, .~1 N~m~ Issue 129 February 1998 Amtrakprez Major expansion of Amtrak? I answers MARP Increases may affect complaints on the region scheduling More Amtrak train and bus service is due to arrive in Indiana, Michigan, and About a week before his surprise Ohio, perhaps as early as this year. This Dec. 10 resignation, Amtrak Presi­ expansion is being sought to handle dent Tom Downs replied to sharp increases in passenger travel, as MARP' s complaint against the well as enormous growth in mail and company's Oct. 26 schedule package express shipments. changes to its Michigan services. Residents, tourists, city officials, and The following is from identical let­ business leaders in these states ought ters written Dec. 2 to MARP to welcome the new transportation ser­ Chairman James Riley and Execu­ vices with open arms. For too long, tive Director John DeLora. travelers have had to deal with the frus­ "As you know, Amtrak is facing trations of road construction, bad a severe fmancial crisis that requires weather and the increasing complexi­ difficult, but necessary business ties of airports. This surely has held Ken Prendergast photo decisions affecting both system and back economic growth in Indiana, STOPPING FOR PASSENGERS, NOT FOR SNOW. A strong rail passenger state supf>orted trains such as Am­ Michigan, and Ohio. market exist in this region, as evidenced by the popularity of recent, special trains. trak Intercitv's International and ,--·="'-·~·--,~·· "·~--"'-~---~"-'~-~- -----------'~-"-·--~- --~-- -~--·--"·-·-----~ . __ ,_ .... - ___ ___..._,__ . -·----- ------- - Most of the new services tieing ··"-- -····· ---·--· --- --· Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. Until then, speczal aemur<»H• ticipates assuming $100 million in sought would add to existing ~outes. shown above, stopping November 1997 in Painesville OH, must satisfy the market's borrowing during fiscal year 1998. However, one would serve an Impor­ interest. Despite 10 inches of snowfall in a few hours time, this train was able to In addition, the Presidential Emer­ tant travel corridor that has lacked pas­ maintain 79 mph speeds. gency Board overse~ing the dis­ senger rail service for nearly 30 years. nute with the BMWE [Brother- First on the horizon is the Pennsyl- " --... ~~ ... .,rm;.,.,;on to ronte the service over had to deal with the frus­ ---~~"-'.--~>ecr :n:u:cy miU .execu- trations of road construction, bad tive Director John DeLora. weather and the increasing complexi­ "As you know, Amtrak is facing ties of airports. This surely has held a .se:ere fmancial crisis that requires back economic growth in Indiana, dtfftcult, but necessary business Ken Prendergast photo Michigan, and Ohio. STOPPING FOR fASSENGERS, NOT FOR SNOW. A strong rail passenger decisions affecting both system and Most of the new services uvu•0 market exist in this region, as evidenced by the popularity of recent, special trains. state supported trains such as Am­ n.uo"'""'" ·---.-.- • - dOh. Until then, special .,..,..., ···- -··; sought would add to existing routes. aemonsrn~uvn., ····~ Intemqtional and Indiana, Mzchzgan, an zo. b 1997 . Paz·nesville OH must satisfy the markets tr~[l!t~~i_ty's However, one would serve an impor­ · Novem er m ' bl ticipates assuming $100 million in shown above, ,+. ll . fiew hours time, this train was a e to interest. Despitestoppz~g 10 mches of snowJa m a tant travel corridor that has lacked pas­ borrowing during fiscal year 1998. maintain 79 mph speeds. senger rail service for nearly 30 years. In addition, the Presidential Emer­ First on the horizon is the Pennsyl- gency Board overse<?ing the dis­ vanian extension. The Pennsylvanian is an existing ser­ not yet gotten permission to route the service over pute with the BMWE [Brother­ vice between New York City, Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Conrail's Pittsburgh-Chicago tracks. ., hood of Maintenance of Way Em­ Altoona, Pittsburgh, and a dozen smaller cities enroute. Because no agreement exists with Contail, Amtrak of­ ployees] just handed down its rec­ Amtrak is looking at extending the service west to - See "AMTRAK" pagb Five ommendations, which, if enacted, Cleveland, Toledo, South Bend, and Chicago. Mean­ will require additional significant while, it would shorten the other end by making Phila­ NARP Region 6 meeting funding. delphia the train's eastern terminus. "The Chicago/Detroit corridor is According to Amtrak's business plan, the company one of the poorest performing wanted to extend the Pennsylvanian in May. However, set for March 7 in Detroit routes in the Amtrak system. The delays in implementing its package express program have NARP's Region 6 (IN, Ml, OH) meeting will be schedule changes were necessary forced Amtrak to postpone that desired start-up date. A held at 8:30am, Saturday, March 7 in Detroit. to improve the corridor's financial new start-up goal has not been determined. Amtrak has See article on page four for details. - See "ANSWERS" page Three The Passenger Rail News PRESORTED . 479 Humiston Drive FIRST CLASS What's Inside... Bay Village OH 44140-3017 U.S. POSTAGE 129 PAID ~ "Train of Thought" ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Cleveland OH Permit# 2470 ~ Clinton's Budget to hurt Amtrak ~ Michigan station profile ~ Trancant wants more train service ~ Cincy transit happenings ~ fostoria station opens. Akron next ~ OAKP loses three friends The Passemter Rail News, F. 1998 Train of Thought Copyright © 1998, Ohio Association of Railroad Passengers. All articles not originated by OARP are copyrighted from OARP Executive Director by their respective originators. All rights reserved. Kenneth Prendergast Kenneth Prendergast, Editor Mark Carlson, Production Marilyn Carlson, Distribution omeone said to me a few years ago: "Wouldn't it be great if Amtrak did S not have to wait aroundfor financial support from states before it could expand rail passenger services?" My response was something like: "Yeah, it would be great. So would winning the lottery." Folks, it appears our winning number has come up. The lottery winnings, in this case, are revenues from mail and package express hauled by Amtrak passenger trains. Not only are they helping these trains to vastly improve their financial performance, but they are permitting · Amtrak to consider expanding service, as noted in the lead stories of this newsletter. The Pennsylvanian could be extended to Chicago via Cleveland, Toledo and South Bend in May. The Lake Shore Limited might become two sepa­ rate trains. Even sooner, the Cardinal, between Cincinnati and Chicago, may be carrying package express and a new sleeper service. Most amazing - and welcome - is that the Ohio Rail Development Com­ mission and Amtrak are talking about acquiring a large sum of mail/express cars. This would ~e done in exchange for 3-C Corridor services that are free of operating subsidies from the state. This is not to say that coming up a winner doesn't have its drawbacks. Lottery winners complain that every door-to-door solicitor in the world seems .... to have descended on their front porch. Their mail boxes are suddenly stuffed WANTED . with mail from friends they never knew they had. And, the media and . Photos and Articles .•: telemarketers have somehow gotten hold of their newly unlisted telephone Clippings from newspapers and magazines , numbers. must include the publication's name and date. With trains, not everything is rosy with boxes of mail or soup being car­ Your articles and news briefs should be typed ried behind the same locomotives as college students, business travelers, and double-spaced, though very short items and tourists. Passenger trains lade.n U?ith mail and express shipments are rureaay requiring· sfower schedules, as longer dwell times are added at sta- copy\vith-IDM-compatible text fii~;~~ £5;: tions which contribute large amounts of package shipments. or 3W' disks. Submissions via e-mail to: Some of it can be excused. The rest can be avoided. ' Intemet:72764.2020 @Compuserve.com. At Chicago, for example, arriving trains stop short of Union Station in a We reserve the right to edit all non-published rail yard while crews spend a half-hour uncoupling express cars from the submissions. Original photos should be sharp, train. Never before have I seen this as a standard practice at any train's end- • • -...., ro .• - briQ"ht nrints:-»vnid .,l;d.;,.., «nrl.n~~6 to have descended on the1r tront porcn. 1 neu mau ooxes are suuuemy stuucu ~~ It l:. lJ .. : . l'i l with mail from friends they never knew they had. And, the media and Photos and Articles . ... telemarketers have somehow gotten hold of their newly unlisted telephone Clippings from newspapers and magazines numbers. must include the publication's name and date. · With trains, not everything is rosy with boxes of mail or soup being car­ Your articles and news briefs should be typed ried behind the same locomotives as college students, business travelers, and double-spaced, though very short items and tourists. Passenger trains laden with mail and express shipments are may be legibly written.-Preferably, send hard already requiring sl'ower schedules, as longer dwell times are added at sta­ copy with IBM-compatible text files on 5%" tions which contribute large amounts of package shipment~. or 3'12" disks. Submissions via e-mail to: Some of it can be excused. The rest can be avoided. .·: Intemet:[email protected]. At Chicago, for example, arriving trains stop short of Union Station in a We reserve the right to edit all non-published rail yard while crews spend a half-hour uncoupling express cars from the submissions. Original photos should be sharp, train. Never before have I seen this as a standard practice at any train's end­ bright prints-avoid slides and negatives. point city. It's very frustrating for passengers who are sitting in the shadows Always include your name and phone of Chicago's skyscrapers, yet are still30 minutes from stepping off the train.