News & Commentary
Grassroots Movement to Improve Passenger Trains Loosens Gridlock on Looming Rail Deadline
October 12, 2015
NARP has been working hard to keep our members updated on the looming rail technology deadline that is threatening rail service across the nation. Now, we’re starting to see movement that indicates NARP members’ efforts are producing results on Capitol Hill, with a bipartisan coalition forming to demand a reasonable deadline extension as part of a comprehensive rail bill. As a result of a law passed in 2008, U.S. railroads face a December 31 deadline to have Positive Train Control (PTC) t
Congress says “keep your expectations low”; NARP says “NO!”
October 1, 2015
Yesterday, Congress passed a short-term extension to keep the government running through December 11. This will allow legislators to turn their attention to other pressing issues—such as the Positive Train Control deadline facing passengers. NARP has reported extensively on the January 1st PTC deadline, which if not addressed threatens to bring commuter trains, Amtrak, and freight trains to a halt across the nation. NARP has discovered that the House plans to move a standalone PTC extension r
AMTRAK HURT BY A FEDERAL BIAS AGAINST RAILROADS
September 28, 2015
A coach attendant on the Silver Meteor assisting passengers at Winter Haven, Fla. Photo by Chuck Gomez for Amtrak, from the Amtrak Corporate Collection. By M.E. Singer Recently, transportation articles have blamed partisan gridlock in Washington as the cause for the continuing stagnation of our inter-city passenger rail. On the contrary, federal funding decisions continue to exemplify one of the few areas of bipartisan agreement: an institutional bias against the railroads, and in particula
NARP Vice Chair Speaks on Smart Transportation in West Virginia
September 22, 2015
J. Charles (Chuck) Riecks, NARP's vice chair for government relations, was one of the presenters at the recent 2015 West Virginia Transportation Planning Conference. The conference was sponsored jointly by the West Virginia Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, and the various Metropolitan Planning Organizations in West Virginia. Riecks' workshop presentation was entitled "Smart Growth and Transportation for West Virginia." It included not only information on th
Passenger FAQ on Navigating Public Transportation During Pope Francis’s Visit
September 18, 2015
The good news: you got tickets to see Pope Francis during his visit first visit to the United States, with stops in Washington, D.C., New York City and Philadelphia. The bad news is that heightened security and huge crowds will make navigating these three cities a bit more challenging. The National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) is here to help with tips that will help you use public transportation—whether you're attending the event, or just live in one of the affected cities and a
Rail Industry Loses a True Champion
September 17, 2015
The death of Thomas Pulsifer, the former president of the Ohio Association of Railroad Passengers (OARP) on Sept. 8 was announced recently by Ken Prendergast, executive director of All Board Ohio. Tom was a man who inspired many people, said Prendergast. He was the longest serving president of OARP, leading the organization from 1976 to 89. The association was founded in 1973 by his friend and work colleague, at Ziebart Advertising, David Marshall of Dayton, who passed away several years ago
Former Massachusetts Governor Dukakis Headlines ARP Transportation Panel
September 16, 2015
Former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis (Photo courtesy of Northeastern University) The Association for Public Transportation-Massachusetts Association of Railroad Passengers (APT-MARP) will host a Transportation and Economic Development Program on September 24, 2015, moderated by former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis. The program will be held at Northeastern University’s Alumni Center from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Click here to register for the Sept. 24 event. The panel features Massa
A New Ally for A Connected America: Your Local Chamber of Commerce
August 20, 2015
Jill Meyer, CEO of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber NARP has been championing the cause of “A Connected America,” where all transportation modes—road, air, water and rail—work together in balance doing what each mode does best to move people, goods and ideas seamlessly together across our states and regions as part of a 21st century transportation system. If we as a country are to build this multimodal transportation system, we will need both public and private money. We will also n
Twin Cities Serve As a Model for “A Connected America”
August 12, 2015
A Metro Transit Blue Line Train. Photo courtesy of John Watne via Flickr. Last week I attended a journalism convention in Minneapolis. Whenever I travel, I always like to take advantage of public transportation options to get from the airport to downtown, and the region’s Metro Transit system has that. I did my research and discovered that the Twin Cities has a very robust public transportation system that includes an integrated network of buses, light rail and commuter trains, along with
An Unlikely Amtrak Champion
August 7, 2015
If you’ve been tracking Amtrak’s fortunes in Washington, D.C. for any amount of time, you were probably surprised at the speed with which the new passenger rail bill passed through the Senate this summer. After years of talking around the issue, the bill appeared to be a non-starter as late as this spring, not even meriting a draft. Many in the rail community were even viewing this as something of a blessing, given a lackluster proposal that passed out of the House in March which only serv