Today, the Subcommittee on Transportation and Hazardous
Materials held a hearing with respect to the reauthorization of
Amtrak. As I indicated verbally to you at the hearing, I have a
number of additional questions which need to be answered.

I hereby request that you submit full and complete written responses to the following questions to the offices of the Subcommittee no later than Friday, May 26, 1989:

1. In your testimony before the Transportation Subcommittee of
the House Appropriations Committee on March 22, 1989, you
referred to Amtrak's progress in the last eight years, as
summarized in a chart entitled, "Comparison of Financial and
Performance Data." The last category on the chart is listed as
"Managerial Staff As Proportion of Workforce." With respect to
this particular category, please provide the following: (a) a
complete listing of the sub-categories of employees who make up
the category of "managerial staff" (for example, division
engineers, trainmasters, track supervisors, assistant track
supervisors, general foremen, corporate vice-presidents and other
officers of the Corporation, etc.); (b) for each year, from 1981
through and including 1988, the actual number of employees in
each of the sub-categories listed in response to question 1(b).
2. For each of the sub-categories requested in the previous
question, please provide: (a) the total payroll for each year,
from 1981 through and including 1988; (b) the respective
percentage each such total payroll (by sub-category) bears to the
total category of "managerial staff", for each year, from 1981
through and including 1988; and (c) the respective percentage
each such total payroll (by sub-category) bears to Amtrak's total
payroll, for each year, from 1981 through and including 1988.

3. For each year, from 1981 through and including 1988, please

provide the following information: (a) a listing of each craft which makes up Amtrak's total contract employee population (for example, maintenance of way employees, engineers, conductors, clerical staff, police, etc.); (b) for each craft listed in response to question 3(a), the actual number of employees for each such year; (c) for each craft listed in response to question 3(b), the total payroll (listed by each such separate craft) for each year; (d) the respective percentage each such total payroll (listed by each such separate craft) bears to Amtrak's total payroll for all such crafts; and (e) the respective percentage each such total payroll (listed by each such separate craft) bears to Amtrak's total payroll.

4. Please provide the Subcommittee with a full explanation of whether Amtrak used any statistical data derived from its commuter operations in completing the "Comparison of Financial and Performance Data" submitted at the March 22, 1989 hearing. If any such statistical data was used, please provide the Subcommittee with a full breakdown of such data.

5. Please describe the status of Amtrak's current negotiations with respect to all employee unions.

6. Please provide the Subcommittee with a full listing of each and every job or service exceeding $25,000, which Amtrak has contracted out to non-employees of Amtrak, for each year from 1981, through and including 1988, including the value of each such job or service and a complete breakdown by Amtrak department (for example, engineering, mechanical, reservations, etc.).

Your responses to this letter will be included in the record of the May 17, 1989 reauthorization hearing. If you have any inquiries regarding the information requested herein, please contact David G. Tittsworth, Senior Counsel.

Your prompt attention to these matters will be appreciated.

Sincerely,

Thomas Juken

THOMAS A. LUKEN

CHAIRMAN

STATEMENT OF REP. AL SWIFT ON AMTRAK REAUTHORIZATION BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

MAY 17, 1989

Mr. Chairman. Members of the Subcommittee.

I'm pleased to have the

opportunity to address the issue of passenger rail service with our distinguished guest, Mr. Claytor, and his colleagues from Amtrak.

In the years before 1981, Amtrak used to run between Seattle, Washington and Vancouver, British Columbia on a regular basis. The train ran north & south through the Cascade foothills and along the Puget Sound coastline through the port cities of Bellingham and Everett.

In 1981, however, under the pressure of an economic recession, a depressed market, and a tightening federal budget, the service was eliminated.

Aside from a brief

and unsuccessful

-

effort for the Vancouver World's Fair

in 1986, Amtrak has not taken a look at the northwest Washington/southwest Canadian passenger rail market in over eight years.

Anyone with a working knowledge of the Northwest's economy will tell you, a lot of changes have taken place in the region since 1981. In fact, it is my feeling that substantial changes have taken place that warrant a re-examination of the Seattle Vancouver passenger rail market. For example, consider the

following:

State government

More than ever before, WSDOT is prepared to make a solid commitment of financial and personnel resources to the eventual re-establishment of passenger rail service between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. There is legislation pending before the State legislature that will provide staffing and funding for this purpose.

Commerce

We have an new free trade agreement with our neighbors to the North. The amount of international commerce in the region is higher than ever.

Highways

The I-5 corridor has grown so fast that the highway system is nearing capacity. There is gridlock from Everett to Olympia; clearing Customs at the border can take hours. Traffic in Vancouver, B.C. is equally bad.

Shipping

With the exception of one ferry, the Northwest cruise ship industry serves only Bellingham and Vancouver; yet studies show an overwhelming majority of cruiseship patrons arrive at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and bus North.

Air travel

If you're in Vancouver, and you want to fly to Alaska, you first have to get to Seattle, over 150 miles to the South. There are no direct flights from Vancouver to Alaska. However, to relieve the growing pressure on Sea-Tac, Alaska Airlines is now going to be flying directly to Anchorage from Bellingham Int'l Airport, just 40 miles from downtown Vancouver.

Canadian Passenger Rail

Canada's equivalent to Amtrak is experiencing grave financial problems.
They may have to eliminate their cross-country service, in which case
British Columbia would become a market for Amtrak's cross country Empire
Builder.

Clearly, the I-5 corridor between Seattle and Vancouver is not the same as it was eight years ago.

We realize there may be some obstacles in the path. The track must be able to support a competitive schedule; obviously, you can't run a train without cars and engines; also, the customs issue must be addressed. And, of course, Amtrak has limited resources.

However, it seems that there are a number of compelling factors that warrant taking another look at the Seattle-Vancouver run.

In addition to what I've mentioned previously, there is overwhelming community support for this initiative. The Ports, Economic Development Councils, Chambers of Commerce, City- and County governments from throughout the region are actively behind the re-establishment of Amtrak on this route. I've received letters of support for this initiative from all these groups, including the Washington State Secretary of Transportation. I'll submit copies of these letters for the record.

There is a clear and present feeling that passenger rail service would greatly enhance and complement the local economy.

I'm happy to say that the State & local governments, as well as my office, are prepared to work with the good offices of Amtrak to assess the SeattleVancouver market and consider the economic viability of restarting this important service.

City Center Development Authority supports re-instituting AM
TRAK from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C. with a stop in
Bellingham (at the station downtown). What a fabulous way
to commute to Seattle and Vancouver. The traffic problems
Seattle is facing make it a tremendous headache for those in
Bellingham to travel there. Seattle is in desperate need of
alternative transportation modes. An AM TRAK run would
certainly serve this function well and I believe would be
well-received by this community.

Sincerely,

Pamela H. Cushing
Executive Director