HomeMy WebLinkAboutAmtrakPetition_LtrToRailAssoc_20180514City of San Luis Obispo, Office of the City Council, 990 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93401-3249, 805.781.7114, slocity.org
May 14, 2018
Rail Passengers Association
1200 G St. NW, Suite 240
Washington, DC 20005
RE: Amtrak Communities Petition
Last month, Congress enacted a funding bill that included $2.813 billion directly
targeted at intercity rail programs—an increase of $1.3 billion over the Fiscal 2017 level. That
figure includes $1.9 billion for Amtrak, including $650 million for the NEC and $1.3 billion
for the National Network. This represents the largest appropriation in Amtrak’s 47-year
history.
It is with dismay that, in response to this record level of public investment, Amtrak
has made several service-level decisions that call into question its commitment to the National
Network. Amtrak announced in April that it is cutting back food & beverage service on two
long-distance services, and that it will be eliminating station agents in 15 National Network
communities. Additionally, President & CEO Richard Anderson has given public remarks that
cast serious doubt on his support of long-distance trains, implying they should be broken up
and replaced with state-supported corridor service.
Towns depend upon Amtrak and have invested their own funds in train stations and
passenger rail infrastructure. The City of San Luis Obispo supports the railroad’s strategy to
grow passenger rail service along heavily-traveled corridors, but insist it must happen in
addition to National Network service, not at the expense of existing Amtrak communities.
Therefore, it is absolutely necessary that Amtrak reaffirm its commitment to providing long-
term, sustainable train service to all Amtrak-served communities.
In light of record public investment in passenger rail and recent actions by Amtrak
management affecting National Network service, the City of San Luis Obispo calls upon
Amtrak to report to Congress and Amtrak-served communities how it will invest the funds
appropriated to it to ensure continued, high-quality service to all towns on the national rail
system, and how it will alter its long-term service line plans in response to this increase over
base FY 2018 projections.
Signed,
Heidi Harmon
Mayor