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Economy Title: Will the 'Trump train' lead to more passenger trains in Alabama? Alabama passenger rail supporters hope that the phrase "Trump train" is more than a metaphor. They'll be pressing the new administration to bring back actual trains to the state, particularly the Gulf Coast. In their number is Perry Hooper, a former state representative from Montgomery who was Alabama's co-chairman for the Trump campaign. "It's a great form of transportation and people love to ride on trains, like my mother and friends that I have," said Hooper, who's also an advocate for privatized passenger rail. "From both a fun and economic development standpoint, it would be outstanding to have. I'm confident Donald J. Trump will make that happen." Trump's election Tuesday comes amid ongoing efforts by five coastal states to finalize a report on resuming Amtrak service from New Orleans toward Orlando, with stops in Mobile and Atmore. The Gulf Coast line, which has since been upgraded for CSX freight trains, has been without passenger rail service since Hurricane Katrina damaged it in 2005. Also, Huntsville, Birmingham and Montgomery are looking into restoring Amtrak's Gulf Breeze line from Mobile toward north Alabama. The president-elect, during his victory speech early Wednesday, cited infrastructure as a top priority of his administration. Amtrak train supplier Alstom SA, a French-based company, said hours later that Trump's win could be good news for train-makers. During the campaign, Trump hinted at interest in improving passenger rail. In March, he said America's train lines were in sad shape compared to the slick high-speed system in China. "President-elect Trump indicates he's pushing for a large infrastructure package to not only put people back to work, but to create an underpinning for vibrant economies," said John Robert Smith, chairman of the board for Transportation for America, a non-profit alliance that pushes for grassroots support of innovative transportation policy in the U.S. "The question was asked, and I believe President-elect Trump asked it himself, 'Why don't we have the kind of transportation infrastructure in Europe and Asia?' It's because we haven't invested in it," Smith said. Alabama cities jockey for Amtrak's attention Studies are ongoing to revive Amtrak service from Mobile north to Birmingham. The federally-backed analysis of restoring a Gulf Coast route is also in the works. Huntsville wants in on the act, as city officials recently pleaded with the Southern Rail Commission to have the Rocket City included into the Amtrak study mix. Gulf Coast rail Among the first passenger-rail-orientated plans that could land on Trump's desk is an in-depth report from a federally formed working group analyzing the return of Amtrak along the Gulf Coast. A preliminary report was completed in September, and a final report is expected before the end of the year. That report will include, among other things, an estimated cost on restarting Amtrak trains through coastal Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Smith said it could be advantageous for the group to wait until Trump takes office, and then present the report. "If there will be an infrastructure package, you want something thoroughly thought through and priced and ready to go," he said. Greg White, an Andalusia resident and chairman of the Southern Rail Commission, said a delivery date could be held off to January. Trump will be sworn in as the nation's 45th president on Jan. 20, 2017. White and Smith both said that their key supporters in Congress remain the same, namely Mississippi Republican Senators Roger Wicker and Thad Cochran. Wicker, in particular, has been credited with working on bipartisan measures to improve passenger rail and Amtrak services. He and New Jersey Democrat Cory Booker backed rail projects included in a five-year transportation bill authorized a year ago. Amtrak's emotional return to Mississippi, Alabama Thousands of people showed up in small Bay St. Louis, Miss., to welcome Amtrak back to the Gulf Coast more than 10 years after service was interrupted because of Hurricane Katrina. Other cities also held festive homecomings for the train as it traversed from New Orleans east to Alabama on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2016. "We've developed relationships with (the Obama) administration that served us well," said White. "It will require an investment of time to transition to new folks in those positions. But our congressional delegation is the same and those folks have been so helpful and supportive, so we expect to progress nicely." Smith noted that Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, a top Trump adviser, is also supportive of a cost-effective rail option along the Gulf Coast. He said that other Trump allies – such as former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and current New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie – understand the "economic vitality" of passenger rail. "I certainly think it will be the effort of those from our region and the Gulf to share with them that while we understand passenger rail is critically important to large metropolitan areas, it's also important to smaller cities and other regions," Smith said. He added, "We're not talking about high-speed rail across the Gulf. We are talking about passenger rail that makes sense and which is to our scale." Privatized rail Trump will rise to the presidency at the same time that Republicans command both chambers in Congress. Republicans, during July's GOP National Convention in Cleveland, called for an end to subsidized passenger rail, namely Amtrak. Their new party platform, instead, encouraged American's passenger rail service be privatized. Obstacles emerge in Alabama's push for more rail Talks of privatizing passenger rail, worries about the condition of train stations in the southern part of the state, and the Republican's national platform which opposes Amtrak subsidies are some of the recent issues to emerge. Said U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne, R-Fairhope: "The key to getting the infrastructure improvement bill through Congress will be to ensure it is fiscally responsible, which is the same concern I have always had with restoring rail along the Gulf Coast." Hooper expressed confidence that the Trump administration will pursue more privatized rail systems throughout the South. He said that rail supporters could work with local governments and states to apply for federal grants and attract private rail projects. Alabama has only three cities with passenger rail options – Anniston, Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. All three are stops along the federally funded Amtrak route from New York to New Orleans. The U.S. is home to relatively few privatized passenger rail ventures. In south Florida, for example, All Aboard Florida, a subsidiary of Florida East Coast Industries, is set to be the first large privately run rail company launched in the U.S. in 100 years. The company is pursuing tax-exempt bonds to construct the Brightline rail system, featuring gleaming new trains running at speeds of 125 mph or more between Miami and Orlando. "Where that opportunity exists, we should take advantage of it," said Smith. "The Brightline folks recognize that this is a wonderful opportunity for them but they also realize there are very few other opportunities out there." Smith added, "For the development of passenger rail, there is always a public sector (role). The public sector is the player. You see that in any public-private sector partnership ... The private side needs to know that public sector is involved first." Poster Comment: Screw that jackbooted, anti-passenger train, assclown-thug RimJob. Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: Willie Green (#0)
I love the train system in Europe, and will love it if high-speed rail and commuter rail is part of Trump's vision of infrastructure. The Chinese have rail that can go 300 mph. Improve on that, and you could seriously have transcontinental rail.
Beginning in 1960 and continuing every year for almost 20 years, My wife and I used Eurail Trail Passes and traveled Europe for 30 days each summer….just getting on and off the trains wherever and whenever we wanted to. Portions of he Orient Express from Paris to Istanbul was our favorite. We loved the travels and the dining cars served superb food. Ah, those were the days…
Europe (and Japan) rebuilt their bombed-out passenger rail system after WWII. The US, on the other hand, abandoned passenger rail & heavily subsidized highway & airline development instead. Today, the GOP remains obsessively committed to an archaic/inefficien transportation model developed during the Eisenhower administration. It'll be interesting to see if Trump can overcome GOP obstuctionism to bring our transportation infrastructure into the 21 Century.
Mass transit means going where, and when, Big Stupid Government allows you to. I guess it's fine if you're poor, otherwise - f'it.
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