Hotline #769

Congress returns next week. The Senate may vote on April 20 on a Republican alternative to the Clinton stimulus package, which could foreshadow terms of whatever finally passes. Senate Minority Leader Robert Dole (R.-Kans.) reportedly wants no Amtrak money in his bill, but might listen to pro-Amtrak Republican colleagues. It is especially important for NARP's Indiana members to call Senators Coats and Lugar and tell them that without the stimulus funds, Beech Grove faces more layoffs instead of a recall of already furloughed workers. Similarly, Senator Specter (Pa.) needs reminding that the Amtrak money would expand Amtrak's current locomotive order at the General Electric plant in Erie.

Send NARP an s.a.s.e. for a copy of Amtrak's two-page list of stimulus projects. It includes 60 stations in 27 states, including the following with Republican Senators -- six in Florida (so call Senator Mack), five in Virginia (Senator Warner), four in New York (Senator D'Amato), three in Pennsylvania (Senator Specter), three in Washington (Senator Gorton), two in Kansas (Senators Dole and Kassebaum), two in Oregon (Senators Hatfield and Packwood), two in Arizona (Senator McCain).

President Clinton named Jolene Molitoris as his choice for Federal Railroad Administrator on April 12. She worked from 1977 to 1983 for the Ohio Rail Transportation Authority, rising to Executive Director. From 1983 to 1991, she was Ohio DOT's Deputy Director for Rail, creating a program that started or developed 13 short lines. She received the High Speed Rail/Maglev Association's Chairman's Award for Outstanding Achievement in 1989 and 1992 and until recently served as one of their volunteer vice presidents.

Several Congressional hearings of interest are approaching. The House Public Works Surface Transportation Subcommittee will meet April 20, 21, 27, 28, and May 4 to examine various aspects of implementation of ISTEA. On April 29, House Energy and Commerce Transportation Chairman Al Swift (D.-Wash.) will hold a hearing on high-speed rail. On May 3, House Transportation Appropriations Chairman Bob Carr (D.-Mich.) will hold a hearing on 1994 funding for the Federal Railroad Administration, followed by Amtrak funding on May 5 and other witnesses for all DOT programs on May 6.

New York will spend state money on rail projects for the first time in several years. The state will spend $7.5 million a year for four years, beginning with the fiscal year that began April 1. It is not yet certain what the split will be between passenger and freight projects. The Empire State Passengers Association deserves credit for getting the funding passed.

Amtrak will display the X2000 on April 17 at Washington and on April 18 at Baltimore, both days from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.

The Baltimore light-rail line was extended south nearly three miles on April 2, to Linthicum. Another extension south will open a month early in July.

A study unit of the Illinois DOT in late March recommended extending Metra commuter service from Chicago to Antioch, Ill., along the Wisconsin Central. That line last had passenger service in 1965. The new line, to use ISTEA funds, should open in 1995 and connect to the O'Hare Airport people mover.

Former railroad executive Robert Claytor died on April 9 at Norfolk, Va., of cancer, at the age of 71. He was instrumental in the merger of the Southern and the Norfolk & Western into the Norfolk Southern, and was one of Amtrak President Graham Claytor's two younger brothers.

A conference of the Association of German Railway Engineers in Frankfurt in March was reported on in the April edition of Railway Gazette International. Formerly enthusiastic supporters of the maglev in Germany are growing weary of lack of results and the magazine warned American maglev supporters to take better heed of that lack of progress.

The NARP board meets in Washington beginning April 22. Every attempt will be made to produce a hotline on time on April 23, but it may be shorter than normal.