Senate to consider Amtrak 6-year $19.2 billion legislation Options

[KevinKorell]

From Clarion, MS Ledger, 10/28/07:

WASHINGTON — The Senate is scheduled to consider an Amtrak bill Tuesday that would provide the nation's passenger railroad more money than it ever has received and make a major investment to fix problems on the Northeast Corridor.

Story is here.

[ICGsteve]

So then, that answers the question about what Kummant and the people he has brought in were promised. Now Congressional leaders need to keep their word and get it done.

[EvergreenRailfan]

Just as long as there are no more anti-Long Distance Train Amendments. Although it seems to be Political Theater, it is interesting Political Theater. How did the Sinunu Amendment fare again? Easy for Senator Sinunu to rail(pardon the pun) against these trains at every turn, his state did not even have an Amtrak Train until recently.(Were there any before the Downeaster) Some states, all they ahve is LD Trains.

Now S.294 looks like a good bill, and I hope it passes.

[KevinKorell]

his state did not even have an Amtrak Train until recently.(Were there any before the Downeaster)

The Vermonter (and the Montrealer before it) crosses the border from Vermont into New Hampshire and then back into Vermont. It stops at Claremont Junction, NH.

[EvergreenRailfan]

Almost like how VIA's Atlantic skirted through Northern Maine. Maybe it was a good thing VIA had cut that train, imagine the security concerns for people getting off at the three stops they had in Northern Maine.

Also, does New Hampshire provide any state support to either the Vermonter or the Downeaster/ It might be interesting if Senator Sinunu, while pushing for the elimination of state support of trains he don't want to fund anymore, would get his state to fund these two routes, to avoid a little hint of hypocracy. That is, unless they already fund these two trains.

[steve4031]

So does this thing have ANY chance? Or is this just another dream?

[ICGsteve]

So does this thing have ANY chance? Or is this just another dream?

while i don't know the back story, it seems likely to happen. AMTRAK has been able to fill the management ranks which were decimated my Gunn with good people, and good people would only come in if they had assurances that something good was going to happen at Amtrak. also, the rebuilding of the NEC has largely been put on hold until Amtrak's future is decided, because too many in power did not want Amtrak to have the job. However, anyone who has been paying attention the the NEC can clearly see that it is falling apart, Amtrak can not keep the power system working, the Catenary needs an $1 billion rebuild which can not wait any longer, and so on. The transit agencies were never going to sit quietly by as the NEC passed the point of neglect were it stopped functioning. We are there folks. Amtrak's mission and future have not been decided but the NEC can't wait. Amtrak will get a large budget increase, most of it will go into the NEC, and the rest of Amtrak will get just enough of the budget increase to get the votes the new subsidy needs from states outside of the NEC in Congress.

thus is my prediction.

[KevinKorell]

So does this thing have ANY chance? Or is this just another dream?

One has to wonder:

• Will the current President sign or veto the bill?
• Would both houses of Congress have the 2/3 majority to override a possible veto?
• Would President Bush pocket veto the bill (thus preventing an override) ?
• Could the bill be delayed until January 2009 when the next President takes office?

[ICGsteve]

One has to wonder:

• Will the current President sign or veto the bill?
• Would both houses of Congress have the 2/3 majority to override a possible veto?
• Would President Bush pocket veto the bill (thus preventing an override) ?
• Could the bill be delayed until January 2009 when the next President takes office?

Laney has a very close relationship with the White House, he is the one most responsible for installing new leadership and the cashiering of Gunn. There is every reason to think that Laney was assured by the Bush people that they would not object to Amtrak getting money for the NEC so long as Amtrak first demonstrated a commitment to change. The drop kicking of Gunn and the new blood at Amtrak do exactly that.

[KevinKorell]

Laney is out soon, as he has indicated he is leaving the Board.