By Meridian (MS) Mayor John Robert Smith
July 26, 2004

I once knew very little about passenger trains. That changed 10 years ago when, facing a shrinking federal operating grant, Amtrak announced service cuts. Communities along the western end of our Crescent route were alarmed that service would be cut to just three days a week, which is virtually no service at all.

Like many communities, Meridian (MS) has two Amtrak trains a day. However, our service means much more. It's an important part of our citizens' transportation options. It was a catalyst to the rebuilding of our station into an intermodal transportation terminal — which, in turn, was vital to redeveloping our downtown.

To save our service, I joined with Tuscaloosa (AL) Mayor Alvin DuPont to organize the mayors of the impacted communities into the Crescent High Speed Rail Corridor Coalition. Our work with Amtrak and particularly our Congressional delegations led to restoration of our daily service in 1996.

My deep interest in Amtrak began to attract the attention of others, particularly Senator Trent Lott (MS). I became involved in his proposal for an Amtrak task force to gather citizen input in 1995. He later supported my appointment to the Amtrak Board of Directors by President Bill Clinton. I served from 1998 to 2003 and was elected chairman in early 2002.

Early on, I wanted to find ways to increase interest in passenger rail among other mayors. To that end, Amtrak in 1999 formed the Mayors Advisory Council. It has been very useful in making mayors among the most effective advocates on behalf of passenger rail. When mayors call their members of Congress, they are responded to and are listened to. In my new role as chairman of the Mayors Advisory Council, my goal is to make the Council an even more effective tool to advance our cause.

In June 2002, Amtrak faced one of its worst fiscal crises, coming within days of shutting down. Fortunately, one of the best decisions I made as chairman was hiring, just weeks earlier, David Gunn as President of Amtrak. Working together, Amtrak got from the Department of Transportation and Congress what it needed to keep running.

Gunn began to bring order and stability to Amtrak. In the past two years, he has brought financial controls to Amtrak, restored the company's credibility, and launched a major effort to rebuild plant and equipment.

While that happens, Amtrak looks to the future in two vital areas. First, we need a public discussion on the mounting challenges facing the freight railroad industry, where congestion and inadequate track investment are already hurting Amtrak service.

Second, train service must be made available to more Americans. That means keeping Amtrak's nationwide service that connects many rural communities and corridors together. It also means improving service on existing corridors and creating some new ones.

The mayors have been an effective advocacy group on behalf of passenger rail service, but we must do more. I encourage you to form coalitions along your rail corridors to develop a strong network that can be an effective voice in Congress. Mayors must also stand firm in support of a dedicated, stable source of funding for Amtrak. As other forms of public transportation diminish, mayors must be in the forefront to support passenger rail as a transportation option for our citizens.