Most of the other $1.45 billion in bond money will be used for highway and bridge projects throughout the state. The MOU provides highly detailed lists of the anticipated construction that will be funded.

Of primary interest to ESPA, the MOU outlines a potential total of only $135 million to spend on all rail (freight and passenger) and port projects over the five-year period covered by the bond act. Of this relatively small amount, ONLY $3.0 million is specifically earmarked and identified for intercity passenger rail projects during the first two years ($2.0 mil. for engineering work on the Albany – Schenectady double tracking and $1.0 mil. for engineering of high level platforms and additional parking at Rhinecliff). No construction dates are listed for either project.

Funds are contained elsewhere in the bond funding for a few other rail/transit oriented projects, including:

Even counting the Schenectady and Warren County projects, (the latter could eventually involve through service from New York City), less than 1% of the non-MTA portion goes to intercity passenger rail, (0.83% to be exact).

At our August 6th Meeting in Utica, your ESPA officers and coordinators considered whether our organization should support the bond issue. After careful deliberation, we adopted the following position statement: "ESPA is gravely concerned with the inadequate number of identified projects and extremely low level of committed funds for intercity passenger rail improvements currently contained in the Memorandum of Understanding for the 'Rebuild and Renew New York Transportation Bond Act of 2005'. Unless additional specific intercity passenger rail projects and funding commitments are included in the Bond Act details, ESPA is prepared to NOT support the passage of the Bond Act in November."

As part of our discussions, much attention was given to the /bond act's effect on the downstate area where over half the funds will go and where rail projects do receive a high priority. The following points came out:

It was determined that before making a final determination whether we will endorse or oppose the bond issue, ESPA will seek further information and answers to several key questions:

After several previous studies and all the engineering work on the Schenectady-Albany doubletracking reported to ESPA by DOT officials early in the 1998 high speed program, why is additional engineering still needed? Why is no construction date listed for this in the Five Year Construction program attached to the Bond Issue Memorandum? What is the State's true level of commitment to improving intercity rail passenger service?

Based on the information obtained prior to our next Officers and Coordinators meeting October 1st in Saratoga Springs, a final position statement on the Bond Act will be adopted at this meeting. A special mailing with our final position will be distributed to all members, in addition to press releases to the media. Between now and October 1st we will welcome any input from our members or all other interested parties.

Bruce Becker

Empire Service Problems

Amtrak has removed the added travel time (padding) from many trains between Amsterdam and Albany.  Delays to trains remain, with many weekday trains operating 1-2 hours late west of Albany.  The delays to trains south of Albany also have been increasing at an alarming rate.  Much of this seems to be due to the following: trains late out of Sunnyside Yard, CSX track work south of Albany, CSX sometimes storing trains south of Albany (waiting for access across the Hudson River to Selkirk Yard), which results in Amtrak only being able to use one track in areas south of Albany.  Amtrak's Empire Corridor, which 7-8 years ago was operating 90-95% ontime during some months, is now operating at or below 60% on time.  This will continue to discourage ridership.

In addition, as of July 1, Amtrak discontinued food service on trains that operate solely between Albany and New York City and eliminated the restocking of trains with food at Albany.  Amtrak claims to lose a lot of money on food service on the Empire Corridor, but they continue to operate the food not even according to Amtrak's own rules.  On Saturday, August 6, Train 63 (westbound Maple Leaf) departed Penn Station on-time at 7:15am and according to Amtrak rules, its cafe should be open upon departure.  The cafe opened at 8:20am, after we were already passing Cold Spring.  This train, with just 4 coaches and a cafe, was sold out, yet Amtrak did not even have the cafe open for the first hour of the trip, which likely could have been the busiest hour of food service sales for the entire 12 hour Maple Leaf trip.  To make matters worse, over half of the table seating in the cafe car was taken by food service storage and the crew sitting reading the newspaper.  The cafe car was also closed from 9:15am to 10:15am, but since the cafe is not restocked at Albany anymore, the reason for the cafe being closed before and after Albany are not known.      

I returned from Utica, boarding at 5pm (only a few minutes late) on the same day on Train 64.  Shortly after boarding, it was announced that the cafe would be closing at Amsterdam and would not open until after Albany!!  Wow, the cafe was then closed at 5:45pm and did not reopen until 7:30pm.  Why is the cafe closed for more than 90 minutes during dinner time?  No wonder the cafe car loses money on the Empire Corridor, as the sales are zero when the cafe is closed.  On Train 64, they only had one kind of sandwich, as no food had been restocked since the equipment left Sunnyside Yard the day prior at 6:45am.

Gary Prophet

Freight Congestion Crisis delays Passengers

You're sitting in your seat on a train that isn't moving and you're thinking to yourself we are already late, why aren't we moving? Suddenly, on the adjacent track a freight train moves by and within minutes the train is on its way again as you cross over onto the mainline just cleared by the passing train. What just happened? Why did the passenger train have to hold for the lowly freight train? Why can't the passenger train go first? Things have changed in the railroad industry; passenger trains are held on America's freight railroads not only because the tracks are full, but because the capacity to carry passenger trains on time and move the stuff of life on an ever-increasing scale is no longer possible.

Amtrak was formed in 1971 as the freight railroads where reeling from the failure of the Penn Central merger, passenger train operating losses and stiff competition from an aggressive trucking industry. The industry still had enormous carrying capacity as a leftover vestige of passenger operations now in the hands of Amtrak and the facilities needed to handle the business now being moved by truck.

In quick succession - Conrail was formed in 1976, the entire industry was deregulated in 1980, and railroads worked fast to eliminate redundant route miles and single tracked many previously multiple track main and secondary lines. Class I railroads are roughly half the size today in terms of route miles and trackage as they where in 1971. The deregulation act of 1980 allowed the nation's railroads to raise rates and begin to rebuild their still deficient tracks (in those days, passenger train delays were often the result of slow orders, not freight train volume), and begin to add new business to the system.

Fast-forward to 2005 and we find ourselves confronted with a national system running at 100% of capacity. According to Association of American Railroads spokesman Thomas White the railroads are "increasing their capital expenditures to expand freight capacity" to try to catch up with demand for their services, many of them time sensitive in nature. Mr. White goes on to point out that the class I's are spending $6 – 7 billion this year on capacity programs with about 75% of that amount devoted to infrastructure improvements such as capacity enhancement projects.

Intermodal (up 500% since 1970) growth in particular is driving the new investment forward. Current record high fuel prices and changes in retailing nationwide to stores which sell enormous quantities of imported merchandise and their use of centralized distribution facilities are giving the railroads a real edge in the marketplace.

Company executives said today that they anticipate revenue growth of four to six percent annually over the next five years, primarily related to increased U.S. consumption, a rise in imports -- which must be hauled across the country from ports to consumer markets -- and tight transportation supply. These and other market conditions have created a favorable pricing environment throughout the rail industry. CSX Corporation August 11, 2005.

Passenger operations and the delays and the inconvenience of late trains are merely minor annoyances compared with the greater issue at hand. If we desire new and expanded service or even the expectation of reasonable on time performance of existing corridors, such as the Amtrak "Empire Corridor" in New York, expensive new track capacity will have to be built soon.

The Empire Corridor is largely unaffected by freight movements between New York City and Hoffman's Junction with the CSX Corporation "Mohawk Division" east/ west mainline just west of Schenectady. From this point westward to Buffalo and Chicago freight trains and passenger trains share the same two tracks. Years ago this segment to Cleveland, Ohio was operated using a "Bi-modal" 4 track configuration with freight and passenger trains each with their own 2 track route.

The passenger tracks became the freight tracks when the freight tracks were removed by the New York Central Railroad about the time the publicly funded New York Thruway opened for business. The property once occupied by these tracks remains available today for new track structure.

Regional commuter systems, which have for many years, invested billions of dollars on their systems, enjoy on time performance in the high 90% range. This is in stark contrast to Amtrak trains such as the "Lake Shore Limited" at 14.6% on time (May 05) or even the non-stop "Auto Train" at 17.7% on- time (May 05). Commuter operators often restrict the hours freight trains can operate on their publicly funded railroads to insure operations are not interrupted by freight operations. This is not an option for the high density intercity mainlines on which Amtrak operates its trains.

In the future, passenger project sponsors will need to realize that new service proposals will be required to contribute their full and fair share of the necessary infrastructure needs of passenger grade railroading. Passenger train operations will also need to, in some way, enhance the overall freight and passenger carrying capacity of rail corridors where both modes provide service. New York State is fortunate in that the space once occupied by the four track "Empire Corridor" route is still available for needed new track. In this way, New York's greatest transportation opportunity may lie in this narrow strip of vacant land.

Ben Gottfried

Senate Rail Act Emerges

On July 28th the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, chaired by Ted Stevens (R-AK), passed S-1516, the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act intended to revitalize U.S. rail passenger service. The bill was developed by Sens. Trent Lott (R-MS), and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ). Lott chairs the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine. Ranking Member Daniel Inouye (D-HI) called it "the most comprehensive bill on Amtrak we've ever had."    

S-1516 repeals Amtrak's self-sufficiency requirement and authorizes an average of $1.9 billion annually for Amtrak over the next six years. The operating grant would increase from $580 mil. next year to $600 mil. in 2008, then decline to $455 million in 2011.  Capital grants would grow from $813 to $1,231 million; the percentage of this channeled through states would grow from 3% next year to 33% in 2011.  Additional payments would be authorized to pay down Amtrak's long-term debt.     

Amtrak's board of directors would be expanded to nine members, including its President (who presently has no vote). To ensure bi-partisanship, no more than four appointed members could belong to the same party.     

The bill would require Amtrak, USDOT and state governors to implement a standard procedure for allocating operating and capital costs among states to ensure equal treatment for similar services. This could severely impact New York, which currently pays no operating costs for its main corridor service while nearly all other states do.

Point of View

"Why rail advocates find it difficult to support the transportation bond issue this November." New York State's constitution is quite clear about going into debt. Voters must approve a bond issue.  This November voters will have a clear choice to invest some $3 billion for transportation infrastructure.  Half of the debt is earmarked for rail transit improvements that would benefit the two-thirds of the state's population who live in the MTA service area.  The rest is for highways.  So why shouldn't transit riders rally around this proposition?

Since 1982 MTA has adopted a series of five-year capital programs specifying critically needed investments to restore what was then a rapidly collapsing system. Years of neglect had led to a worsening stream of derailments, fires, graffiti attacks and physical deterioration on MTA's bus, subway and commuter rail systems.  Responding to growing public pressure, the Cuomo Administration asked MTA, under the leadership of builder and banker Richard Ravitch, to cobble together a funding package that included new taxes and fees and higher transit fares to allow MTA to borrow the billions of dollars that were needed to begin the rebuilding effort.  A small part of this borrowing was from fare-backed revenue bonds.  Since the MTA, like virtually all transit operators in the U.S., covers less than half of its operating cost from the farebox, the concept of fare-backed bonds is really an illusion.  Fiscal watchdogs looked the other way at the time, realizing the critical need to repair the system. The revitalization of the MTA system has been a remarkable accomplishment, and has been a major factor in the economic recovery of the New York metropolitan area in the 1990s.  Yet instead of capturing some of this economic growth to fund its Capital Program, MTA became like an addicted gambler -- borrowing ever more money through its fare-backed bond mechanism.  This was a painless way for the Pataki Administration to continue this program of renewal while avoiding the tax hikes that would ultimately be needed to finance public transit infrastructure.

Until recently, system expansion had to take a back seat to repair and rehabilitation.  But elected officials like to preside over ribbon-cutting ceremonies for new lines, not the much less glamorous unveiling of restored vent plants or modernized signal systems.  Now a laundry list of system expansion mega-projects is being advanced, each with its own advocates.  Only a third of the transit funds in the bond issue are for renewal.  The bulk of the funds would be used to make a tiny down payment on three massive system expansion projects – the Second Avenue Subway, the LIRR East Side Access Project and the LIRR/JFK Airport Access to Lower Manhattan project.

Many transit advocates are uncomfortable beginning even one of these massive projects when funding for renewal is tenuous at best.  The debt bomb that is built into MTA's Capital Program is expected to explode in the next year or two, requiring extraordinary fare hikes or pleas for additional state taxes.  Steep fare hikes would drive transit riders away in droves, leading to more roadway congestion, higher levels of pollution and additional consumption of scarce petroleum reserves, exactly the factors that MTA touts for supporting a high quality transit system.

While elected officials, construction industry executives and labor leaders in the building trades can make a good case for each system expansion project, they have yet to specify comprehensive funding packages that are needed to complete these costly projects.

Furthermore, expansion advocates overestimate the amount of Federal funds that would be available through "new starts" programs. With a shrinking share of the U.S. population, the region can only command a modest portion of these Federal dollars.  A case could be made that Congress should allocate the region's share of "new starts" funding to pay for maintaining a state of good repair, rather than initiating projects that cannot be completed.

George Haikalis ESPA Manhattan Coordinator for Regional Rail

The View from the Cab…

Our efforts in support of adequate funding for Amtrak in the coming year continue to be successful. As has been widely reported, the full Senate Appropriations Committee in late July approved a $1.45 billion funding level! Our Washington representative focused on Senator Bond of Missouri (Chairman of the Transportation Sub-Committee) and Senator Cochran of Mississippi (Chairman of the Appropriations Committee), which helped produce these very positive results. Action by the full Senate comes next, to be followed a House-Senate Conference Committee that will decide the final funding level. We also anticipate working to positively influence the Committee's actions.

All of our efforts wouldn't have been possible without your generous support. Thanks to all those who responded to our Special Appeal! The over $9,500 contributed to ESPA has made a real difference.

Additional Special Appeal Contributors: Robert Kerker, Amy and Jeffrey Stevens, Charles Dew, Robert Dinkuhn

ESPA will soon be launching a completely redesigned and enhanced web site. Features of the new site:

We are confident that www.esparail.org will soon become THE source for passenger rail information.

As noted elsewhere in this issue, the pending "Rebuild and Renew New York Transportation Bond Act of 2005" is a huge disappointment for ESPA. For nearly 25 years we have worked to inform state officials of the need for better passenger service and have pushed projects, which would be beneficial. Our officers have been appointed to commissions and task forces and we have testified at numerous public hearings. Our newsletter is widely read and often used by the mainstream press. The 1998 Marist Institute Public Opinion Poll sponsored by ESPA and Empire Corridor counties found that 82% of the State's voters considered modernized intercity passenger train service at least as important as good highways and airport. With escalating gas prices and uncertainties about long-term supply, there is no reason to think the public's desire for improved rail service has diminished since 1998. Nevertheless it is hard to conclude anything from the Bond Act other than that our priorities, and those of the State's voters, are being ignored yet again.

Thanks for your continued support. As always, I welcome your comments, critiques and suggestions, on how ESPA can better attain our goals. Don't hesitate to contact me at anytime.

Bruce B. Becker, ESPA President 

New High Speed Task Force Gets Rolling

The newly created State Senate High Speed Rail Task Force, being headed by John Egan, is preparing to award a $1.2 million contract for a new study of the future of passenger rail service in the state. Reportedly more than a dozen engineering and consulting firms have expressed interest in receiving the contract, which calls for the study to be completed in just three months. Egan notes that the successful contract bidder will have full access to the many previous studies which have been completed over the years and he feels much of this information will be helpful. As recommended by ESPA, Egan is asking that the study address both incremental improvements which could result in increased on-time reliability, capacity enhancements, reduced trip times and increased frequencies in the near term, in addition to looking at longer term goals of true high speed services for the state.

In Memory Of George Armeit

It is with great sorrow that ESPA must report the loss of one of its long time members, George Armeit. His passing occurred on July 21 at Mary Immaculate Hospital in Queens after a brief illness. George had been an ESPA regional coordinator and also a NARP director for many years. His love and dedication for passenger rail was always demonstrated by his conveying his knowledge of rail to all whom he met, including the sisters at the convent that had been active in providing care for George.

George will be truly missed by both ESPA and NARP and efforts should continue to keep his hopes and dreams for rail passenger service alive. If additional information regarding George's passing is desired, please contact Richard Kulla at 845-855-9102.

Richard Kulla

MTA Orders Cars from Bombardier

Exercising an option under an existing order, MTA has ordered 980 new M-7 electric MU cars for Long Island and Metro-North. These are in addition to the base order of 192 cars for LIRR. With this agreement, Bombardier now has firm orders for 336 cars for Metro-North and 836 for the Long Island RR to replace cars nearly 40 years old. The new cars will feature energy efficient dynamic braking and on-board diagnostic systems. Total cost will be about $2.5 billion.     

The stainless steel carbodies will be built in Quebec while trucks will be manufactured at Bombardier's Auburn plant. Final assembly will take place at Bombardier's facility in Plattsburgh.

(Bombardier Press Release, courtesy Orrin Getz)

Ferry Sails Again

The 50 MPH super catamaran that ceased operations after heavy losses last year, started crossing Lake Ontario again between Rochester and Toronto in June. The City of Rochester purchased it for $32 million at a federal auction in February and rehabilitated it. The trip takes 2 to 2-1/2 hours.

New York State Rail Travel Discounts

As featured in the 2005 'New York By Rail' Travel Guide, Amtrak is offering a 'New York By Rail 50% Off Companion Fare' discount, valid through March 2006. Using discount code V707, New York State travelers can save 50% off a second adult fare when traveling in pairs. Specific advance purchase requirements, blackout dates and other restrictions apply. Contact Amtrak for full details… The 50 page, full color, 2005 'New York By Rail' Travel Guide is available by contacting Amtrak at 1-800-872-7245 or on line at www.amtrak.com.

Around the States

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed a bill that captures the savings that occur when state employee's travel by train and reinvests those savings into service improvements. It is estimated the new Intercity Passenger Rail Fund could generate at least $300,000 in its first year, based on recent sales figures. Proponents say the Amtrak fare is cheaper than having a state employee fly or drive using his or her own vehicle.

The Lackawanna Cutoff passenger rail project will receive $11.5 million in the recently passed Federal transportation-funding bill. The funding will allow for completion of preliminary engineering work. The Lackawanna Cutoff would restore passenger rail service between Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York City.

Virginia's Gov. Mark R. Warner signed legislation creating the Rail Enhancement Fund, $23 million earmarked annually for investment in Virginia's passenger, commuter and freight railroad infrastructure. The funds can be tapped if the state receives a minimum matching contribution of at least 30 percent from non-state sources such as local government, regional authorities or railroad companies. Projects will be selected upon the recommendation of an advisory board.

NJ Transit has approved the route for a new tunnel under the Hudson River that will bring North Jersey passengers directly to a new station beneath 34th Street in Manhattan. The proposal will now head to the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, which must sign off on the project before it is eligible for federal funding.

Highway Bill has Money for Rail

On August 10th, after two years of struggle, President Bush signed HR-3, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act--a Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), providing $286 billion for transportation over the next six years. While it's primary purpose is to fund highways and transit, HR-3 contains more money than ever before for railroads. In fact David Ewing, who chairs States for Passenger Rail, a group formed by state transportation departments, said it's really a rail bill too.

The bill includes a rail chapter that authorizes $100 million annually for development of high speed rail corridors--an important change from previous legislation that contained about a third as much for planning only.  It also reforms the 1976 Railroad Revitalization and Regulatory Reform "4R" Act to make it easier for railroads to obtain the loans, which that legislation offered. And it increases funds for grade crossing improvement and authorizes $350 million annually for rail relocation projects.        

HR-3 earmarks funds for numerous rail transit projects,including the following in New York: