2001 news archives

Photo gallery

Subscription info

Rail gift shop

Rail Travel News is a twice-monthly print publication, published since Dec 10, 1970.
Publisher: Message Media Company,
PO Box 9007,
Berkeley CA 94709.
Website copyright © 1997-2005 by Message Media Co.

Contact us
Site map

   The full Senate on November 3 passed by the overwhelming vote of 93-6 an amendment by Sen. Trent Lott known as "Lott Amendment SA 2360". It was an amendment to the Deficit Reduction Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 2005, S.1932. Originally it was the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act. NARP explained as follows: 

  The passenger rail bill was developed jointly by Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS), who chairs the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), a subcommittee member and the leading Democrat on passenger rail issues. The bill passed the full committee July 28 with the strong support of both Chairman Ted Stevens (R-AK) and Ranking Member Daniel Inouye (D-HI).
 
"This vote sends a strong message that the time for study on passenger rail is past; the time to legislate is now," said Ross B. Capon, Executive Director of the National Association of Railroad Passengers. We look for similar action in the House, and for a more supportive Bush Administration position.  

Capon continued, "Today's Senate vote is consistent with strong ridership growth on Amtrak and mass transit, coupled with concerns about gasoline price and availability. The traveling public understands the connection between the need for a strong rail passenger network and the world energy situation."

Next week, Amtrak restores the San Antonio-Houston-New Orleans portion
of the Sunset Ltd. The first New Orleans-bound train 2 leaves Los
Angeles Wed., Nov. 2 and arrives Houston and New Orleans Fri., Nov. 4.
The first westbound train 1 leaves New Orleans and Houston Fri., Nov. 4.
The schedule is the same as that shown in the "Spring-Summer 2005"
timetable. (The new timetable shows no times east of San Antonio.)

 New Jersey Transit says it will add 3,000 additional peak hour seats on
 the Northeast Corridor into and out of New York, when two added New
 York-Trenton express round-trips begin Monday, Oct. 31. Eventually,
 NJT's Trenton trains will be re-equipped with recently-unveiled
 Bombardier bi-level coaches that offer roomy 2-2 seating and fit New
 York City tunnels.

 Meanwhile, today marks the final runs of three Amtrak New
 York-Philadelphia trains--6:30 AM from Philadelphia and 5:30 and 6:09 PM
 from New York. Through a combination of Regional and Keystone trains,
 Amtrak will offer roughly 30-minute headways in the rush hour peak
 directions New York-Philadelphia (but no departures from Phila. between
 5:55 and 6:55 AM).

 Starting Oct. 31, Amtrak will reduce--but not eliminate--service at
 Cornwells Heights. Weekday departures from Cornwells Heights (CWH) to
 New York will be 6:15 AM (#630) and 7:43 AM (#180). Return trips will
 depart New York at 6:38 PM (#193) and 7:32 PM (#655). (CWH is not shown
 in the new, national timetable.)

 Train 630 will depart Philadelphia at 5:55 AM, five minutes earlier than
 shown in the printed timetable.

 Also Oct. 31, Amtrak California will add more Thruway service connecting
 with the San Joaquins. The Stockton-San Jose route will extend to serve
 Caltrain commute stations at Sunnyvale (station code SVL), Mountain View
 (MNV), and Palo Alto (PLC). Benicia (BCI) will be added to Thruways from
 Martinez. A new route offers two round trips Merced--Los Banos
 (LBO)--Hollister (HLR)--San Juan Bautista (SJB)--Salinas--Monterey.
 Bakersfield- Coachella Valley service will double, with a new Indio
 round-trip via Palm Springs. A second bus will also serve Hemet via  Ontario and Riverside.
(Source: National Association of RR Psgrs.)

Subscribe today!
For new subscribers
Renewing subscribers
To subscribe by US Mail
Request sample copy

DOT'S MINETA HARASSING AMTRAK &  AMTRAK'S REPLY TO THE MINETA LETTER
NARP: DOT OVERSTATES LONG DISTANCE TRAIN PRICE TAG BY $600 MILLION
SENATE HEARING UNDERLINES AMTRAK FUNDING CRUNCH; LONG-DISTANCE TRAINS NOT THE PROBLEM
The shape of long distance trains to come.

Join or donate to the National Association of Railroad Passengers.
Site map