nesses, consumers, and rail passengers around the country rely on our freight rail system [given that most of Amtrak’s route miles are on freight rail property] and when the system or its economic or its regulatory framework breaks down, so does our economy.” But re-regulate?: Senator Rockefeller


has made no secret of his desire to “reform” the rail system by bringing back some of the regulation that prevailed prior to the 1980 deregulation law. The West Virginian says the carriers are given too much leeway to do whatever they please. Au contraire, says the industry. The 1980 Staggers Act provided badly needed changes after the many years when government sub- sidized competing transportation modes, tilting the scales against railroads — subsi- dizing unfair competition. Ed Hamberger, President and CEO of the Association of American Railroads (AAR) believes that welcome as the Staggers provisions were, the measure still left some outmoded provi- sions intact. The AAR boss reminds the sen- ators the U.S has “the best freight rail sys- tem in the world” as a result of a “current balanced regulatory framework.” Rockefeller and Thune would — among


other provisions — enable the STB to inves- tigate railroads for unfair practices before shippers file formal complaints. The board would become an independent agency and expand its size from three to five members.


Now About Amtrak (Again)


Members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee have rolled out bipartisan legislation to cover the operation of Amtrak for four years, albeit with mixed reviews from Amtrak supporters. Chief sponsors are leading members of the panel: Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), Committee Chair- man; Rep. Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.), Ranking Member; Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Calif.), Chairman of the railroads subcommittee; and Rep. Corrine Brown (D-Fla.), Ranking Member of the railroads subcommittee. NARP: Thumbs up/Thumbs down:


The National Association of Railroad Pas- sengers (NARP) offered two cheers. The pro- posal, declared NARP President Jim Math- ews, “has a number of common-sense reforms — reforms that NARP has been ad- vocating for over a number of years. We thank Chairman Shuster and Ranking Member Rahall for the work they’ve put into this piece of legislation.” “However,” he added, “we need to be crys-


tal clear: regulatory improvements are no replacement for a dedicated, predictable and robust source of funding for trains. NARP is dedicated to working with members of Con- gress to be sure that America’s passengers get exactly that.” Here are some of the key projects in the


bill, what NARP sees as the good part of the legislation: 1) It addresses the “Gulf Coast rail link (missing since the 2005 Hurricane Katrina) between New Orleans and Orlando via the Sunset Limited. 2) There’s closer cooperation between fed-


eral, state and local interests in proceeding with environmental approval in developing required passenger rail improvements, rout- ings, and such. This would not be unlike a streamlined review process long utilized in highway construction and upgrading. This can shave off months or years in moving badly need rail projects.


3) Amtrak will endeavor to study real es-


tate development and opportunities around stations and generate non-passenger rail service on Amtrak-owned corridors. The Northeast Corridor already does that with Amtrak hosting commuter railroads and Norfolk Southern freight traffic on its prop- erty. However, the NEC has had well over a century to enable that development. The legislation stipulates that such efforts should not mimic “greenfield rail projects” now being developed in Texas and California. This writer recently visited a modified or semi-“greenfield project” in suburban Fair- fax County at Tysons Corner that has noth- ing to do with Amtrak or any freight rail- road, but rather has erected commercial and residential development around a new stop on a line of Washington, D.C.’s, Metro rapid transit line that ultimately will reach Dulles International Airport. You cannot exactly call Tysons a “greenfield” development be- cause it includes what has been an ordinary shopping mall for years. Now it is much more than that, encompassing four Metro stops and becoming a city unto itself. But nice try?: It has many good things


you would expect — restaurants, hotels, de- partment stores and apartment buildings, many of them in the process of being built. One of the more off-putting features is a huge high rise apartment facility that lacks a warm welcoming urban sense found in similar places that arose naturally and over time grew in such a way as to advance an ur- ban ambiance in concert with the feeling of community among the residents and neigh- bors in the immediate surroundings. One baby boomer commented of the main apart- ments building at Tysons: “It seems the smaller they (the apartments) are, the more expensive they become.” “Smart growth,” as a means of attracting residents should be truly — well — “smart,” and avoid (however well-intended) a “slap- dash” appearance with little “theme to the pudding” where speed of planning trumps a welcoming quality. NARP’s critique encourages Amtrak to


get more involved in the real estate efforts to create or improve neighborhoods around its stations, but adds, “If Congress expects Am- trak to derive a significant portion of its rev- enue from real estate, it must provide the appropriate zoning and planning tools.” Getting back to the list: 4) The previ-


ous applications submitted for high-speed rail (HSR) and higher-speed rail service all totaling more than $75 billion has “triggered a huge interest in faster trains.” This advice: Amtrak and the states must cooperate to “provide sufficient funding levels to meet the exploding demand for passenger trains.” 5) No more “NEC vs. national long dis-


tance trains.” No regular service passenger trains anywhere “make a profit.” But the NEC Acela does earn a surplus on opera- tions (above the rail) and helps to fund long- distance trains which lack surpluses on ei- ther operations or infrastructure. Both benefit connections for passengers requiring both. And Amtrak is “one railroad.” Got it? Get it? Good! However…: One committee member (Denham-Calif.) separately sponsors a bill that would prohibit the Acela from subsidiz- ing national overnight trains. The measure has near zero chances of succeeding.) Wes Vernon is a Washington-based writer and veteran broadcast journalist.


www.johnpmedia.com www.johnpmedia.com


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