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[KevinKorell]

To NARP Members, September 1, 2005--

First and foremost, our thoughts, prayers and best wishes are with all those who have suffered, or whose loved ones have suffered, from
Hurricane Katrina.

Here is some information about affected Amtrak service.

Currently, the Crescent is running only New York-Atlanta, The City of
New Orleans runs Chicago-Memphis, and the Sunset Limited Los Angeles-San Antonio. Amtrak is not offering alternate transportation to the unserved segments. This means that many communities distant from the destruction nevertheless are without service--including Houston, Birmingham, Meridian and Jackson.

NARP has urged Amtrak to extend service as soon as possible to the
above-noted communities and others similarly affected, even where this
means using feeder buses. Amtrak is expected to have a long-term
service plan soon, possibly as early as tomorrow.

Amtrak is offering no-penalty refunds and exchanges for travel over
annulled segments of the three routes listed above through October 31,
including for those tickets that otherwise would be non-refundable.
Also, no-penalty provisions would automatically apply through the end
of the annulment, if it goes beyond October 31. (Today, Amtrak is still
selling space to New Orleans on the City of New Orleans that leaves
Chicago Sunday, Sept. 4, but it that train obviously will not reach New
Orleans.)

[Amtrak eliminated most penalties last year, but normally there is a
10% service charge if a change in plans occasions a refund and you take the refund in cash rather than as a credit towards future travel.]

As of today, we understand the New Orleans station is in relatively
good shape; it sits on one of the highest pieces of land in the city. However, the city is devastated. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin: "For the next two or three months, in this area, there will not be any commerce, at all. No electricity, no restaurants. This is the real deal. It's not living conditions" (7 AM entry on Tom Planchet's blog at
http://www.wwltv.com...OG.ac3fcea.html ). We understand that two or three major bridges on the New Orleans-Mobile line are gone.


--Ross B. Capon
NARP Executive Director