By Ron Thaniel
May 23, 2005

Under the leadership of Meridian (MS) Mayor John Robert Smith, The U.S. Conference of Mayors hosted a national discussion on the future of intercity passenger rail on May 11 in the U.S. Senate.

Smith is Chair of the Conference Amtrak Intercity Rail Investment Task Force, Vice Chair of the Transportation and Communications Standing Committee for Rail Policy, and Past Chairman of the Board for the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak).

With Smith were Philadelphia Mayor John F. Street, North Little Rock Mayor Patrick Henry Hays, Salisbury (NC) Mayor Susan W. Kluttz, Macon Mayor C. Jack Ellis and Santa Barbara Mayor Marty Blum.

Joining the mayors were key decision makers who spoke on corridor development, northeast corridor capital and infrastructure, long distance trains, and stable funding options. These included Senator Trent Lott (MS), Chairman of the Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Subcommittee of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Senator Frank Lautenberg (NJ), Jeffrey A. Rosen, General Counsel with the U.S. Department of Transportation, and David M. Laney, Chairman of the Board with the National Railroad Passenger Corporation.

Speaking on integrating aviation-rail'transit to improve economic productivity and consumer choice were Maria V. Zimmerman, Vice President for Policy with Reconnecting America and past Chief of Staff for Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer and Scott Bernstein, President for the Center for Neighborhood Technology.

Framing the discussion, Smith said "We are here today because mayors, in cities large and small, have a direct economic and social interest in not having an interruption, even a temporary interruption, of essential intercity rail service this fall due to the zero funding for Amtrak in the Administration's FY06 Budget."

Lott noted that "the federal government should have the principal lead in supporting a national passenger rail system because the issue is interstate commerce and is vital to the national economy."

Speaking on the Administration's zero funding for Amtrak in its FY06 Budget, Lautenberg said "The President proposes to bankrupt our passenger rail system with 850 thousand American workers cut off from their jobs and forced onto already crowded roads."

U.S. Department of Transportation General Counsel Jeffrey Rosen highlighted points in the Administration's reform plan:

• Establish a long'term partnership between states and the federal government to support intercity passenger rail. The plan calls for a 50-50 federal'state partnership.
• Require that Amtrak transition to a pure operating company. Amtrak would split into a private infrastructure company and train operating company, effectively separating the Northeast Corridor (NEC) infrastructure from long-distance train operations.
• Create a system driven by sound economics. Outside the Northeast where Amtrak does not own track, individual states and interstate compacts could negotiate with the freight rail companies to develop new routes.
• Introduce carefully managed competition to provide higher quality rail services at reasonable prices.
• Create an effective public partnership, after a reasonable transition, to manage the capital assets of the Northeast Corridor.

After the evacuation of the Capitol due to an airplane entering restricted airspace, Amtrak Vice President Paul Nissenbaum highlighted aspects of Amtrak's Strategic Reform Initiative:

• Development of passenger rail corridors utilizing a federal/state matching approach common to all other modes (generally 80/20).
• Return of the Northeast Corridor infrastructure to a state-of-good repair and operational reliability, with phased-in financial responsibility for capital and operating costs assumed on a proportionate basis by all users, including Amtrak, freight and commuter railroads.
• Establishment of phased-in financial performance thresholds for Amtrak's existing 15 long-distance trains and any future similar proposed service.
• Creation of markets for competition, private commercial participation and industrial reforms in various rail functions.

In closing, Smith said "Amtrak is a source of civic pride and for many of our smaller cities and towns on the long distance route it is the only option available other than driving to our larger cities."

Continuing their discussion in a closed session, the mayors drafted the Conference's intercity passenger rail resolution to be introduced at the Conference's 73rd Annual Meeting.