Transportation For America’s Post

Rail Trivia Tuesday: During the 1960’s, the nation's railroads faced financial difficulties, and the demand for intercity passenger rail decreased, the result of growing airline and car competition. However, railroads were legally compelled to continue operating passenger service even in the face of financial deficits. Without authorization from the federal Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) or state public service commissions, the railroads were prohibited from discontinuing unprofitable routes. In an effort to save America’s passenger rail service, President Nixon signed the Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970 into law on October 30, 1970. This legislation relieved railroads of the requirement to provide passenger service and created a new entity to take over that responsibility. The act established the National Railroad Passenger Corporation which later adopted the name Amtrak. On May 1, 1971, Amtrak assumed intercity passenger rail service and provided a vital transportation option for millions of Americans. Today, Amtrak operates in 46 states and the District of Columbia and recently celebrated its 53rd anniversary.

One thing many don’t understand about law, is that it’s a interpretation of guidelines.. These interpretations can take on many meanings.. In the eyes of defense, or, plaintiff.. Amtrak, does not have priority over freight, it has preference. These do not mean the same thing.. In fact preference is subordinate to priority.. Here’s a sample from the law.. “49 U.S.C. § 24308 - U.S. Code - Unannotated Title 49. Transportation § 24308. Use of facilities and providing services to Amtrak c) Preference over freight transportation.--Except in an emergency, intercity and commuter rail passenger transportation provided by or for Amtrak has preference over freight transportation in using a rail line, junction, or crossing unless the Board orders otherwise under this subsection. A rail carrier affected by this subsection may apply to the Board for relief. If the Board, after an opportunity for a hearing under section 553 of title 5, decides that preference for intercity and commuter rail passenger transportation materially will lessen the quality of freight transportation provided to shippers, the Board shall establish the rights of the carrier and Amtrak on reasonable terms.”

Clearly, public interests in this critical national infrastructure are not being served by the current ownership, management and incentive structures. Deregulation of the railroads and relieving them of the common carrier obligation to serve passengers (amongst many other things) has backfired, corroding the rail system those measures were supposed to protect. Predatory capital is extracting profits by degrading the very system that could otherwise offer so many possible solutions for a more resilient future. It's time for a major shift in how railroads are run in the US, and for whose benefit. https://lnkd.in/gmjwJgmV

An Ode to the Northeast Corridor, the Rail Line That Keeps Amtrak Alive The new book The Northeast Corridor traces the history of passenger trains from Boston to DC and explains why the current service is so essential — and so frustrating. Passenger counts on the high-end Acela service soared 38% in its last fiscal year (which ended in September), and overall ridership along the coastal line is above pre-pandemic levels This is all good news for the national passenger rail corporation, which gets more than half its gross ticket revenue from Northeast Corridor trains. The Northeast Corridor is the only intercity rail line in the United States where passengers take priority over freight. Passenger rail service is not a profitable business. Except for Japan’s most successful Shinkansen routes, the greatest passenger railroads in the world — be it the TGV in France, the ICE train in Germany, or the newest lines in China — all require massive state subsidy.

In response to today’s (30 September 2024) announcement of proposed lower charges for freight movements between London St Pancras and the Channel Tunnel by the ORR, Ellis Shelton, Senior Policy Advisor at Logistics UK, said:   “Today’s proposal of lower charges for freight trains travelling from London St Pancras to the Channel Tunnel by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), as a result of the Draft Determination of HS1 Ltd’s spending plans, is encouraging news for those businesses moving goods to and from the continent. The use of rail freight on the HS1 route is a vital element of the UK’s trade connectivity with Europe and a key factor in encouraging trade between the continent and the UK. Rail freight has a vital role to play in driving growth in the UK economy and this reduction in costs should encourage more businesses to take advantage of the cross-Channel service’s efficiency to maximise trading relationships with partners in continental Europe.”   The ORR announcement can be read here: https://lnkd.in/esDApda4

🚉 What Does New UK Rail Reform Change? Transport Secretary Louise Haigh MP fired the starting gun on rail reform – ushering in a new era for our railways which puts passengers first. Yesterday’s launch of Shadow Great British Railways (Shadow GBR) will set in motion a huge overhaul of the running of the rail network, bringing together leaders from the Department for Transport (DfT), United Kingdom, Network Rail and publicly-owned operators. Shadow GBR will pave the way for Great British Railways – a new unified arm’s length body responsible for finally bringing track and train back together and overseeing both services and infrastructure. The announcement comes as the government’s Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill continues its passage through the Commons, marking further progress in the Transport Secretary’s mission to put rail services back into the hands of the public... #Rail #UK #Reform #Change #Transport Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eTZaV8PP

In a move akin to the "Anchorman" meme "that escalated quickly" (https://lnkd.in/e-n7D_Cc), the U.S. Department of Justice has filed suit against Norfolk Southern for not living up to statutory requirements (https://lnkd.in/ezuQkXNA) to give Amtrak trains preference on freight railroad routes. The suit, explained by Dan Vock in Route Fifty linked below, the first of its kind since 1979, focuses on NS' dispatching of Amtrak's Crescent service (press release https://lnkd.in/eRMM8SBD; complaint https://lnkd.in/eJqgxyrw) which the DOJ reports showed low on-time-performance, particularly for daily southbound trains. DOJ enforces this right of access while Bill Stephens notes that the Surface Transportation Board can receive complaints about poor performance under the same section of statute which creates Intercity Passenger Rail Service Quality and Performance Reports (article in Trains (https://lnkd.in/eG69SXhK; FRA quarterly performance reports https://lnkd.in/e2UxFkYK). Stephens notes the languid pace of the STB's consideration of Amtrak's complaint of poor performance of the Sunset Limited route on Union Pacific Railroad lines (docket NOR_42175). Mr. Stephens also notes the outcome of that 1979 DOJ intervention, against the Southern Pacific for OTP on the Sunset Limited (plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose), which resulted in a consent order that sufficiently motivated better dispatching of Amtrak trains. Taking this action may not see similar court-related outcomes as there are only about four months remaining in the current administration, and we'll have to see whether this formal step might affect OTP on other long distance routes in the final quarter of 2024. #railroads #passengerrail #amtrak #freightrailroads #OTP #judicialenforcement

#TriviaTuesday Louisville & Indiana Railroad Co. was formed in March 1994 to acquire 106 miles of rail line between Indianapolis and Louisville from its former owner, Conrail. Leading up to 2012, many improvements were made along the LIRC to support the demands of new and organic growth. The most notable project was the Southwind Upgrade, which commenced in 2014. In April 2015, the STB approved the plan between CSXT and LIRC, which allowed both railroads to entered into a joint use operating agreement in June 2015. The agreement gave CSXT a nonexclusive freight railroad operating easement over the LIRC, and in exchange, CSXT would fund improvements over the LIRC main track. The 2018 completion of this project allowed LIRC to increase from 25 mph to 49 mph and improve its railcar capacity from 263,000 lbs. gross weight on rail to an industry standard of 286,000 lbs. LIRC service offerings are rail direct, industrial development, crossdocking, transloading, car repair, monthly track inspection, storage and warehousing. The company's equipment includes 11 locomotives, the annual volume is 20,000 carloads and there are about 250 storage car spots. LIRC goes through the heart of Seymour, which is halfway between Louisville and Indianapolis. Source: https://lnkd.in/dN4pMJW5

Good news for #SWVA and #NRV!!

At Relay, we are pleased to see the Government’s recent announcement of £14m to improve lorry parking and working conditions for HGV drivers. This is a step in the right direction, and the addition of 430 new parking spaces, along with improved facilities, will undoubtedly make a positive impact. However, we echo Logistics UK’s call for further action.* As a logistics company operating across the UK, we are all too aware of the difficulties drivers face when trying to find safe and secure places to park overnight. The shortage of adequate parking and rest facilities is not just a logistical challenge but a matter of safety and well-being for drivers, who deserve proper rest and secure locations to take their legally mandated breaks. Freight is indeed the engine of our economy, and for the industry to operate at its best, drivers need to be supported with appropriate infrastructure. While the new funding is welcome, much more is needed to meet the actual demand. We hope this marks the beginning of ongoing investment in both facilities and a broader recognition of the critical role road freight plays in sustaining the UK’s supply chains. Relay remains committed to supporting our drivers and looks forward to further developments in this area. *https://lnkd.in/eYT5-xPt