Hotline #712

Chairman Al Swift's Amtrak trust fund bill, H.R.4414, was introduced March 10. He is asking each NARP member to write to their Representatives and ask them to co-sponsor H.R.4414. Already sponsoring are Representatives Ritter, Pease, Richardson, Slattery, Manton, Andrews, Eckart, and Frank.

A House vote on whether to remove the wall between defense and domestic spending has been postponed at least until next week. Right now, there are not enough votes in the House to do it, meaning a House budget resolution could take effect giving Amtrak and transit a funding freeze for 1993. That would be particularly bad for Amtrak, which is already experiencing operating money shortfalls this year.

Because it is unlikely any Boston Montrealer plan could save Amtrak any money this fiscal year, we still encourage your statements of support for the existing Montrealer to Amtrak and to interested legislators.

Service on the Crescent will be replaced with a bus bridge between Birmingham and Meridian through March 17. Norfolk Southern is doing major rail replacement there.

The Conservation Law Foundation lawsuit against Massachusetts over the Central Artery has been put on hold. They seem to have made an agreement similar to the one they made just before Governor Weld took office, with state commitment to many good measures for which funding may not be available -- but not the rail link between North and South Stations. CLF apparently reserves the right to resume the suit if the state does not comply. Cambridge may drop its opposition to the Charles River crossing, though some Boston interests may oppose the new crossing scheme, which still needs Federal Highway Administration approval. All this makes NARP's rail link lawsuit even more important.

The Washington state legislature passed a supplemental measure for $5 million for Amtrak projects in the state and has created a regional transit authority for the Puget Sound area to oversee plans for a rail system there.

There will be a test train operated by Amtrak and Ohio DOT on March 20 between Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati.

Amtrak and the city of Fostoria, O., will dedicate the refurbished B&O station on March 21, which has been served by the Broadway Limited since 1990.

Officials of the Virginia Railway Express commuter train agency say that service to Manassas will begin June 22 and to Fredericksburg July 20.

SEPTA workers in Philadelphia may go on strike at 12:01 am on March 15.

Morrison-Knudsen has begun renovating the former Pullman-Standard plant in South Chicago. MK has a contract to build 173 new commuter coaches and rebuild 140 others for Metra.

Flooding has knocked out the rail line used by the Barre, Vt., Bombardier plant for shipping out finished rail cars. The Montrealerwas unaffected.

Delaware & Hudson has exercised its option to buy the Conrail Southern Tier route between Buffalo and Binghamton, N.Y. The transfer must be approved by the ICC.

British Rail has a new policy of providing travel vouchers to passengers if their train is canceled or late by more than an hour. Delays caused by terrorism are not covered.

The following were elected March 7 to the NARP board from Region 1 -- Andreas Aeppli, Wayne Davis, Henry Ferne, Carl Fowler, Kevin Gregoire, David Jones, and Roy Poulsen. Tomorrow, Region 3 meets at Atlantic City, Region 4 at Baltimore, and Region 11 at Phoenix. On March 21, Region 5 meets at Charlotte and Region 9 at Little Rock. On March 28, Region 7 meets at Milwaukee. NARP Executive Director Ross Capon will speak at Baltimore, NARP Assistant Director Scott Leonard at Atlantic City, and Amtrak Executive Vice President Dennis Sullivan at Charlotte.