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bretton88

Conductor
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Mar 14, 2009
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I've been thinking about the goals of the TIGER program and how it could be a possible funding source for expanded Amtrak services. The example I came up with was the Pioneer restoration:

Cost: 400 million, according to Amtrak, serious negotiations can probably reduce this number.

1. TIGER grants have been used for freight rail improvements, several of the indentified Infrastructure improvements needed for the Pioneer can fall under this category, new signals, more passing tracks, allowing faster freight and higher capacity in the Omaha-Seattle freight corridor. This seems to fall under the umbrella of the TIGER program. A condition of the grant can be that UP will allow for the re-establishment of the Pioneer at no extra charge. Possible grant: 150 million (it can be this big due to it's multiple state nature)

2. States match the grant, at the required 20% Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon. Up to 100 million as some states like Oregon and Wyoming may fund more.

3. Probably FRA grant from a reduced pool of rail money. 30 million

4. UP: Will provide 50 million for improvements it would make anyways, such as signals and track replacement.

4. Earmark: Crapo has said he will earmark funds for the service if it's less than 100 mil.

5. Amtrak: Will provide rolling stock for the route, financed by them, restored or new equipment. This is the Amtrak "match." probable value: 30 mil

6. Cities that want a station will furnish their own ADA facilities or be skipped. Probably adds up to 20 mil

Could this work? Respond away. I know this won't work for the NCH, the total cost of almost a billion is too high without a major federal commitment. This plan tries to minimize the neede earmarking and take advantage of existing federal programs.
 
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