Transport secretary denies administration wants to

[Save Our Trains Michigan]

However, listening to Mineta was a skeptical audience, filled with passenger rail supporters, outnumbering the news media present, who said financially troubled Michigan simply can't come up with the matching funds that Mineta was talking about to improve Amtrak.

"To me, this reform plan is delusional," said Ed McArdle, conservation chairman for the Southeastern Michigan Sierra Club. "Michigan and most other states are in terrible financial shape and hoping for private investors is just a way of killing Amtrak."

That view was echoed by Clark Charnetski, a board member and former chairman of the Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers, and Bishop Bill McCullum, past vice president of a faith-based group called Metropolitan Organizing Strategy Enabling Strength, also known as MOSES, which has lobbied for years for better public transit in the Detroit area and improved passenger rail service.

"It would be difficult to get any more money from any of the states where Amtrak operates," Charnetski said.

Waterford Township resident Greg Powell, state legislative chairman of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, which represents the 25 Amtrak engineers in Michigan, was even more harsh in his criticism.

"As far as we are concerned, President Bush just wants to bankrupt Amtrak," Powell said. "What would be better is if the federal government came up with a subsidy large enough for Amtrak to be run effectively. The way Amtrak is subsidized now is like a Band-Aid."

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[Midland Valley]

I have read this 50/50 deal as a grant to match funds. Grants are usually up front money. I have also seen the term reimbursment. If that is the case, its a whole different critter. If after the fact, and could be an "up to 50%" situation. Which is it, grant or reimburdment?

 

[Trogdor]

The term grant doesn't really have to do with "up front" or reimbursement. At the end of the year, it all balances out. Instead, the term grant refers to "free" (if you will) money that doesn't have to be paid back. Whether the money is paid on the first day of the year or the last day of the year is irrelevant.

 

[Tanner929]

I saw Mineta's press confrence in Boston the other day. It was mainly geared to the NEC. The other day CT voted to fund improvements to the Metro-North Waterbury and New Cannan lines. These lines are of the Main New Haven line. It will be interesting to see if this gets commuters out of there cars. I think the Commuter Lines and the Intercity Amtrak routes need to be improved first. If a trip of less then two hours on a train is not a enjoyable endever why would people even think of riding for more then 5? Urban higher population areas need to put money in these system. Amtrak can run the LD's and cover less populated as well as bridging the commuter lines.