabling urban rail transportation. sentatives on the importance of rail and that human-induced climate change Mike is making it work within our ex- investments. is a serious issue. The few remaining isting system, which is still primitive in its Criticisms of S. 294, which are rela- holdouts to those realities are like the to- intercity phase compared with peer na- tively few from those aware of rail issues, bacco execs who deny the health dan- tions in Europe and East Asia. Now, have come from two distinct directions. gers of cigarettes. leaving the car at home (or even not One school opposes the bill essentially Obviously, there is and because Amtrak will remain will be considerable debate Cleaner-running vehicles with better the designated operator of about how to approach intercity passenger trains in energy and climate change mileage are laudable goals, but far from the USA. This school also problems. Again, there is the only ones we should seek in terms of favors major organizational strong agreement that our changes, including ever-growing reliance of our transportation policies and behaviors. separation of Northeast imported petroleum is not in Corridor infrastructure from our national interest. One point of owning one, like some Pearl Neighbor- hood Portland friends, who rent a car on running trains and believes the monetary agreement, from Bush advisors to the Si- loss of the National Network (long- erra Club, is to get better motor fuel mile- those occasions when they want to travel to beach or mountains) will suffice only a distance) trains are excessive for value age from our near-infinitely large fleet of received. private motor vehicles. (Debate is on how portion of the time or, in the absence of public transportation, any of the time. Ex- From the other corner comes opposi- much mileage improvement and how it tion to S. 294 based on the belief that the should be achieved.) What is generally ample: I could get to the Lewis County Historical Museum in downtown Chehalis bill is a clandestine effort to destroy Am- absent from the conversation is a need trak! Obviously both views cannot be for the American populace to achieve ac- (the site of our June AAWA meeting) from Olympia by foot, bus and train, but it correct. cess to places without always driving In my view, the bill offers not just more those private motor vehicles. Too often, would take 2½ hours, 21 minutes of which are on the Amtrak Cascades. I do handouts to a fatally-flawed Amtrak or its we hear "cleaner cars" is the panacea, near-certain demise, but a decent mix of even from the Green community. drive. But like Mike, I would never drive to Portland or downtown Seattle, though needed reforms, including opening the Brutal opinion: While the probably- door to the possibility of the freight rail- unattainable goal of zero-emission vehi- carpooling is grudgingly acceptable. Like Mike, I can work, relax, and enjoy our roads again operating passenger trains, cles would bring about less air pollution as well as some Federal bucks. Amtrak and greenhouse gases, the other forms glorious Northwest landscape on the Cascades, avoiding the linear root canal President Alex Kummant, in joining Lau- of environmental and societal damage tenberg and Lott at the send out of S. resulting from "driving everywhere," such job which is I-5 much of the time! A generation ago, most school kids 294, believes the major future of intercity as the paving over of city and countryside passenger lies with trains serving corridor alike, increased traffic congestion, the walked, biked or bused to school. Now new schools are designed with massive markets, of which our Vancouver, BC to destruction of traditional communities, Eugene Northwest Corridor is an arche- continued highway carnage, the physical car wait areas so lots of parents can drop off and pick up their offspring daily. So type. Kummant also supports survival of and social isolation of non-drivers, etc. the National Network trains, however. could even get worse. Cleaner-running OK, if the children were in real physical danger using traditional travel to Yes Amtrak has been an imperfect vehicles with better mileage are laudable entity, with a history of errors of both goals, but far from the only ones we school… but kids in safe affluent neighborhoods are more likely to be commission and omission. I have no should seek in terms of our transportation ideological opposition to other train op- policies and behaviors. chauffeured to and from than are young- sters who may have problems in the pub- erators entering the market if such could Another answer? Be Like Mike! Not happen. But the reality is the freight rail- THAT Mike, the legendary Chicago Bull lic...the former group only until their 16th birthday, when of course they are given roads, upon which nearly all Amtrak who appeared to fly using muscle power, trains outside the NEC operate, have but Mike from south Seattle. Mike experi- their very own motor vehicle! Mom and Dad, Be Like Mike; set a responsible ex- agreed only to allow Amtrak (or possibly enced a car breakdown, and instead of themselves) to carry regular intercity panicking (Oh my, I can't live without my ample for Johnnie and Sally. (Although today their names are more likely to be passenger service on their tracks. For very own wheels!) and getting a loner or (See Flem, page 5) rental (as 90+% of the working population Joshua and Caitlin, it seems!) would do) Mike went to the Metro website  and mapped out trips to work – and other page 3 m an’s statem ents in the S eattle Tim es, 4WD is that it lets the guy in the 4x4 get The View that commuter rail on the Woodinville his truck stuck farther out in the woods Sub is a viable alternative. If not for the than the guy with 2WD. Down the political roadblock placed by the City of Advantage #1 for 4WD – you can get Tracks Renton and the Kennydale Neighborhood going easier than 2WD. ======Association during the I-405 proceedings, Advantage #2 for 4WD – you can de- we could have had hard figures on the celerate with greater control than most with Jim Cusick cost/benefit ratio. 2WD vehicles. How is that? This is important because when you Auto Mechanics 101 lesson, folks. Rails AND Trails compare costs, the rail option truly is the Vehicles with automatic transmissions It’s a beautiful sunny day, follow ing a most economical. From information I (as most are nowadays), can stop at a few weeks of extremely challenging driv- have gathered from various professionals light without disconnecting the (running) ing. E ven though it’s not snow ing there and the PSR C BN SF CAC ’s docum- entaengine from the (stopped) driving wheels are still problems with icy roads. As I tion, I am going to go out on a limb and without the use of clutch (you remember compose this issue’s article, sitting in m y “pad the estim ate” for rehabilitating the how that w orks, don’t you?). This is ac- Imperium Condescender in Bellevue, I Eastside line to function as a single track, complished by the wonderful device have a nice view of the Wilburton trestle. start-up com m uter service. I can say it’s known as a torque converter (essentially, Now, granted, I had almost no prob- safe to assume about $100 mill. Remem- a sophisticated fluid coupling). While this lems commuting (other than a slower ber, it will cost the same for the right-of- allows you to have the vehicle stopped than usual one), so all the anxiety shown way whether it is turned into a bike trail or with the engine still able to run, it means on the local new s didn’t apply to that there will always be a little bit of me. However, for Eastside … w h en yo u co m p are co sts, the rail push against the driving wheels. commuters, one option that most option truly is the most economical. This really comes into play when definitely would have provided relief there is no traction due to slippery is being taken away if the Puget not, and since only the cost of rail seems conditions. With the engine pushing Sound Regional C ouncil’s B N S F to be the issue, w e’ll concentrate on that. against the rear wheels on a rear-wheel Woodinville Subdivision Corridor Let’s put that figure into context. O ne drive (RWD) vehicle and no outside force Advisory Committee recommendations hundred million dollars divided by 47 on the front wheels, in slippery conditions are adopted by the King County Council. miles, equals a little over $2 mill. per the front wheels will lock up before the Now that I live next to available rail mile. That is one-half of the cost of add- rear wheels. The Anti-lock Braking service, I could just say: “w ho gives a ing one arterial lane, according to the System (ABS) was invented to keep this rat’s fanny?” O ut of the goodness of m y amounts we looked at in the I-405 Pro- from happening. Front Wheel Drive heart, though, I will still stay involved with gram. The capacity of the rail line, even (FWD) at least puts the steering and the this issue, since I feel it’s im portant to as a single-track system, would then be driving wheels on the same end of the one fourth the cost of adding the required car, so this is not as big an issue. two lanes on a theoretical highway (such However, accelerating can be a problem as SR 9) through the same corridor. because of another fancy device called The viability of this line is not in ques- the differential. tion, and this is not just the opinion of Winter Driving Tip #1: If you have a som e w ishful thinking “railfa ns” as K ing RWD vehicle, all is not lost. To get equal C ounty Executive’s assistantMr. Kaushik braking control, gently shift the transmis- dismissed All Aboard Washington mem- sion to neutral when you plan to come to bers as on D avid G oldstein’s show on a stop. It really makes it easier. KIRO 710. There are numerous profes- Winter Driving Tip #2: Drive like you sionals that are in agreement with our have no brakes. Driving with this in mind The Eastside line runs just east of I- position. Maybe the decision-makers in means you will do one important thing, 405 at the north end of the Wilburton the region not only need to listen to their that we all wish our decision makers Trestle. The northbound lanes pass constituents, but to more of the people in would do, and that is to plan ahead, way over the line, but the immediate issue the trenches. ahead. If the road looks icy, and condi- is with the southbound lanes. They Enough said for the Woodinville Sub, tions appear to favor that, then don’t pass under the line in the Wilburton since there will be even more public dis- drive beyond your capabilities. This ap- Tunnel (upper right of photo). The course on this in the coming months. plies to whatever vehicle you drive, 4WD, Dept. of Transportation wants to save 2WD, FWD, RWD, whatever! By the $25 mill. on the multi-billion dollar I-405 Driving in the Snow way, driving this way is also a great expansion project by not replacing the For all of you who struggled in the method for increasing you gas mileage. tunnel. snow, your favorite prognosticator in his Photo by Jim Hamre superior four-wheel drive vehicle and su- Joni Earl puts pressure on save the involved decision-makers from perior winter driving skills, will now share other ST staff becom ing a horse’s fanny. his driving tips with you. It’s im portant for a C E O of an organi- Plainly put, if you tear up any of the Snow and ice are slippery! zation to set an example for her people, tracks on the Woodinville Sub, you will Next revelation: four-wheel drive and all rumors aside that Joni Earl is a succeed in truly making the Puget Sound (4WD) gives you more control than two- (See Cusick, page 5) Region the laughingstock of transporta- wheel drive (2WD) when accelerating tion planning. and braking in slippery conditions. Yes, I Regular readers of this column know know this runs against the grain of the that the preliminary numbers investigated popular media advice, but listen up. during the I-405 Corridor Program One of the well know axioms of the showed, in direct contrast to King Cush- off-road crowd is that the advantage of page 4 UK Rail Lessons for the COMFORT . SPEED . FREQUENCY dependent of government and industry, Everything about traveling British trains which owns the tracks and also principal Northwest (Part 1) (except perhaps the seats themselves) was stations that are shared by more than one by Loren Herrigstad more comfortable and convenient than TOC. I must tell you at the start that part of most of w hat I’ve experienced on Am erican There has been, and continues to be, a m e now w ishes I hadn’t gone to G reat rail travel. Most stations had platform cano- lot of controversy about the now 10-year Britain last April – because I came back no pies that kept passengers dry, not to men- old privatization of British Rail. On the plus longer able to think that the progress we tion offering handy cafes and convenience side, UK nationwide rail ridership is up 40% have been making here in rail has been stores right next to the platforms. I could in the 10 years of privatization, which is adequate. There, in a nation roughly the also access a train car through any door thebest growth rate in Europe, even better size of Washington State, I witnessed and without waiting for staff to open it, which than Germany and France. UK rail travel traveled a system of trains and transit that makes for faster train boarding and much volumes are now basically the highest we in this region could justifiably have, but shorter stops. they’ve been since W orld W ar II. And after don’t. W hat is truly am azing how ever, is Speed was a real surprise in the UK – being declining then flat for decades, UK how rail in Britain has thrived despite being trains were often not all that fast, other than Government Rail Investment rose 280% in caught between micro-managing on the 100 mph plus express main lines. the first six years of privatization to US$9 government bureaucracy, conglomerates bill. a year in 2003-04. Additionally, through that naturally can’t afford to lose m oney, private investment (backed by government- and a now nonprofit rail infrastructure set and subsidized train leasing rates), the “trust” that is neither public nor private and average train fleet age is now down to just hasn’t been able to significantly expand the 13 years old. network for years! The down side though is that UK Gov- In Britain, I found trains that run as fre- ernment subsidies, called Operating quently, and in as many directions, as tran- Grants, are also up 243% in 6 years to sit buses do here; rail stations that were US$6 bill. a year – they used to be $1.8 bill. busier than airports; and a society far more under British Rail. This is so simply be- energy and resource efficient than ours, Virgin Voyager DMU train at Bourne- cause, unlike a public sector British Rail or worrying far more about global warming A m trak, private com panies can’t lose mouth, England. Photo by Loren Herrigstad than w e do, yet concerned they w eren’tdo - money and remain in the rail business. ing nearly enough to combat it. Yes there Most commuter and rural trains cruised Their investors have to see an adequate, were flaws – train seats smaller than ours comfortably along at speeds of between even attractive, profit. As the UK Strategic that didn’t recline, overcrow ded trains at just 40 and 70 mph. I discovered that Rail Authority noted in justifying its operat- rush hours and weekends, and some draw- speed, and thus track investm ent, doesn’t ing grants, “G rant levels w ere set to allow backs with fares and ticket restrictions that always need to be all that great to be the newly-formed rail companies commer- international rail pass users like myself satisfying and get people riding trains. cial rates of return.” didn’t have to w orry about. But for the m ost Frequency was to me the biggest plus For the passenger, rail fares have risen part, British trains soon became a dream in using trains in the UK. I rarely had to wait moderately, while air fares have gone ride that I didn’t w ant to w ake up from , or more than an hour anywhere in Britain to down. While ticketing was once a relative leave. catch a train to most anywhere else I breeze and one of the best aspects of train Rails of a common ancestry, wanted to go in the nation! At great termini riding under British Rail, tickets now, especially discount rail tickets, can be with some resemblance like London Paddington or Waterloo, I sometimes had trouble deciding which train riddled with as many limitations, Railways in the UK and USA both were I wanted to take – there were so many des- restrictions, and “gotchas” as airline tickets grown by energetic entrepreneurs and tination choices, all leaving over the next – w hich som ew hat defeats rail’s “show up eventually consolidated into a few large rail half hour or so. It was like being at an air- and go” attractiveness on m ore expensive conglomerates. Differences started to de- port with an unlimited pass allowing me to express and long distance routes. velop after World War II though, when a catch any flight to any destination I wanted. Opponents of rail privatization argue war-ravaged British rail industry could no With the best, most attractive train sched- that British Rail in the 1990s was already longer operate on its own. So while the UK ules, you don’t have to think or rem em ber on course to achieve the positive Government nationalized British Rail in when a train goes. Trains on many UK lines performance of rail cited above anyway – 1947, America let passenger rail continue traveled every hour, sometimes every half- noting that two BR business sectors, in private hands until 1971 when Amtrak hour or even 15 minutes apart. Just show InterCity and RailFreight, were profitable was created, and even then, Amtrak had to up and go! I came away thinking that fre- before privatization, with Network mostly operate as a guest or tenant of quency may just be the most important SouthEast near break-even, and only the freight railroads, while British Rail passen- element in creating World Class Rail. rural Provincial and ScotRail sectors ger trains ruled the tracks they ran on. showing significant losses. Actually, Am trak’s N ortheast C orridor T h e UK ’s Rail-Industrial Complex However, British Rail, as a government looks and acts a lot like British railways do The contemporary UK rail scene has agency, never could lobby very well for sig- and perhaps demonstrates a possible need been dominated by four main players since nificant investments or subsidies to grow for public ownership of or significant part- privatization in 1996. The UK Government services. As a result, BR accrued a lot of nership in rail infrastructures if World Class provides regulation, public funding, and deferred infrastructure maintenance and Passenger Rail is to flourish. After all, oversight, mainly through its Office of Rail aging rolling stock due to government un- would passenger air travel be flourishing if Regulation (ORR). The Train Operating derfunding. When the Conservative John air cargo companies owned the airports? Companies (TOCs) run passenger trains Major government privatized the BR sys- Myths vs realities of successful rail under franchise agreements with the Gov- tem, private sector participants demanded ernment, but typically do not own the UK railways blew away a lot of myths that the government adequately fund infra- equipment they use. Rolling Stock Leasing and preconceptions for me. In a poster pro- (See UK, page 5) Companies (ROSCOs) fulfill the role of duced in the 1940s, the U K ’s Southern owning and leasing trains that the TOCs Railway perhaps best distilled the essen- couldn’t justify ow ning, given the short life tials of successful passenger rail service by (7-10 years) of many franchises. Finally, promoting just three things: there’s N etw ork R ail, a nonprofit entity, in - page 5 Joni takes Sounder because it’s on -time needed to make it succeed. Eastside Line, from page 1 performance is almost 100%. During the local, beginning with Governor Christine two snow incidents this winter, except for 2 Gregoire. Numbers count and legislative trains delayed by just a few minutes, all the UK, from page 4 contacts matter – Big Time. Please be other trains operated on-time. structure and support train fleet renewals, sure to do your part. [Messages for all ON-TIME! This when everyone else otherwise companies simply would not run legislators and the governor can be left via was immobilized. the network as the government hoped. So the Legislative Hotline: 800 562-6000.] Winter Driving Tip #3: Take the Train! the TOCs, ROSCOs and the banks that fi- Sounder is proving that what rail has to nanced them effectively came to constitute Al Runte is a founding member of the a Rail Industrial Complex, much like our Washington Assoc. of Rail Passengers (now All offer is its consistency. In the words of S usan Pow ter, it’s tim e to “S top the Insan - American Military Industrial Complex that Aboard Washington), former environmental President Eisenhower warned us about in history professor at the University of ity!” It’s tim e to plan ahead. It’s tim e to his farewell address. And just like our Mili- Washington, national park ranger, author of avoid that impending wreck on the roads. several books about railroads and their ties to It’s tim e for decision -makers to listen to tary Industrial Complex, the British Rail In- the environment and the national parks, and a their constituents. dustrial Complex was able to lobby the UK candidate for mayor of Seattle in 2005. Al is All It’s tim e now for a w orking rail system to Government to spend far higher amounts Aboard Washington’s point man in our effort to be expanded even further, and this on rail than British Rail ever had been able preserve the Eastside corridor as a rail line. includes the Woodinville Sub. to previously – to the point where the British Government now spends some five times more annually on rail investments Flem, from page 2 and operating subsidies than it did on BR! now it's Amtrak or nothing, and Amtrak, Privatization was once heralded to bring even if a tough grader would grant it only a private entrepreneurial initiative to passen- "C," gives Americans a taste of the safe, ger rail. That has largely been squeezed environmentally and socially-sound rail out by the ORR setting tight train operating transportation that virtually all other ad- franchise specifications that lay out how vanced capitalist democracies enjoy and many train services are to be run. TOCs our citizens deserve. And many of Amtrak's can run more trains than called for in their struggles are a result of decades of insuffi- franchise contracts, but they face some- One argument against using the East- cient and uncertain funding. What S. 294 times severe track and station capacity lim- side Line for commuter rail is that it attempts is to take the first little steps in its and have to secure contract variances doesn’t serve population centers. th having the Federal Government start to from the ORR, which could result in a rene- Above, the tracks cross NE 8 St. just show the rail mode the respect and support gotiation of their whole franchise a quarter mile from the edge of shown to road, air and inland waterway agreement and financing! downtown Bellevue, one of the top transportation modes for at least the past employment centers in the state. Photo 80 years. Gil Carmichael, the chairman of Even simple trains do a lot by Jim Hamre the Amtrak Reform Council of a few years While tourist steam and other trains are back, wanted major changes and reforms a minor side attraction in most Northwest Cusick, from page 3 in the provision of intercity passenger train communities, in the UK they are key back- workaholic, Joni made it to work during the service. Amtrak's critics repeat Amtrak's bones of local tourism economies. snow and ice that crippled everyone else. faults and the ARC's recommended Although a neglected part of the national H ow did she do it? D oes Joni have a set… changes, only some of which have or are network, the 8.5-mile Island Line on the Isle … of really good studded snow tires on likely to be realized in the near future. But of W ight off England’s southern coast (their her Imperium Condescender? Mr. Carmichael also proffered the need for equivalent of our Bainbridge Island), using D oes she have nerve… a vast increase in Federal investment in rail run-down vintage 1938 stock from … s of steel? in our country. Amtrak bashers tend to for- London’s U nderground subways, handles No! What Joni did was use the steel al- get about "the other half" – the investment over 900,000 passenger journeys a year. ready available. Wheels of steel. Steel half. Carmichael believes that as we built T hat’s 105,000 m ore nnuallya than wheels on steel rail. the pavement Interstate a half century ago Tacom a’s 1.6-mile Link light rail and way Joni took Sounder. Will wonders never we now, for the long-term benefit of our more than the now ex-Seattle Waterfront cease? W hy that’s alm ost as if D avid G unn country, need Interstate Two, the Steel In- S treetcar’s approxi- took the NYC Subway when he headed up terstate. I see S. 294 as a nod in that direc- (See UK, 6) the NYC MTA. Come to think of it, David tion and shall urge our Congressional dele- Gunn did take the NYC Subway when he gation to support this bill and the funding headed up the NYC MTA! All Aboard Washington Officers Important Addresses and Phone Numbers Chuck Mott, Mukilteo..Chairman ...... 425 710-9665 ... [email protected] U. S. House of Representatives: Tony Trifiletti, Shoreline..President...... 206 440-9451 ... [email protected] Washington, DC 20515 Jim Hamre, Puyallup..Vice President ...... 253 848-2473 ... [email protected] U. S. Senate: Washington, DC 20510 Rocky Shay, Federal Way..Secretary ...... 253 925-2085 ... [email protected] Capitol Switchboard (all members): 202 224-3121 John Carlin, Edmonds..Treasurer ...... 425 778-4529 ... [email protected] Lloyd Flem, Olympia.. State Legislature: State Capitol, Olympia 98504 Goverment Affairs Director...... 360 943-8333 ... [email protected] Hotline for leaving messages: 800 562-6000 Office FAX ...... 360 943-0136 Amtrak Reservations/Information: 800 872-7245 Address ...... 3704 22nd Ave SE, Olympia 98501 All Aboard Washington: Jim Hamre, Puyallup..Newsletter Editor .....253 848-2473 ... [email protected] AllAboardWashington.org Warren Yee, Seattle..E-newsletter ...... 206 723-0259 ... [email protected] NARP: www.narprail.org NARP Hotline: www.narprail.org/cms/index.php/hotline/ All are evening numbers, except Lloyd's, which is available 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily. Amtrak: www.amtrak.com Amtrak Cascades: www.amtrakcascades.com Sound Transit: www.soundtransit.org

page 6 gers called this service level “discouraging UK, from page 5 tow ards passengers” and these ten trains All Aboard News mately 200,000 annual ridership! And while were carrying a total of only 500 passen- March 17: Joint meeting with NARP w e’re thankful in W ashington State to have gers a day on average. A Community Rail 7 active tourist rail operations, similar-sized Region 8, AORTA and MTarp in Partnership between local governments Britain has 108 operating heritage railways Tacoma. Registration flyer enclosed in and commercial train operators was that handle 12 mill. passenger journeys newsletter, or contact Lloyd Flem or formed, which improved the line and and 1.7 bill. passenger miles annually! Jim Hamre (contact info on page 5). purchased new Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) Important attractors and movers of both trains. By 2002 trains were running every April 14: Board of directors meeting. tourists and locals, heritage railways are 20 min (over 40 per day) on the line, an even starting to offer commuter runs, often May 12: meeting in Seattle; details in 800% increase in train service, which using antique Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs). the April newsletter. attracted over 15,000 passengers a day. As A real British railway breakthrough a result, ridership increased over 2,900% in All Aboard Washington welcomed the fol- though can be found in Community Rail just 3 years! lowing new members in December and Partnerships, which have revolutionized January: Renee Such, Redmond; Thomas small secondary and rural lines across the (In part 2 (next new sletter), w e’ll explore how Donegan, Issaquah; Wen-tau Yih, Red- UK. CRPs take a variety of forms, from what has happened in the UK can be applied to passenger rail service in the Northwest.) mond; Walter Appel, Lynnwood; Thomas grass roots organizations to formal partner-

Winter, Renton; William Moore, Redmond; ships, or development companies or au-

Lawrence Reymann, Renton; Richard & thorities. CRPs work with train operators, Ann Parsell, Mercer Island; Ronald Rosie, local and national governments, business 2006 WashARP financial report Mercer Island; Susan Godfrey, Woodinville; and tourism interests to support trains, ini- Income Renewals $13,761.84 Terrance Chriest, Bothell; Richard Theiss, tially through marketing promotions and Sammamish; Marie Lewis, Olympia; Dean New members 802.00 later through investments in stations, trains Appeal and donations 14,816.96 Morgan, Lacey; Chuck Ayers, Seattle; or track. There are over 60 CRPs across Memorials and grants 1,055.00 James Ashlock, Snohomish; Ralph Feder- UK and these are coordinated by ACORP, Meeting registrations/fees 1,325.00 spiel, Kirkland; Peter & Nancy Pitarys, the Association of Community Rail Partner- Miscellaneous 865.48 Bellevue; James Roodhouse, Bellevue; ships. ACORP profiles itself as mainly a Merchandise/Auction 1,709.11 Susan Wallingford, Everett; Dr. Lee Ben- group of “doers” – operating much like The Interest/dividends 284.54 nett, Jr., Snohomish; Linda Waugh, Sno- Nature Conservancy does in fostering tan- Total $34,619.93 homish; Gregory Wang, Renton; Kathleen gible projects to protect the environment. Expenses & Martin Keeney, Bellevue; Linda Christen- ACORP focuses on arranging and support- Executive director $24,827.70 sen, Kirkland; J. O'Farrell, Bellevue; Kim- ing partnerships, leaving most advocacy of Eastside Line Special Project 8,974.92 berly Bowen, Seattle. Newsletter 2,894.86 rail policy to organizations like Transport Miscellaneous postage 2,693.44 All Aboard Washington members contribut- 2000 UK and the Railway Development So- Website redevelopment 1,502.44 ing to this newsletter include: Al Runte, ciety. And while ACORP does have mem- Membership promotion 4,828.76 Loren Herrigstad, John Carlin, Warren Yee, berships, most of their funding is through Meeting expenses 2,289.27 Craig Thorpe, Tony Trifiletti, Steve Spear, grants from foundations and governments. Supplies 500.12 Lloyd Flem and Jim Cusick. To show what a Community Rail Part- Miscellaneous expenses 1,060.31 nership can accomplish, ACORP points to Total 49,571.82 The first Central a well-documented example in Germany, All Aboard Washington thanks all who Link light rail car the Kaarst-Mettmann Regiobahn near responded to our funding raising letter, no matter was rolled out in Dusseldorf. In 1999 the line had “just” five the size of the donation. As you can see, our a Dec. 18, 2006 round trips a day – which coincidentally is work to save the Eastside line is taking a lot of ceremony. what our Northwest Corridor has when you resources. While much of the funding for this Photo by include the Coast Starlight. Local rail effort comes from our Tom Martin fund for Warren Yee special projects, any additional contributions for mana- this project are welcomed and appreciated.

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