(Reuters circulated the following article by John Crawley on June 29.)
WASHINGTON — Amtrak is nearing a critical point in its drive to overhaul its aging infrastructure and bring its flagship Northeast Corridor into good repair, the railroad’s president said on Tuesday.
David Gunn told reporters the nation’s only city-to-city passenger rail service has made important gains over the past year in replacing rails, track ties and fixing damaged cars.
But, in a bid to convince Congress and the Bush administration that he needs at least $1.6 billion in subsidies this year, Gunn said major projects remain and train delays caused by signal problems and other infrastructure-related deficiencies and incidents are on the rise.
“I really think we’re approaching the moment of truth for Amtrak in many respects because the physical conditions have to be addressed,” Gunn said. “I think we’ve proven we can do it and we have a logical program.”
With record ridership and revenues up, Gunn said the railroad is controlling its operating expenses and would cap subsidies for them at $570 million over the next five years.
Gunn projects subsidies for capital projects would continue to rise before leveling off at $939 million in fiscal 2006. The number would then drop gradually.
Amtrak’s subsidy this year is just above $1.2 billion. Of that, $465 million is for infrastructure improvement. Capital investment is up by two-thirds over last year.
Gunn has requested $1.8 billion for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, but the Bush administration favors only half that amount and Congress has not decided what it supports.
“There are some big projects we can defer, so probably if you got $1.6 (billion) you would be all right,” Gunn said. “If you don’t get that kind of appropriation, I think the whole ability to restore the plant and equipment to a state of good repair is jeopardized.”
Over the next several years, Amtrak plans to install 885,000 concrete ties, replace 352 miles of rail, rebuild five major bridges, and replace 136 miles of signal cable as well as overhaul passenger cars and locomotives.
Amtrak owns and operates virtually all of its Northeast Corridor route between Boston and Washington, which is its biggest money maker and only high-speed route.
Separately, Gunn threw his support behind a $1.9 billion request from several states for the government to help pay for passenger rail projects already in the works in the South, Midwest and West.