Slight Amtrak funding increase in House THUD FY2019 Bill

[DSS&A]

Hi,

The just released mark-up of the House FY2019 THUD Bill generally matches or FY 2018 Funding for Amtrak. Here is the basic breakdown:

The proposed Amtrak FY2019 funds are the same at $650,000,000 for Northeast Corridor and $1,291,600,000 for the national network.

PTC CRISI Grants are $150,000,000 (a reduction of $100,000,000).

Federal-State Partnership for state-of-good repair is $500,000,000 (increase of $250,0000,000).

Restoration and Enhancement is $ zero (decrease of $20,000,000).

There is also $150,000,000 for a Maglev Technology Development Program in the intercity passenger rail category.

The Senate Committee on Appropriations is expected to begin its process of considering its THUD Appropriations Bill in early June.

So, the House continues its increased funding for the national network. This should provide more funds for new long distance equipment.

Hopefully the Senate will have at least $20,000,000 in Restoration and Enhancement line item (preferably a lot more since sidings, equipment, PTC and interlockings are EXPENSIVE). I would also hope the Senate matches or exceeds the $500,000,000 for Federal-State State of Good Repair funds

 

[cpotisch]

There is also $150,000,000 for a Maglev Technology Development Program in the intercity passenger rail category.

That seems ridiculous. Amtrak can't even beat 150 mph with a conventional train. Considering maglev in this climate and with the current infrastructure IMO makes absolutely no sense.

 

[Pere Flyer]

There is also $150,000,000 for a Maglev Technology Development Program in the intercity passenger rail category.

*spits out coffee* Maglev??? Are there credible organized efforts to bring maglev to American city-pairs, or is this appropriation a prohibitively expensive cart placed hundreds of miles before a 30 mph slow ordered diesel horse?

 

[JoeBas]

Millions for Maglev but not one cent for Hamburgers!!!

- Robert Goodloe Harper, circa 2018.

 

[Ryan]

I’m not sure how credible these guys are, but they seem to be somewhat serious and have the backing of our idiot governor.

http://www.bwmaglev.info

 

[keelhauled]

Im not sure how credible these guys are, but they seem to be somewhat serious and have the backing of our idiot governor.

http://www.bwmaglev.info

.info immediately starts them at a credibility deficit if you ask me.

 

[cpotisch]

I'm gotta say, I would definitely rather have Congress grant $3.4 million for hot meal service on the east coast than grant $150M for maglev research.

 

[sitzplatz17]

I'm gotta say, I would prefer Congress grant $3.4 million for hot meal service on the east coast, rather than $150M for maglev research.

I don't understand what this fetish for Maglevs is. Yes it sounds futuristic and cool, but there's a reason there is not a single maglev system in operation anywhere in the world of significant distance.

(The Shanghai airport Maglev is cool, but it really isn't "Intercity" transport)

There's a reason China quickly decided against building out a Maglev network after that and went for conventional rail instead.

 

[TiBike]

FWIW, hyperloop designs also use maglev technology.

If $150 million would actually go toward basic research, rather than a pork barrel contract to somebody's brother-in-law, it would be a wonderful thing. Doesn't matter so much what the starting point is – "traditional" maglev, hyperloop, whatever – when you invest in basic research you never know where the journey will take you.

That's a really big "if" though.

 

[railiner]

If $150 million would actually go toward basic research, rather than a pork barrel contract to somebody's brother-in-law, it would be a wonderful thing.That's a really big "if" though.

You just beat me by seconds from expressing the same sentiment to this scheme....

 

[frequentflyer]

Hi,

The just released mark-up of the House FY2019 THUD Bill generally matches or FY 2018 Funding for Amtrak. Here is the basic breakdown:

The proposed Amtrak FY2019 funds are the same at $650,000,000 for Northeast Corridor and $1,291,600,000 for the national network.

PTC CRISI Grants are $150,000,000 (a reduction of $100,000,000).

Federal-State Partnership for state-of-good repair is $500,000,000 (increase of $250,0000,000).

Restoration and Enhancement is $ zero (decrease of $20,000,000).

There is also $150,000,000 for a Maglev Technology Development Program in the intercity passenger rail category.

The Senate Committee on Appropriations is expected to begin its process of considering its THUD Appropriations Bill in early June.

So, the House continues its increased funding for the national network. This should provide more funds for new long distance equipment.

Hopefully the Senate will have at least $20,000,000 in Restoration and Enhancement line item (preferably a lot more since sidings, equipment, PTC and interlockings are EXPENSIVE). I would also hope the Senate matches or exceeds the $500,000,000 for Federal-State State of Good Repair funds

I hope you are correct. Could be for locomotives too, Anderson was adamant about replacing the P40s and P42s. Which would make the GE EVO rumors make sense posted here a while ago make sense. I doubt Amtrak is going to put Chargers on Autotrain.

 

[frequentflyer]

Hi,

The just released mark-up of the House FY2019 THUD Bill generally matches or FY 2018 Funding for Amtrak. Here is the basic breakdown:

The proposed Amtrak FY2019 funds are the same at $650,000,000 for Northeast Corridor and $1,291,600,000 for the national network.

PTC CRISI Grants are $150,000,000 (a reduction of $100,000,000).

Federal-State Partnership for state-of-good repair is $500,000,000 (increase of $250,0000,000).

Restoration and Enhancement is $ zero (decrease of $20,000,000).

There is also $150,000,000 for a Maglev Technology Development Program in the intercity passenger rail category.

The Senate Committee on Appropriations is expected to begin its process of considering its THUD Appropriations Bill in early June.

So, the House continues its increased funding for the national network. This should provide more funds for new long distance equipment.

Hopefully the Senate will have at least $20,000,000 in Restoration and Enhancement line item (preferably a lot more since sidings, equipment, PTC and interlockings are EXPENSIVE). I would also hope the Senate matches or exceeds the $500,000,000 for Federal-State State of Good Repair funds

I hope you are correct. Could be for locomotives too, Anderson was adamant about replacing the "old" P40s and P42s. Somebody has options for 150 Chargers with bigger tanks, and I am guessing its Amtrkak. Which would make the GE EVO test rumors make sense, posted here a while ago. I doubt Amtrak is going to put Chargers on Autotrain.

 

[Lonestar648]

I see that OT reduction is included. So if the train is late, does everyone with OBS go off duty or does the train just stop at the nearest station to end the trip?

 

[cpotisch]

FWIW, hyperloop designs also use maglev technology.

If $150 million would actually go toward basic research, rather than a pork barrel contract to somebody's brother-in-law, it would be a wonderful thing. Doesn't matter so much what the starting point is – "traditional" maglev, hyperloop, whatever – when you invest in basic research you never know where the journey will take you.

That's a really big "if" though.

The hyperloop does not utilize maglev. The the train would coast on a cushion of air, not magnets.

 

[Ryan]

While that was the original design concept, the system being designed by Hyperloop One does in fact use magnets to levitate the capsules.

 

[jis]

My suspicion is that by the time some incarnation of Hyperloop is realized, it will just be a mildly gussied up Maglev system, All this vacuum stuff will fall by the wayside as they go along.

 

[Seaboard92]

Now there might be someone who knows more about this. But wasn't there some rapid transit service in New York that relied on air pressure to push the cars along.

I know it was alluded to in Ghostbusters II but I think there was such an animal. Has is that different then Musk's hyper loop?

 

[PVD]

Beach Pneumatic Transit

 

[jis]

Now there might be someone who knows more about this. But wasn't there some rapid transit service in New York that relied on air pressure to push the cars along.

I know it was alluded to in Ghostbusters II but I think there was such an animal. Has is that different then Musk's hyper loop?

That one did not depend on evacuating the tube of all air to simulate deep space

so that all the nifty technology developed for launching spacecrafts can be applied to vehicles on earth surface.

 

[me_little_me]

There is also $150,000,000 for a Maglev Technology Development Program in the intercity passenger rail category.

That seems ridiculous. Amtrak can't even beat 150 mph with a conventional train. Considering maglev in this climate and with the current infrastructure IMO makes absolutely no sense.

Yes, but Amtrak's Maglev is expected to hit 200mph except on Class I RR right of way.

On the other hand, Amtrak has plans for a Maglev P42 which will ride on millions of those little magnets from China sold on eBay and their P42 hyperloop will ride on air but will still go slow as the air is over the Class I tracks also.

 

[chrsjrcj]

$150 million for fantasy trains and we cant even give Houston a daily train.

 

[Dakota 400]

$150 million for fantasy trains and we cant even give Houston a daily train.

Nor Cincinnati or other cities that ought to have decent train service! Using that money to improve the on-board experience, i.e. Silver Star's dining situation, would be a better use of those funds, I think.

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

$150 million for fantasy trains and we cant even give Houston a daily train.

$150 million for fantasy trains and we cant even give Houston a daily train.

Nor Cincinnati or other cities that ought to have decent train service! Using that money to improve the on-board experience, i.e. Silver Star's dining situation, would be a better use of those funds, I think.

Well one problem would be

Restoration and Enhancement is $ zero (decrease of $20,000,000).