by Steve Allan, MDP

Amtrak is working on a national rail plan, due for release in September 2010.  Its goals are lofty and ambitious:  412 million riders by 2030, 3,300 trains a day, and decreased travel times.  This is the first time in the history of public passenger rail that the infrastructure is being addressed comprehensively.  There is much to be done, but the costs pale in comparison to the sunk costs we have invested in highway building.  Its an exciting time for the restoration of America’s rail infrastructure, but its going to get done.  And the country will prosper because of it.

For Maryland, right now, $2 billion has been sought for replacement of the Baltimore Freight Tunnel (Howard Street Tunnel), built during the Civil War.  And the MARC growth and investment plan will increase ridership, capacity and efficiency.

Nationally, competition with freight movement is intensifying.  Of the 21,000 route miles of Amtrak service, only 600 miles are owned by Amtrak.  The balance is owned by various freight railroads, and freight trains are getting longer (the average freight train is 7,500 feet long today), which creates more conflicts with lighter but faster Amtrak service.   All of this is in plain sight here in New Orleans.  The main line used by both Amtrak and Norfolk Southern run right along the Mississippi riverfront downtown, and yesterday during the Amtrak master plan session the famous City of New Orleans rumbled past inbound from Chicago, adding poignancy to the proceedings.