By Ron Thaniel
March 31, 2003

The Senate approved legislation March 26 authored by Senator Robert C. Byrd (WV) to double the Administration's proposed $900 million Amtrak FY04 budget to $1.8 billion.

During the Senate floor debate, Byrd said that this funding level will ensure that the railroad remains viable throughout the entirety of 2004. "It will also allow the railroad to make some long-deferred capital investments to improve Amtrak's reliability and ensure the continuation of safe and timely rail service. These investments include the replacement of Amtrak's aging track infrastructure and the rehabilitation of a number of railroad bridges that are several decades old and in desperate need of renewal," Byrd added.

"Amtrak is the nation's passenger rail service. It is not just service for big cities or for urban regions. For many rural Americans, Amtrak represents the only major transportation link to the rest of the country. With that in mind, I worked hard to ensure that Amtrak received enough funding to keep all of its trains running, not just those in the more heavily populated areas," Senator Byrd said.

Byrd also noted that a funding level of $900 million for 2004 will ensure that the railroad enters bankruptcy about halfway through the fiscal year. It ensures that thousands of Amtrak passengers will be left standing at the station. "It further ensures that millions of daily commuters that use mass transit systems that utilize Amtrak property will not be able to get to work. This is a reckless policy that should be rejected," the Senator said.

Amtrak has recommended a $1.8 billion federal operating and capital investment grant for FY04 in order to continue its efforts to bring stability to the passenger rail service, provide its customers with safe, secure and reliable service and reverse the recent deterioration of its physical plant and equipment. The proposal includes $1.04 billion for capital needs and $768 million to support operations.

The increase in funding needs for FY04 versus FY03 is based on both capital and operating requirements. The capital program consists of specific projects designed to ensure that Amtrak's system wide trains and the Amtrak-owned Northeast Corridor are returned to a good condition. Among the proposed major capital initiatives for FY04 are the repair of 20 damaged coaches and 10 locomotives, reconstruction of five major interlockings, initial reconstruction of three important bridges, the installation of 120,000 new ties and investments in several maintenance facilities.

Long-term funding and reauthorization needed

This spring, Amtrak will release a detailed five-year capital plan outlining its long-term initiative to bring the railroad to a state of good repair. Combined with its projected need for operating support during these five years, the current passenger rail system will require federal funding of approximately $2 billion annually from FY04 to FY08, according to preliminary estimates. This plan will help federal policymakers lay the groundwork for the future of passenger rail through Amtrak's reauthorization this year. Amtrak's federal authorization expired on September 30, 2002.