GALATA, Mont. — Jerry Smith is dusting off his mailing list and firing up his computer as he revives “Save Amtrak,” a grass-roots effort from the mid-1990s.
According to the Daily Inter Lake, Smith, from Galata, a small farming community between Shelby and Chester, is leading the charge to resurrect Save Amtrak. In 1995, the group succeeded in getting Amtrak to boost its service from four days a week to seven days a week on the Empire Builder line across northern Montana.
Smith said the group’s efforts are needed now as Amtrak faces the budget ax from Congress.
Amtrak came up with a list of 18 lines that could be cut if Congress does not come through with money to adequately fund Amtrak operations. Amtrak warned that it might have to cut some of its money-losing lines, such as the Empire Builder, which runs through Whitefish.
Amtrak has requested $1.2 billion for 2003, while the Bush administration has recommended $521 million, the same as last year. The rail line lost more than $1 billion last year, but was mandated to become self-sufficient this year.
Proponents of a national rail system say self-sufficiency is not possible because passenger rail lines are capital-intensive and require government support.
Congress has until Oct. 1 to come up with an appropriations package to keep the rail line running. Amtrak has to give 180 days notice of any curtailments in service, so it will announce Thursday what cuts, if any, would be made. If Congress doesn’t intervene by Oct. 1, Amtrak will be out of money and would begin dissolving, according to Smith.
Save Amtrak is working with Montana’s congressional delegation and will organize community meetings across the Hi-Line to inform people about what options Congress has, Smith said. The first meeting is next week in Havre.
Support for Amtrak is already growing across Montana, Smith said, especially in small towns like Whitefish and Shelby, where livelihoods depend on the train service. Businesses like Big Mountain rely on Amtrak to provide service to its Midwest and Northwest customers.
“There’s a lot of concerned citizens out there, and rightfully so,” Smith said. “Montana is not aware of what’s going on and what choices are out there.”
Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., is co-sponsoring legislation that would provide additional federal resources to Amtrak.
The National Defense Rail Act would provide significant funding to Amtrak routes across the country. More than $360 million would cover operating costs of long-distance train service, with an additional $22 million for capital improvements. Some $270 million is provided for Amtrak’s lines less than 750 miles long.
Smith said he expects the budget battle to build through September.
“I have reasonable expectations that the Empire Builder will be retained,” he said. “But people don’t want to be complacent about this.”
He said Idaho did not join in the Save Amtrak fight in 1995 when the Pioneer line was facing cuts at the same time the Empire Builder was.
The Pioneer line was eliminated, and the Empire Builder was boosted to daily service, thanks in part to Save Amtrak, Smith said. “People don’t want to lose their trains, especially not without putting up a fight of some sort. This gives them an opportunity to participate in the system.”
On the Net: www.railroadnews.net; For information, write to Save Amtrak, at Box 83, Galata, MT, 59444