Hotline #1,161

The April Passengers Voice Newsletter is now available.

Click here to read the digital version.

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A “Virtual” Success

After months of planning went into putting together the annual RailNation: DC spring conference, the Association’s professional staff made a hard pivot due to the ongoing pandemic and moved the Day on the Hill event into the digital realm. In order to make it work, we needed our members and fellow advocates to step up and take the lead. And lead you did...

Thank you to everyone who took the time to call and email their members of Congress as part of this virtual advocacy campaign. Over 150 calls were made, countless emails were sent, and every region of the country was covered. We are already hearing feedback that our message is getting through to the officials and their staff - from questions about reauthorization to asking for our input on future relief bills.

“Seeing our members swiftly transition to digital advocacy and willingly contribute in this capacity is inspiring to me as a coordinator,” said Field Coordinator Joe Aiello. “Unfortunately this current crisis left us with no choice but to operate in this fashion, but since passenger rail and public transit will be key to rebuilding our economy when we get back on our feet I feel that it is more important than ever to make sure that our elected officials in Congress are hearing our voices.”

If you had a phone meeting this week, please click here to download an excel file that you can fill out with all the necessary contact information and meeting notes. This will allow our office to better follow-up with any lingering questions. Please attach the spreadsheet in an email to Sean Jeans-Gail, [email protected] and Joe Aiello, [email protected]

If you didn't get a chance to reach out to your elected official's offices Tuesday - you still have time! Please click this link to use our Voter Voice portal and email your members of Congress and share our legislative “Ask”s. Our advocacy doesn't stop with Day on the Hill and there is still time to fight for more and better passenger trains in this country.

As Washington Considers Next Phase of Coronavirus Response, Infrastructure Comes to the Fore

The deadline to distribute the federal coronavirus relief funding to Amtrak and transit agencies is today, but Congress is already looking ahead to Phase 4 relief legislation. House Democrats and the White House both suggested that the next bill should move beyond simply providing near-term relief for companies and workers, and start using infrastructure investments to create new jobs, stimulate demand for materials, and produce tangible, long-lasting benefits for Americans and our economy. Senate Republicans, however, are signaling they’re ready to pump the brakes on more spending packages.

“The president said in the campaign and since [that] infrastructure was a priority for him,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said during a Wednesday conference call to discuss how Congress could use increased infrastructure investment to stimulate the collapsing demand that threatens to cripple the U.S. economy. “That’s probably the most bipartisan path we could take.”

It echoed comments tweeted earlier in the week by President Donald Trump, who reiterated calls for a massive infrastructure package to grow jobs and address the nation’s growing infrastructure crisis.

“With interest rates for the United States being at ZERO, this is the time to do our decades long awaited Infrastructure Bill,” tweeted President Trump. “It should be VERY BIG & BOLD, Two Trillion Dollars, and be focused solely on jobs and rebuilding the once great infrastructure of our Country!”

Rail Passengers is working hard so we’ll be ready if an infrastructure bill advances. Our staff is putting together a list of passenger rail and transit projects that are ready to move quickly if funding is made available. You can check out what we already have at RailPassengers.org/COVID19. If you know of any worthy projects in your state that are already moving through the environmental review process, please let us know at [email protected] (Subject: Infrastructure Bill).

Senate Republicans were quick to throw cold water on the idea of an infrastructure bill moving quickly.

“[Pelosi] needs to stand down on the notion that we’re going to go along with taking advantage of the crisis to do things that are unrelated to the crisis,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) told the Washington Post.

“We do have to be mindful of how to pay for it. There has been a lot of fantasizing on both sides about massive packages,” McConnell added. “We’d all love to do it, but there is the reality of how you pay for it. We just passed a $2 trillion bill, and it would take a lot of convincing to convince me that we should do transportation in a way that’s not credibly paid for after what we just passed last week.”

McConnell’s statement is at odds not only with the White House and Democrats, but with large segments of the business community. A variety of industries are calling for the Phase 4 package to focus on durable investments to help companies and workers recover from the beating they’ve been taking over the past few weeks.

“Making a long-term and robust infrastructure investment now will not only respond to the urgent transportation system needs that are well known, but it also will create high paying jobs allowing businesses and families to recover from this extremely difficult economic shock,” wrote a consortium of construction and manufacturing suppliers.

More bad news is sure to flow from the markets and unemployment reports, so it remains to be seen what kind of consensus will emerge. However, with the Senate scheduled to adjourn until April 20th, it’s likely policymakers will have at least the next three weeks to mull next steps.

Customer-Focused Standards For On-Time, Food Service Highlight Proposed FRA Passenger Rail Metrics

A 60-day public comment period is now open on the Federal Railroad Administration’s long-awaited proposals for new passenger-rail service metrics and standards, which include a single customer-facing on-time standard, quarterly reports on customer-service performance on things like cleanliness and food service, and financial performance measured and published against both the PRIIA-required Avoidable Costs standard and the existing Fully Allocated Costs methodology.

Many of the elements of the proposed rules reflect input your Rail Passengers professional staff supplied to FRA and Amtrak last summer. Rail Passengers overall is pleased with the rules as drafted. Still, we would like to have seen more transparency on passenger operations and more effort to measure the financial benefits of service to individual communities, especially those smaller rural communities that are underserved. We intend to re-emphasize those points in our written comments to the public docket.

“Measuring on-time performance, or OTP, from a customer’s point of view – ‘Did I arrive within 15 minutes of when I was supposed to arrive?’ – is simple, clear and unambiguous,” Rail Passengers CEO Jim Mathews said. “Under the proposed new standard, rail passengers would have to experience that kind of performance at least 80% of the time, and if they didn’t for two straight quarters, the Surface Transportation Board can examine what’s gone wrong and whether and how penalties should be applied.”

FRA noted that in some cases Amtrak’s timetables don’t match up to that kind of steady-state on-time performance (OTP). The agency’s analysts suggest Amtrak will need to adjust timetables as a result, primarily through re-distributing the recovery “padding” throughout the route and also by modifying published schedules when conditions change, either temporarily or permanently.

In a significant change, FRA’s quarterly performance report would include not only OTP but customer-satisfaction scores in areas such as cleanliness and food service. For transparency, Amtrak will have to place the customer-satisfaction survey into the public docket so the public knows what Amtrak is measuring, and FRA will report two versions of the resulting customer-satisfaction scores – one with adjustments related to State-supported routes and one without – to ensure a clear picture emerges of how customers perceived their experience.

Right now, “Amtrak adjusts overall satisfaction score performance by removing passengers who arrive at their destinations on State-supported and long-distance routes excessively late (30 minutes late for State-supported routes and 120 minutes for long-distance routes) from the system-wide calculation,” FRA noted. “Typically, on these routes, the major causes of passenger lateness are beyond Amtrak's control. By removing these customer responses from the calculations, most of the impact from these significantly late customers (whose responses may be overly influenced by the train's late arrival) is removed.”

The proposed rule would also publish quarterly financial performance measured using both the PRIIA-required Avoidable Cost standard and Amtrak’s existing Fully Allocated Costs methodologies. Rail Passengers remains critical of the Fully Allocated Costs method and shares the concerns of the Amtrak Office of Inspector General that costs measured this way neither reflect the underlying economics of a particular service nor provide the basis for projecting the effect on revenue and cost of service changes. Publishing Avoidable and Fully Allocated together should offer insight into the real cost of operating our interstate passenger-rail system and help to highlight the benefits it brings to the people and the communities it serves.

Rail Passengers Endorses CAHSRA’s 2020 Business Plan, Interim Operating Plan As Best Paths Toward True High-Speed Service

In an effort spearheaded by Rail Passengers Northern California Councilmember Steve Roberts and Board Member George Chilson, the Rail Passengers Association Thursday urged the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CAHSRA) Board to adopt both the Authority’s 2020 Business Plan and its proposed Interim Operating Plan at its April Board Meeting.

“The RPA Southwest Division...applauds the proposed network’s statewide reach and the increase in frequencies that will make rail more competitive with the automobile,” Rail Passengers said in its formal comments to the docket on the two plans. “The improved and expanded ACE/San Joaquin/HSR network will reach all of California and generate substantial synergies beyond the current individual systems. This network also creates the most financially viable option for increased service, reducing the required operating subsidy compared with the current standalone ACE and San Joaquin services.”

In the letter, which was also delivered to CAHSRA CEO Brian Kelly, Stacey Mortensen, the Executive Director of the San Joaquin Regional Rail Authority, and Dan Levitt, Manager of Regional Initiatives for the San Joaquin Regional Rail Authority, Rail Passengers also noted that the Interim Operating Plan brings true high-speed service to California faster than any of the alternatives on the table, demonstrating high-speed rail’s potential while facilitating early tests for equipment and operating systems and easing the path to service expansion as the system builds out.

COVID-19 Pandemic Delays Texas Central Plans

Like most projects happening around the world, Texas Central’s Dallas-to-Houston bullet train is being put on hold due to the current global pandemic. The company has also announced that it was laying off 28 employees but that it will maintain a core team to be ready to move forward. In a news release this week, Texas Central CEO Carlos Aguilar stated that tough decisions were made in order to “make the best use of our current funding” and that construction could begin once the global financial markets stabilize.

Three of the company’s main project partners are based in Spain, Italy, and Japan.

You can read the full press release from Texas Central here.

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Membership News and Notices

• While the Rail Passengers staff is working remotely, we don’t have access to our membership card printer or new member materials. Luckily, you can find information about your membership and print a temporary card by creating an account at www.railpassengers.org and selecting “My Account” on the homepage.

Additional member benefits information can be found on our website.

• If you renew your membership by mail, please be sure to send a membership renewal form in with your payment! We will update your membership status only if you return a form to RENEW your membership. Forms asking you to DONATE are processed as general donations, not membership dues. Membership dues renewal forms typically read, “Yes, I deserve better: I’m renewing to make sure passengers’ voices are heard!”

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#ICYMI - In Case You Missed It: This Week’s Social Media Highlights

This week social media coverage included continued updates on the pandemic. We’re staying in the loop to make sure our followers are informed of the latest Amtrak and public transportation service changes from around the country.

Do you want to weigh in on the digital conversation? Join us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to stay in touch and up to date on all things RPA everyday.

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Tell Us What’s Happening Where You Live!

When you see rail-related news stories, op-eds, editorials, or letters to the editor in your communities, send them along to us! We will include them in our social media efforts, along with the weekly Hotline. Send your news items to Joe Aiello at jaiello[at]narprail.org, and we will share it with members. Are you holding a rally, a community meeting, or another kind of rail-advocacy event? We can help spread the word if you send them to us. We can put them on the website here. Please follow Rail Passengers on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on all things passenger rail.

Rail Passengers Track Update

Where are we and what are we working on? This section will update you on what Rail Passengers HQ is up to...even when we’re all working online or from home!

• Jim Mathews, President & CEO, took part in five congressional meetings this week, as well as presenting to members during our Rail Passenger (Virtual) Day on the Hill on Monday. Jim also reviewed comments on the California High Speed Rail Authority’s draft 2020 business plan, reviewed the published version of FRA’s proposed new passenger-rail metrics and standards rule and assembled the necessary paperwork to obtain financial relief for nonprofits under the CARES Act stimulus bill passed last week.

• Sean Jeans Gail, Vice President of Policy, stayed busy during our Rail Passenger (Virtual) Day on the Hill. He provided legislative and policy briefs for Rail Passengers Council Representatives and members, helped to coordinate hundreds of Congressional meetings, and worked with member offices on the Hill to develop infrastructure proposals to benefit passenger rail and transit in the next phase of coronavirus relief.

• Carolyn Cokley, Director of Customer Programs, has had productive conversations this week with Amtrak managers on reigniting the Station Volunteer Program later this year. Carolyn has continued working with the Market Research Department on the Focus/Working Group Project.

• Joseph Aiello, Field Coordinator, worked on a number of projects this week related to our Day on the Hill campaign - including producing an advocacy video with Madi Butler, working with Sean Jeans-Gail on an online council webinar, and joining in on a number of phone meetings with our members in Massachusetts.

• Madi Butler, Grassroots Organizer, helped with producing our virtual Day on the Hill content, recorded presentations, and assisted the Policy Team.

• Jonsie Stone, Director, Resource Development, spent the week working on outreach messages, talking with prospective corporate partners and processing donations.

• Kim Williams, Membership Manager, made improvements to our member database, processed payments, responded to member inquiries, and quite a lot of troubleshooting website membership issues. Thank you to everyone who has sent in feedback!

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Ease Your ‘Social Distancing’ With Lonely Planet's Amazing Train Journeys

If you’re spending more time than you used to at home waiting for the “All Clear” to start hitting the rails again, why not order yourself a copy of Lonely Planet’s ‘Amazing Train Journeys’ guidebook to pass the time? It’s not only a gorgeous and fun book, but with every purchase Lonely Planet will donate 15% of the proceeds to your Association, to help us keep working for More Trains, Better Trains and a commitment to better infrastructure! You win and we win!

Through this beautiful book, you’ll experience 60 of the world’s greatest and most unforgettable train journeys, from classic long-distance trips like Western Canada’s Rocky Mountaineer and Darwin to Adelaide’s The Ghan, to little-known gems on regular commuting lines. It’s the culmination of asking more than 200 travel writers for their absolute favorites.

Some are epic international adventures, others are short suburban routes along stunning coastline. There are incredible feats of engineering, trains that snake their way through mountain peaks, and even those which have achieved Unesco World Heritage status.

More than just a collection, each profile will give you the practical information you need to experience one or more of these epic journeys yourself -- including ticket options, timetables and stops, plus inspiring photos and illustrated maps. It’s all here!

Amazing Train Journeys is available as a book, e-Book or in both formats at a low combination price. And your purchase helps supports your Association’s mission too! Remember, Lonely Planet is contributing 15% of all Amazing Train Journeys sales to Rail Passengers! You can order copies by clicking here!

Partnership with Signature Federal Credit Union

We are excited to announce our recent partnership with Signature Federal Credit Union. Rail Passengers members now have access to a full service, nationwide federal credit union with extensive product and service offerings. Signature FCU also becomes the exclusive provider of the Rail Passengers Association-branded Visa credit card with our logo, which supports our work by giving back to our organization, and gives you 1 point for every $1 you spend to redeem for travel and merchandise. The card has no annual fee, no balance transfer fees, no foreign transaction fees, and has a very low interest rate.

Gifts from Donor Advised Funds

If you have a donor advised fund, please consider recommending a grant from your fund to be the Rail Passengers Association. It is a great way to maintain flexibility with your support throughout the year. For more information, go to http://myimpact.railpassengers.org/daf. As always, please feel free to contact Jonsie Stone if you have any questions.

The Rail Passengers Association would like to thank our Annual Partners for their support!

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Upcoming Events

go to railpassengers.org/events for more events and information

Due to the current situation with the COVID-19 outbreak, many meetings around the country are being postponed and rescheduled for later dates. Please check our events page for updates and information.

Please contact Joe Aiello ([email protected]) to have a local, state or regional meeting added to the Rail Passengers calendar (print and on-line) of upcoming events!

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Amtrak Passenger Service Notices

San Joaquins Service Schedule Changes - UPDATE

Effective Immediately

Please be advised that the San Joaquins service will operate on limited schedules, until further notice and track work performed by BNSF Railway will affect service on April 3 and 4.

Train Service Changes

• Trains 701, 702, 703, 704, 714 and 717 and Thruway Bus connections are cancelled.

  • Thruway buses 3512 and 3519 between Bakersfield and Las Vegas are cancelled.

• Please visit https://amtraksanjoaquins.com/amtrak-san-joaquins-covid-19-serviceadjustments/ for the most up to date Thruway schedules.

• Café car service is suspended effective March 26. Complimentary snacks and water will be available.

Track Work Affects Service April 3-4

• Friday, April 3, Train 718, which normally operates from Oakland (Jack London Square) to Bakersfield, will terminate at Wasco.

  • Amtrak Thruway Bus 5818 will originate at Wasco and provide alternate transportation between Wasco and Bakersfield.

• Saturday, April 4, Train 711, which normally operates from Bakersfield to Oakland (Jack London Square), will originate at Wasco.

  • Amtrak Thruway Bus 5811 will operate through to Wasco, providing alternate transportation between Bakersfield and Wasco. Bus 5811 will depart all station stops from San Diego to Bakersfield 15 minutes earlier than normally scheduled.

Station Changes

• Station buildings at Fresno, Hanford, Merced and Modesto are closed, until further notice. Customers boarding at these stations should proceed directly to the train and may purchase tickets onboard from the conductor.

• Bakersfield, Stockton, Sacramento, Emeryville, Martinez and Oakland will operate with reduced staff and hours.

Flagstaff, AZ, Station Waiting Room Temporarily Closed

Effective April 3, 4, 7 through 10, 2020

The Flagstaff, AZ, station waiting room is temporarily closed on April 3, 4 and 7 through 10. Trains will continue to stop at the station and passengers will have access to platforms.

Passengers will not have access to the inside of the station or restrooms during this time.

Glenwood Springs, CO, Station Temporarily Closed

Effective Immediately

Effective immediately, the Glenwood Springs, CO, station is temporarily closed. Trains will not stop at the station through April 12.

There will be no access to the inside of the station during this time.

California Zephyr Schedule Changes

Effective Immediately

California Zephyr and Amtrak Thruway bus service will be reduced effective immediately, until further notice, as outlined below:

Train Service Changes

• Trains 5 and 6 will terminate/originate at Denver

• Service is suspended between Reno and Denver with no alternate transportation provided.

Thruway Bus Service

• Amtrak Thruway Buses 3524 and 3547 continue to operate daily between Reno and Sacramento, serving Truckee, Auburn, Rocklin, Roseville and Sacramento. The bus does not service Colfax.

• Reno station is temporarily closed during this time.

Mendota, IL, Station Waiting Room Temporarily Closed

Effective Immediately

Effective immediately, the Mendota, IL, station waiting room is temporarily closed, until further notice. Trains will continue to stop at the station and passengers will have access to platforms.

Passengers will not have access to the inside of the station or restrooms during this time.

Rather than waiting for trains outdoors, please use the Amtrak app or other means to check train status while waiting in a personal vehicle.

Pacific Surfliner and Coast Starlight Weekend Service Changes

Effective Thursday through Sunday April 2 through 12, 2020

Due to bridge replacement work being performed by Metrolink-SCRRA, the Pacific Surfliner and Coast Starlight service will be adjusted as shown below:

Pacific Surfliner Northbound Trains, Saturday-Sunday, April 4-5 and 11-12:

• Train 763, which normally operates between San Diego and Goleta will terminate at Los Angeles. Bus 4863 will operate in place of Train 763 from Los Angeles to Oxnard and Train 1763 will operate from Oxnard to Goleta. Regular connecting bus service will operate from Santa Barbara.

• Train 777, which normally operates between San Diego to Goleta, will terminate at Los Angeles. Bus 4877 will operate in place of Train 777 from Los Angeles to Goleta. Regular connecting bus service will be provided from San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara. No alternate transportation will be provided to Carpinteria or Ventura.

• No alternate transportation will be provided to missed stations of Glendale, Burbank Airport, Chatsworth, Simi Valley or Camarillo.

• Buses will depart all stations earlier than the normal schedule.

Pacific Surfliner Southbound Trains, Saturday-Sunday, April 4-5 and 11-12:

• Train 768, which normally operates between Goleta and San Diego, will originate at Los Angeles. In place of Train 768, Train 1768 will operate from Goleta to Oxnard and Bus 4868 from Oxnard to Los Angeles. Regular connecting bus service will be provided from San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara.

• Train 796 which normally operates between Goleta and San Diego, will originate at Los Angeles. In place of Train 796, Train 1796 will operate between Goleta and Oxnard and Bus 4896 from Oxnard to Los Angeles. Regular connecting bus service will be provided from San Luis Obispo to Santa Barbara.

• No alternate transportation will be provided to missed stations of Glendale, Burbank Airport, Chatsworth, Simi Valley or Camarillo.

• Buses will depart all stations earlier than the normal schedule

Coast Starlight, Thursday-Sunday, April 2-5 and 9-12:

• Train 11 is cancelled on April 2 and 9. Train 1011 will operate in place of Train 11 between Seattle and Los Angeles, departing Seattle at 8:45 am, 60 minutes earlier than the normal schedule, operating this earlier schedule through to Los Angeles.

• Trains 11 and 14, which normally operate between Seattle and Los Angeles, will be cancelled between Oakland and Los Angeles, missing intermediate stops at San Jose, Salinas, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Oxnard, Simi Valley, Van Nuys and Burbank.

  • Travel between Los Angeles and Oakland, via Bakersfield, may be booked using Amtrak San Joaquins and Thruway bus service.

  • Travel to most of the missed intermediate stops between Los Angeles or Oakland may be booked using a combination of Amtrak Capitol Corridor and/or Thruway bus service.

Carolinian and Piedmont Services Schedule Changes

Effective March 23, 2020

Carolinian and Piedmont Service schedules are adjusted effective March 23, until further notice, as outlined below:

Train Service Changes

• Piedmont Trains 73, 74, 77 and 78 are cancelled.

• Piedmont Trains 75 and 76 will operate daily on their current schedule.

• Carolinian Trains 79 and 80 will operate daily on their current schedule with no Business Class or checked baggage.

Vermonter and Ethan Allen Schedule Changes

Effective March 26, 2020

Effective March 26, schedule changes and station closures will impact Vermonter and Ethan Allen trains, until further notice, as outlined below:

Vermonter Trains and Stations:

• Trains 54, 55, 56 and 57 will not operate between New Haven, CT and St. Albans, VT.

• Vermonter trains will continue to operate between Washington, D.C. and New Haven, Monday through Saturday.

• All Amtrak stations in Vermont are temporarily closed.

Ethan Allen Trains:

• Ethan Allen trains will not operate between Rutland and Albany.

Coaster Commuter Trains

Effective March 23, 2020

The North County Transit District has announced it will temporarily reduce service for its Coaster commuter trains starting Monday.

• Weekday train service will be reduced by about 50%, particularly around the noon hour, when several northbound and southbound trains will be suspended. Likewise, just one evening train in either direction will continue to run, 5:41 p.m. southbound and 7:13 p.m. northbound.

• Southbound commuters will have to be on the 7:40 a.m. train or wait until 2:42 p.m. Northbound commuters can leave as late as 9:18 a.m.

• Weekend Coaster service will be suspended entirely beginning March 28. The Breeze bus service has been temporarily eliminated.

• In addition to the Coaster trips which will remain active, riders with a valid Coaster Regional day or monthly pass will still be able to ride the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner. Amtrak will also be implementing service reductions.

Amtrak Cascades Schedule Changes

Effective March 21, 2020

Amtrak Cascades will be operating on a reduced schedule between Seattle and Eugene as outlined below:

Train Service Changes

• Train 500 will operate daily until April 3, departing Eugene at 5:30 am.

• Train 504 will operate daily until April 3, departing Portland at 12:00 pm.

• Train 517 will originate in Seattle, with no alternate transportation provided.

• Train 518 will terminate in Seattle, with no alternate transportation provided.

• Trains 502, 506, 507, 508, 511, 513, 516 and 519 will not operate between March 21 and April 3.

Please note: Café service is suspended until further notice effective March 21 for outbound and March 22 for inbound trains.

POINT Bus Service Changes-March 21 through April 3

• Bus 5503 will operate daily, departing Portland at 12:25 pm.

• Bus 5504 will operate daily, departing Eugene (Willamette Street) at 8:24 am.

• Bus 5508 will provide service for Train 508, departing Eugene (Willamette Street) at 3:55 pm

• Buses 5502 and 5545 will not operate.

Capitol Corridor Service Schedule Changes

Effective March 21, 2020

Please be advised that the Capitol Corridor service will operate on limited schedules beginning March 21.

In addition to schedule changes, some station facilities will be adjusting hours of operation.

For the most up to date information and changes, please visit www.capitolcorridor.org or call 1-877974-3322.

Missouri River Runner Train 311 Operating 1 Hour Earlier

Effective March 23, 2020

In an effort to increase on time performance and customer satisfaction, Missouri River Runner Train 311 will operate 1 hour earlier beginning March 23.

Schedule outlined below:

Station	Train 311 Daily
St. Louis	8:15 a.m.
Kirkwood	8:44 a.m.
Washington	9:21 a.m.
Herman	9:49 a.m.
Jefferson City	10:36 a.m.
Sedalia	11:49 a.m.
Warrensburg	12:20 p.m.
Lee’s Summit	1:04 p.m.
Independence	1:20 p.m.
Kansas City	1:55 p.m.

Palmetto Trains 89 and 90 Schedule Changes

Effective March 23 - April 9, 2020

Due to track work being performed by CSX, Palmetto Trains 89 and 90’s schedule will be impacted as outlined below:

Train 89:

• Monday through Thursday, March 23 – April 9, Train 89 will operate between New York and Washington, D.C. with no alternate transportation provided between Washington, D.C. and Savannah.

Train 90:

• Monday through Thursday, March 23-April 9, Train 90 will operate between Washington, D.C. and New York, with no alternate transportation provided between Savannah and Washington, D.C.

Please note: Trains 52, 53, 97 and 98 can expect approximately 30-minute delays between Savannah and Florence.

Bingen-White Salmon and Wishram, WA Stations Temporarily Closed

Effective Immediately

Effective immediately, the Bingen-White Salmon and Wishram station waiting rooms are temporarily closed, until further notice. Trains will continue to stop at both stations and passengers will have access to platforms.

Passengers will not have access to the inside of the station or restrooms during this time.

Albuquerque, NM, Station Waiting Room Hours Temporarily Modified

Effective Immediately

Effective immediately, the Albuquerque, NM, station waiting room hours are temporarily modified, until further notice.

Ticketed passengers and those wishing to purchase tickets will have access to the inside of the station by security 2 hours prior to train arrival and until train departs.

Friends and family picking up arriving passengers are not permitted in the station and are asked to wait in their vehicles.

Arcadia, Kirkwood, MO, Station Waiting Room Temporarily Closed

Effective Immediately

Effective immediately, the Kirkwood, MO, station waiting room is temporarily closed. Trains will continue to stop at the station and passengers will have access to platforms.

Passengers will not have access to the inside of the station or restrooms during this time.

East Lansing and Kalamazoo, MI Stations Waiting Room Temporarily Closed

Effective Immediately

Effective immediately, the East Lansing station waiting room is temporarily closed until further notice. Trains will continue to stop at the station and passengers will have access to platforms.

Passengers will not have access to the inside of the station or restrooms during this time. Caretakers will be on site to help with questions or directions during scheduled train times.

Harrisburg, Lancaster, Altoona, and Johnstown, PA Stations Temporarily Closed

Effective Immediately

Effective immediately, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Altoona and Johnstown stations are closed to the public until further notice.

Passengers will not have access to the inside of the station or restrooms during this time.

Lawrence and Dodge City, KS Santa Fe Depots Temporarily Closed

Effective Immediately

Effective immediately, the city of Dodge City is closing the Santa Fe Depot waiting room until further notice. Trains will continue to stop at the station and passengers will have access to platforms.

Passengers will not have access to the inside of the station or restrooms during this time.

Lincoln, NE Station Waiting Room Temporarily Closed

Effective March 21 and 22, 2020

Effective March 21 and 22, the Lincoln station waiting room is temporarily closed. Trains will continue to stop at the station and passengers will have access to platforms.

Passengers will not have access to the inside of the station or restrooms during this time.

Burlington, IA, Station Waiting Room Temporarily Closed

Effective Immediately

Effective immediately, the Burlington, IA, station waiting room is temporarily closed. Trains will continue to stop at the station and passengers will have access to platforms.

Passengers will not have access to the inside of the station or restrooms during this time.

Lake Shore Limited Trains 448 and 449 Track Work Affects Service

Fri., Sat. and Sun. March 20 - May 17, 2020

Track work being performed by MBTA will affect Trains 448 and 449 between Albany and Boston, as follows:

Train 448 Albany – Boston Service, Friday-Saturday: Mar. 20-21, 27-28; April 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25; May 1-2, 8-9, 15-16.

Customers who are traveling to Pittsfield, Springfield, Worcester and Boston (South Station) will get off the train at Albany on the dates above. At Albany, bus service will be provided to and from all stations listed above. No alternate transportation will be provided for the missed stop of Framingham. Passengers traveling to Back Bay will be bussed to Boston and then may take an MBTA or Amtrak commuter train between Boston and Back Bay.

Train 449 Boston – Albany Service, Saturday-Sunday: Mar. 21-22, 28-29; Apr. 4-5, 11-12, 18-19, 25-26; May 2-3, 9-10, 16-17.

Train 449 will not operate between Boston (South Station) and Albany on the dates above.

Passengers boarding at Boston (South Station), Worcester, Springfield and Pittsfield will be provided bus service to Albany. No alternate transportation will be provided for missed stops at Back Bay and Framingham. Passengers traveling from Back Bay will have the option of boarding at Boston or traveling on alternate dates.

Boston (South Station) and Worcester

• Passengers at Boston South Station should go to the Amtrak Information Desk for instructions on boarding the buses.

• Passengers at Worcester will board the bus at the main entrance in front of the station. Boarding will not occur at the Bus Terminal.

Please Note: There will be no Business Class or sleeping car during this time

Keystone Service Schedule Changes

Effective Mar. 7 through Nov. 15, 2020

Due to the Middletown Station Construction Project, Keystone Service schedules will be affected between Mar. 7 and Nov. 15.

Eastbound:

• Train 620 will operate 5 minutes later from Harrisburg to Elizabethtown, will now stop at Mt. Joy and will operate 6 minutes later from Lancaster to Philadelphia.

• Train 622 will now stop at Mt. Joy and will operate 1 minute later from Lancaster to Philadelphia.

• Train 646 will operate 1 minute earlier from Harrisburg to Elizabethtown, will now stop at Mt. Joy and will operate on the current schedule from Lancaster to Philadelphia.

• Train 652 will operate 10 minutes earlier from Harrisburg to Philadelphia

• Train 654 will operate 10 minutes later from Harrisburg to Philadelphia.

Westbound:

• Train 605 will operate 10 minutes later from Philadelphia to Harrisburg.

• Train 607 will operate 10 minutes earlier from Philadelphia to Harrisburg.

• Train 645 will operate 10 minutes later from Lancaster to Harrisburg.

• Train 669 will operate 5 minutes later from Elizabethtown to Harrisburg on weekends.

Travel Tip of the Week

TravelReview Submissions as of March 31 – 1,185

Essential Service Plan: Updates to Service

LATEST NEWS & UPDATES: Some states are currently limiting travel between state lines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has urged residents of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to refrain from non-essential travel for 14 days. Amtrak service continues to operate on the Northeast Corridor to provide vital transportation for essential employees. Customers should check with each state for specific guidance.

While Amtrak continues to operate across the nation, we have adjusted our train services due to significantly reduced demand. The most up-to-date schedules are available when booking a trip on Amtrak.com and in the mobile app.

Operating on a reduced schedule:

• Adirondack (New York – Montreal): No service north of Albany

• Amtrak Hartford Line (New Haven, Conn. – Springfield, Mass.)

• Amtrak Thruway Bus routes

• California Zephyr (Chicago- Emeryville, Calif.): No service between Denver and Emeryville

• Capitol Corridor (San Jose – Sacramento)

• Cascades (Eugene – Vancouver, B.C.): No service north of Seattle

• Downeaster (Boston – Brunswick, Maine)

• Empire Service (New York – Niagara Falls)

• Ethan Allen Express (New York – Rutland, Vermont): No service north of Albany

• Hiawatha (Chicago – Milwaukee)

• Illini/Saluki (Chicago – Carbondale)

• Illinois Zephyr/Carl Sandburg (Chicago – Quincy)

• Lincoln Service (Chicago – St. Louis)

• Maple Leaf (New York – Toronto): No service west of Niagara Falls, New York

• Missouri River Runner (St. Louis – Kansas City) starting March 30

• Northeast Regional (Boston – New York – Washington, DC – Virginia)

• Pacific Surfliner (San Luis Obispo – San Diego)

• Piedmont (Charlotte – Raleigh)

• San Joaquins (Bakersfield – Oakland and Sacramento)

• Valley Flyer (New Haven, Conn. – Greenfield, Mass.)

• Vermonter (Washington – St. Albans): No service north of New Haven (Monday – Saturday) and no service on Sundays

• Wolverine (Chicago – Pontiac)

Temporarily suspended services:

• Acela (Boston – Washington, DC)

• Keystone Service (Harrisburg – New York)

• Pennsylvanian (New York – Pittsburgh)

• Pere Marquette (Chicago – Grand Rapids)

• Winter Park Express (Denver – Winter Park Resort)

What to Expect

Due to service reductions, some stations may not be staffed. If the station is closed, customers should proceed directly to the platform to board their train. Café service will also be suspended on select trains. Other services may be impacted as circumstances change.

Travel Changes

Customers with reservations on trains that are being modified will be contacted and accommodated on trains with similar departure times or on another day.

Ticket Changes and/or Cancellations

Amtrak is waiving change fees for reservations made before May 31, 2020. To modify a reservation, customers can log in to their account, go to ‘Modify Trip’ on Amtrak.com, or find their reservation from their account on the home screen in the Amtrak app. A fare difference may apply to a new itinerary. If customers want to cancel their reservation with no fee, they must call 800-USA-RAIL and speak with an agent (not available via Amtrak.com or the app).

If you need to make changes to your reservation, please refer to Amtrak’s Step-by-Step- Guide for instructions.

Stay healthy.

TravelReview Feedback Card

As you travel, please help us promote the Travel Review with other rail passengers. As you encounter passengers who want to make their positive and negative opinions known, please direct them to www.railpassengers.org/Travel Review. All participants will remain anonymous. If you encounter any problems with the Travel Review, or have any questions, please send an email to [email protected]

Do You Need More TravelReview Feedback Cards?

Please help us to spread the word. We need your help in engaging other passengers when you travel and let them know that their feedback is welcomed by RailPax. To facilitate this sharing of information the TravelReview Feedback Card is now available for you to download and print for regular usage. The card can be given to fellow passengers to introduce the work that RailPax is doing as well as our desire to have their feedback. The cards can also be left behind in stations as you pass through.

The template is in a .pdf format and will open in Adobe document cloud. First download the file and save it to your desktop for easy access. Then print as needed. The original template is formatted for Avery 5871 or 5371 cardstock which are both 2” x 3½” business card formats. Any brand cardstock should function as long as the dimensions match.

If you experience any problems in accessing the file, please send an email to [email protected]

Looking Beyond Pandemic: The Work Continues

Even before the coronavirus outbreak, 2020 was shaping up as a critical year for the future of American passenger rail. With Amtrak ridership down more than 90% and rescue packages taking shape for intercity passenger rail, private operators, mass transit and airlines, there is a risk that when the crisis is over critically needed investment capital will be cut off -- and the legislative gains we have spent five years setting in motion could be squandered.

Amtrak is quasi-public corporation, with the federal government providing a significant portion of the railroad’s annual operations and capital budget. The current funding authorization expires at the end of FY2020, and in 2020 the Rail Passengers Association will be leading efforts in the courts and on Capitol Hill to ensure that America’s passenger rail service continues to thrive. We will fight to sustain our vision of “A Connected America” where all of us, rich or poor, rural or urban, are linked together.

We’re committed to this work and ready to take action, but we can’t do it alone. As we gear up to fight for passenger rail’s present and future, please consider donating to support this critical work.