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Hello,<br>
<br>
This editorial in Yesterday's Tribune speaks to an issue of great
importance to the blind and to others who don't drive. Be assured
that one train per day between Chicago and St Louis wouldn't be
nearly sufficient. There's not room on the trains now. It would have
been nice if the Tribune indicated how much federal money we're
talking in Illinois, as it did for other states.<br>
<br>
Cordially,<br>
Bill<br>
<br>
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<td>Article from Chicago Tribune Editorial 2013 03 09</td>
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<th nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE" align="RIGHT">Date: </th>
<td>Sat, 9 Mar 2013 19:26:13 -0500 (EST)</td>
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<th nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE" align="RIGHT">From: </th>
<td>NFB-NEWSLINE Online <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:nfbnewsline@nfb.org"><nfbnewsline@nfb.org></a></td>
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<th nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE" align="RIGHT">To: </th>
<td>William B. Reif <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:billreif@ameritech.net"><billreif@ameritech.net></a></td>
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Getting railroaded \ Illinois will have to cough up more for train
service. Beginning Oct. 1, the federal government no longer will
subsidize Amtrak routes that run less than 750 miles. The annual
cost, about $166 million as of fiscal 2012, will shift to 14
states, including Illinois, that are served by those routes. .
This has some of the states scrambling. New York will spend $6
million this year on short-distance Amtrak routes. Gov. Andrew
Cuomo wants $44 million more next year, largely to maintain
service when the federal subsidy goes away. Michigan will spend $8
million this year and looks to kick in another $25 million when
the federal cash flow stops. Some states may decide they don't
want to pay up. Indiana doesn't provide any subsidy now and may
allow Amtrak to reduce service between Indianapolis and Chicago
rather than kick in money. Illinois, which is loaded with debt and
can't pay its bills on time, nevertheless spends $26 million a
year for Amtrak service. Gov. Pat Quinn has budgeted $12 million
more to maintain service after Oct. 1, though state transit
officials say they're in talks with Amtrak and expect the increase
to be $5 million to $6 million. If Illinois doesn't come up with
extra cash, service would be reduced. Amtrak trains no longer
would stop in the downstate towns of Quincy and Macomb. Service
from Chicago to Carbondale would be cut from three round trips a
day to one. Chicago to St. Louis would go from five trains a day
to one. Chicago to Milwaukee, which handles 838,000 riders a year,
would go from as many as eight trains a day to one. Funny, nobody
seems to mention this whenever Quinn and Transportation Secretary
Ray LaHood trumpet the ambitious plans for high-speed rail in
Illinois. The feds are pouring money into the states to build the
infrastructure for high-speed rail ... while the feds are quietly
taking away Amtrak's short-line operating subsidies. Ahem.
Illinois plans to expand high-speed rail significantly over the
coming decade. The state has pledged $400 million for upgrades
between Chicago and St. Louis, including $278 million to match
federal grants. The 2008 federal stimulus legislation allocated
$1.14 billion for Chicago to St. Louis, 70 to 75 percent of which
has not yet been spent. Not exactly shovel-ready, but you can bet
that money will be spent eventually. The federal government and
willing partner states such as Illinois are pouring money into
building up Amtrak service, but feds are walking away from paying
for operations. Given the state's dire finances, the passenger
rail system here will be all dressed up with nowhere to go. The
proponents of high-speed rail say: No sweat, after the expensive
upgrades the system will be much more productive. Faster trains
will be a big draw for passengers, which will produce new
revenues. But Amtrak passenger revenues don't come close to
covering the cost of the service and there's little prospect that
they ever will. Who will be on the hook in Illinois? It won't be
Uncle Sam. It will be Uncle Springfield.. ILLUSTRATION: Photo(s).
Photo: The end of the line nears for federal subsidies of Amtrak
routes of less than 750 miles. ANDREW HARRER/BLOOMBERG PHOTO. This
article is provided to you as a courtesy of NFB-NEWSLINE® Online<br>
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