I just realized that PRIAA has the same state requirement starting in 2013, so this is just simply advancing the PRIAA requirement one year for full subsidy. The actual budget that Amtrak is getting is not that bad. Much friendlier than the 0$ attempts by the Bush admin. But PRIAA already had the requirement for the states to take over full subsidy anyways by 2013, so Amtrak has no excuse for not being ready for this.
Amtrak Threatened With Shutdown Budget
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1) It's not Amtrak that needs to be ready for this.
2) If someone says you have until next year to do something, and at the last minute decides that they want it this year instead, do you have "no excuse" for not being ready?
From the Amtrak reaction about the state subsidy, it more than advancing the 2013 requirement. I would like to hear more about the specifics, but my interpretation is that the PRIIA act still allows some federal funding support in that Amtrak is a large operation with overhead and capital costs. It may be that the new proposed House rule would not let Amtrak provide equipment that is used on the NEC or on LD trains, because those are in part "federally" supported. Splitting overhead, debt service, maintenance, and equipment costs between the various parts of the system is not a simple process. At the start of a FY, Amtrak does not know exactly what the cost will be for providing a state supported train. So they agree to an estimated support amount, but if the state funding comes in at supporting only 93% of the cost depending on how the accounting is done, Amtrak might cover that out of the general funding and adjust the amounts in the next agreement with the state.
The House committee staffers may have written the proposed law in such a way because 100% state funding sounds good to them, but is totally impractical for Amtrak to follow. This sounds like the absolute 100% American parts requirement for buying things, but what if the only source for a specialized component or raw material is in Japan or China? Then they have to get waivers from the federal agency which wastes time & money that could be better spent. It takes out all flexibility, but Congress has been good at this in recent years because of political pandering. A 80% American made requirement allows for flexibility and lets the accountants sit down and figure out how to get to 80% and still have the product mostly made in the USA.
I'm surprised by the attack on the state supported trains. The proposed huge budget cut for operating funding which mostly goes to LD trains is not a surprise, but the wholesale attack is rather depressing. Fortunately, we have an administration that is very pro-rail, so the state supported trains will likely survive. Can't say that for all of the LD trains.
The thing that bugs me about the state-supported train issue (and I think the requirement on those trains was that the states have to cover 2/3 of operating losses, not 100%) is that there's no allowance really made for trains right "on the bubble" such as the Virginia services, where there are either no losses to deal with (the Lynchburger) or there are very small ones as a percentage of the operation (the WAS-RVR-NPN service; I think the Piedmont falls in here as well, at something like 98% of costs being covered, and there are a few other services where the CR numbers are north of 90%).
Ok, looks like I need to bug both of my Congressmen (redistrcting may be moving me into a different district). Fortunately, one voted against the last Amtrak cut while another one paired off on the vote.
Honestly, I've got one real hope on this: We go back to continuing resolutions through the end of 2012.
Honestly, I've got one real hope on this: We go back to continuing resolutions through the end of 2012.
Green Maned Lion
Engineer
Shut disown budget? Get real. This is a substantial reduction that will never actually happen. A reduction in Amtraks funding is assured; this is the age of the witless cut and Amtrak will not be exempt- nor should it be. If everything is being whacked away at with a chainsaw, Amtrak will be too. Its no sacred cow.
Frankly, I have no respect for the people who fund figurehead organizations like NARP and pretend they are actually doing something. Excluding Jishnu, who I know is very involved in rail politics, those of you in Northern New Jersey should be not only joining the Lackawanna Coalition, but coming to meetings and offering to do things to help us. Don't be the federal government. Throwing money at problems will not in itself make it go away.
Emails are BS, don't bother. Especially form emails. Unfortunately, NJ is crippled by the moribund NJ-ARP and its moron of a chairman. Amtrak needs your help. Rail in general needs your help. So give your help. And feeble bits of text and tiny stipends of money are not enough. Do not, repeat, DO NOT send letters and phone calls to your representatives. MEET WITH THEM, or atleast their staffers. Lets get things done. If you don't have the time to actually do things, shame on you for calling yourself and advocate!
Frankly, I have no respect for the people who fund figurehead organizations like NARP and pretend they are actually doing something. Excluding Jishnu, who I know is very involved in rail politics, those of you in Northern New Jersey should be not only joining the Lackawanna Coalition, but coming to meetings and offering to do things to help us. Don't be the federal government. Throwing money at problems will not in itself make it go away.
Emails are BS, don't bother. Especially form emails. Unfortunately, NJ is crippled by the moribund NJ-ARP and its moron of a chairman. Amtrak needs your help. Rail in general needs your help. So give your help. And feeble bits of text and tiny stipends of money are not enough. Do not, repeat, DO NOT send letters and phone calls to your representatives. MEET WITH THEM, or atleast their staffers. Lets get things done. If you don't have the time to actually do things, shame on you for calling yourself and advocate!
I phoned my rep's office and let her know to support Amtrak. I would also encourage everyone here to go ahead and phone as well, as I have encountered several staffers who don't place much weight in emails. I also encourage the members here to reach out and contact their State legislators, and encourage those State legislators to support rail. Set a goal of making contact by the end of the day Sept. 12.
I'm going to be phoning my reps. On the one hand, one voted against the last proposed Amtrak cut while the other missed the vote but I made a point of thanking him for "not voting to cut Amtrak" when I ran into him a few weeks later (It was tactical wording...that vote was in the middle of a long, long list of votes in an evening, and he missed like six in a row. I think that he had one of those meetings he couldn't get out of...). The main problem is that I've got like three districts I might be in come next year, so I don't know who to press on this.
On the state side, I'm working with a bunch of candidates in my area, and I'm using my access to plug with the staff on the issue (a lot of these guys do defer to staff on things like this; I suspect it's a better path to pursue in some cases, and I've actually got one campaign's staff investigating a rail issue right now) as well as mentioning it to the candidates.
mfastx
Service Attendant
I disagree with the notion that infrastructure spending should be cut. Airports, Highways, AND Amtrak should all receive an increase in funding, if anything. Transportation is only ~5% of the federal budget, NOTHING needs to be cut to have a balanced budget. We really need to invest on infrastructure, and we need to make up serious ground on rail.
Well, the ultimate answer probably involves a tax increase of some sort combined with a hard swing at entitlements. Neither bit is popular.
Green Maned Lion
Engineer
The answer, ultimately, means giving Social security to the Constitution as it and it's failed experiment in representative democracy get put out to pasture.
had8ley
Engineer
My personal take on this ? NARP= National Association of Retarded Passengers...it's high time for a leader that makes sense and champions railroading.
jis
Permanent Way Inspector
Staff member
Administator
Moderator
AU Supporting Member
Gathering Team Member
Thank you for passing unjustified judgement on the members of NARP by calling them "Retarded".
I agree that NARP has serious problems, and some NARP members even try to fix that problem though not too successfully. But then if one is doing precious little in the arena anyway other than posting here I suppose it is par for the course. 
I do not believe that the transportation budget as it now stands will clear a divided congress. I will write a letter in support of Amtrak to my congressman and senators.
While they move to cut Amtrak maybe they should take a hard look at all the other subsidies that government routinely gives away. The oil companies get a subsidy, farmers get a subsidy, the production of alcohol receives a subsidy, grain production receives a subsidy, small business gets their subsidy, green energy businesses get a subsidy and the war machine gets billions. Then there are the subsidies for highways and airports that are massive. Companies that supply military equipment like Raytheon, Northrup Grumman, Boeing, Textron, GE etc., get hundreds of millions in R & D money that they are free to keep. Then what about the Wall Street bailouts of the banks, foreign aid to dictators and the list goes on. One failed green energy company based in California received $587 million in subsidies and you can bet our tax money is still in the pockets of those who are at the top when the company folded last week.
This government has it backwards. Its about time that they spend our tax money ONLY on things that benefit the American people. Why don't we start by eliminating the oil company subsidy and give this to Amtrak? Does that ultra rich industry really need a subsidy? Its criminal what is going on and both parties are to blame. The corporations got the politicans by the bxlls.
While they move to cut Amtrak maybe they should take a hard look at all the other subsidies that government routinely gives away. The oil companies get a subsidy, farmers get a subsidy, the production of alcohol receives a subsidy, grain production receives a subsidy, small business gets their subsidy, green energy businesses get a subsidy and the war machine gets billions. Then there are the subsidies for highways and airports that are massive. Companies that supply military equipment like Raytheon, Northrup Grumman, Boeing, Textron, GE etc., get hundreds of millions in R & D money that they are free to keep. Then what about the Wall Street bailouts of the banks, foreign aid to dictators and the list goes on. One failed green energy company based in California received $587 million in subsidies and you can bet our tax money is still in the pockets of those who are at the top when the company folded last week.
This government has it backwards. Its about time that they spend our tax money ONLY on things that benefit the American people. Why don't we start by eliminating the oil company subsidy and give this to Amtrak? Does that ultra rich industry really need a subsidy? Its criminal what is going on and both parties are to blame. The corporations got the politicans by the bxlls.
jis
Permanent Way Inspector
Staff member
Administator
Moderator
AU Supporting Member
Gathering Team Member
I also believe that this budget is pretty much DOA in its present form. However, that does not mean that Amtrak is out of the woods. It is important to keep the letters, emails and telephone calls going to your representatives and even your Senators.
It is absolutely critical to at least get the language regarding total premature defunding of state supported trains removed. That is completely gratuitious nonsense driven by ill informed Mica led demagoguery and does not help to reduce deficits any more than its absence does. It is something that is going to happen anyway in a planned manner voer the next several years per PRIIA, and there is no reason for hurrying it along other than to destroy regional service.
At least it is gratifying to see Mica expose all his true intentions in full color, so at least he won't be able to pose as the charlatan friend of passenger trains anymore.
It is absolutely critical to at least get the language regarding total premature defunding of state supported trains removed. That is completely gratuitious nonsense driven by ill informed Mica led demagoguery and does not help to reduce deficits any more than its absence does. It is something that is going to happen anyway in a planned manner voer the next several years per PRIIA, and there is no reason for hurrying it along other than to destroy regional service.
At least it is gratifying to see Mica expose all his true intentions in full color, so at least he won't be able to pose as the charlatan friend of passenger trains anymore.
Not only send letter and make phone calls to your elected officials, but you can also write a letter to your editor of your local paper. Make it short and sweet, and keep the important points at the beginning!
I totally agree jis, everyone needs to contact their reps and Senators, not just at the WAS level, but also State and Local! :help: :help: :help: Of course that's pretty hard here in Texas when 95% of the elected officials are Right Wingers pandering to the T-Party Know Nothings! :help: One of our senators, Kay Bailey Hutchison, helped save the Texas Eagle and Amtrak, but unfortunately she's coming home in Jan. and the most of our Congressional Delegation and State Politicos are as Right Wing as they come!Its very important to remind President Obama,VP "Amtrak Joe" Biden and the Senate how vital Rail is to everyone, it's actually in the National Interest, that long forgotten Cornerstone of our system! :excl: :excl: :excl:
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NE933
Conductor
JeffW
Train Attendant
Eww, then the bees would get sick and die or something like that.
Green Maned Lion
Engineer
I am not NARPs biggest fan, god knows, but I too take umbrage with you statement. Many rail organizations are fraught with dumb members, incompetent management, and the like.
But ALL of them have competent and dedicated members who try hard to help. Painting them all with the same brush is ridiculous.
had8ley
Engineer
Jis...I'm doing far more than most people would think....Thank you for passing unjustified judgement on the members of NARP by calling them "Retarded".
jis
Permanent Way Inspector
Staff member
Administator
Moderator
AU Supporting Member
Gathering Team Member
Even if you were the President of the US pushing passenger rail, that does not legitimize your apparent attempt to characterize everyone who is a member of NARP as "Retarded". I agree with only about half of NARP's positions on things, which is probably a bit higher than the proportion of URPA's positions that I agree with but that does not cause me to characterize either Ross or Bruce as, or others that agree with any of their positions, as "Retarded". AFAIK they may not be most effective at times, but they are not any more retarded than you or me, and are more or less all as sincere as you or me.Jis...I'm doing far more than most people would think....Thank you for passing unjustified judgement on the members of NARP by calling them "Retarded".
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There are reports today that the House and Senate leadership have agreed to extend the Transportation funding authorization at current FY2011 levels for 6 months and the FAA authorization by four months. The extension puts off the major fight over the overdue Transportation Re-authorization bill until next spring. Well, provided a majority of House members vote for the extension if the deal does not fall apart beforehand.
Not sure what exactly this means for Amtrak, but it may mean that the immediate House defunding threat is postponed and Amtrak will continue to get funded at FY11 levels for capital and operational funds though March 31, 2012. The FY2011 capital funding level was $922 million, down from FY2010, and markedly less than Amtrak was seeking, but it at least enough to keep going. What happens to HSIPR funding in this, not a clue.
DC Streetsblog's report on the backroom agreement: http://dc.streetsblog.org/2011/09/12/house-and-senate-agree-on-6-month-transpo-extension/#more-115596
Not sure what exactly this means for Amtrak, but it may mean that the immediate House defunding threat is postponed and Amtrak will continue to get funded at FY11 levels for capital and operational funds though March 31, 2012. The FY2011 capital funding level was $922 million, down from FY2010, and markedly less than Amtrak was seeking, but it at least enough to keep going. What happens to HSIPR funding in this, not a clue.
DC Streetsblog's report on the backroom agreement: http://dc.streetsblog.org/2011/09/12/house-and-senate-agree-on-6-month-transpo-extension/#more-115596
The authorization has nothing to do with the funding. For one, I'm not sure entirely if Amtrak's authorization is included in this package or not, but even if it was, the authorization really means very little (virtually nothing) when it comes to how much Amtrak receives in the end. It's the appropriations bill that causes all the heartburn.
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