Hotline #738
September 11, 1992
Conferees have been named for the DOT appropriations bill. Basically, for both houses, they are the transportation subcommittee members, plus the chairman and ranking member of the full appropriations committees. Therefore, House conferees are Whitten, McDade, Lehman (Fla.), Carr, Durbin, Sabo, Price, Coleman (Tex.), Coughlin, Wolf, and DeLay. In the Senate, they are Byrd, Hatfield, Lautenberg, Harkin, Sasser, Mikulski, D'Amato, Kasten, and Domenici. No word yet on when they will meet, but it could be soon. If you are represented by any of these conferees, it is very important to ask them to work for the Senate figures on Amtrak capital and the Northeast Corridor.
Congressional staff discussions are still under way on the Amtrak reauthorization bill.
The Federal Railroad Administration received 15 applications for ISTEA funding for grade-crossing improvements on potential high-speed corridors before an August 31 deadline. The Secretary must select up to five routes and is expected to do so next month. The contenders are Boston-Springfield, New York-Albany-Niagara Falls, Philadelphia-Harrisburg, Washington-Richmond (submitted by Virginia), Washington-Jacksonville (submitted by South Carolina), Raleigh-Charlotte, Atlanta-Gainesville, Ga., Miami-Orlando-Tampa, Chicago-Detroit, Chicago-St. Louis, Chicago-Milwaukee, Fort Worth-Dallas Airport, San Antonio-Laredo-Monterrey (the only non-Amtrak route), San Diego-Los Angeles-Bakersfield-Oakland/Sacramento, and Vancouver-Seattle-Portland-Eugene. NARP urged designation of the three Chicago-based routes as a single route.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, Quentin Burdick (D.-N.Dak.), died September 8 at the age of 84. The chairman of the transportation subcommittee, Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D.-N.Y.), who was also the principal author of last year's ISTEA legislation, is next in line for the important post.
Lone Star Industries has settled lawsuits brought against it by Amtrak, Metro North, and CSX for $45 million. Amtrak's share was $5 million, cash. Two suits are still oustanding, with Maryland Mass Transit Administration and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority. All parties charged that Lone Star supplied faulty concrete cross ties, which cracked prematurely and had to be replaced at great expense.
Iowa DOT this week announced plans to ask the legislature early next year for start-up funds for a Chicago-Omaha 403(b) train on the North Western route. The legislature authorized such service this year, but refused to fund it.
Transport 2000 reports that abandonment of the Canadian National line through Levis, Que., used by VIA Rail Maritime trains, is on hold. Quebec province has denied CN's request for access roads to a new station site on another line, putting CN's plans into delay.
Utah voters will decide in November on a quarter-cent sales tax increase to go toward a light rail line for Salt Lake City. Planning for the line is already well along.
Amtrak's will be the largest exhibit in the TRAINS, PLANE AND AUTOMOBILES display at St. Louis Union Station, September 19-20. Planes and autos will be antiques, Amtrak will have Superliners.