The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger April 1995 Vol. XIII, No. 4 ISSN 1073-6859 Published by the Delaware Valley Association of Railroad Passengers in the interest of continued, improved, and expanded rail service for the present and potential railroad and rail transit passengers of southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and nearby areas. For more information about DVARP and good rail service, please contact us: P.O. Box 7505, Philadelphia, PA 19101 215-222-3373 Four Important Meetings *Amtrak Public Forum: May 3, 4:00--City Hall *NARP Region III Meeting: May 13, 9:30--The Bourse SEPTA Budget Hearings: *Capital Budget--May 24, 10:00--714 Market *Operating Budget--May 15, 16, 22, and 23 Inside The Delaware Valley Rail PassengerI 1-4 Amtrak finances on center stage, crisis could cost SEPTA millions. 4-5 On the Railroad Lines: University City station opens; Settlement with SEPTA conductors Paoli track maintenance will delay trains; NEW! Monthly SEPTA on-time figures! 6 Important SEPTA budget hearings in May--DVARP at work! 6 Third rail in the tunnel for Newtown trains? DVARPUs Board hears all the options. 7 South Jersey News: DVARP statement on Atlantic City service improvements. 9 Amtrak schedules online; Rail history events in PA; Amtrak college special. 10-11 Up and Down the Corridor, Dates of Interest, DVARP Directory, Membership Coupon DVARP President: Donald Nigro Newsletter Editor: Matthew D. Mitchell for other officers and committee chairs, see page 11 entire contents copyright ) 1995 DVARP, except photos ) 1995 credited photographers Opinions expressed in The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger are not necessarily those of DVARP or its members. We welcome your comments: call 215-222-3373 Amtrak to Slash Service Again Philadelphia Losing Both Chicago Trains by Matthew Mitchell After a news conference early this month, Amtrak announced the next and supposedly final round of cuts in service, to take effect in June. Long-distance trains were targetted in this move; last monthUs cuts hit short-distance services like the Harrisburg and Atlantic City routes as well as a handful of long-distance trains. Philadelphia will lose all direct train service to Chicago: as the Broadway Limited will be turned back at Pittsburgh and the Cardinal will terminate in Cincinnati. With these cuts, nearly all of AmtrakUs long-distance routes will be served less than seven days a week. Several short-distance trains in and out of Chicago will also be cut to less than daily. The cuts were shaped by several considerations: contracts to haul U.S. mail, Federal labor protection laws, and Amtrak President Tom DownsU drive to retire all of the Heritage Fleet sleepers and diners. Other cuts in frequency include the City of New Orleans, down to five trips a week, and the California Zephyr, down to quad-weekly. The Houston section of the Texas Eagle would be eliminated. The effective date of the Broadway, Cardinal, and Eagle cuts will be September 10; all the other cuts will take effect June 11. Downs claimed these would be the last service cuts in his plan to balance AmtrakUs budget. In a statement released by the White House, President Clinton endorsed the cuts, but said he remained Rcommitted to the future of rail passenger service in this country.S No immediate response from congressional Republicans was reported.--MDM Amtrak Forum Coming to Philadelphia Amtrak President Tom Downs and members of AmtrakUs Board of Directors are attending a nation-wide series of seven meetings on the future mission of the national passenger railroad. Governor Ridge and Mayor Rendell are hosting the meeting in the Council Chambers at City Hall in Philadelphia May 3 from 4:00 to 6:00. DVARP and other regional ARPs will represent the interests of Amtrak riders at the meeting. The public is being invited to ask questions and make suggestions at the meeting. Discussion is supposed to focus on big-picture issues like AmtrakUs role in solving energy, environmental, and traffic problems; rather than on the recent layoffs of employees and cuts in service. But criticism of the latter will be inevitable. Written comments are being accepted from people who cannot attend the meeting, or who do not get enough time to speak. Send your comments to: AmtrakUs Future, 60 Massachusetts Ave. NE, Washington DC 20002. DVARP would appreciate a copy of your letters.--MDM From the Editor's Seat: Thanks For Waiting Sorry for the delay in getting this newsletter to you. These things are inevitable in an all-volunteer organization. WeUll work ourselves back to our usual schedule over the next couple of months. Regional Cooperation, Not Regional Government The issue of regionalism is much in the news this year; and transportation and public transit issues are a big part of it. While I agree with the objectives of regionalism proponents, I see the potential for our regionwide gains on public transit to get dragged down if we expect regionalization of government to be the means by which we make further progress. The regionalists understand the issues. They deserve recognition for bringing the faults of our present system to attention. With our fractured planning process, a township controls development within its borders: keeping the benefits, but exporting the costs. WeUre realizing that auto-dominated suburban sprawl is destroying our quality of life regionwide. Something has to change so that the common good is not sacrificed to the interests of a few. Though the Inquirer feature last month didnUt mention it, formation of a new level of government, or some super-agency, has usually been seen as the means by which we TfixU the problems of our present system. ThatUs where I part company. Not only is a new regional government politically impossible, it wonUt make things much better. When you talk to suburban residents about Tbreaking down the borders,U many of them see their kids being bused into inferior city schools. Meanwhile, a lot of city people see regionalization as a dilution of minority political power. Either of those will be sufficient to sink a regional government before it ever gets launched. The Inquirer thinks IUm being a defeatist for saying it, but I think mine is the optimistUs position: the problems aren't so intractible that we need a whole new level of government to fix them. Take the big three issues the regionalists cite: the problems in land use and development planning I mentioned above can be adequately addressed by the counties, with the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission active in an advisory role. All we need is a means for the counties to veto township decisions which place an unacceptable burden on the rest of the public. Regional assets like public transit and the ports are already in the hands of regional agencies with specific, limited functions. And relieving the City of Philadelphia of its heavy burden of social service needs can be done by turning those programs over to the state. Even though the Rendell administration has come a long way in restoring City governmentUs credibility, nobody is going to be willing to pour money into the city without having oversight over how the money is spent. Other stuff, like information systems and marketing the region as a tourist destination, is trivia. And despite the ink they got in the Inquirer, the schools won't be helped at all by regionalization. The better alternative is strengthening what we already have, particularly the counties. Spending most of last year in Maryland, I saw first-hand how a strong-county model can prepare a region for its future. It gives sufficient structure to control and even reverse the problems brought on by auto-dominated policies of the past while it respects community choices and fosters a diversity of communities. The key to building great communities, city or suburban, is getting people involved. Shifting power to a handful of well-meaning, well- qualified technocrats in a regional agency would be the civic equivalent of replacing the town square and train station with a turnpike interchange. We who have the goal of making our communities better by replacing our failed auto-dominated transport policies, should not allow the regionalism issue to distract us. If SEPTA is held up as the centerpiece of a new regional system, it will take a big fall when the public says RNo.S--MDM TWU Settles After Two-Week Strike [editorUs note: With the extensive coverage given to the transit strike by the newspapers and other media, telling the whole story here would be repetitive.] A two-week strike by members of the Transportation Workers Union against SEPTAUs City and Suburban Transit Divisions was finally resolved when labor and management found sufficient . With seven commuter rail lines the only regular SEPTA service in Philadelphia, Railroad ridership swelled by almost 50 percent. Special steps were taken by management to alleviate the crush of riders in Center City, even though trains were lengthened to accomodate the extra passenger load. Riders were inconvenienced in several ways; standing-room-only on the trains, Tpass- upsU of riders at inner-city stations, and long lines to board homeward trains, to name a few. All in all, management, businesses, and passengers teamed up to to cope. The strike came after a week-long cooling-off period, and numerous impasses in negotiations. TWU President Harry Lombardo insisted on 3 percent wage increases each year of the contract plus fringe benefit improvements; while SEPTA General Manager Lou Gambaccini said SEPTA had no money to pay for raises, and could not count on any additional subsidies from Washington or Harrisburg. SEPTA quickly acceded to the TWU demand for continuation of no-layoff and no-part-time-workers clauses, but talks broke down over wages and benefits. In the end, both sides were accomodated in a deal which could have been reached without a strike; SEPTA dedicated further savings in claims and other administrative costs to the new contract, instead of improving service, while TWU finally accepted a Tback-loadedU wage package which reduced its budgetary impact. The strike which occurred in the meantime hurt TWU: the city was not shut down, while several attempts to disrupt railroad service and highway traffic did little to build public sympathy for the strikers. SEPTA offered a transit fare sale in the days following the settlement, to welcome riders back to the system. Refunds are being offered for passengers who did not use their passes on commuter trains; see the SEPTA Customer Service offices at Suburban Station and other locations for details. It is too early to see whether the strike has caused a permanent drop in transit ridership; rebuilding ridership is crucial to SEPTAUs long-term health.--MDM More Amtrak Bills on Capitol Hill Three more Amtrak bills have been introduced in Congress. Four Democratic senators have introduced a RRail Investment ActS (S.674) which would continue to authorize operating funds for Amtrak and reimbursement for some discriminatory taxes Amtrak has to pay. Where it would be most useful is in increasing capital investment for trains, stations, and tracks. That will help Amtrak move towards its goal of breaking even on its operating expenses. Tom Downs has cited a shortage of capital as one reason for AmtrakUs present predicament. Some business-as-usual was included in the bill for the home states of the sponsoring senators: Exon and Dorgan would get a Federally-mandated study of Amtrak service in the upper Midwest, from Omaha to Kansas City, and beyond. Kerry gets provisions for a third track in Massachussets and Rhode Island, for local freight carrier Providence and Worcester and for a rail link in the new Boston Harbor tunnel; and Moynihan gets funding authorization for the new Amtrak station in New York City. President ClintonUs RAmtrak Restructuring ActS (HR.1437) introduced in the House this month would make several administrative changes, while putting Amtrak on a course to zero operating subsidy by 2001. It provides less money for capital needs and more short-term operating funds than does S.674. A third bill sponsored by Sen. Simon (D-IL) would establish a trust fund for Amtrak, using a small piece of the Federal tax on gasoline. NARP and other Amtrak allies have lobbied long and hard for a dedicated RAmpennyS of the gas tax, arguing that investing in Amtrak is much cheaper than expanding highways. No action was taken yet on the anti-Amtrak bills reported on here last month. Committee evaluation of all the bills is expected to take place soon, as members of Congress return from their April recess.--MDM On the Railroad LinesI Amtrak Crisis Threatens Commuters Frank Wilson, New JerseyUs Transportation Commissioner, warned last month that Amtrak is planning to sock Northeast commuter rail operators with a big increase in trackage rights fees as a means of balancing the Amtrak budget. A total figure of $60 million is being talked about. Operators who use Amtrak facilities are Boston MBTA, Connecticut Shore Line East, New York MTA, NJ Transit, SEPTA, MARC, and Virginia Railway Express. Under Federal rules, Amtrak must charge the commuter operators only the costs Amtrak would avoid if the commuter trains were not operated on its lines. But considering the widespread debate over the accounting figures Amtrak used to justify its 1995 service cuts, this could be a big source of tension. SEPTA Accord with UTU While SEPTAUs transit workers were out on strike, a contract settlement between the SEPTAUs Railroad Division and the United Transportation Union was reached. UTU Local 61 represents conductors and assistant conductors on the railroad. Federal law limits the rail workersU right to strike, so protracted negotiations are the rule in the rail industry. UTU members had worked for over a year without a contract, and the new three-year pact is retroactive. Feelings grew hard during the negotiations, but never reached the levels of the TWU strike. Details of the contract were not available at press time. University City: Finally! The new station on Convention Ave. at the corner of South Street will finally open April 24 after about 18 months of construction. The station will be served by R1-Airport, R2-Wilmington, and R3-Elwyn trains, as shown in the new timetables. RRD passengers on other lines may find it easier and cheaper to transfer at 30th Street for the two- minute ride to the new station than to walk to their destination or use the irregular bus service. Passengers transferring to the R1, R2, or R3 should inform the conductor when their ticket is collected. The $5-6 million project is the first all-new station in the City since Temple University. It was planned in anticipation of expanding hospital and other employment in nearby University City. That planning did not consider the likely closing of the Civic Center nor what will replace it. Station construction (managed by the City of Philadelphia, not SEPTA) was a complex job because about 1/2 mile of northbound R3 trackage had to be slewed east about 20 feet to create space for the high-level platform between the tracks at the new station. A series of other problems plagued the project and led to several delays in opening the station. The new station is a colorful presence, with its shed and stairways painted bright red. The main entrance, with ticket office (open six days a week) and elevator, is behind the Penn Tower Hotel next to the Civic Center. The secondary exit to South St. is opposite Franklin Field. SEPTA has proposed a new bus loop through University City as a means of making service more convenient and increasing ridership. New parts of the medical center and the University of Pennsylvania campus are a good deal further from existing rail stations than older parts. But money is the obstacle to the new bus. SEPTA had intended to use savings from a West Philadelphia bus route reorganization to pay for the new route, but that plan was ill-received by the public and has been shelved.--FMD R3--Signal Project Delayed A weekend shuttle bus substitution for signal work on the Elwyn Line has been postponed due to the transit strike. Watch for flyers with the new dates. R5--Work to Cause Delays SEPTA has informed Paoli Line riders that Amtrak maintenance crews will be working on their tracks from now through June. The work will take one track out of service. In April, inbound trains will use the express track from Paoli to Bryn Mawr; In May, the outbound express track will be closed, and in June, all outbound trains will use the express track from Overbrook to Paoli. All of these operations can be expected to cause minor delays at all times for added switching time and possible traffic congestion. The operations on the express track will cause further delays, especially during the rush hour, when passengers will have to use the temporary wooden platforms and use two doors only. Listen closely for special boarding and detraining announcements. SEPTA Regional Rail Division February and March On-time Performance courtesy SEPTA, Libertynet Feb Mar At Suburban Statiom 90.3% 92.7% At Final Destination 88.8% 89.6% Peak 86.4% 88.1% Off Peak 89.3% 91.0% Trains Cancelled 0.1% 0.5% Trains over 15 minutes late 1.8% 1.7% Individual Lines R1 Airport 97.1% 96.6% R2 Wilmington/Warminster 92.7% 92.4% R3 West Trenton/Elwyn 83.2% 84.8% R5 Doylestown Parkesburg 87.1% 84.8% R6 Cynwyd/Norristown 89.6% 92.4% R7 Trenton/Chestnut Hill East 85.6% 91.2% R8 Chestnut Hill West/Fox Chase 87.5% 88.6% Transit News Update Schedule Change Highlights The winter schedule revision on SEPTAUs City Transit Division brought only modest changes. Night-Owl service on the Broad St. line has been revised for better connections. The only subway-surface change was the cutting back of a two-car Route 36 train to a single trolley. Trackless trolley service will return to routes 59 and 75 sometime in Rmid-spring.S On the bus side, express service was restored to Route 22, and additional peak-hour Route L service has been added between Chestnut Hill and Plymouth Meeting. Route 88 schedules now show connections with R3 trains. RIDE Improves Phone Info SEPTAUs new automated schedule-by-phone service went into service recently on the 215-580-7800 line. A special number has been assigned to each time point on every SEPTA route. When you enter that code, and the time you want to travel, SEPTAUs computer can tell you when the bus or trolley is to arrive. It takes a little time to learn how to use it, but once you get the hang of it, and write down the numbers of the stops you use frequently, it is quite easy, and faster than waiting on hold. New Museum Coming A new SEPTA transit museum is slated to open at Trolleyfest T95 this fall. The museum will cover parts of three floors at SEPTAUs new 1234 Market headquarters: concourse, street level, and mezzanine. Donations or loans of museum exhibits such as pictures and memorabilia are being sought. Contact SEPTA Transit Museum, 841 Chestnut St., 5th Floor. Philadelphia, 19107. APTA Responds to Deficit Recognizing the fiscal pressures of the day, the American Public Transit Association testified before Congress that shifting Federal spending from operating subsidies to capital investment would result in one-time deficit reduction. Recognizing differing needs of transit operators, APTA proposes a procedure where operating funds could be traded for capital funds. This would also be consistent with Administration and Congressional goals of giving states and localities more say in how Federal dollars are used. In return for doing their share to balance the budget, the agencies represented by APTA want relief from Federal regulations which increase the cost of transit service. Reform of procurement rules, charter restrictions, and labor protection provisions would enable transit operators to work more like private-sector companies. Industry News Locomotive and passenger car builder MK Rail Systems is in technical default on over $200 million in debt. The only area railroad with cars on order from MK is Amtrak. Cost overruns on the Viewliners are cited as part of the reason for MKUs fiscal woes. ABB, builder of SEPTAUs new El cars, will be merging with Daimler-BenzUs rail subsidiary. ABB itself is the product of mergers earlier this decade. The deal is not expected to affect current contracts. Credits News compiled by Matthew Mitchell and correspondents: Howard Bender, John Dawson, F. Miles Day, John Hay, Bob Machler, Don Nigro, Sharon Shneyer, John Wireman Apologies to Betsey Clark, who was omitted from last monthUs list of contributors. Additional news from BITNET, USENET, Mobilizing the Region, Philadelphia Inquirer. Your news tips are always welcome! Phone 215-222-3373, message box 3 or mail them to DVARP SEPTA Sets Budget Hearings for Next Month The riding public gets its chance to speak up about SEPTAUs construction and service priorities in public budget hearings to be held during May. A task force made up of members of DVARPUs Commuter Rail and Transit Committees is already at work on hearing statements which will be finalized in time for the May 20 DVARP meeting. DVARP has had a long history of constructive involvement in the SEPTA budget and planning process. While these hearings rarely make the evening headlines, their consequences are immense. Many of DVARPUs victories, such as reversing the early-90s trend of SEPTA service cuts and getting SEPTA to market its services more aggressively, stem from points made at these hearings--sometimes over and over again over several years. Most of the improvements and increased accountability in SEPTAUs budget and planning process are the product of DVARP recommendations The Operating Budget includes everyday expenses like salaries, electricity to power the trains, routine maintenance of tracks and stations, and also revenue items including fares and subsidies. These hearings are also traditionally a chance for individuals to comment about the service and make suggestions to SEPTA. By law, a set of proposed service standards must also be considered along with the budget; the standards are supposed to tell the public what it gets in return for investing in SEPTA. The Capital Budget and Plan is even more important in the long run, yet itUs public hearing rarely attracts many people. This document lays out the priorities for rebuilding our transit and rail infrastructure and for expanding service. The hearing has often been the only chance for SEPTA passengers to comment on projects which greatly affect their travel. Almost annually, DVARP finds itself having to oppose one or more projects which are either Tgold-plated,U not cost-effective, or too vaguely defined to prove that SEPTA is spending our money wisely. DVARP is often the only outsider who has examined budgets so thoroughly as to be able to find and call attention to these points; itUs a critical part of our mission. Copies of the proposed budgets will be available to read at DVARPUs Board meeting May 20. The operating budget hearings will be held May 15 in Doylestown and Norristown, May 16 in West Chester, May 22 in Media, and May 23 in Philadelphia (morning and evening). The single capital budget hearing is May 24 in Philadelphia. See page 10 for exact locations and times. Interested persons who cannot attend the hearings may submit written comments which will be given just as much consideration as those made in person. Send them to RHearing Examiner, c/o SEPTA Board, 714 Market St., Third Floor, PhiladelphiaS and be sure to specify which document you are commenting on. DVARP Involved in Newtown Planning After blowing the whistle on plans for a shuttle service which would do little to attract customers, DVARP is evaluating a series of alternatives put forth by SEPTA in response. The proposals were issued at a Board committee meeting March 16, and discussed at DVARPUs meeting two days later. The plans run the gamut from full electrification (the entire Fox Chase route or just Newtown to an R3 connection at Bethayres), to diesel shuttle trains (passengers change at Fox Chase, Bethayres, or R2 Fulmor). A new possibility was revealed at the Board meeting: dual-mode locomotives, able to run on third-rail electricity or their own diesel engines. These units would give a single-seat ride from Newtown to Center City without the need to electrify the entire line. But dual- mode service is not as easy as installing a third rail and turning on the electricity. Several engineering challenges need to be met. Third rail is usually DC while SEPTAUs present overhead electrification is AC. Electrifying tracks in both systems complicates the signalling system, but was done at Penn Station in New York. Rodney FiskUs TNewtown InterurbanU plan of a privatized service using self-propelled cars of German design remains under consideration. SEPTA Board members were very interested in this alternative, but DVARPUs Board was cooler. DVARPUs Board examined the information released by SEPTA, discussed the issues, and decided to ask SEPTA to provide more specific cost projections for several of the alternatives. DVARP also recommended changes to several of the plans. It is yet to be seen whether SEPTA will include the latest DVARP suggestions, though SEPTA has been much more willing to consider outside opinions than in the past. While SEPTA is reviewing DVARP proposals on the capital component of the project, DVARP has turned to operating and scheduling considerations. The Newtown Branch is single-track, and signalled only at the Bethayres R3 crossing. Operating at speeds of 60 mph or more requires signals to be installed the length of the line; while operating as extensive a service as is done on most of SEPTAUs other lines would require one or more sidings to be installed. Both would add significantly to the cost of the project. DVARP is looking at an incremental approach to Newtown service, where the trains could start running as soon and as for as little money as practical. Improvements would be made as ridership growth warrants. It is unlikely that the trains could serve both peak-direction and reverse commuters without costly improvements. It has become clear that one of the objections from Montgomery County residents near the line is that electrification would mean that more trees near the tracks would have to be cut down. Station spacing and placement were also discussed at the DVARP meeting. Commuter Rail Committee chairman John Pawson displayed maps of the route for Board members to study. DVARP endorsed a State St. terminal in Newtown, which would eliminate several grade crossings and hundreds of thousands of dollars from the budget, and two minutes or so from the schedules. Local leaders in Newtown are agreeing with this idea. Now that all the plans are on the table, the next step in the process is to rule out those plans which have the least chance of success, and to refine the remaining plans. DVARP will stay in contact with both SEPTA and with county and local officials.--MDM NJT Upgrades A.C. Train Service by Donald Nigro The Board of New Jersey Transit (NJT) unanimously approved, on March 28, a recommendation by NJT management to preserve and upgrade Atlantic City train service while keeping fares constant. The strengthened commitment to the line will remain for at least one year. After one year, the agency will review the lineUs performance and decide whether to maintain the service. In the weeks previous to the decision, there was ominous talk that commuter rail service to Atlantic City would have to be eliminated as a result of AmtrakUs decision to shut down intercity service on the Atlantic City line. With Amtrak gone from the line, NJT must bear all the cost of maintaining and dispatching the rail line rather than sharing the cost with Amtrak. It is this cost that made some question the economic feasibility of continued NJT service. Effective April 2, the number of roundtrips continuing to and originating from Philadelphia increased from six to nine. This number will go up to eleven once a board authorized $1.3 million fueling pad is constructed. Currently, Amtrak fuels NJ TransitUs trains at 30th Street Station at a charge of $240,000 a month. Once the fueling pad is constructed in Atlantic City, expected within six months, it will not only enable an increase in the Philadelphia roundtrips, it will allow for a significant savings in operating costs for the line. Marketing for the Atlantic City Line will increase. Currently, the line is one of the regionUs best kept secrets. NJT is undertaking a $100,000 advertising campaign to promote the convenient connection to the lineUs two terminus points, Atlantic City and Philadelphia. Furthermore, the Atlantic City Press reports that the Casino Association of New Jersey is considering a joint marketing effort with NJT and the Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority to attract more passengers to the line. The Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority has already pledged to help promote the rail line by including it in its marketing and advertising materials. Eight of the twelve casinos support their employeeUs daily commutes on the line with a monthly $15 TransitCheck. NJT would like all twelve casinos to participate in the program. The holdouts (as claimed by NJT) are Trump Castle, the Claridge, the Sands, and Caesars. Atlantic CityUs casinos are also being encouraged to offer gamblers who take the train the same promotional incentives as those who arrive by bus or automobile. A few have done so. In the weeks prior to the March 28 NJT Board decision, DVARPUs leafleting campaign alerted passengers of the pending decision and encouraged them to call, write or fax the NJT Board; many of them did just that. Through the leafleting campaign, DVARP clearly positioned itself as a vibrant passenger advocacy group for the Atlantic City Line from the perspective of the lineUs riders. This was evidenced at an NJT sponsored public meeting in Atlantic City on March 21 regarding alteration or abandonment of rail passenger service. At the meeting, approximately 45 testimonies were presented, all strongly supporting the line. When DVARP President Donald Nigro testified and introduced himself, a roar of applause came from the passengers at the meeting. Eight Suggestions for Accelerating Atlantic City Line Ridership Growth 1) Double the number of trips continuing to and originating from Philadelphia, and fine tune the arrival and departure of a number of these trains to well suit the Philadelphia job market. Presently, the schedule offers a virtually unusable commuter service for the Philadelphia job market; 2) Improve the travel time by eliminating the extra padding within the schedule. The scheduled time from Philadelphia to Cherry Hill and return should be 20 and 22 minutes respectively, not 23 to 30 minutes. Allowing only two minutes padding, the Absecon to Atlantic City travel time should be ten minutes, not 15 minutes as the present schedule allows. The Atlantic City Rail Line, a fixed guideway system, should offer a significant time advantage over the #551 Philadelphia-Atlantic City bus; presently, it does not; 3) Improve reliability by loosening the stringent Delair Bridge navigational opening requirements to that of the Tacony- Palmyra Bridge. Furthermore, general infrastructure improvements on the Delair Bridge and its embankments should be considered to allow for greater speed and reliability; 4) Open pedestrian and automobile access to the Cherry Hill Station from Route 38. Presently, this site is unquestionably the most pedestrian-unfriendly station in the state. Its auto accessibility also needs improvement; 5) In conjunction with doubling the number of trips continuing to and originating from Philadelphia, cut back the transit redundancies by rationalizing the #551 Philadelphia-Atlantic City bus service. Offer #551 service into and out of Philadelphia only during the peak, for the peak direction only. At all other times, have the bus originate and terminate in CamdenUs Walter Rand Transportation Center; 6) Restructure Ocean City bus lines to offer well-coordinated feeder service between Absecon Station and the Ocean City bus terminal via the Garden State Parkway, even if initially only during the summer on the weekends; 7) Seek to have NJ TransitUs Philadelphia-Atlantic City schedule included in AmtrakUs Northeast Timetable; and 8) Improve access to Center City, Philadelphia. Through an agreement with SEPTA, offer passengers a free transfer trip between 30th St. Station, Suburban Station and Market East.--DN The Hidden Subsidies: Auto Research Boondoggle The U.S. House Budget Committee says that Federally-funded research into Tintelligent vehicle-highway systemsU is no more than Tcorporate welfare.U Even if the research is successful, taxpayers would have to pay 80 percent of the cost of those systems. Cutting the budget of this program could pay for restoring all the Amtrak service which was cut this year. Meanwhile, the Cato Institute, a conservative/libertarian think tank, discovered that Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors are getting $333 million in Federal subsidies for RNew Generation Vehicles.S This amount is more than the annual operating subsidy for AmtrakUs entire system. RThe Hidden SubsidiesS is an occasional series dedicated to shedding light on imbalances in our present transportation policy. Amtrak and Intercity News NARP Regional Meeting in Philadelphia After original plans for a meeting in upstate Pennsylvania fell through, DVARP stepped in to serve as host of the Region III meeting of the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP). The meeting will be held Saturday, May 13, from 9:30 to 2:00 in the offices of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, on the eighth floor of the Bourse Building, Fifth and Market Sts. in Philadelphia. Use the Fourth St. entrance of the building. Several guest speakers, including elected officials and transportation professionals, will address the meeting. The roster of speakers was not finalized at press time. DVARP, NJ-ARP, Keystone ARP, and Delmarva Rail Passenger Association will report on their activities at the meeting. An optional SEPTA field trip will be made after the meeting, traveling on the newly-renovated Norristown High-Speed Line, the R6 SEPTA train, and the Market-Frankford Line. The $15.00 registration fee will include lunch and other refreshments. For reservations, send your check to Robert Machler, 9235 Convent Ave., Philadelphia PA 19114-3514. Checks should be made payable to Robert Machler. For information, phone DVARP External Affairs Coordinator Sharon Shneyer at 215-386-2644, or DVARP voice mail, 215-222-3373, message box 5. DVARP Gets Amtrak Schedules Online The volunteers maintaining an online archive of AmtrakUs complete national timetable succeeded in releasing their update right on time April 2. DVARPUs Matt Mitchell coordinated the project, which relied on over a dozen people from across the country to type in changes and proofread the schedules. The complete schedules are now available on the internet from DVARP: http://libertynet.org/~dvarp/dvarp.html and on CompuServe. For a copy on a floppy disk, send your name, address, and a check for $4.00 to DVARP. Specify IBM or Macintosh format. Online SEPTA Schedules Moved The April schedule change also saw SEPTA move itUs official online site to Libertynet. DVARPUs link to the schedules (and those of many more North American commuter rail lines) is still up: use the URL in the paragraph above. AEM-7s to be Rebuilt With fifteen years and well over a million miles of service under their belts, AmtrakUs AEM-7 electric locomotives are due for a serious overhaul. Amtrak is making plans for a RMark IIS rebuild program which will include new electronic controls and other features for increased reliability. Two units will be rebuilt at the Wilmington shop this year, the rest will be done by an outside contractor. College Students Save Philadelphia is the test market for an RAmtrak College Travel CardS patterned after the TrailcardsU of Europe. With it, students at Temple, Penn, Drexel, Villanova, LaSalle, or St. JoeUs can get a 15% discount of coach fares from now until the end of August. The discount includes excursion and TAll Aboard AmericaU fares, but some restrictions apply. To purchase the card, call 1-800-USA-RAIL, or send $14.95 plus your name, address, phone number, college, and student ID number to Amtrak College Travel Card, P.O. Box 7717, Itasca IL 60143. Northwest Corridor to Expand Amtrak has set a May 26 starting date for its new service between Seattle and Vancouver BC. One round-trip per day is to be offered at first. And a New Carolina Train Amtrak will also introduce the Piedmont on May 26. The train, sponsored by the state of North Carolina, will make a daily round trip between Raleigh and Charlotte. NRHS to Meet in Lancaster The annual convention of the National Railway Historical Society will be June 27 to July 2 in Lancaster. While this organization devotes its attention to the trains of the past, a wealth of knowlege is gathered there. A number of special excursions and tours will be held as part of the convention: for more details phone 717-786-4932. Rail History Events in PA On May 19, the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania will hold the Grand Opening of its new RailroadersU Hall, an exhibit devoted to the lives of rail industry workers in Pennsylvania. Special events will be held all weekend. The museum is in Strasburg, Lancaster County. For more information on the celebration, phone Gloria Schleichter at 717-687- 8628. The East Broad Top Railroad (Huntingdon County) will operate its narrow- gauge steam trains on weekends from June through August. If youUve wanted to see this artifact of Pennsylvania industry as it was a hundred years ago, do it this year, as the future of the EBT is in doubt due to lack of money. Find out more by calling 814-643-5091. RSee AmericaS with Amtrak Amtrak has also temporarily removed stopover limits on its RAll Aboard AmericaS fare. Call your travel agent or Amtrak, and book soon for a chance to discover much more of America than you ever could before. Harrisburg Bridge Railbanked Capital Area Transit plans to buy ConrailUs soon-to-be-abandoned Cumberland Valley Bridge, which crosses the Susquehanna between Harrisburg and Lemoyne. Dates of Interest Public Forum on AmtrakUs Future: Wed., May 3, 4:00 to 6:00, City Council Chambers, Fourth floor, City Hall, Philadelphia. Delmarva Rail Passenger Association: Thu., May 4. Call Ken Berg, 410- 648-5961, for more information. Deadline for May newsletter material: Fri., May. 5, to Matthew Mitchell or in DVARP mailbox. DVARP Transit Committee: Wed., May 10, 5:30 to 6:30 at 30th Street Station, south concourse exit opposite Post Office. Call Bill Mulloy, 215-222-3373, message box 1, for more information. IEEE Vehicular Technology Society: Wed., May 10, 6:30 pm at Lebow Engineering Center, Drexel University, 31st & Market Sts. Topic: Stray Electrical Currents. NARP Region III Meeting: Sat., May 13, 9:30 to 2:00 at DVRPC Offices, The Bourse, 5th and Market Sts, Philadelphia. (Eighth floor, use elevators on 4th St. side of building.) Registration $15.00 includes lunch: send check payable to Robert Machler to 9235 Convent Ave., Philadelphia 19114. For more information, call Sharon Shneyer 215-386- 2644. Optional field trip after meeting. SEPTA Public Hearings on Proposed FY 1996 Operating Budget: Mon., May 15, 1:30 at Bucks County Courthouse, Doylestown; Mon., May 15, 7:00 pm at Montgomery County Courthouse, Norristown; Tue., May 15, 1:30 at West Chester Area Senior Center; Mon., May 22, 1:30 at Delaware County Government Center, Media; Tue., May 23, 11:00 am and 5:00 pm at SEPTA Board Room, 714 Market St., Philadelphia. SEPTA Public Hearing on Proposed FY 1996 Capital Budget: Wed., May 24, 10:00 am at SEPTA Board Room, 714 Market St., Philadelphia. DVARP Commuter Rail Committee: Wed., May 17, 5:30, location to be announced: call John Pawson, 215-659-7736, between 6:00 and 9:00 pm for location and other information. SEPTA RRD riders welcome. DVARP South Jersey Committee: Sat., May 20, 11:00, at 104 Edison Ave., Collingswood NJ. DVARP General Meeting: Sat., May 20, 1:00 to 4:00 at Temple University Center City, 1616 Walnut St., Philadelphia Philadelphia Trolley Coalition: Meeting to be announced. Call Chuck Bode, 215-222-3955 for information. Listings based on information provided to DVARP. Contact sponsor to confirm time & place. Call 215-222-3373, message box 3, to add your event to this calendar. DVARP Membership Coupon Yes, I want to support improved passenger train service in our region! Here are my DVARP membership dues for 1995! Name Address City, State, Zip Please choose a membership category below, enclose check and mail to: DVARP, PO Box 7505, Philadelphia, PA 19101 ( ) Regular: $16.00 ( ) Family: $20.00 ( ) Supporting: $25.00 ( ) Sustaining: $50.00 ( ) Patron: $75.00 ( ) Benefactor: $100.00 ( ) under 21 or over 65: $10.00 Up and Down the Corridor News of other Northeastern commuter rail and rail transit services DC Tunnel Reopens A former DC Transit trolley tunnel under Dupont Circle has been reopened as a restaurant and food market, called RDupont Down Under.S LIRR Buys Dual-Mode Engines General Motors won a contract for 23 new locomotives for the Long Island Rail Road. The DE30AC units will be able to operate either from their own diesel engines or from LIRRUs third-rail electrification. This will allow trains to run direct from non-electrified lines to Penn Station. GM will assemble the units in Schenectady, NY. GMUs entering the competition meant that the winning bid was only $2.75 million per locomotive, a remarkably low price for a small order of passenger engines with all the high-tech features like AC drive plus the electric/diesel capability. General Electric offered a version of the dual-mode engines it is building for Amtrak at $2.9 million each. Susquehanna Service in Doubt Though NJ Transit has reached agreement with the New York, Susquehanna, and Western over operation of a new commuter rail line in North Jersey, funding for the line has been cut from the state budget. NYSWUs Walter Rich says the railroad is ready to move forward and complained about the stateUs Rlack of committment.S NEC Station Status Parking at Metropark has been limited to permit holders only while a new garage is being constructed. Remote lots with shuttle buses have been set up, but they may not be enough to meet demand. NJ Transit has again had to put off rebuilding the Rahway station. They blame Amtrak for not completing necessary track work. Further up the Corridor, construction on the Kearney Connection is making progress, but the link between the Morris and Essex Lines and Penn Station will not open till 1996. DVARP Phone & Voice-mail Directory DVARP main number (voice mail line) 215-222-3373 1 Bill Mulloy, Transit Committee 215-222-3373 2 John Pawson, Commuter RR Comm. 215-659-7736 (6 to 9 pm please) 3 Matthew Mitchell, Newsletter Editor 215-885-7448 4 John Dawson, Amtrak Committee 215-222-3373 5 Sharon Shneyer, External Affairs 215-386-2644 6 Robert H. Machler, Vice President 215-222-3373 7 Bill Ritzler, South Jersey Committee 609-869-0020 9 Don Nigro, President 609-869-0020 Betsey Clark, Volunteer Coordinator 215-222-3373 Dan Radack, Bicycle Coordinator 215-232-6303 Computer e-mail (internet) dvarp@libertynet.org World-Wide Web http://libertynet.org/~dvarp/dvarp.html