News & Events:
Press Releases: 06/21/02
For Immediate Release - June 21, 2002
Contact:
Rick Harnish, Executive Director, Midwest High Speed Rail Association
Office: 773-334-6758 Cell: 312-339-0116
MHSRC joins NARP in promoting vision of
revitalized passenger rail system
The Midwest High Speed Rail Association (MHSRC) joined the National
Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) today in urging a bold
approach to upgrading and expanding the nation's "largely neglected...rail
system to modern 21st Century standards" so that rail becomes
a real travel choice for Americans.
The groups favor creating a "broad long-range vision for an
expanded intercity rail network that connects all regions and metropolitan
areas of the country and serves all important transportation routes,"
and funding that vision partly through creation of a rail trust
fund.
MHSRC contributed to NARP's new report, "Modern Passenger Trains:
A National Necessity; Analysis and Recommendations," which
is available at www.narprail.org/plan.pdf.
The report urges giving Amtrak "an immediate emergency grant"
to insure maintenance of "all current routes and services"
and "repair and return to service [of] all passenger rolling
stock now idled..."
The groups support improving and expanding all types of intercity
passenger rail services: "Even though public use of Amtrak's
existing trains is high, lack of adequate capital funding over the
three decades of Amtrak's existence has greatly limited its ability
to satisfy the nation's growing demand for transportation.
The report supports DOT Inspector General Kenneth Mead's claim
that the cost of running long-distance trains is "chump change"
compared with Northeast Corridor infrastructure investment needs.
"The Association favors transfer of ownership (but not control)
of Amtrak infrastructure to the Department of Transportation, emphasizing
that the Secretary would be "responsible for funding the maintenance
and development of these assets as publicly owned facilities to
support" all forms of rail service.
The report urges mandating "that Amtrak's Board of Directors
be appointed to represent all regions" and include "elected
officials, business leaders and consumers."
The report urges debate to "focus on strategies that will
allow rail to realize its full potential in serving public needs,
not on ones that seek only to reduce further -- or eliminate entirely
-- federal support of intercity rail service."
Other key recommendations include:
• Create a broad long-range vision for an expanded intercity
rail network that connects all regions and metropolitan areas of
the country and serves all important transportation routes."
This vision "would outline policies for allocating public funds
by regions and types of service and establish guidelines for balancing
volume growth with farebox recovery.
• Fund the vision -- NARP urges the Federal Government to
establish a Rail Trust Fund so that intercity rail is not entirely
dependent on the annual appropriation process for its funding. The
Federal Government would fund 100% of the national system and 80%
of state sponsored regional services.
• End the "operating self-sufficiency" mandate,
and set realistic performance targets based on growth in usage and
"realistic farebox recovery levels.
• Maintain Amtrak as the agency responsible for managing
and dispatching the Northeast Corridor as well as the other lines
and stations it currently owns.
The Midwest High Speed Rail Association is a member supported
non-profit educational organization promoting the development of
faster, more frequent train service connecting over 200 Midwestern
cities and airports. Our nearly 700 members include business leaders,
mayors and individuals, all of whom recognize the travel and economic
development benefits of an expanded rail network.
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