Updated June 1, 2018 - TRA Newswire -
Texas Rail Advocates and Rail Passengers Association yesterday filed letters with the Surface Transportation Board supporting a Texas Central Railroad petition that would clear the way for STB to assume jurisdiction over the Texas high-speed rail project, citing a new TCR-Amtrak agreement that truly integrates the Texas project with Amtrak’s National Network.
Texas Central recently asked the STB to reopen and reconsider a docket that would name TCR as an interstate passenger carrier. Texas Central announced earlier this month that it has entered into a through-ticketing agreements with Amtrak, the nation's long-distance passenger rail carrier. With the ability for Amtrak or Texas Central to issue a ticket to travel on either system across the country, this would give TCR a stronger case for being part of the national passenger rail network.
Also filing supporting documents were Amtrak, Houston Metro, Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and Dallas Mayor Michael Rawlings, Dallas Citizens Council, Dallas Regional Chamber, Fort Worth Chamber, Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, the North Central Texas Council of Governments, Texas Representatives Ron Simmons, Sarah Davis, Jim Murphy, Jessica Farrar, Gene Wu, Eric Johnson and Carol Alvarado, Texas Senators Royce West and Sylvia Garcia, Texas Association of Business, Regional Hispanic Contractors Association, Transportation Advocacy Group-Houston, various County Commissioners and Greater Houston Partnership.
Should the STB classify Texas Central as an interstate carrier it would be subject to federal railroad laws and regulations. Filing against reopening the case were Texans Against High Speed Rail and several individuals.
In the supporting Amtrak filing it was shown that "Amtrak has extended the reach of its national rail network by entering into through ticketing arrangements with other carriers who provide connecting services that are called Amtrak Thruway Services. These through ticketing arrangements allow Amtrak passengers to travel on a single ticket via Amtrak trains and connecting trains, buses, vans, ferries and other modes to destinations not served, or not directly served, by Amtrak's rail network. An average of 600 daily Amtrak Thruway schedules extend Amtrak service to more than 400 communities not served directly by Amtrak trains in 38 states and Canada, and provide additional travel options to many other Amtrak-served communities. Amtrak also has code sharing and ticket honoring agreements with many rail, bus and air service carriers that enable passengers to travel on Amtrak trains and these carriers under a single ticket."
The Amtrak document filed with the Surface Transportation Board also stated that "Most connecting carriers serve Amtrak stations. However, in a number of cases
passengers transfer between Amtrak's station and the connecting carrier's station or terminal via another mode. United Air Lines passengers traveling under the code sharing arrangement between Amtrak and United travel by Amtrak train to the Newark Liberty International Airport rail station, where they board a monorail for the two mile trip to United's terminal. Amtrak provides seasonal service to Newport, Rhode Island, a popular summer destination, under a through ticketing arrangement with a ferry company that includes a transfer via a local transit bus between the Amtrak station and the ferry terminal in Providence. In the same way, Texas Central will provide a convenient transfer service between its stations in Dallas and Houston and the Amtrak stations serving those cities. Similar arrangements for through passengers connecting between trains serving
different stations were utilized during most of the period when intercity rail passenger service was provided by multiple railroads. Prior to Amtrak's creation, many major cities had more than one intercity rail station, and passengers holding through tickets for connecting travel often used motor vehicle connections to transfer between stations. From 1853 to 1955, the Parmelee Company operated a transfer service - originally with horse cars, and later with motor vehicles - among Chicago's eight rail stations for passengers connecting between trains of different railroads. Passengers with tickets for trips that required a transfer between 3 stations received a transfer coupon, usually included without additional charge in the price of their tickets, that allowed them to ride Parmelee's motor vehicles."
_____________________
May 30, 2018
Honorable Ann D. Begeman, Chairman
Honorable Deb Miller, Vice Chairman
Surface Transportation Board
395 E. Street, SW
Washington, DC 20423
Re: Docket No. FD_36025_0
Dear Chair Begeman and Vice Chair Miller:
I am writing to express my support for the high-speed rail project that will connect Texas’ two major population centers, North Texas and Houston, while also filling a significant gap in the U.S. passenger rail network.
I am pleased that Amtrak has embraced the high-speed rail project as shown in the recently announced comprehensive through-ticketing agreement with Texas Central that integrates the Texas Central line into the national rail network, making ticket-buying and trip-scheduling much easier for future travelers. The ability for Amtrak passengers to purchase one single through-ticket to travel on both systems is a fundamental feature that will have a positive impact on all Amtrak passengers traveling to-or-through the Lone Star State. It was also great to see that Texas Central agreed to fund a transfer service between Amtrak and their stations.
The developers of the project, Texas Central, have already invested millions of dollars toward bringing this project to our part of the country. It’s unique investor-led model, combined with the immense scale of the more than $12 billion project, creates a real opportunity for America to improve its national passenger rail system and maximize the potential of this new industry without placing more strain on already stretched budgets.
On a regional level within the state the project will have positive benefits on the quality of life for all Texans traveling between these two regions who now spend countless hours fighting traffic on congested highways or standing in long lines at overcrowded airports.
In comparison to these two modes of travel, the 240-mile high-speed rail route, outlined in the Federal Railroad Administration’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement, shows that it is in a sweet spot for high-speed rail service, offering a competitive travel time with airline service, which over the past decade, has been reduced between the two cities. The main carrier, Southwest Airlines, stopped serving Dallas Love Field to Bush Intercontinental Airport in 2005 and has reduced daily flights between Dallas Love Field and Houston Hobby Airport in the last 10 years. These two regions are now underserved by common carriers, plagued by traffic congestion and have not had a viable passenger rail alternative since the 1990’s when a leg of the Texas Eagle was discontinued.
For these reasons and more, I believe the STB should wholeheartedly support this landmark project that has the potential to be a model for future high-speed rail lines throughout the US. I urge the Surface Transportation Board to fully and thoughtfully consider Texas Central’s Petition to Reopen.
Sincerely,
Peter J LeCody, President
Texas Rail Advocates
800 Jaguar Lane
Dallas, Texas 75226
Cc: All parties of record
Texas Rail Advocates and Rail Passengers Association yesterday filed letters with the Surface Transportation Board supporting a Texas Central Railroad petition that would clear the way for STB to assume jurisdiction over the Texas high-speed rail project, citing a new TCR-Amtrak agreement that truly integrates the Texas project with Amtrak’s National Network.
Texas Central recently asked the STB to reopen and reconsider a docket that would name TCR as an interstate passenger carrier. Texas Central announced earlier this month that it has entered into a through-ticketing agreements with Amtrak, the nation's long-distance passenger rail carrier. With the ability for Amtrak or Texas Central to issue a ticket to travel on either system across the country, this would give TCR a stronger case for being part of the national passenger rail network.
Also filing supporting documents were Amtrak, Houston Metro, Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and Dallas Mayor Michael Rawlings, Dallas Citizens Council, Dallas Regional Chamber, Fort Worth Chamber, Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, the North Central Texas Council of Governments, Texas Representatives Ron Simmons, Sarah Davis, Jim Murphy, Jessica Farrar, Gene Wu, Eric Johnson and Carol Alvarado, Texas Senators Royce West and Sylvia Garcia, Texas Association of Business, Regional Hispanic Contractors Association, Transportation Advocacy Group-Houston, various County Commissioners and Greater Houston Partnership.
Should the STB classify Texas Central as an interstate carrier it would be subject to federal railroad laws and regulations. Filing against reopening the case were Texans Against High Speed Rail and several individuals.
In the supporting Amtrak filing it was shown that "Amtrak has extended the reach of its national rail network by entering into through ticketing arrangements with other carriers who provide connecting services that are called Amtrak Thruway Services. These through ticketing arrangements allow Amtrak passengers to travel on a single ticket via Amtrak trains and connecting trains, buses, vans, ferries and other modes to destinations not served, or not directly served, by Amtrak's rail network. An average of 600 daily Amtrak Thruway schedules extend Amtrak service to more than 400 communities not served directly by Amtrak trains in 38 states and Canada, and provide additional travel options to many other Amtrak-served communities. Amtrak also has code sharing and ticket honoring agreements with many rail, bus and air service carriers that enable passengers to travel on Amtrak trains and these carriers under a single ticket."
The Amtrak document filed with the Surface Transportation Board also stated that "Most connecting carriers serve Amtrak stations. However, in a number of cases
passengers transfer between Amtrak's station and the connecting carrier's station or terminal via another mode. United Air Lines passengers traveling under the code sharing arrangement between Amtrak and United travel by Amtrak train to the Newark Liberty International Airport rail station, where they board a monorail for the two mile trip to United's terminal. Amtrak provides seasonal service to Newport, Rhode Island, a popular summer destination, under a through ticketing arrangement with a ferry company that includes a transfer via a local transit bus between the Amtrak station and the ferry terminal in Providence. In the same way, Texas Central will provide a convenient transfer service between its stations in Dallas and Houston and the Amtrak stations serving those cities. Similar arrangements for through passengers connecting between trains serving
different stations were utilized during most of the period when intercity rail passenger service was provided by multiple railroads. Prior to Amtrak's creation, many major cities had more than one intercity rail station, and passengers holding through tickets for connecting travel often used motor vehicle connections to transfer between stations. From 1853 to 1955, the Parmelee Company operated a transfer service - originally with horse cars, and later with motor vehicles - among Chicago's eight rail stations for passengers connecting between trains of different railroads. Passengers with tickets for trips that required a transfer between 3 stations received a transfer coupon, usually included without additional charge in the price of their tickets, that allowed them to ride Parmelee's motor vehicles."
_____________________
May 30, 2018
Honorable Ann D. Begeman, Chairman
Honorable Deb Miller, Vice Chairman
Surface Transportation Board
395 E. Street, SW
Washington, DC 20423
Re: Docket No. FD_36025_0
Dear Chair Begeman and Vice Chair Miller:
I am writing to express my support for the high-speed rail project that will connect Texas’ two major population centers, North Texas and Houston, while also filling a significant gap in the U.S. passenger rail network.
I am pleased that Amtrak has embraced the high-speed rail project as shown in the recently announced comprehensive through-ticketing agreement with Texas Central that integrates the Texas Central line into the national rail network, making ticket-buying and trip-scheduling much easier for future travelers. The ability for Amtrak passengers to purchase one single through-ticket to travel on both systems is a fundamental feature that will have a positive impact on all Amtrak passengers traveling to-or-through the Lone Star State. It was also great to see that Texas Central agreed to fund a transfer service between Amtrak and their stations.
The developers of the project, Texas Central, have already invested millions of dollars toward bringing this project to our part of the country. It’s unique investor-led model, combined with the immense scale of the more than $12 billion project, creates a real opportunity for America to improve its national passenger rail system and maximize the potential of this new industry without placing more strain on already stretched budgets.
On a regional level within the state the project will have positive benefits on the quality of life for all Texans traveling between these two regions who now spend countless hours fighting traffic on congested highways or standing in long lines at overcrowded airports.
In comparison to these two modes of travel, the 240-mile high-speed rail route, outlined in the Federal Railroad Administration’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement, shows that it is in a sweet spot for high-speed rail service, offering a competitive travel time with airline service, which over the past decade, has been reduced between the two cities. The main carrier, Southwest Airlines, stopped serving Dallas Love Field to Bush Intercontinental Airport in 2005 and has reduced daily flights between Dallas Love Field and Houston Hobby Airport in the last 10 years. These two regions are now underserved by common carriers, plagued by traffic congestion and have not had a viable passenger rail alternative since the 1990’s when a leg of the Texas Eagle was discontinued.
For these reasons and more, I believe the STB should wholeheartedly support this landmark project that has the potential to be a model for future high-speed rail lines throughout the US. I urge the Surface Transportation Board to fully and thoughtfully consider Texas Central’s Petition to Reopen.
Sincerely,
Peter J LeCody, President
Texas Rail Advocates
800 Jaguar Lane
Dallas, Texas 75226
Cc: All parties of record