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   Trains 21, 22, 58, 59, 421 and 422 now have a different menu than the rest of the long-distance trains. These trains use preplated meals prepared off the train and the prices appear substantially higher than rail travelers are accustomed to paying. This change is no doubt part of the DOT effort to increase Amtrak income, but could have the effect of reducing train patronage.

   On one of the two rotating menus, breakfast items consist of three choices with meat, each priced at $10, and one cereal choice at $6.75.

   At lunch, a cheeseburger is $7, a sandwich (type varies) is $7.25, barbecue chicken with potato wedges, corn and salad is $12, and soup (minestrone or chicken noodle) is $4.

   At dinner, a beef entree (braised or tenderloin) is $18; a chicken entree is $17.50; cod fillets are $16.50; cheese tortellini is $11; and an "evening special" is $12.50.

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   With the Coast Starlight continuing to show extremely poor timekeeping and with the situation now being made more public following the publication this week in the San Francisco Chronicle of a revealing front-page article detailing the woes of Starlight passengers, and with rail advocates speaking out more vociferously, Amtrak finally made a formal acknowledgement of the train's continuing lateness.

   On August 10 Amtrak posted notices that through Dec 31, 2006, the southbound train could be expected to run 6-10 hours late and the northbound 4-6 hours behind schedule.

   Amtrak also stated that on some days passengers might be bused from the southbound train at Santa Barbara to Los Angeles and to points on the Pacific Surfliner route. 

   Amtrak blamed the poor timekeeping on Union Pacific heavy freight congestion and trackwork between Sacramento and Eugene.

  Art Lloyd and Paul Bendix said in an opinion piece July 25 that a "Regional Affil-
iate” should be formed to take over responsibility for the Coast Starlight,  since Amtrak is having poor success with Union Pacific meeting timekeeping requirements. The states of CA, OR and WA should join up in such a regional affiliate, Lloyd and Bendix said, since they have had much success with their Western regional routes.
   They said: “Since 2001, with draconian budget cuts and the ousting of Amtrak’s popular president, David Gunn, the Starlight’s service and equipment have deteriorated. Congress has fought back with bipartisan support for rail. Still, ideological oppo-sition from the Bush administration and chronic delays from freight trains jeo-pardize Amtrak’s once-a-day service along the West Coast.”
   They add, “The feds seem determined to kill the Starlight. Passengers keep paying to keep it alive. In today's reality, California, Oregon and Washington must operate the train. A regional affiliate—call it Amtrak Pacific—
should run the Coast Starlight in conjunction with the national system.”

   The full House of Representatives in late June voted to allow Amtrak $1.114 billion for the next fiscal year, an increase from the $900 million that a House committee had recommended. The larger amount would bring the Amtrak money up to the level requested by the Bush-appointed Amtrak Board. It is still $394 million below the current year's funding.

   There was no indication, however, that the Amtrak micro-managing language had been removed from the bill. The increase for Amtrak was sponsored by Rep. Steve LaTourette, (R-Ohio). He said he felt sure that the Senate would increase the figure further.

   The complete bill, of which this is a part, will be voted on Friday, June 16.

Amtrak reaches age 35

Tunnel work is disrupting Coast Starlight service in Southern California

VIA's CANADIAN is back partially on Canadian Pacific rails

 Amtrak funding action in the Senate

Spring-summer schedule changes for St. Louis-Kansas City coming

Killing Amtrak slowly from within

 Links to other recent news articles

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