European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 9, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse On two routes Amtrak has upgraded Dan Long car service from Pla Alle tableware to China and inert again. Am rav says in actually has lower cars 8,350 Ihan it had seven years ago despite a 27 percent increase in passenger Miles in the same Tima period moreover nearly a third of those cars arc Moio than 35 years old. We Amtrak did manage private financing to buy 100 new Short distance cars last year. Claytor says the system needs 480 new passenger cats., locomotives and Olthof Slock by s993 to mod expected demand the growing demand or Railroad seats comes amid increasing trouble n to airline my usury for instance the Eastern Aii mos strike and growing concern Over How Sale the agog airline fleets Are advocates of ail travel say such problems Only emphasize the need or a balanced transportation including More Public investment in rail systems Ross Capon the executive director of the Railroad passengers Assoc Talion which represents some 13.000 rail Irav lors said thai Public policy in this country goes against common sense in the Way government spends Public lax dollars by frying of Force everyone to either by or whal we need to Well on a o All three Lorms of transport lion. Including a Good rail system.1 Timothy a Gardner Amtrak s vice president for passenger marketing attributed Iho system s increasing riders no and Revenue to a variety of Steps Amtrak took in recent years they included efforts to More competitive More intensive advertising and improvements in reservation and Lic Koling systems. The latter make sit simpler Lor travel agents to write Amtrak. Tickets for travellers. As a result Ravel agents ticket Sale increased 21 percent last Yea accounting for an additional $49 million in Revenue. Gardner said Hal the system had also tried to provide Beller services telephones on the Northeast corridor trains which Cany Many businessmen and on Board movies on the Long Dis Lanee trains food service has also Boon upgraded. On Long distance trains meals Are now prepared on Board by a staff of three chefs and passengers arc presented a wide array of dishes on a recent and California included Steak loin of pork Slu Llod Trout Spag Haiti. A vegetarian Plano and several varieties of dessert passengers on a recent trip Between Chicago and Denver cited other reasons for Laking the train including apprehension about flying in the Wake of several incidents in which pieces of air planes broke of in flight. Pieces Don t All Olf Amtrak trains like they do Oft air planes said Jack Hopgood of Morganfield. Ky., who is retired and was travelling with his Wile 10 Colorado. John Stonebraker a lawyer irom Davenport Iowa Lakin Ghis son Robert on a skiing trip in the West Early in. March said Hying also made him More apprehensive. But we Are on Iho Irain mainly Lor the adventure said Stonebraker. 01230 trains run daily along 37 Basic Roule systems passenger volume is up on All. But six of the routes mostly Short distance corridors in the Midwest like. Detroit Chicago and Chicago St. Louis. . Dramatic increases in ridership have come on trains Between Chicago and Teaa t5.3.percenlnew York and Montreal ib-2 Percy no and new Orleans and los Angeles 23,3. Amtrak several routes Over the past year adding a leg to Jacksonville. Fla. Onto its hew York Savannah Iran and extending the Chicago Dallas train to Houston in May it will begin operating regular service Boleen Philadelphia and Allan arc City ridership on Melr liners serving the Northeast corridor also climbed 14.5 percent. A flail i 1.2 million passengers tra Voled on trains in the Norl heal corridor last year accounting Lor More than Hall of Amtrak s total ridership. In general Irons carry nearly As Many passengers As planes Between new York and Washington. As a result of the Eastern airlines Ulrika. Amtrak officials said there. Was a 200 percent increase in Roscor Valins Lor trips. Between Iho iwo cities Congress is All bul certain to appropriate some Money. Lor the Salem which crosses hundreds of congressional districts and is politically popular. Bul conservatives citing the need to reduce the Federal budget Are certain to press for Zero financing or a Starp reduction arguing Hal on the basis of the amount of riders the government toys an unacceptable subsidy of nearly s3q per Tickel. David . Amtrak s senior director of government altars says such comparisons Are unfair because Hoy Are too make and Amtrak is who Only orm of that receives direct funds from Congress As a result of process airlines receive millions of dollars Federal assistance Loo bul they Are also subsidized through Federal support of air Iraq he control systems Airport cons Duclion anal by siness tax deductions. The stars and stripes. Page 15
