» November - December 2006 Newsletter

Empire

Passengers

State
Association

THE ESPA EXPRESS

NEWSLETTER OF THE
EMPIRE STATE PASSENGERS ASSOCIATION

The following is a summary of our association’s bi-monthly newsletter.
All ESPA members receive the complete unabridged version
(with photos, graphs, etc.) of this newsletter by mail or e-mail.

To join ESPA, receive the complete newsletter
and our support efforts for a modern public transportation network in New York State
Click Here!

November - December 2006

Vol. 30, No. 6

The View from the Cab

The recent election has (hopefully) provided a reason for renewed optimism among passenger rail advocates, both here in New York State and across the nation.

Only a few months ago the notion that the control of both houses of Congress would change was quite a stretch. But as was clearly demonstrated on Election Day, the White House and Republican leadership were clearly out of touch with the American people on many issues, including national transportation policy.

With the Democrats now poised to lead, it is very good news that Reps. Jim Oberstar (D-MN) and David Obey (D-WI) and Senators Daniel Inouye (D-HI) and Robert Byrd (D-WV) are expected to replace their Republican counterparts as the key, full committee chairmen in Amtrak-related authorizing committees and on the respective appropriations committees. While the debate over the allocation of scarce financial resources will likely continue, these seasoned and knowledgeable Amtrak supporters (among many others) should certainly bring a new positive and reasoned tone to the process.

Here in New York, Governor-elect Spitzer made transportation improvements a key component of his campaign. In a speech he gave in Binghamton earlier in the year, he stated “As with other worthy projects like high-speed rail from New York to Albany and Buffalo, we must work to make these possible once we identify the necessary resources. This effort should be pursued in partnership with the private railroads, Amtrak, and the commuter railroads that operate these corridors.”

Coupled with Joe Bruno’s anticipated support in the State Senate and being guided by the excellent plan developed by the Senate High Speed Rail Task Force for effective incremental improvements into the future, 2007 should be the year when New York State can start to again take a leadership role among the states by advancing responsible intercity public transportation policy.

ESPA will be diligently working to insure that our goals are presented to the Governor and to the newly appointed Department of Transportation officials early in the New Year. In addition, we will be working to educate our newly-elected Congressional representatives on the vital role passenger rail should play in the national transportation picture. We will keep you informed on how you too can best help with these important tasks.

As always, I welcome your comments, critiques and suggestions, on how ESPA can better attain our goals of improved passenger rail service in New York State. Don’t hesitate to contact me at anytime.

Bruce Becker

New Hudson Valley Express Train in Timetable But Not Yet Running

The first tangible improvement to be initiated by the State Senate High Speed Rail Task Force will likely be the introduction of a new weekday Albany to New York roundtrip express train. It is already in the new Empire Corridor Fall schedules with a footnote that service will begin “on a date to be announced.”

Timed for a 2 hour and 10 minutes non-stop run, the morning southbound train will leave Albany-Rensselaer at 7:40am, reaching Penn Station at 9:50am. The afternoon return trip will leave New York at 3:55pm and arrive back in Albany at 6:05pm. Geared towards travelers with mid-day business or shopping needs in New York, the express shaves 10 minutes off the current best running time for the route

The express may offer food and beverage service, which would make it the first Hudson Valley train to do so since June 2005, when Amtrak eliminated food service as a cost saving measure. This could include traditional café car and/or at-seat ‘cart’ service, which has proven popular on many Acela Express trains.

The state is providing the funding for the new train with a portion of the $22 million obtained by State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno in the current year’s state budget for use by the High Speed Rail Task Force. This money will also fund other infrastructure improvements slated to start in the coming year.

Bruce Becker

Empire Corridor Schedule Changes

Amtrak’s revised Fall and Winter schedules took effect nationwide October 30. Changes for trains serving New York State include:

•#280, running weekdays from Niagara Falls to New York, is now timed to arrive in Albany at 9:45am and reach New York by 12:25pm. These earlier arrival times make same-day business trips to Albany more convenient and re-establish connections to the southbound Crescent at Penn Station.

•#290, the Ethan Allen Express, running Tuesday through Friday from Rutland, assumes the 11:00am departure slot from Albany, now arriving in New York at 1:25pm

•#49, the westbound Lake Shore Limited now leaves New York for upstate points and Chicago at 3:45pm pm on weekends and 4:00pm on weekdays. Arrival at Buffalo Depew is pushed back to 11:55pm each day.

In order to address ongoing on-time performance problems across upstate, Amtrak retained some of the extra time added to the schedules of western New York trains for the summer. The best Albany to Buffalo Depew running time is now 4 hours 50 minutes.

Bruce Becker

Boardman to Serve on Amtrak Board

Transportation Secretary Mary Peters has appointed Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Boardman to represent her on Amtrak’s Board of Directors. He will replace Jeff Rosen, who represented former Secretary Norman Mineta.

This is good news for rail passenger advocates and rail passengers generally. ESPA readers will remember Joe Boardman as a strong advocate for rail, both freight and passenger, when he served as Commissioner of Transportation in New York State (1997-2005). He received the ESPA President’s award in 1999 for committing the State to a high-speed rail program. On the national level he chaired the Standing Committee on Rail Transportation of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). This committee produced two very thorough reports on the role and condition of America’s railroads with respect to freight and passenger service (2002), which helped move rail closer to the forefront of AASHTO’s concerns.

“I think it’s extremely important to run trains on time--both passenger and freight,” Boardman told ESPA; “we have been working with freight lines on this, including CSX.” Boardman expressed particular concern about what he termed the Southeast Corridor--between Washington and Florida. “As our population ages there will be more and more travel between the Northeast and Florida, and the best way to move them will be by train,” he said.

This is good to hear, because most of the trains on this route originate in New York and therefore affect New Yorkers directly. But Boardman discussed other routes as well, and it was most refreshing to hear a highly placed Bush Administration official demonstrate understanding and concern for long distance trains.

Of course it will take more than concern to make substantial changes, and real progress will require dollars not presently available. Boardman, like his boss, expressed the hope that “we can work with Congress to get an Amtrak authorization passed next year.” But for the near term it’s most reassuring to know that the Administration is now represented on Amtrak’s board by someone who supports the concept of a quality national rail passenger network.

Frank Barry

Luggage Inspection Trial Starts In Buffalo

On November 7th Amtrak passengers at the Buffalo-Depew station encountered a new rail travel experience; an inspection of their carry-on bags by Transportation Security Administration personal for potential explosive residue.

As reported in the Buffalo News, the TSA is conducting a trial of new portable detection devices for a 30-day period in the Buffalo region. Random inspections are planned at the three area Amtrak stations, in addition to Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority’s Metro Rail stations.

On the first day, the actual inspections took less than 30 seconds per bag and the TSA found no evidence of explosive on any of the items screened. There was no delay to the passengers or to departing trains.

The TSA noted that if the initial inspection had found evidence of explosive residue, the passenger and their luggage would have been then subject to a secondary screening. While the trial is being done on a random basis, TSA did note that if a selected passenger refused to submit to the inspection, they would be denied boarding.

Whether such inspections will become regular practice at Amtrak stations remains to be seen and likely depends on the whether Congress will provide the necessary funding for the additional required staff and equipment in the years to come.

Bruce Becker

Empire Corridor Ridership Gains Continue

New York State rail routes showed strong ridership gains August 2005 to August 2006. Ethan Allen lead the group with a 25.5% ridership gain and a 30.2%increase in revenue. The effects of Amtrak “revenue management” are evident as revenue growth exceeded ridership gains for all routes except Vermonter and Adirondack. The NEC spine data includes Acela, Metroliner and Regional trains on the Northeast corridor.

Ben Gottfried

Moynihan/Penn Back to Drawing Board

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver brought an end to the current negotiations to convert the historic General Post Office across the street from Penn Station in Manhattan into a new gateway station for regional and intercity rail in New York City. This places the issue squarely in the new Governor’s lap. Many transit activists were lukewarm to the Post Office plan because some 80% of the travelers using Penn Station would be better served by an upgrade of facilities at its existing location which lies between the 7th and 8th Avenue subways.

Many architects and urbanists could appreciate the vision of the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who saw in the landmarked McKim, Meade and White General Post Office structure an opportunity to recreate what was lost in one of the greatest acts of architectural vandalism – the destruction of the magnificent original Penn Station. Perhaps fortunately, a dose of realism prevailed. While the original Penn Station design had ceremonial staircases that led down to the concourse and platforms, the equally grand staircase at the Post Office leads up to a lobby where stamp windows and other postal services are located. The Post Office building was little more than a hollow facade for a new station located below.

The attention now turns to the more serious problem of finding an attractive way to handle the masses of commuters and intercity travelers that use the existing station. While removing the Madison Square Garden arena that replaced the high-ceilinged concourse and waiting room of the original Penn Station would permit a restoration of these large public rooms, it is really at the level just above the tracks where the greatest need exists for more elbow room for passengers. In its original design as a terminal for long distance trains, arriving and departing passengers were handled on separate levels, much like what is done at busy airports.

At Penn Station, the greatest need is to transfer quickly and easily to the subways or to reach the street. Regional Rail advocates see an important additional passenger movement, transferring between trains that would hub at Penn Station. These passenger movements would be best accomplished at the level immediately above the tracks. This reduces vertical circulation requirements and saves travel time. The immediate challenge is to reconfigure this level, removing unneeded concessions and train support facilities while adding more stairways to the platforms and opening more space for passenger movement.

It would be important for the new Governor to call for a fresh approach to redoing Penn Station that puts passenger circulation first, and then adds the ceremonial icing. Celebrating arrival is important, but just getting there should be the priority

George Haikalis, ESPA Manhattan Coordinator for Regional Rail

Mary Peters is new USDOT Secretary

On September 5th President Bush nominated Mary Peters to replace Norman Mineta as Secretary of Transportation and the Senate confirmed her appointment on September 30th. Ms. Peters spent most of her prior career in the Arizona Department of Transportation and became its director in 1998. She was praised by National Association of Railroad Passengers President George Chilson, who lived in Arizona during her tenure there. She won praise by both Democrats and Republicans at a September 20th Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing, and on September 25th the Committee voted unanimously to recommend her confirmation.

In a September 8th statement submitted to the Senate Committee, Chilson said she was “smart, creative and action oriented as well as open minded,” and had “a strong belief in multi-modal transportation.” At her confirmation hearing she said “I agree that we need a national rail passenger system;” she also supported state flexibility to use Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality funds for rail, as Maine has been doing.

But after taking office she began to sound a bit like a milder version of her predecessor Mineta, who resigned in July. According to an October 17th Associated Press report she said she wants to “help prod (Amtrak) into replacing a failed business model and (said) long distance routes may have to be pruned in whole or in part...particularly....where alternatives such as subsidized air service are available.”

On a more positive note she supported stable funding: “I would like to see us get on a model where we could agree to fund Amtrak over a period so we could make the necessary investments that you can’t make if you’re going on a year to year basis.”

And unlike Mineta, she said she actually wants to ride a long distance train: “I want to see what the routes are like, how many people are on the train...I think I need to experience it firsthand.”

Peters began her career with the Arizona Department of Transportation in 1985 and remained there until 2001 when she was appointed Federal Highway Administrator. Regarding highways she has supported private sector partnerships and toll roads to raise funds for road building as an alternative to higher taxation. Last November she returned to Arizona (briefly as it turned out), to become National Director for Transportation Policy for HDR, Inc., an engineering design and consulting firm based in Omaha.

All in all, with both new enlightened leadership in DOT and FRA in the Administration and the changes in Congress, there is cause for optimism.

Frank Barry (from NARP Hotlines, USDOT Website)

Rail Funds Deleted from Security Bill

Last month Congress approved S-4954,the massive Port Security bill, but only after deleting $1.15 billion which Senator John McCain added for rail and transit security improvements. McCain’s website said this was based on S-1379, the Rail Security Act from last year, which would have authorized over $100 million annually for security improvements in Amtrak tunnels in New York, Baltimore and Washington. The Senate approved a similar bill last year.

The Connecticut Post editorialized that “It’s mind boggling that Republican leaders in the U.S. Senate could cavalierly bypass placing any funding for mass transit protection...despite recent history that demonstrates that mass transit targets are favored by terrorists--the Madrid rail bombings in 2004, the London subway and bus terror in 2005 and this year’s series of bombings on rail lines in India.”

McCain’s amendment had bipartisan support and its removal was strongly protested by Democrats. But Democrats have been excluded from conference negotiations between the two chambers by the Republican leadership in both chambers.

Frank Barry (from NARP Hotlines)

NARP ADA Resolution Mentions Lyons

At its Fall Board meeting in Austin, TX last month, the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) Board of Directors passed a resolution protesting USDOT’s proposed full length level boarding platform requirement under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The resolution specifically mentions Lyons, NY as one of the communities that would be negatively affected by the full length requirement. Lyons has been working to build a passenger station for more than 15 years, but each time they have acquired the funding they thought was needed, the owner of the freight railroad has raised its requirements.

According to NARP’s resolution, “CSX is now requiring an island platform with an overpass. The high-level platform DOT seeks presumably would require two by-pass tracks or gauntlets, pricing the project beyond the community’s reach. Moreover, even if funds were available, the westbound by-pass track would impinge on a freight yard, which CSX has said is off limits.”

The Department of Transportation proposed the new requirements last February 27th to “update” the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The regulations would require “level boarding” for the entire length of the train so as not to discriminate against handicapped passengers. NARP and ESPA have opposed this on the grounds that the high costs of such a requirement would discriminate against handicapped passengers and everyone else in small communities by pricing rail passenger stations beyond their reach. It would also be impractical to implement in areas of the country where different types of equipment are used with their bottom step at different heights above the rail.

Frank Barry

ESPA Regional Rail Forum Held In New York City

Over 35 ESPA members and other rail advocates attended the September 30th Regional Rail Forum held in New York City. The Forum was scheduled to coincide with the Institute for Rational Urban Mobility (IRUM) exhibit ‘Making the Connection: Moving Forward on Regional Rail’, on display at the time.

Forum attendees enjoyed presentations by George Haikalis, IRUM President (and ESPA Coordinator) on the need for a truly comprehensive, interconnected rail network for the tri-state region; Richard Rudolph, Chairperson of the Rail Users Network, on RUN’s efforts to link together rail and transit advocacy groups nationwide; Al Papp, NARP Secretary, on the many initiatives underway at Amtrak; and Bruce Becker, ESPA President, on the work of the State Senate High Speed Rail Task Force.

George Haikalis emphasized that interstate cooperation is the key to gaining the fullest mobility benefits of Regional Rail, and with new leadership poised to take over in Albany, there are real opportunities to move such plans ahead. George addressed three key issues:

•The need to energize cooperative efforts on both sides of the Hudson River to advance Regional Rail, beginning with the introduction of thru-running service at Penn Station, which could increase peak-hour capacity by 25 to 50%. Endorsed by both ESPA and NJ-ARP three years ago, the Penn Station Metro-Hub plan would serve as a short-term action step.

•The desirability of returning the focus of the new Hudson River tunnel project to allow for direct East Midtown access via a Penn Station - Grand Central connection. This connection would be important not only for commuters but also for intercity passengers as well, because it would allow Northeast Corridor and Upstate New York trains to pass through both Manhattan terminals. MTA, NJ Transit and the Port Authority developed an alternative for connecting these two stations during the Major Investment Study phase of planning for the new tunnel, but this alternative has since been rejected. New York’s new Governor should insist that this alternative plan be revisited and that an unbiased review of the concept be conducted. ESPA and NJ-ARP solidly support this connection.

•The need to initiate an objective review of the Grand Central Terminal upper level alternative to avoid the need for a new 150 foot below ground level deep cavern station for the planned Long Island RR East Side Access project. Saving both considerable time and money, making use of the current capacity at GCT could speed the completion of this vital regional link by at least three years. The new Governor should request that the MTA give this option serious consideration and be required to provide a careful objective review.

The Regional Rail exhibit filled the walls of the main gallery at the Municipal Art Society’s Urban Center in Midtown Manhattan for two months. Some 2,000 persons had an opportunity to view the exhibit and attend a series of related presentations. You can view the full exhibit and learn about regional rail matters by visiting www.irum.org and www.rrwg.org.

Bruce Becker

New Trains Run in Other States

Amtrak’s new Fall timetable shows significant increases in train service in several states as follows:

California: As a result of $60 million in track improvements, including double tracking a major bridge, 4 new weekday trains have been added between the Bay Area and Sacramento. State financing was key to making this possible. New trains actually started running on August 28th.

Illinois: Four new trains began running with the new Fall timetable: Two new runs have been added between Chicago and St. Louis, bringing the total to five each way and facilitating travel to the state capital. One new run has been added between Chicago and Carbondale and another between Chicago, Galesburg and Quincy. These have been added as a result of increased state operating payments achieved through effective advocacy by the Midwest High Speed Rail Association, headed by Rick Harnish, a long time NARP member.

Pennsylvania: Three new weekday runs have been added between New York and Harrisburg as a result of a joint $145 million upgrade financed by Amtrak and Pennsylvania. The improvements involve substantial upgrades to track, signal, equipment and catenary. All trains are now electric powered, eliminating an engine change in Philadelphia and shortening New York-Harrisburg running time generally by 15-30 minutes. Push pull equipment is being used to simplify the direction change in Philadelphia, shortening dwell time to 15 minutes from 20 minutes or more.

Maine: There are no new trains listed in the Downeaster schedules but there may be in the future. An additional train is expected after new sidings can be built. And on September 1, Maine Governor John Baldacci signed an executive order to study expanding the routes north of Portland to Brunswick and Lewiston-Auburn and beyond. This was in response to dramatic growth in ridership and effective advocacy by NARP Vice President Wayne Davis and Northeast New England Rail Authority head Patricia Douglas.

Frank Barry

Branch Lines Blues

Preliminary steps necessary to abandon rail service on the Utica to Binghamton rail corridor have been taken by the New York Susquehanna and Western Railroad (NYSW). Severe flooding in June washed out significant portions of the main line between Sangerfield (near Waterville) and Chenango Forks and traffic levels may not warrant repairing the 61 mile stretch. Therefore, the Railroad has published an updated system map pursuant to Surface Transportation Board guidelines for lines under consideration for abandonment. Specifically, the document identifies the 60.88 mile segment of the Utica Main Line between Chenango Forks and Sangerfield as the subject of abandonment or discontinuance application within three years of the September notice.

Further storm clouds have gathered over the branch as a result of a new proposal that uses a portion of the branch to co-locate a line side power transmission system between Utica and Orange County. The flood gates have opened on widespread public outrage over the project which critics point out will increase upstate electric rates to reduce New York City area rates. Political leaders throughout the proposed route have been swift to react to even the consideration of the proposal.

The Utica area has called into question the tax abatement deal used by the Oneida County Industrial Development Authority (IDA) to allow for the tracks to be tax exempt. Additionally, the city of Utica has instigated litigation with NYSW and IDA claiming that the power line deal is illegal as a result of original deed transfer restrictions placed on the property during the construction phase of the Railroad (Utica, Chenango and Susquehanna Valley Railroad at that time) around 1868.

Governor Pataki signed into law legislation which denies the power line applicant New York Regional Interconnect (NYRI) the use of “eminent domain” powers. Oneida County IDA has rescinded the tax exempt deal for the rail line through its County (about 26 miles) and will levy instead a tax bill for about $115,000. Remarkably, the legislation and tax status change have occurred prior to any official review of the proposal by the public entity empowered to review new utility infrastructure needs, the Public Utility Commission.

The former Erie-Lackawanna branch was purchased from Conrail by NYSW in 1982 along with the Binghamton to Syracuse (I-81) route. Conrail’s deferred maintenance during the six years they owned the properties left them in deplorable operating condition. The Railroad and New York State have worked cooperatively to upgrade both main tracks on both branches over the intervening years. Efforts to rebuild the traffic base since 1982 have been more successful on the Syracuse branch.

Light traffic density on the Utica side makes it difficult to justify repair of the washed-out sections of track. Significant grain business located in the Sangerfield area and other traffic in the Utica area is now being handled from the north end of the line through a new post flood arrangement with CSX and Utica based short line Mohawk Adirondack and Northern. Ordinarily, when the grain traffic flow comes through Binghamton the Oneida County section is lightly used.

Adding the tax liability to the branch could in fact hasten the abandonment. The real estate tax burden in Oneida County will ultimately burden the railroad’s customers. The Utica branch is used for heavy commodities such as fertilizer, grain and lumber; recent improvements to the line include crossing protection systems and regular track maintenance.

The potential loss of another New York rail route remains a possibility. Perhaps we need to think about the ramifications of the decisions being made along the Utica branch before they become water under the bridge.

Ben Gottfried

Train Riding in Britain

Britain is a great place to ride trains. Service is frequent and the equipment is in excellent running condition. We rode on Alstrom “pendolino” trainsets running on Virgin Railways routes to Liverpool and the north coast of Wales. These trainsets came in two versions, electric and multiple unit MU’s. The “pendolino” tilt mechanism made the train feel as though the curves had super elevations beyond what the actually the case outside the windows. This was a good thing as the “drivers” in the cab up front preferred the throttle in “run 8” (or the British equivalent thereof) on these speedy units.

Ben Gottfried

Catskill Mountain Rail Corridor Celebration

AVolunteers gathered on October 7, 2006 in Roxbury New York to celebrate a year of achievement on a Catskill Mountain transportation gem, the 61 mile former Ulster & Delaware railroad (U&D) between Kingston on the Hudson River and the metropolitan “Hubbell Corners” region of Stamford. The celebration marked the official opening of the Roxbury Depot Museum in the Northwestern Catskill Mountains at mile post 59 on the U&D line. This former West Shore Railroad route is dotted with three passenger railway operations (at Kingston, Phoenicia and Arkville) a few washouts and controversy over future use of the corridor.

The October celebration hosted by the Ulster & Delaware Railroad Historical Society included a streamlined dinner train experience between the Delaware & Ulster RR’s depot at Roxbury station. The station was built in 1875 when the new line opened for service. Helen Gould Shepard, the daughter of Roxbury native and legendary robber baron Jay Gould, spent her adult years in Roxbury and is sometimes credited with having had the station modernized in 1890 in order to please her wealthy friends and U&D customers. Ms. Shepard had amenities added to the station such as an operator’s bay window and the first flush toilet in Delaware County.

Silver Streak- Catskill mountain style! U& D passenger train is westbound for Roxbury. New York CentralParlor-Observation #61 brings up the markers in this mountain scene.

In addition to museum related activities, volunteers have cleared about 20 miles of overgrown track at various points along the route, allowing for maintenance operations over most of the 61 mile line.

ESPA applauds the efforts of groups like the Ulster & Delaware Railroad Historical Society in efforts to preserve New York’s strategic rail corridor network in new and innovative ways.

Ben Gottfried

Empire Corridor Travel Tips and Discounts…

o All Empire Corridor trains NOW require reservations. While advance reservations are encouraged, last minute passengers will always be accommodated if space is available on a particular train. Booking as early as possible will provide the best possible fare. Amtrak accepts reservations up to 11 months in advance of your travel date! Travel during off-peak periods (mid-week, early morning or late evening) will generally be the least expensive.

o In conjunction with the 2006 ‘New York By Rail’ Travel Guide, Amtrak is offering a ‘50% Off Companion Fare’ discount between all New York State destinations on Empire Service trains; on the Maple Leaf as far as Niagara Falls, NY; on the Adirondack to Montreal and on the Ethan Allen Express to Rutland. Travelers can save 50% off a second adult fare when traveling in pairs. The discount is valid through April 2007, using discount code V707. Specific advance purchase requirements, blackout dates and other restrictions apply. Contact Amtrak for full details…

o Amtrak ‘Share Fares’ are now being offered through mid-December on trains operating between Albany and New York City. Small groups of three to six passengers traveling together can save 25% to 50%. Use promotion code H620 when making reservations and contact Amtrak for full information on specific advance purchase requirements, blackout dates and other restrictions.

o AAA and NARP members receive 10% off most regular fares, with a three-day advance purchase requirement.

o Visit http://www.amtrak.com and select ‘Hot Deals’ for the latest discount program information.

o Join the Amtrak Guest Rewards program and earn points towards free travel and more.

2006-2007 ESPA Meeting Dates

Saturday, January 20, 2007 Schenectady – The Parker Inn
Saturday, March 10, 2007 Annual Membership Meeting - Schenectady

ALL dates, times and locations are subject to change…Please refer to the ESPA Web Site, http://www.esparail.org, for the most current information!

If you would like to become more active in ESPA, these meetings are the perfect opportunity to learn more about the Association and how YOU can make a difference! ALL ESPA members (and other interested persons) are welcome and encouraged to attend. Please contact President Bruce Becker, 716-741-6384 or , for more information or if you are planning on attending a meeting.

Amtrak Seeks ESPA’s Input

Amtrak’s Empire District Superintendent, James Turngren, wants to hear of your New York State Amtrak travel experiences. Whether everything was great or if there was room for improvement, Jim welcomes our input, as he strives to provide the best possible service on the Empire Corridor.

Please send your written trip reports and comments, including specific dates, train numbers and employee names as appropriate to: James Turngren, District Superintendent, Empire District, Amtrak 525 East Street
Rensselaer, NY 12144.

Please also send a copy to Bruce Becker, so we can track trip experiences and follow up as necessary. Thanks for your help…

» Back to Newsletter Archive