Consistent funding for Amtrak will keep rail service on track

August 21, 2008

Our Opinion

The United States needs a long-term plan for passenger rail service.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin last week unveiled a plan that could provide Amtrak with a revenue stream to allow for expansion of the passenger rail car fleet and other improvements such as high-speed rail corridors. Durbin wants to divert onequarter cent from the federal fuel tax to generate money for Amtrak.

That diversion is problematic because the Federal Highway Trust Fund, which comes from fuel tax collections, is generating less than has been promised to states for transportation programs. So it is hard to see how the current fuel tax program can sustain a further hit.

Notwithstanding that problem, Durbin is right to point out that Amtrak has been underfunded and treated as something of a governmental orphan for too long.

Created 37 years ago, Amtrak has not been consistently funded. Nor has this nation ever made a clear commitment to passenger rail’s future.

It is no wonder that as passenger numbers rise, some passengers are being turned away because seats are full.

Amtrak CEO Alex Kummant said there are 60 passenger rail cars out of service at this time. It could cost up to $700,000 to refurbish each car. This year Amtrak has enough money to overhaul 12 cars.

Amtrak transported more passengers last month than ever before. That trend is expected to continue. The passenger count was 25.8 million last year and is expected to hit 50 million within 10 years.

Train travel is rising, in part, because of the natural efficiencies of steel wheels on steel rails. Fuel accounts for 11 percent of an average passenger train’s costs. Fuel accounts for 30 percent of the average airline’s costs.

As fuel costs rise, some people are opting to take the train instead of a car. Railroads transport less than one percent of passengers nationwide, but that means even a fractional shift from vehicle travel to trains will further strain Amtrak’s system.

Durbin also wants to encourage passenger rail car manufacturers to open facilities in the United States. Historic rail car companies such as Pullman and Budd closed their doors years ago due to a lack of investment by U.S. railroads. A sustained commitment to Amtrak could make domestic rail car facilities viable again.

A total of 190,247 passengers rode trains along the routes between Quincy and Chicago last year, up 19 percent — more than 30,000 people — from the previous year. That level of growth shows the importance of Amtrak.

The president and members of Congress should establish a consistent funding source that will allow for maintenance and upgrades at Amtrak.

Diversions from the Federal Highway Trust Fund are not a viable answer. It would be folly to rob the highway system that transports the vast majority of the nation’s people at a time when it already lacks adequate funding.

Amtrak is an important part of the nation’s transportation system. It should be a national priority to find the resources to keep it rolling and growing.