Earth Equity News

Amtrak Getting More Riders and Congressional Dollars. By Christopher Conkey, WSJournal, August 8, 2008, subscription. "Amtrak is on pace to serve a record 28 million passengers in its current fiscal year, up from the previous high of 25.8 million last year... Amtrak's newfound popularity has made an impression in Congress, where lawmakers view the rail service as an environmentally friendly, energy-efficient approach to reducing gridlock and expanding transportation options. The House and Senate have passed by veto-proof margins legislation that could increase Amtrak funding by 33% or more in the new fiscal year beginning October. The legislation would also establish a grant program to encourage states to expand rail offerings... Amtrak faces [overcrowding and] an enormous infrastructure challenge with its aging network of bridges, tracks and tunnels... Estimates [call for] nearly $5 billion of work along the Northeast Corridor to bring things to a state of good repair... A provision in the House's Amtrak bill would have the Transportation Department study the possibility of high-speed service between Washington and New York, with trains running as fast as 200 miles an hour and a trip time of two hours or less. [But,] Amtrak President Alex Kummant scoffs at the idea of European-style high-speed service in the congested Northeast, which could require a dedicated corridor established through years of eminent-domain proceedings."