Association News

Canadian Pacific Wins Amtrak Backing for Merger With Pledge to Support Expanded Passenger Service

Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) and Amtrak announced an agreement today, with the passenger railroad supporting the proposed combination of CP and Kansas City Southern (KCS) railways in exchange for the Class I’s support for Amtrak’s long-term vision for growth.

The agreement centers around the Midwest and the South, where CP and KCS have extensive networks. In the Midwest, CP has committed to supporting at least three corridor expansion efforts:

• Increased frequency on Amtrak’s Hiawatha Service between Chicago and Milwaukee. 

• Extending Hiawatha Service from Milwaukee to St. Paul, Minn., to create a second round-trip on the Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago corridor.

• Amtrak service through the Detroit River Tunnel between Michigan and Ontario to Windsor and Toronto (with connections to VIA Rail Canada).
   

In the South, subject to the successful acquisition of KCS, CP pledged its support for the following projects:

• Establishing Amtrak service between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, La.

• Studying the potential for Amtrak service between Meridian, MS., and Dallas, TX.
   

Rail Passengers is encouraged by the cooperation on display between the two railroads, which will be essential in translating the increased funding in the recently-passed bipartisan infrastructure bill into meaningful improvements for America’s passengers.

“The passage of the Investment in Infrastructure and Jobs Act by Congress was a necessary step towards the revitalization of the U.S. passenger rail system -- but only the first step,” said Rail Passengers President & CEO Jim Mathews. “A constructive working partnership between passenger operators and host railroads is a critical element for the addition of new corridors, additional frequencies, and upgraded service. We applaud the work done by Amtrak and CP that laid the foundation for this agreement, and expect to hear many more announcements regarding this kind of partnership.”

The heads of the two railroads issued statements hailing the agreement.

“We are proud of the success we have achieved as a host railroad providing industry-leading service to Amtrak on our lines,” said Keith Creel, CP President and Chief Executive Officer. “We thank Amtrak for its support of our historic combination, which will have no adverse effects on intercity passenger service. CP is pleased to continue to support Amtrak and its infrastructure projects to provide capacity needed to accommodate additional service.”

“CP has been an excellent host of Amtrak intercity passenger service year after year and has established itself as a leader in the railroad industry,” said Stephen J. Gardner, Amtrak President. “We welcome CP’s commitment to our efforts with states and others to expand Amtrak service, and are pleased to have reached an agreement formalizing CP’s support of Amtrak expansion in the Midwest and the South.”

The move was also hailed by state and regional transportation authorities.

“We appreciate Amtrak’s efforts to provide additional intercity passenger rail service that will benefit the people and economies of both Minnesota and Wisconsin,” said Minnesota Department of Transportation Commissioner Margaret Anderson Kelliher. “Once complete, the second daily round trip between Saint Paul and Chicago is expected to improve existing infrastructure and provide increased choice for residents traveling between some of our major cities – with stops in towns and cities of all sizes along the way.”

“WisDOT looks forward to continuing working with Minnesota DOT, Illinois DOT, Amtrak, CP, and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to implement planned additional daily passenger trains on the Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago and Milwaukee-Chicago Amtrak Hiawatha Service routes,” said Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Secretary Craig Thompson. “The agreement between Amtrak and CP facilitates the realization of the full benefits of WisDOT’s FRA grants for the Twin Cities-Milwaukee Chicago Intercity Passenger Rail Project and the Muskego Yard Freight Bypass of Milwaukee Intermodal Station Project. Amtrak and CP continue to be strong partners in our efforts to achieve improved transportation options for rural and urban areas across Wisconsin.”

“We appreciate the work Amtrak is doing to unite more of the south with passenger trains, from Mobile to New Orleans to Baton Rouge and now opening the door in this agreement to directly connect Mississippi and Louisiana with Texas on the I-20 Corridor,” said SRC Chairman Knox Ross of Mississippi. “The SRC continues to be impressed by CP welcoming the start of new Amtrak service west of New Orleans to Baton Rouge, while other railroads have fought new Amtrak service.”

Canadian National Railway (CN) previously attempted to merge with KCS, but the Surface Transportation Board unanimously rejected the merger in 2021 -- at least in part due to CN’s poor handling of passenger trains.
 

Transportation Trades Department (TTD) Unifies Rail Labor

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes (BMWED) - both divisions of the Rail Conference of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters - have re-affiliated under the Transportation Trades Department (TTD) banner this week.  With the addition of these two unions, and their over 80,000 members, TTD now represents every rail union in the United States.

“Our re-affiliation with TTD and its Rail Labor Division (RLD) once again unites all rail labor unions in one common Organization. We look forward to working with all of TTD’s officers, staff and affiliated unions; we are always stronger, and our members are best represented when we are working together,” said BLET President Dennis Pierce.

“I am excited for the prospect of advancements for all railroad workers that could come through all of rail labor uniting under TTD. I look forward to working with TTD President Greg Regan, Secretary-Treasurer Shari Semelsberger and the very capable TTD Staff.  Rail Labor is always strongest and prospers most when we stand united against the railroads, and TTD will certainly help with our fight,” said BMWED President Freddie Simpson.

Read the full TTD press release here

Join Rail Passengers in Thanking Congress

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You can donate to the Rail Passengers Association online with confidence, knowing your credit card information is secure. Fundraise Up uses industry-standard SSL technology to keep your information secure. Supply chain disruptions are impacting our print production vendor. Don’t wait for a paper appeal to donate, support the Association by donating today.

Lockbox Transition + Postal Update

NEW UPDATE
 

As we’ve been noting in the Hotline for several months, our lockbox location transitioned from Baltimore to Pittsburgh. Recently, we learned the postal facility in Pittsburgh returned some our response envelopes to the original sender, if a return address was noted on the envelope, instead of submitting the mail for processing by the Association’s financial partner. If your membership dues or donation envelope has been returned to you, PLEASE place the original Pittsburgh envelope, the buckslip along with your check in one of your stamped envelopes and forward to the DC office. The Association sincerely apologizes for this inconvenience. We are in regular contact with the Pittsburgh postal facility and our lockbox financial partner to rectify the ongoing processing issues. We will be announcing additional lockbox changes in the near future.

Remember, you can renew your membership online by logging into your Neon account. If you can’t remember your login, please call the office for assistance.

If you’d like to make a donation online, in lieu of sending a paper check to the lockbox, you can do so by clicking here. 

Instead of sending donations/dues to our lockbox, mail can be sent directly to the office in DC.

Office mailing address:

Rail Passengers Association
Attn: Membership or Donation
1200 G Street, NW
Suite 240
Washington, DC 20005

Railpassengers.org/Timetables

NOTICE: More Mail Delivery Delays
 

On October 1, 2021, the United States Postal Service (USPS) extended its standard delivery time for first-class mail up to five days. This delay could impact your membership dues and donations mailed to the DC office or lockbox.

Remember, you can renew your Rail Passengers Association membership online through “My Account” on the home page.

Get Your Own ‘Rail Passengers’ Signature Federal Credit Union VISA Card!


 

Hotline Links
 

• MoDOT will seek more Amtrak funding when session begins, Missouri Times  
  
  Director Patrick McKenna of MoDOT will be pushing for the additional $2.5 million needed to restore twice daily service of the Missouri River Runner. In a recent interview, McKenna spoke up for those who do not and can not drive. “We hear a lot about expanding mobility options in the state. Not everyone has a car… There’s a benefit to the modality of the multi-mobile nature for people to have options. It’s good for the environment. It’s good for the economy.” 
   
• Status of Biden Administration Transportation Nominations, Eno 
  
  Click the link for a chart and description of next steps for current Transportation Cabinet nominees. While the Secretary, Deputy, and Under Secretary have already been confirmed, some positions are still awaiting final confirmation. 
   
• East-west rail, economic development at the heart of Sen. Eric Lesser's campaign for Massachusetts lieutenant governor, MassLive 
  
  This Tuesday, Senator Eric Lesser announced his candidacy for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. His campaign centers a cause dear to many in the state; East-West Rail Connectivity.
   
• Thoughts on trains while traveling on a train, BikePortland
  
  BikePortland staff writer Taylor Griggs gives her thoughts on Amtrak service out of Oregon, traveling with your bike, and reducing your personal carbon footprint - all while on the train during the holidays. 
   
• [Press Release] Karen Hedlund Sworn in as New Member of the Surface Transportation Board
  
  Former FHA Chief Council and Former Deputy Administrator to the FRA Karen Hedlund has been confirmed by the Senate as the newest member of the Surface Transportation Board. With experience in advising both public and private sectors, Hedlund brings her unique skill set to the Board during this challenging time.
   
• MTA to study 'Interborough Express' on old freight lines from Brooklyn to Queens, AMNY 
  
  The 14 miles of old freight track spanning from the south end of Brooklyn to Jackson Heights in Queens is being evaluated for new passenger rail service, thanks to support from Governor Kathy Hochul. Serving a projected 74,000-88,000 riders every weekday with a 40-minute end to end ride time, the feasibility study could lead to big opportunities for the many community members currently living below the poverty line with limited inter-borough accessibility.
   
• The Winter Park ski train is back. Here's how to plan a car-free trip, Denver Post
  
  Great news for those looking to hit the Rockies, the Winter Park Express will be running  January 14th - April 3rd this year after a hiatus during 2021.  One way tickets can be purchased leaving Denver at 9am and Winter Park at 4:30pm Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

#ICYMI - In Case You Missed It:

If you aren’t following along on social media, join us via Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and our blog posts on RailPassengers.org  We are covering all the breaking news America’s passengers need to stay informed on local, regional, and national issues. 

Rail Passengers Staff Updates

Where are we and what are we working on? This section will update you on what Rail Passengers HQ is up to...even when we’re all working online or from home

• Jim Mathews, President & CEO, attended to Association business matters after returning mid-week from a family Christmas holiday.
   
• Sean Jeans Gail, Vice President of Policy, returned from the holiday break by beginning to develop a strategy for the 2022 legislative calendar. He’s also working with the FRA on educating passenger advocates on how to navigate the new grant programs that were created by the Investment in Infrastructure and Jobs Act.
   
• Jonsie Stone, Vice President of Resource Development & Operations, is resting and recovering at home after having shoulder surgery just before the holidays.
   
• Joe Aiello, National Field Coordinator, spent time in Chicago with family over the holiday and is now back at work this week getting ready to hit the ground running for 2022.  First up was a meeting with FRA staffers as we prepare for our first webinar event on the new year.
   
• Madison Butler, Communications Manager, returned from the holiday break to answer member emails, begin webinar planning for the new year, and meet with senior staff to discuss messaging.

Member & Donor Notices

• The Rail Passengers Association is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Our federal tax identification number is 36-2615221
   

• To help facilitate dissemination of electronic thank you receipts in 2021, please make sure your contact information, specifically your email address, is up-to-date in your Neon profile.
   

• If you need assistance with your membership, please call the Office at 202-408-8362.
   

• While our staff continues to work remotely, we are unable to provide permanent membership cards. You can print a temporary membership card by creating an account at www.railpassengers.org (select “My Account” on the homepage). 
   

• Complete all information! -- Before sealing your envelope, PLEASE double-check the credit card information on the buck slip!

  • Print credit card information clearly.

  • Include an expiration date, month and year, as well as the CVV number. 

  • Without COMPLETE information your membership renewal or donation can’t be processed. 
     

• If you have your financial institution send a check on your behalf, without a buckslip, PLEASE instruct them to add:

  • a notation in the memo field if the payment is for membership dues or a donation, AND,

  • your Rail Passengers Association member ID. If we have multiple members with the same name, i.e., John Smith, it can be hard to identify the correct member to attribute the payment, without the member ID.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act includes new tax incentives for charitable giving. --- We’ve provided a quick overview here and encourage each of you to seek advice from a financial planner.

If you have a donor advised fund, please consider recommending a grant from your fund to be the Rail Passengers Association. It is a great way to maintain flexibility with your support throughout the year. For more information, go to http://myimpact.railpassengers.org/daf. As always, please feel free to contact Jonsie Stone if you have any questions. 
 

The Rail Passengers Association would like to
thank our Annual Partners for their support!