SMART Union
A new survey reaffirms support for expanding passenger rail service in Iowa.
More than half the participants — 56 percent — in a survey conducted by the SMART Transportation Division said passenger rail service in Iowa should increase. Another 77 percent said Amtrak should add service from Des Moines to Chicago, a concept that once had steam but has stagnated for several years due to lack of funding.
Read more from The Gazette.
A congressional conference committee yesterday completed work on a five-year surface transportation bill that would strengthen tank-car safety standards, increase funding for transit and create a rail title that authorizes funding for Amtrak and intercity passenger-rail grants.
The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act (H.R. 22) would fully fund a five-year $281 billion authorization for public transportation and highway programs.
Read more from Progressive Railroading.
WASHINGTON – Amtrak ridership and ticket revenue remained steady in its Fiscal Year ended Sept. 30, 2015, reflecting continued demand for passenger rail; however, significant and predictable investment is needed to ensure that intercity passenger rail will continue to deliver nationwide benefits including providing safe and reliable mobility and advancing America’s economy.
For Fiscal Year 2015, unaudited ticket revenues reached $2.185 billion, 0.1 percent below the prior year and ridership was more than 30.8 million, also 0.1 percent below the previous year, primarily due to service disruptions on the Northeast Corridor, significant weather events and lower gas prices.
Unaudited total revenue for the company was approximately $3.2 billion for Fiscal Year 2015, 1 percent below the previous year. Operating cost recovery remained strong; Amtrak covered 91.1 percent of operating costs with ticket sales and other revenues.
In addition, Amtrak’s unaudited adjusted operating loss was at $306.5 million which was higher than the previous year.
“We continue to make smart investments and advancements to critical infrastructure and significant improvements to the passenger experience so that the company can continue providing mobility to more passengers and make the best use of our limited resources,” said Amtrak Chairman of the Board Tony Coscia. “This year’s financial results show the resiliency of a company that faced a range of challenges and underscored the loyalty of our customers even during a period of low gas prices. Amtrak’s Board and management remain committed to moving the company forward and providing vital transportation for the country’s future.”
“This past year we continued to take America to where it needs to go, providing transportation to more than 30.8 million customers, which reflects continued strong demand and the value of our services,” said Amtrak President & CEO Joe Boardman. “We have now carried more than 30 million passengers for five straight years, which is a testament to the value we bring to intercity travelers. However, critical investment is needed to ensure future growth of intercity passenger rail.”
With ridership of 11.7 million, the Northeast Corridor (NEC) had its highest ridership year ever in Fiscal Year 2015, up 0.5 percent from the prior year, led by Northeast Regional service that saw a 1.5 percent increase and set a new ridership record with more than 8.2 million trips.
To ensure continued reliable transportation on the Northeast Corridor, Amtrak, in partnership with New York, New Jersey and the Port Authority is looking forward to forming the Gateway Development Corporation to start work on the critical Gateway Program.
In addition, Amtrak formed the Blue Ribbon Panel to address the Chicago rail gridlock that is causing major delays for passengers and for freight shipments.
Note: This is the second piece in a series that explores the connection between a robust transportation system and a stronger middle class. Read the first piece which sets the tone for a much needed national conversation.
Around the globe, the race is on to bring the world’s fastest trains — which top speeds nearing 400 miles per hour — to commuters, travelers and business professionals alike. China is devoting billions with hopes for leading the world in rail innovation. Japan is continually making improvements to its 50-year-old system. Countries throughout Europe are expanding upon thousands of miles of high-speed rail track, which run from the south of Spain to Berlin, Oslo and Edinburgh. Meanwhile, the U.S., once known for its transportation innovations, is struggling to catch up.
Instead of embracing the future of modern transportation, some elected officials in the U.S. fail to see the value of passenger rail as part of an integrated network. Many of those same officials are also more than willing to starve the rest of our badly aging transportation system. Our national passenger rail system is continually threatened with bankruptcy budgets by politicians who ignore their constituents and oppose federal support for Amtrak.
Read more in The Huffington Post.
There’s no place like home for the holidays, so Amtrak is offering 10 extra trains for Thanksgiving on the Chicago-Michigan corridor.
The rail service will add an extra train in each direction Wednesday, Nov. 25, Saturday, Nov. 28, and Sunday, Nov. 29 on the Chicago-Ann Arbor “Wolverine Line” to help people reach their Turkey Day destinations and return home.
Click here for Amtrak’s holiday schedule.
Read more from MLive media group.
The project to develop a long-overdue new rail tunnel from New Jersey under the Hudson River to New York City took a major step forward on November 11 with the creation of a corporation within the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to oversee the scheme.
The Gateway Development Corporation (GDC) will coordinate the project and will be controlled by a four-member board with representation from the states of New York, New Jersey, Amtrak and the Federal Department of Transportation. As part of the agreement to found GDC, the federal government and Amtrak have committed to funding half of the estimated $US 20bn project, with the two states funding the other half.
Read more from International Railway Journal.
Robert “Bobby” Bonds, 61, long-time Amtrak Operation RedBlock director and a 39-year Amtrak employee, died Oct. 29, 2015.
Bonds had committed his life to Operation RedBlock, a labor-developed, management-adopted drug-and alcohol-prevention/intervention program begun more than 30 years ago to provide assistance to thousands of union brothers and sisters on various railroads.
A featured speaker at the SMART 2015 Business Agents’ Conference, Bonds believed in the concept of peer involvement to prevent employee use of alcohol and drugs while on duty or subject to call. Nationally recognized as a leader in crisis intervention, he trained more than 25,000 lay-professionals, volunteers and mental health professionals in the U.S. and Europe to deal with workplace and family crisis interventions.
Bonds was a trustworthy friend to many, known for his strong leadership, his ability to bring people together, and his positive outlook on life. Those who knew him best describe him as a man of character, a model of competency, determination and integrity.
Bonds is survived by his wife, Ronna; four children, his mother and brother.
Services were held Nov. 1, 2015, in Philadelphia, Pa. Contributions in his memory can be made to the Main Line Health Home Care and Hospice Foundation, 240 Radnor-Chester Rd., Radnor, PA 19087, or the Lung Cancer Alliance, 1700 K St. NW, Ste. 660, Washington, DC 10006.
Operation RedBlock provides education, counseling, references for treatment, and a mechanism for employees to mark off without reprisal if impaired when called for work. The program aims to change attitudes, reduce the tolerance of nonusers to job-related drug and alcohol use, and encourage users to seek assistance.
Click here to view Bonds’ obituary or to leave condolences.
California has more museums dedicated to railroads than any other state in our country – and it’s easy to see why. From the transcontinental railroad to the developing high-speed rail system, rail transportation has played a significant role in shaping this state’s history.
The people of California believe passenger rail is key to the state’s future, too. At a public hearing in Modesto last summer, plans to improve and expand passenger rail service received overwhelming support from area residents, Republicans and Democrats alike. And a new poll prepared by Dean Mitchell of DFM Research found those same sentiments are shared by the people of California’s 10th Congressional District.
Those living in the district enjoy six daily Amtrak train routes in the San Joaquin Valley, running from Bakersfield to Sacramento and the Bay Area. More than 8 of 10 polled say they want to see Amtrak service increased or at least remain the same, and more than 80 percent want commuter rail services increased or maintained at current levels.
Modesto-area residents aren’t alone. As Amtrak continues to grow in popularity – ridership hit an all-time high in 2014 with 31 million passengers – an overwhelming majority of Americans support increasing passenger rail service in all parts of the country, both in traditionally blue and red states from the south to the Midwest and Northeast.
Sadly, not everyone is hearing this call.
Some in Congress continue to fight the old anti-Amtrak wars by proposing the elimination of all federal funding to support the service, which would bankrupt the railroad and strand riders in California and across America. While those efforts have failed, the persistence of anti-passenger rail forces has brought headwinds to efforts to advance a robust passenger rail expansion and modernization plan.
Like the vast majority of Americans, most residents of Stanislaus County and the surrounding areas have shown they don’t agree with such proposals. In fact, when told that Amtrak gets over $1 billion per year in federal support, more than 80 percent say they reject attempts to eliminate it and want to continue the current funding level.
In addition to expanded passenger rail service, Californians also say emphatically that they favor policies making rail transportation safer.
Not unlike the views of most Americans, the idea of running 19,000-ton freight trains – many containing hazardous materials – with only one crew member doesn’t sit well with the people of the 10th Congressional District. With up to 50 freight trains running through the region each day, a stunning 95 percent of residents support a state law requiring a minimum of two crew members on all freight trains running through California – such as the one signed into law in September by Gov. Jerry Brown.
More than 90 percent of those surveyed want national legislation mandating the same thing. This issue impacts passenger rail safety as well, because in most parts of the country Amtrak shares the tracks with freight trains.
Californians understand that having a safe, efficient rail system is vital to a strong economy. We need actions that can bring relief to a clogged transportation system that is choking productivity, stunting job creation and undermining efforts to grow our economy. California voters couldn’t be more clear: they like passenger rail service, they want more of it and they expect their elected officials to make it as safe as possible.
Amtrak has obtained $275 million in insurance protection against natural disaster damage to its Northeast Corridor infrastructure, the railroad announced.
The railroad used a catastrophe bond to secure the coverage, which lasts just under three years and helps protect against the kind of infrastructure damage that Amtrak experienced during Hurricane Sandy in October 2012.
Read more from Progressive Railroading.
A Blue Ribbon Panel, which was chosen last year by Amtrak‘s President and CEO Joe Boardman to identify ways to ease the massive “Chicago Gateway” delays to passenger and freight traffic, has released its findings.
The panel also released a study it commissioned that shows the Chicago congestion problem creates an economic vulnerability of up to $799 billion every year, impacting six key industries, including agriculture and natural resources, automotive, manufacturing, retail and services, and constituting 85 percent of the U.S domestic product.
Boardman said, “The panel interviewed experts with the freight rail industry, Metra commuter rail, the states of Illinois, Indiana and Michigan and others and the verdict was unanimous: the implications of failing to act are dire for the economy of the nation in general and the Chicago area in particular.”
Read more from RAILRESOURCE.