Hotline #734

Train 92, Amtrak's southbound Colonial, derailed the evening of August 12 near Newport News, Va., close to the site of a grade-crossing accident and derailment involving the Colonial on April 29. About 80 people were injured this time. The FBI is investigating evidence of sabotage, saying that a switch had been tampered with. The switch is remotely controlled from CSX headquarters in Jacksonville, but can be operated manually. The lock securing the switch box was broken. The engineer said that though he had just passed a green signal, when he got to the switch he saw it was misaligned. He immediately applied the emergency brake, but it was too late. That suggests the saboteur tripped the switch within moments of the train's arrival.

The House passed H.R.4250, their two-year Amtrak and NECIP authorization on August 11, under a suspension vote of 8-3. Eight Members spoke in favor -- Swift (Wash.), Ritter (Pa.), Dingell (Mich.), Rowland (Ga.), DeLauro (Conn.), Frank (Mass.), Williams (Mont.), and Pease (Ohio) -- and no one spoke against it. Submitting written statements for the record were Lent (N.Y.), LaRocco (Ida.), Fazio (Cal.), Andrews (Me.), and Peterson (Fla.). We believe all of the Members who spoke voted for H.R.4250 and that one of the opponents was Sensenbrenner (Wis.), but since this was not a recorded vote, we do not know the names of the other two opponents.

The Senate acted on August 12. It amended its own Amtrak authorization bill, S.2608, three times; then offered it as a substitute amendment to the House bill, H.R.4250, and passed it. We believe that means there are two versions of H.R.4250 going to a staff conference to be consolidated into one bill and sent back to both Houses. The three Senate amendments were the following -- Kerry (Mass.) to add a Northeast Corridor authorization to the bill; Moynihan (N.Y.) requiring Amtrak to submit a formal plan of its proposal to buy the General Post Office in Manhattan; and Kassebaum (Kans.) to require ditch or strobe lights on all railroad locomotives. Making floor statements -- all positive -- were Exon (Neb.), Hollings (S.C.), Lautenberg (N.J.), Simon (Ill.), Dole (Kans.), Kennedy (Mass.), Grassley (Ia.), and the three who offered the amendments.

Democratic Presidential nominee Bill Clinton got off his bus on August 10 and rode Amtrak Metroliner 113 from New York to a rally in Philadelphia. "I like trains," he said. "I've always loved trains. It's a good way to go to Philadelphia. I hope I take more trains in the campaign."

SEPTA plans to cut commuter train operations to save money, including much weekend service and all service west of Downingtown. Hearings will be at Bucks County Court House in Doylestown on August 31 at 6:00 pm, West Chester Area Senior Center in West Chester on September 1 at 9:00 am, Valley Forge Hilton in King of Prussia on September 1 at 6:00 pm, and the Philadelphia Hilton on September 2 at 11:00 am and 6:00 pm.

New Jersey Transit will allow bikes on off-peak North Coast trains as a three-month trial. Also, bike racks will be installed at all stations on that line. Currently, full-sized bikes are allowed by permit only on the Atlantic City line. NARP asked NJT this spring to expand its bike program.

Refurbished stainless steel, head-end power cars began appearing on VIA Rail's Chaleur this week.