Hotline
Your weekly source of fresh takes on news affecting America's passengers. See also the RPA Blog.
Hotline #706
January 31, 1992
The Bush Administration released its proposed 1993 budget on January 29. It was painted as a budget to "protect the environment and enhance the quality of life," but fails in that respect by giving big increases to highways and aviation, and big cuts to rail and transit. Amtrak would get only $343 million, compared to $651 million this year. That's even less than what the Administration proposed for 1992. Amtrak's operating budget would be $269 million, which would have to cover both operating
Hotline #705-A
January 29, 1992
The Administration's proposed fiscal year 1993 budget was released today, containing few surprises. The Administration tried to portray the budget as "protecting the environment and enhancing the quality of life," but fails that goal by giving big increases to highways and aviation and big cuts to rail and transit. Amtrak would get only $343 million, compared to $651 million this year. That's even less than what the Administration proposed for 1992. Amtrak's operating budget would be $269 milli
Hotline #705
January 24, 1992
President Bush named White House deputy chief-of-staff Andrew Card as Secretary of Transportation, on January 22. He has no transportation background at all, but is a very loyal member of the Bush political team. He is also a former Massachusetts state legislator. If confirmed by the Senate, one of Card's tasks this year will be implementation of the new surface transportation act. The Amtrak board met January 22. Among the projects approved were the retirement of the P30 locomotives and the sa
Hotline #704
January 17, 1992
Oral arguments were held in the Supreme Court case involving the Montrealer, NRPC v. Boston & Maine, on January 13. Since the case involves challenge of an ICC decision, the Amtrak/Central Vermont side was argued by the Solicitor General's office of the Department of Justice. In the question session, Justice Scalia seemed most upset about the 1988 transfer of the Connecticut River line from the B&M to Amtrak, then to the Central Vermont, though Scalia may simply have been playing devil
Hotline #703
January 10, 1992
There are indications that even as President Bush was signing the landmark surface transportation act on December 18, the Office of Budget and Management was making deep cuts to the transit program for fiscal 1993. We won't know for sure until the budget is released early next month, but deep cuts would be very ironic, because Bush had praised the act as a means to put people to work. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments on the Montrealer case between Amtrak and Guilford on Ja
Hotline #702
January 3, 1992
A final reminder to those who wish to run for the NARP board of directors. Your 75-words-or-less candidate statement must be postmarked no later than January 4 and sent to our office or faxed to us by January 6. America's eight Class I railroads have filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting Guilford in the Montrealer Supreme Court case. They are afraid that if Amtrak wins this case, Amtrak could condemn other rail lines not maintained to acceptable standards. With ICC approval, Amtrak bough
Hotline #701
December 27, 1991
It's NARP board election time again. To become one of 70 NARP regional directors, have your candidate's statement, not exceeding 75 words, postmarked by January 4 and mailed to our office. Or fax it by January 6. Miraculously, after a six-alarm fire the evening of December 23 at Philadelphia 30th Street Station, Amtrak and SEPTA ran almost normally on December 24, but SEPTA commuter trains could not stop there until yesterday morning. Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Roger Ulshafer said, "You can
Hotline #700-A
December 24, 1991
Thousands of travelers were delayed last night after a fire at Philadelphia 30th Street Station halted all Amtrak and commuter trains there for several hours. This morning, trains were running normally except that commuter trains ran through non-stop because their upper-level platforms -- located above where the fire was -- were filled with debris. Also, highway access to the station was limited as a result of the firefighters' efforts. SEPTA hopes that commuter trains will be stopping at 30th S
Hotline #700
December 20, 1991
Amtrak train 87, the southbound Tampa section of the Silver Meteor, derailed at Palatka, Fla., the morning of December 17. The train derailed approaching the station, on a 30-mph curve, but at a speed of 72 mph. Investigators are still examining the evidence. Amtrak said that 39 of the 173 passengers on board were sent to three area hospitals, four of them having serious injuries. Five were still in the hospital today. The locomotive derailed and tipped over; a mail car, baggage car, sleeper, l
Hotline #699-A
December 17, 1991
Amtrak train 87, the southbound Tampa section of the Silver Meteor, derailed this morning at 11:25 am Easter Time at Palatka, Fla. No cause has been determined. Amtrak reports that 39 of the 173 passengers on board were taken to three area hospitals; four of them appeared to have serious injuries. The locomotive derailed and two coaches derailed, but remained upright in a jack-knife position, and the rear two coaches did not derail at all. The locomotive struck an unoccupied house next to the tr