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Index to recent news postings Rail Travel News is a twice-monthly print publication, published since
Dec 10, 1970.
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HOUSE COMMITTEE FAILS TO INCREASE
AMTRAK FUNDS
The full House Appropriations Committee on June 21 voted on the bill that the subcommittee had previously endorsed, in which Amtrak's funding level for next fiscal year was set at a shutdown level of $550 million. The committee approved the bill with Amtrak funding at that level, despite an attempt by Congressman John Olver (D-MA) to add $657 million for Amtrak. While this was not good news for passenger rail advocates, the appropriations process has not yet reached the end of the line. The bill must still go to the House floor, where amendments can be added. The the Senate must go through the same process, and finally a joint House-Senate committee must produce a compromise bill from those passed by the two houses of Congress. To learn how to contact your legislators about Amtrak funding,
visit the following NARP site:
Massive destruction of Amtrak system timetables According to reports, management at New York's Penn Station destroyed their entire large stock of Amtrak's current system timetable when they found that the Acela schedules in it are not up to date. A further report indicated that Amtrak headquarters decided
upon placing a sticker on the national timetable cover to point out that
a newer version of the NE Corridor timetable should be consulted for up-to-date
NEC schedules. It was not clear whether such stickers could be applied
to the junked timetables or whether the latter were not a total loss.
President Gunn Reacts to House Subcommittee's Anti-Amtrak Vote A Message from President Gunn on the FY '06 Budget (June 15)
Earlier today here in Washington, the House subcommittee responsible for proposing how much Amtrak receives in federal support voted $550 million for Amtrak for the entire fiscal year that starts Oct. 1. That's a 55-percent cut from our present funding level. There's still a long process ahead and this is not a done deal. Nevertheless, the practical impact of $550 million in federal support would be the same as zero funding for Amtrak, and they know it. It can't run a single train from point A to point B - not on the Northeast Corridor and not anywhere. Seven weeks ago today, I testified before the House subcommittee, reporting
on all of the progress we've made lately. I reported that
In addition to appearing before the subcommittee formally, I have had
numerous private meetings with these same members. They know that this
In light of all the progress you and I have ccomplished, I am sadly
disappointed at the subcommittee's action, and I imagine you are as
Regardless of the subcommittee's vote today, I don't believe that rational people - lawmakers, governors or simply our regular passengers - want to see passenger rail service shut down, and I continue to hope in the end that reason prevails. Sincerely,
Amtrak President Talks of Acela and Food Service (see complete article) Amtrak computer outage creates problems with trains, reservations,
tickets
RailPAC endorses Amtrak-Laney funding proposal with reservations
Sources of hostility to Amtrak funding: Analysis AMTRAK VERSUS MINETA IN MONTANA:
THE STRANGE BATTLE OVER THE EMPIRE BUILDER
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DOT'S MINETA HARASSING AMTRAK &
AMTRAK'S REPLY TO THE MINETA LETTER
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