Passenger Trains > NARP news release on Starlight

Start of a new round of protests.

If you as a reader have not yet sent Amtrak your remarks on the Starlight do it now.

Ed



National Association of Railroad Passengers www.narprail.org
900 Second St., N.E., Suite 308
Washington, DC 20002-3557
Telephone 202-408-8362

For Immediate Release (#08-03)
February 13, 2008

NARP Praises Partial Restoration of Amtrak's Coast Starlight -
Presses full restoration in March --

Washington, D.C., February 13, 2008 -- In an open letter to Amtrak
released today, the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP)
praised Amtrak's decision to reinstate its "Coast Starlight" train
between Los Angeles and Sacramento. The Association also urged the
railroad to restore the entire run to Seattle by March 4, using buses
for the Klamath Falls-Eugene segment if tracks closed by a January mud
slide remain impassable.

NARP's letter expressed concern "about the impact of no service for an
indefinite period north of Sacramento. A prolonged Starlight service
outage
* inconveniences passengers--likely working a severe hardship on many;
* means continued loss of nearly 90% of the Starlight's normal revenues;
* depresses revenues on the rest of the system, since so many Starlight
passengers connect with other Amtrak trains; and
* harms the Thruway business partners that let the Starlight serve
Vancouver, British Columbia, via bus to and from Seattle, and a number
of Oregon communities via connections at Klamath Falls, Chemult and
Eugene."

For a few days after the mud slide closed Union Pacific's main line near
Frazier, Oregon, Amtrak maintained service by running Los
Angeles-Klamath Falls and Portland-Seattle trains and Klamath
Falls-Portland buses. After that, Amtrak suspended the entire "Coast
Starlight" service.

In its letter, NARP urged Amtrak to immediately resume selling Starlight
travel for March 4 and later dates. The letter said, "With the limited
service that Amtrak is currently providing, the only route between the
Pacific Northwest and California is via Chicago, which is unacceptable.
Amtrak, as the nation's only interstate passenger rail operator, has a
responsibility to serve as much of this important rail route as
possible."

NARP's letter further noted that the "Starlight" serves a large number
of universities and colleges, and spring break is fast approaching. An
announcement about restored service and resumed ticket sales will be
important to those looking to make travel plans soon.

On its fortieth anniversary last year, NARP proposed a grid-and-gateway
networked train system that would connect cities and communities across
America and would provide for alternative service when emergencies such
as this arise. That vision for America, and a map illustrating possible
routes, are at www.narprail.org/vision. NARP's proposal influenced the
recommendations of a blue-ribbon federal commission in January, which
fleshed out this vision with financing and legislative proposals, and
called for more comprehensive and rational transportation investment
decisions.

"The Coast Starlight situation reiterates the importance of a
comprehensive national train network," said Capon. "Amtrak needs to
recognize the huge damage of lost revenues, plan carefully, resume
serving customers and earning that revenue, and stop being paralyzed by
the fear that something might go wrong."

The Coast Starlight is widely acknowledged as one of Amtrak's most
important overnight routes. It is the only north-south route west of the
Mississippi River and it is used by passengers connecting with other
Amtrak routes. The routes which directly connect with the Starlight are
the Empire Builder, California Zephyr, Southwest Chief, Sunset Limited,
and California's San Joaquins and Pacific Surfliners.

mundo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> On its fortieth anniversary last year, NARP
> proposed a grid-and-gateway
> networked train system that would connect cities
> and communities across
> America and would provide for alternative service
> when emergencies such
> as this arise. That vision for America, and a map
> illustrating possible
> routes, are at www.narprail.org/vision.


Excellent map. This passenger train service *should* exist today!

Definitely keep those emails and letters going to DC (reps and Amtrak both). They need to hear from more people. It's been my opinion from the get-go that this whole suspension thing of 11/14 is ridiculous. The stub train is a step in the right direction, but it's a half-as*ed attempt at it. LAX to SAC with no meal options except a hot dog (more or less)? No day rooms available in a single sleeper? Hold the people responsible for this decision accountable!!

And just a random thought, but how will all of this effect the highly trumpeted re-launch of this train in May? Granted, having the equipment sitting around in the yard should SPEED UP the re-launch and give them time to make the necessary changes and spiff the cars up. But this is Amtrak, and reason and common sense usually don't prevail.

All I can say is they get the bus bridge back, that'll be a big plus too! I for one am still wondring if 25 and 26 get ressurrected that's one step in NARP's Direction on a growing antional system besides corridor proposals!

The real reason is the Pacific Northwest has no political clout like California or the Ne Corridor
Same problem in Canada. Your local reps couldn't care less.

ssafy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The real reason is the Pacific Northwest has no
> political clout like California or the Ne
> Corridor
> Same problem in Canada. Your local reps couldn't
> care less.


Why does train service have to be political? It is my honest opinion that if these trains were in operation today, and the on board service was not bad Amtrak service, but a higher standard and level of service (perhaps privatized?), these trains would be well utilized.

(And I'm talking service from all aspects, from the stations being clean and well kept to the ticket agents friendly and courteous - actually grateful for your business, to the on board personel, etc. I'm not sayin' all service on Amtrak is bad, but I've encountered enough "bad apples" and I have witnessed enough passengers being mis-treated and it's a real shame.)

I'd think the e-mails and letters should go to the officials in the State of Jefferson, since this embargo effects much of their area. Unfortunately, I can't locate the exact state capitol for Jefferson <G>.

And may we ask, when did the State of Jefferson join the Union?

Might you mean the State Missouri, with Jefferson City the state Capitol on the Amtrak/UP mule route and travels as slow as a mule.

State of Jefferson background:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_Jefferson



mundo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And may we ask, when did the State of Jefferson
> join the Union?
>
> Might you mean the State Missouri, with Jefferson
> City the state Capitol on the Amtrak/UP mule route
> and travels as slow as a mule.

I think the capital of Jefferson is Yreka, CA, although I myself prefer Weed... :-)