(The following story by Eric Anderson appeared on the Albany Times-Union on January 2.)
RENSSELAER, N.Y. — It was more than a year ago that state Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno first proposed an express train that would operate nonstop between Albany and New York City.
Now the effort to get the train rolling — and to bring food service back on short-haul Amtrak trains — has been revived, after settlement of a lawsuit New York brought against Amtrak in 2004.
The express train actually made it to Amtrak’s fall 2006 schedule, but with one caveat: it would begin operating only if New York officials and Amtrak could reach an agreement to go forward with the plan.
Privately, officials said the new train, plus other service improvements, wouldn’t happen until Amtrak and New York state settled their legal battle over the fate of seven turbotrains that the state was rehabilitating but Amtrak refused to operate.
That lawsuit, brought in August 2004 by former state Transportation Commissioner Joseph Boardman against Amtrak, was settled earlier this month. As part of the settlement, Amtrak and New York state agreed to split the $10 million cost for several track improvements, while Amtrak would pay the state $20 million that could be used for other work to improve the on-time performance of passenger trains.
The nonstop train was just one initiative of the New York State Senate High Speed Rail Task Force, created by Bruno to develop faster train service upstate. The task force also hoped to offer food service on the train, which Amtrak discontinued in June 2005 on trains originating or terminating in Albany to save money.
And if it was successful, the task force wanted food service to return to other trains as well.
Now, food service and the express train are among a number of improvements being considered by the Empire Intercity Passenger Rail Working Group, formed in September.
“With the lawsuit out of the way, that removes an impediment to discussions that are now taking place in regard to establishing an express train and bringing back the club cars,” said Mark Hansen, a spokesman for Bruno. “There will be projects in next year’s budget that will address high-speed rail.”
The working group includes not only the Senate task force, but also the state Department of Transportation, Amtrak, a variety of railroads and the Capital District Transportation Authority. DOT spokeswoman Jennifer Post said her agency is leading the effort.
“We are working on a variety of initiatives that would increase the reliability and frequency of service, reduce travel times, and increase customer amenities,” she said.
“We’re hopeful and we certainly have urged the executive branch to put their money where their mouth is,” said Bruce Becker, president of the Empire State Passengers Association, a rail advocacy organization.
Becker said he also hoped other projects — such as adding a track between Albany and Schenectady to eliminate a bottleneck that often delays trains, and new equipment to replace the decades-old rail cars on upstate trains — also will move ahead.
Amtrak officials said no service changes are imminent, however.
“For the time being, Amtrak has no plans to inaugurate nonstop ALB-NYP express service or to reintroduce food service on trains that operate only between those two cities,” Amtrak spokesman Cliff Cole said. “These issues may be revisited in the future. Food service continues on through-trains — 50 percent of trains serving ALB-NYP.”
The express train and improved reliability both would be welcome news, said Phil Carter, a Slingerlands resident and frequent Amtrak traveler.
“Right now, I don’t (schedule) any morning meetings when I go to New York,” he said Friday. “They’re late so often.”