(The following article by Kasey Doyle was posted on the Maysville Ledger-Independent website on June 6.)
MAYSVILLE, Ky. — The rumble of passenger trains rolling through Maysville may not be heard after Oct. 1. Amtrak could be forced to shut down operations because of cuts in federal aid within President George W. Bush’s proposed 2006 fiscal budget; the budget provides no funding for Amtrak.
Marc Magliari, manager of Amtrak media relations, said the national Amtrak network would “disappear” if the Bush administration ends funding for the rail system.
“The recommendation of the Bush administration is zero dollars,” Magliari said. “Zero dollars equals zero trains.”
Magliari said Amtrak would shut down operations in the 46 states it serves if it receives no federal appropriations. Without those federal appropriations the rail system would be forced into bankruptcy.
The Amtrak Cardinal line, which runs through Maysville three times a week, operates between New York and Chicago.
The Cardinal provides basic public transportation to areas that have limited transportation options, Magliari said.
During 2004, total Kentucky ridership on Amtrak trains was 6,740; Maysville had a ridership of 1,394. Amtrak expended $6,428,567 for goods and services in Kentucky last year, and it employed six Kentucky residents.
Mayor David Cartmell said Maysville will not be economically effected by the loss of the Amtrak system. He said ridership is down, and Amtrak is having a difficult time “justifying serving this line.”
“Maysville is one of the few stops left,” Cartmell said. “Of course, it will affect us to some degree.”
Cartmell said with the rise in gas prices, people may have to rely on public transportation in the future.
“I think rail between these urban hubs is a great thing,” Cartmell said. “I think, at some point, we are going to need it someday.”
Matt Bays, manager of Parker Travel agency, said the Cardinal line benefits people in the community.
“The Cardinal line is the only line for our area,” Bays said, and he estimated an average of 100 Parker Travel customers use the Amtrak system each year.
Bays said if Amtrak shuts down operations, Parker Travel would lose “a little bit of clientele.”
Cartmell said he does not support Bush’s plan to cut funding for the passenger trains.
“I don’t support any Amtrak cuts,” Cartmell said.
Magliari said Amtrak has made a request for funding, and it has outlined strategic reform initiatives to improve the system.
Amtrak is seeking $1.82 billion dollars in federal funds. This request includes $787 million for capital infrastructure projects, $560 million to support train operations, $278 million for service on existing debt, $175 million in working capital and $20 million for transition costs.
According to a news release by the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Amtrak is undertaking a series of “bold and comprehensive” strategic reform initiatives to improve the funding and development of the passenger rail service, and to introduce “competition, efficiency and cost-savings.”
Federal Amtrak funding for the current fiscal year is $1.2 billion, and Amtrak stated that an appropriation at this level would be insufficient in the 2006 fiscal year to continue operations.
In a Feb. 7 e-mail to all Amtrak employees, Amtrak President and CEO David Gunn said Bush’s proposal is “irresponsible and a surprising disappointment” and Amtrak would continue reforms and improvements to the system.
“We are committed to an efficient and productive rail passenger system,” Gunn said in the e-mail, which was released to the public. “The plan to force us into bankruptcy would be counterproductive to this goal.”
Magliari said Amtrak has set records for ridership in the past two years.
“People depend on the Cardinal, and they would lose a basic transportation resource,” Magliari said.