MOKSRail News           August, 2001
Missouri-Kansas Rail Passenger Coalition
P. O. Box 1183, Mission, KS  66202-1183 
                                                                                                                                                  
MOKSRail Recognizes Carbondale, KS for Help
MOKSRail thanked the community of Carbondale, Kansas, earlier this year for their help to passengers of the Southwest Chief when it derailed in their town more than a year and a half ago.  Acting with the approval of the MOKSRail membership, MOKSRail’s four officers presented the volunteer firefighters and rescue workers with a plaque on a Saturday morning this past Spring.  “To the people of the Carbondale, Kansas, area,” the plaque read, “with thanks for their assistance to passengers of Amtrak’s Southwest Chief at the time of the derailment March 15, 2000.” 

MOKSRail’s vice-president, John Mills, was asked as an Amtrak retiree living in Topeka just 12 miles north of Carbondale to assist with coordinating Amtrak’s early response to the derailment.  He arrived in Carbondale, however, to find the people of Carbondale responding to the passengers with whatever was needed, and he praised the town for its help.

Meanwhile, with the derailment of the Texas Eagle at Sabula, Missouri, last month, MOKSRail may again find itself needing to present a plaque.  When 4-6 inches of rain left a 4-foot hole under 50 feet of track and the Eagle derailed at the spot in the wee hours of the morning of July 29, the people of Sabula responded by putting some of the passengers up in homes in the area and in a shelter in a nearby school in Annapolis, Mo.  “They took care of us really well,” a passenger from St. Louis told the Associated Press.  “The whole town was there.”

Any MOKSRail member wanting to help arrange for presentation of a plaque to Sabula and/or Annapolis should contact any of the MOKSRail officers.  Assistance from St. Louis-area members would be particularly helpful in making the contacts to present a plaque since all of the MOKSRail officers live more than 200 miles from the area.
 
MoDOT’s Administrator for Railroads and Waterways Resigns
Tom Griebel, Missouri Department of Transportation’s Administrator of Railroads and Waterways, has resigned.  “I have made a decision for both career and family reasons to return to Texas effective June 27,” he emailed members of the Missouri Passenger Rail Advisory Committee, a group of representatives from communities in Missouri with Amtrak service.  “I would encourage each member to become more active in communicating the need for passenger rail as an alternative to highway and air travel to your legislator,” he continued.

The MoDOT Passenger Rail Advisory Committee, on which the MOKSRail president sits, held its normal quarterly meeting less than two weeks after the resignation.  Committee members were told that Griebel’s position had been hit by a budgetary hiring freeze, meaning that it may be several months before the position can be filled.
Other staff members already in the department will continue to monitor passenger rail developments during the period the position is unfilled.

Griebel, a very proactive person, was to have been a second speaker at our Kirkwood meeting earlier this year but he had to cancel because of a schedule conflict.  He began his position with MoDOT in November of last year.
MOKSRail News                    August, 2001            2
Missouri’s Passenger Rail Service Gets Federal Boost
(a MoDOT news release, Jefferson City, April 5, 2001)

Missouri’s efforts to get high-speed passenger rail service received a shot in the arm recently.  The U.S. Department of Transportation added the St. Louis to Kansas City route to the Chicago Hub Network as a high-speed rail corridor.

Addition to the hub makes Missouri’s passenger rail route part of a 3,000-mile Midwest passenger rail network connecting some of the region’s major cities.  It also spurs the Missouri Department of Transportation’s efforts to improve service between its two largest cities.

“This is a significant step for Missouri,” said Governor Bob Holden.  “This federal designation encourages Missouri to continue improvement of the St. Louis-Kansas City rail corridor.  Rail improvements will enhance economic development and provide another transportation alternative linking two major metropolitan areas with the state capital and communities along the way.”

“This federal designation will help us build an efficient alternative to automobile or air travel between Kansas City and St. Louis,” said Henry Hungerbeeler, MoDOT’s director.  “As our roads and air corridors become more congested, this could be a good way to alleviate some of that congestion.”

When the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative, a nine-state effort to bring high-speed passenger rail service to the region, is completed, Missourians could take high-speed trains to major cities like Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Cincinnati, Detroit and other Midwest destinations.

“This makes a statement on behalf of Missouri and the high-speed corridor,” Hungerbeeler said.  “I can see that someday, with the right champion and commitment, Missouri will be a key player in the regional high-speed rail system.  With Governor Holden’s commitment to transportation, that time might well be now.”

Tom Griebel, MoDOT’s (former --see above) Administrator of Railroads, said he hopes eventually there will be six round trips per day between the two cities instead of the current two.  This would make the train a more attractive alternative for business and leisure travelers.

The track presently used by Amtrak in Missouri is owned by Union Pacific.  Griebel said MoDOT will work with Union Pacific to determine what improvements must be made and to reach a long-term agreement on joint use of the improved track.  The track improvements, he said, would allow trains to travel at higher speeds and cut the travel time between Kansas City and St. Louis by more than an hour.

Being added to this rail network is an early step in a long process to bring improved passenger rail service to the state, Griebel said.  “It’s like converting a two-lane road to an interstate highway.  We’re looking at bringing a 280-mile section of track up to higher-speed standards.”

MOKSRail News                    August, 2001        3
Another advantage to being designated as part of the Chicago Hub Network is the availability of federal funds to improve rail segments.  Missouri would be responsible for 20 percent of the cost of these upgrades and the purchase of new trains, or $63 million out of the anticipated $313 million cost.

MOKSRail Joins F.O.L.K.S. in Kirkwood
MOKSRail has joined F.O.L.K.S., Friends of Landmark Kirkwood Station, at the $100 “Station Master” level.  F.O.L.K.S., a community service project of the American Association of Railroaders, Inc., describes itself as “an organization of individuals with an interest in preserving and enhancing the general appearance and operation” of the historic Kirkwood depot.

Kirkwood is Amtrak’s third-busiest station in Missouri in terms of passenger counts, handling nearly 60,000 passengers a year.

A  F.O.L.K.S. membership flyer says the group “will assist Amtrak in keeping the station area clean and will work to acquire and provide additional passenger amenities.”  So far the group has raised more than $700 and has made some restroom repairs, purchased a lamp, and a 27-inch television.  

F.O.L.K.S. has membership levels of $10 (Red Cap), $25 (Railway Express Agent), $50 (Passenger Representative), and $100 (Station Master).   Individuals joining before December 31 of this year will be considered charter members.  F.O.L.K.S. also sells caps ($10) and sweatshirts ($20) with the station on the front and the F.O.L.K.S. Missouri Pacific-style buzzsaw logo on the back.

The F.O.L.K.S. address for more information or a membership application is Friends of Landmark Kirkwood Station, P.O. Box 221122, Kirkwood, Mo.  63122, or phone 314-752-3148 (no website).

Surprise!  Some St. Louis-Kansas City Schedules Change
Amtrak and Union Pacific on July 9 changed the departure time from St. Louis of Train 303, the westbound Ann Rutledge,  and the time from Kansas City for Train 306, the eastbound Mule.  MoDOT, which only a few months earlier had printed its April 29 schedule flyer of the state-supported trains, was caught by surprise and had to rush a revised printing.  

The current St. Louis - Kansas City MoDOT schedule flyer is on blue paper and the pink April 29 version is out of date.  The body of the schedule contains the revised schedules, but the asterisked text contains an error.  “Train 303 from Chicago to St. Louis will have some dwell time for passengers to explore sites in St. Louis before Train 303 departs at 3:30pm (should be 3:00pm!) enroute to Kansas City,” the flyer says.  MoDOT is aware of the error --in fact, even pointed it out to MOKSRail --and will correct it on the next printing.

MOKSRail News                    August, 2001        4   Amtrak and Union Pacific had made a major adjustment to the southbound Ann Rutledge schedule in April to accommodate track work for the high speed rail project in 
Illinois.  The schedule was changed at that time so that Train 303 departs Chicago at 7:05am and arrives in St. Louis at 12:45pm.  MoDOT had requested that the layover in St. Louis be shortened, but it was not possible for Union Pacific to accommodate that schedule in April.  With the change to the eastbound Mule schedule also, the trains continue to meet at either the Centertown siding or just west of Jefferson City.

Advertising the Trains:  Missouri Radio Spot Produced
MoDOT has contracted with The Beenders Marketing Group, a respected Jefferson City promotion firm, to produce radio, TV, and print ads for the Missouri trains.

The latest ad is a radio/TV promotion for the St. Louis-Kansas City trains.  With a guitar and synthesizer playing peppy music in the background, the female announcer tells listeners some of the reasons to take the trains.  “Traveling across Missouri is easy --let Amtrak take you there,” she says.  “From St. Louis to Kansas City, Amtrak will take you through 280 miles of Missouri history, scenery, and fun.  You’ll retrace the route of Lewis and Clark along the Missouri River, and head into the fertile fields of Western Missouri.  Each stop along the way will tempt you to stay a day, a night, or even longer.“

“Enjoy the comfort and convenience of train travel as you recapture the magic of riding the rails,” she continues.  “Explore historic towns, shop for antiques, tour a winery, bring your bike and spend an afternoon on the Katy Trail, or simply wander through our museums and parks.  Missouri is just outside your window --plan your next trip now, and see more of the Missouri you’ve been missing,” she says, and then gives the Amtrak number and website address and tells listeners how to get a free Missouri Travel Kit.

There’s a lot of information packed into the 60-second ad, yet it leaves the listener feeling relaxed but eager to take a trip.  The TV version of the ad has the same sound track, and adds pictures of the local scenery and trains.  There’s also a conductor you will recognize.

The ads are running on various radio and TV stations along the route and occasionally in other parts of Missouri.  The radio ad is available as a .WAV computer file --just email MOKSRail at kcriddle@kc.net to get a copy.  MoDOT likes to keep track of where their ad is going, so please include your name and home address when you request a copy.

Missouri Station Improvements Coming
Amtrak’s move into Kansas City Union Station has been delayed until Spring and it  took a long time to get the agreement of all parties on a new St. Louis station, but the smaller cities and towns in Missouri are leading the way in the area of station improvements.

MOKSRail News                    August, 2001        5
After much delay, Kirkwood will make about $500,000 of platform and other improvements this Fall.  The historic station is still owned by Union Pacific.

Hermann is investigating alternatives for a station to replace its bus-stop-shelter.  At one point moving in a station from another town was investigated but the cost for doing that was too high so a station building will probably be built.

Sedalia continues to make improvements to its Missouri Pacific station and has received additional grant money to help.  The station is now locally-owned, which has allowed cleanup of the area around the station.  Broken windows and glass blocks have been replaced and waiting room walls have been painted.  Other parts of the building will house an OATS Transportation Center and the heating will be repaired.

Independence will pave the parking lot of its station and add additional lighting and security.  The Jackson County Genealogy Society has moved into the west half of the building under a 2-year lease, and the “new” waiting room (part of the old baggage room in pre-Amtrak times) will continue to be open an hour before and after train times.

LaPlata, now the only stop in Missouri for the Southwest Chief other than Kansas City, is working on interior renovation, paved parking, period lighting of the area, and perhaps platform lengthening.  Information about the LaPlata station and the LaPlata community can be obtained online at www.cityoflaplata.org/.

Washington and Warrensburg had already renovated their Missouri Pacific depots years ago and continue to have them open to passengers at train time.  Warrensburg is remodeling its community room and waiting area in its station this year.

Information about all of the communities served by Amtrak in Missouri and Kansas is available on the web by taking links from MOKSRail’s www.ipt.com/aboard/20comonl.htm page.

Amtrak Brings Lewis & Clark History Alive This Summer in Missouri
(an Amtrak news release, Chicago, June 7, 2001)

The historic travels of Lewis and Clark will come alive this summer for guests on two Amtrak passenger trains that travel between St. Louis and Kansas City.

Through the “Trails and Rails” on-board guide program, Amtrak guests will learn about the natural and cultural heritage of the nation’s parks.  The program, an innovative partnership between the National Park Service and Amtrak, is designed to attract sightseers who are not traditional visitors to national parks.

Guests on board Amtrak’s westbound Kansas City Mule (St. Louis-Kansas City) and on board the eastbound Ann Rutledge (Kansas City-St. Louis) will be able to follow the footsteps of Lewis and Clark by retracing the epic journey of the Corps of Discovery along the historic Missouri River, between Washington and Jefferson City, Mo.

MOKSRail News                    August, 2001        6
“With Amtrak you get comfort, relaxation, and a wonderful educational experience,” said Tracy Robinson, Amtrak’s Brand Director, Central Region.  “We are proud to offer our Missouri guests the opportunity to learn more about the Lewis and Clark Expedition.”

“As they follow the Missouri River, which opened up the West, riders will learn about the many stories of Missouri history, with a special focus on the famous expedition and its impact on the development of the West,” said Gary W. Easton, Superintendent of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial.  “We are excited about expanding our role as educators away from the traditional park setting through this outstanding outreach program.”

The Missouri Trails and Rails program began in June and will be presented through Labor Day.  It dovetails with the upcoming national Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commemoration and uses trains as mobile classrooms through commentary and the distribution of educational materials on-board the trains.  Programs are presented intermittently over the train’s public address system in the lounge car and in other designated areas of the train.  Volunteers will be available to answer questions about the region, the parks, and the National Park Service.  They will also provide traveling displays and hand out literature.

The westbound Kansas City Mule leaves St. Louis at 7:30am daily and arrives in Kansas City at 1:10pm.  The eastbound Ann Rutledge leaves Kansas City at 7:35am and arrives in St. Louis at 1:15pm.  Both trains also serve the Missouri communities of Kirkwood, Washington, Hermann, Jefferson City, Sedalia, Warrensburg, Lee’s Summit, and Independence.

Amtrak guests enjoy satisfaction-guaranteed service in more than 500 communities in 45 states throughout a 22,000-mile route system.  In 2000, Amtrak introduced high-speed rail service in the Northeast, initiated a nationwide unconditional guest Satisfaction Guarantee, set all-time records for passenger ridership and overall revenue, and unveiled a bold new brand identity.  For more information about Amtrak’s Kansas City Mule, Ann Rutledge, and other passenger trains, including schedules, fares, and reservations, visit Amtrak’s web site at amtrak.com or call 1-800-USA-RAIL.

Briefly....  Marceline, Mo., expects crowds of 40,000-50,000 people for Walt Disney’s 100th Birthday Celebration from September 21-23.  Marceline, which used to be a division headquarters for the Santa Fe, is the town of 2,600 people where Disney lived from ages 5-11.  Leaders are trying to renovate the Marceline depot, which used to be an Amtrak stop.  For more information check www.wd100birthday.com or call 660-376-9258.....  In St. Louis, Citizens for Modern Transit (CMT) is considering the feasibility of CMT or another not-for-profit volunteer organization operating a trolley along Delmar between DeBaliviere and the Loop.  The concept is similar to one used in Dallas, where a non-profit group runs the McKinney Avenue Transit trolleys....  Kansas City, Mo., voters recently turned down a proposal for a 23.8-mile starter light rail route.  Money from a new one-half cent sales tax that would have lasted 25 years would have partially funded the construction and maintenance of the line....  MARC, the regional MOKSRail News                    August, 2001        7  planning agency for the Kansas City area, held meetings in Lawrence, Oak Grove, and Pleasant Hill this month to gather community reaction to the three possible commuter rail lines proposed.  The three lines, which are in addition to the Johnson County line, are Topeka-Lawrence (KS)-Kansas City (MO) over the present BNSF/Amtrak route, Odessa (MO)-Kansas City (MO) over the Gateway Western route that generally parallels I-70, and Warrensburg-Pleasant Hill-Lee’s Summit-Independence-Kansas City (MO) over the present UP/Amtrak route....   Amtrak has severed its relationship with Capital One, which had offered an Amtrak Visa.  Amtrak is now working with its Great Rewards partner to offer a credit card....  The Midwest Regional Rail Initiative (MWRRI) and Greyhound surveyed bus passengers on several routes that might connect with the MWRRI earlier this year.  MWRRI was trying to determine if buses might be used to build ridership to justify additional train frequencies....  Bombardier is now the world’s largest producer of railway equipment following its acquisition of Adtranz (maker of the Flexliner) earlier this year.  Bombardier Transportation has 37,000 employees and annual revenues of 5.1 billion U.S. dollars.  The company has plants in 23 countries....  On one day in April there were 55 Union Pacific trains on the Kansas City-St. Louis route....  Amtrak will pay a 1/2 million-dollar federal fine and complete $900,000 of environmental work in New England by October, 2002, as a result of violations of the Clean Water Act.  Amtrak did not have storm water permits, pollution prevention, and spill prevention plans for nine facilities there.  As part of the agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Justice Department, Amtrak will conduct environmental audits at all of its facilities nationwide and voluntarily disclose and fix any problems found....  The story about the missing Washington, D.C. intern Chandra Levy included the news that she had visited the Amtrak web site before her disappearance....  Visit www.texaseagle.com for information about a special rare-mileage offer affecting some Eagle departures running through Illinois....  Kansas is one of the top six states in the number of people who drive to work by themselves, according to a census survey of 700,000 households in 1,203 counties nationwide....  MOKSRail will hold elections this fall, and the office of president will be open....  This newsletter should have been the April-May edition but is finally coming out now.  News is current through August 12.  Your editor apologizes for the delay, but because of increased work and other commitments must switch to a quarterly newsletter instead of a bi-monthly one, effective with this issue....  Don’t forget to visit MOKSRail’s web site, www.ipt.com/aboard/moksrail.htm for links relating to the places served by Amtrak in Missouri and Kansas and for information and organizations of interest....  

Missouri-Kansas Rail Passenger Coalition, P.O. Box 1183, Mission, KS  66202-1183
WWW.IPT.COM/ABOARD/MOKSRAIL.HTM
Officers:
Dave Riddle, President 
	1410 NW 80th Ter, #1124, Kansas City, MO 64118.....................kcriddle@kc.net
John Mills, vice-president 
	2825 Burnett Rd, Topeka, KS  66614
Pete McMasters, treasurer 
	5313 W. 57th Ter, Roeland Park, KS 66205....................ETEPWIFE@AOL.COM
Carolyn McMasters, secretary 
	5313 W. 57th Ter, Roeland Park, KS 66205....................ETEPWIFE@AOL.COM
Dave Riddle, newsletter editor (address above)......................................kcriddle@kc.net
MOKSRail News                    August, 2001        8   
Join Us!
We believe, quite simply, that there ought to be more passenger trains in Missouri and Kansas.  If you agree, you’ll want to join us.  
Just fill out the coupon below, and send it today with your annual MOKSRail membership dues of $15 (seniors/students $10, family $20). 
   Name:  ________________________________                             
  Address:  ______________________________
  City/State/Zip:  __________________________
  Please clip and mail with appropriate annual dues to:  MOKSRail, 
  P.O.Box 1183,  Mission, KS  66202-1183
(Current members --pass your newsletter along to a friend so they can join!)

MOKSRail News
Missouri-Kansas Rail Passenger Coalition
P.O. Box 1183
Mission, KS  66202-1183