A couple of amusing recent observations:

I was pedaling on to work this morning, going up Hauser, a residential street often used as a cut-through by the cleverer (or more impatient) central LA drivers. About the middle of one block a gigantic SUV--an Escalade--swung past with the usual flurry of rasping motor sounds and tire hisses. The tires alone seemed nearly as big as my wife's Mini Cooper. He bounded around a slower car ahead of him too, and crowded up on the next one , since there was opposing traffic and the road is narrow, as are most residential streets, after all.

A block or so later I caught up with him at the light, waiting behind a short row of his fellows. I went past, the light turned green we all started up again. A half a block later, he passed me again. A block and a half alter, I caught up to him again, and passed him again.

This went on for nearly three miles. Finally we came to Santa Monica boulevard. I pulled up on his left this time and motioned for him to lower the window.

Of course he was probably expecting a lecture from a self-righteous bicycle radical (which I am, after all). Instead I just told him his right brake light was out, and that he might get a ticket for that. He thanked me and turned; I went on.

Maybe, just maybe, he'll reflect on how much he was spending in gas and nerves to go uphill at exactly the average speed of a greybeard on a bicycle. We can only hope.

==========================
Last week I saw a much more pleasing sight on my ride to the office. I was going through the Orthodox Jewish neighborhood north of mine. Now, plenty of the orthodox favor bicycles, for whatever reason; but the old fellow I saw that day, riding in dress slacks and white shirt, was astride a beautiful high-end touring bicycle with drop bars, racks and bags, mirror, fenders, lights, and even disc brakes!

There's hope after all.

Richard Risemberg on 09.29.05 @ 02:26 PM PST [link]  

Have recent high gas prices increased ridership at the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA)? Apparently, yes!

RTA says August ridership figures released this week show a 13.2 percent increase in heavy-rail ridership over August 2004. Overall, Rapid Transit ridership was up 9.6 percent in August, and systemwide ridership was up 4.9 percent in August, or about 222,000 rides.

The company reports year-to-date, total ridership is up 4.1 percent over 2004.

Other ridership increases:

Bus, 3.9 percent in August, 3.5 percent year-to-date
Heavy rail, 13.2 percent in August, 8.5 percent year-to-date
Light rail, 3.5 percent in August, 2.4 percent year-to-date
Total Rapid Transit, 9.6 percent in August, 6.4 percent year-to-date
Paratransit, 25.8 percent in August, 35.5 percent year-to-date
Total ridership, 4.9 percent in August, 4.1 percent year-to-date
RTA¡¯s average weekday ridership grew to 194,000

Eric Miller on 09.29.05 @ 08:10 AM PST [link]  

From the National Association of Rail Passengers:

Washington--Two passenger trains enabled over 700 evacuees to avoid gridlocked Interstates before Hurricane Rita. Given the limited availability of passenger rail in Texas, the fact that so many people could take the train gives a tantalizing suggestion about rail evacuation possibilities where intercity passenger and commuter rail systems are well developed, and where rail systems of any size are integrated into evacuation planning.

On Thursday afternoon, September 22, two trains departed Amtrak's Houston station. Amtrak took 298 evacuees to San Antonio, while Trinity Railway Express (the Dallas-Fort Worth commuter railroad) took 440 to Dallas. Seating capacity for the two trains was 400 and 750, respectively. Both trains loaded quickly and without incident; all luggage was accommodated.

The San Antonio train left Houston at 12:58 PM with intercity cars, including a cafe car fully stocked with bottled water and individually packaged snacks. The train, operating on Union Pacific tracks, reached Amtrak's San Antonio station at 6:35 PM.

The train to Dallas left Houston at 2:53 PM. It used BNSF (former Rock Island) tracks, and made a food stop at Teague, Texas. Running-time was 12 hours, including food stop and stops to flag highway crossings near Houston, where protective devices had been removed so the hurricane would not damage them. (Some motorists took 20 hours to make the trip that day; others abandoned their evacuation as they ran out of gas or decided it was futile to continue.) Amtrak kept its Dallas station open for the early-Friday-morning arrival; Amtrak, TRE and American Red Cross staff met the train there and assisted the arriving passengers in reaching the Reunion Arena shelter.

Houston Metro handled transportation coordination in Houston, searching transit-dependent neighborhoods for people who needed the train, and bringing evacuees to Amtrak's Houston station. John Bertini, a physician and NARP member who helped load both trains, said many passengers were
confined to wheel chairs; some also had oxygen tanks. He told NARP that "many passengers complimented the cool spacious cars," adding his own view as a physician that the "roominess, comfort and relative speed the trains afforded these folks makes rail an ideal means to evacuate."

Bertini is board chairman of Galveston Island Railroad Museum & Terminal. Drawing on that organization's experience with the Amtrak-run Texas GulfLiner, which was funded by a federal feasibility grant, Bertini assembled a team of volunteers to help load passengers at Houston. These
volunteers had experience with evacuation procedures two years ago when the GulfLiner helped evacuate Galveston during a tropical storm. (The GulfLiner ran from Galveston to Houston on several holiday weekends starting in 2002, and was aimed at developing support for regular rail service there.

Incidentally, the initial request last week to TRE from Gov. Perry's Office of Emergency Management was for a train to help evacuate Galveston; the train initially went to Galveston but turned out not to be needed.) On September 3, Amtrak took 97 Katrina evacuees from New Orleans to Lafayette, LA, where passengers boarded Houston Metro buses to various Texas locations. Amtrak had prepared a New Orleans-Lafayette shuttle service at FEMA's request, but the effort was called off after one run
because Texas was no longer accepting evacuees. Amtrak carried more passengers than usual out of New Orleans before the storm, and offered to carry evacuees on a special train from New Orleans to McComb, MS, that ran Saturday night, August 27, to move Amtrak's equipment to high ground.

In the aftermath of these hurricanes, public officials need to consider relying more heavily on passenger rail for evacuations. Realizing rail's potential means developing plans so that railroad and public officials don't have to ad lib every decision, and so that available equipment can handle as many passengers as possible. It also means improving communications between railroads and public officials, and developing satisfactory liability arrangements. Finally, the U.S. needs a useable,
standby fleet of cars. Until about 1970, a large, reserve fleet of older intercity passenger cars was available for use during holiday peak loads, and for emergencies. Such a fleet no longer exists, although the growing commuter rail fleet is a plus.

Regular Amtrak Houston service is three weekly departures west to Los Angeles and three east to New Orleans and Orlando, plus daily Thruway buses connecting at Longview, TX, with Amtrak's Texas Eagle to and from Chicago-St. Louis. However, since Hurricane Katrina, Amtrak's Los Angeles-Houston-Orlando train has not operated east of San Antonio. Some of the railroad east of New Orleans was severely damaged; news reports indicate that CSX expects the line to be rebuilt within 90 days.

Richard Risemberg on 09.28.05 @ 09:45 AM PST [link]  

Cities across the country are focusing their attentions on improving race relations in their communities as part of the 6th Annual Race Equality Week held September 26 to 30. Sponsored by the National League of Cities (NLC), cities and towns from Riverside, California to St. Petersburg, Florida are holding activities to underscore the importance of racial justice in building strong and family-friendly communities. Events include a range of efforts, including forums and special gatherings, community engagement initiatives, and issuing proclamations.

NLC Executive Director Donald J. Borut said this year's Race Equality Week is particularly timely in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. "While people from all walks of life have been affected by the hurricane, many of the images transmitted from hurricane-ravaged areas reveal an undeniable trend-that many of those endangered and left behind were poor people of color concentrated in the hearts of cities like New Orleans and Biloxi," Borut said. "We hope that local leaders can use Race Equality Week to focus on ways to improve race relations and ensure a more inclusive community where no one is left behind."

The NLC-sponsored Race Equality Week grew out of an effort launched in 2000 by then-NLC President Bob Knight, former mayor of Wichita, Kansas, who challenged city leaders to focus on improving race relations in their communities. Each NLC President since that time has continued the agenda by urging city leaders to do their part to improve race relations and achieve racial justice.

Among the activities planned around the country include:

The City of Phoenix, Ariz., will sponsor "Healing Racism," a forum on race relations, from 4 to 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 29, at Phoenix College, Osborn South Building, 1202 W. Thomas Road. The event is hosted by the Phoenix Human Relations Commission in collaboration with the Maricopa Community College District, Arizona State University, Phoenix College and the city of Phoenix. Panelists will discuss ways to promote racial harmony and justice within the community.

The Nashville, Tenn., Metro Human Relations Commission will sponsor a number of events in local schools, the YMCA and churches, including "Dialogues in Diversity," 6-7:30 p.m., Sept. 27, at Christ Cathedral; "Difficult Dialogues: Young Professionals, Economics and Race," 7:30-9 a.m., Sept. 28, at Fisk University's Race Relations Institute; YMCA Cultural Awareness Night, Parade of Nations and Cultures, 5-7 p.m., Sept. 29, at Maddox Family YMCA, east Nashville.

Riverside, Calif.'s Human Relations Commission is presenting "Horizon Line," a production and dialogue session aimed at encouraging youth to talk about race and violence issues. The Riverside Commission is also implementing a program called "Access Riverside" that will deal specifically with investigating and resolving discrimination complaints.

In Anchorage, Alaska, Race Equality Week is being held in conjunction with the Mayor's Diversity Week events. The events will run through the month of November. Activities will include a special joint work session of the Anchorage Equal Rights Commission and the Standing Committee on the Promotion of Tolerance and Diversity; a youth summit facilitated by local TV personality Judge Greg Mathis; a kick-off Diversity Barbeque and Mural Unveiling; and this year's Diversity Appreciation and Awards Dinner, which will have former Montgomery County, Md, Police Chief Charles Moose, as the keynote speaker.

Ottawa, Kan., will begin a new program focused on "Diversity Education" through a grant received from the American Eagle Foundation. The program will address diversity awareness, understanding the importance of diversity in a global economy, understanding the difference between diversity and affirmative action, and viewing diversity as an asset, not a weakness.

The Greensboro, NC, Bicentennial Mosaic Partnership will celebrate its first year of success during Race Equality Week through a special event. The Mosaic Partnership is a project designed to increase communication and cooperation among the city's racial and ethnic groups. As the City prepares for its bicentennial in 2008, it is using this project to reflect on the past and strive toward a future of harmony and acceptance among all races and ethnicities.

The City of Lauderdale Lakes, Fla., will celebrate with a number of planned events on Monday, Sept. 26, including Teen Challenge, discussions and exercises and leadership training dealing with racial equality, at 4 p.m.; and a racial equality dialogue led by George Gadson, a community facilitator, at 7 p.m.

The City of Winston-Salem, NC.'s efforts include a Fiesta Hispanic Festival; an Inter-Faith Senegalese Program; a Student Race Relations Forum; the 2nd African-American & Hispanic Relations Forum; and the Human Relations Awards Banquet.

Eric Miller on 09.26.05 @ 02:33 PM PST [link]  

Thursday's New York Times (and no doubt other papers) reports on the massive traffic jams caused by millions of people trying to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Rita in their cars (spewing more global-warming CO₂ as they go, of course).

In effect, they can't leave; they are moving at less than 10 mph, or slightly over half the speed of a New Orleans resident on a bike list I read that evacuated that town on his touring bicycle. The endless miles of lanes are parking lots, with cars breaking down or running out of fuel in the jams, leaving hundreds, perhaps thousands, stranded.

Meanwhile, I remember people evacuating Lower Manhattan after the Twin Towers attack by simply walking across the bridges; more to the point, I remember the Paris Metro subway emptying the Place de la Bastille of a million celebrants in less than half an hour--no one was allowed to drive or even walk out, and the four subway stations handled the crowd with aplomb.

I remember also that Shinjuku subway station in Tokyo by itself handles four million passengers per day, and I recall that the shinkansen trains we rode at nearly 200mph left every five minutes, like clockwork, at peak hours on certain routes, comfortably carrying up to 2000 passengers each.

And here we are, good-ol'-boying our way ever deeper into disaster, locally and globally....

In LA we have earthquakes, which break up the roads and clutter them with buildings and such...my bicycle needs an eight-inch clear path to get through, and if the rubble covers the whole street, I can pick it up and carry it to the next clear lane. And in San Francisco's last big 'quake, BART was running four hours afterwards; it took months to rebuild the roads and bridges.

Are we there yet?

Richard Risemberg on 09.22.05 @ 08:16 PM PST [link]  

Today I came across an article by Mayer Hillman of the UK, entitled, "A Modest Proposal to Save teh Planet."

What!, you might say. We're still saving the damn planet?

Ah, sad to say, we haven't even really started...certainly not in the Land of the SUV here...though I tried; had a lovely ride through a gentle morning rain to the office today on my bicycle. That helped...a bit. But there's so much more to do, and recent weather calamities (of which Katrina was only the most blatant, and one that affected the US, home of so many news services) should inspire a sense of urgency in us, perhaps enough to spur regular folks actually to do something in the line of being less profligate. As Hillman says:

We cannot rely on optimism. We need to think beyond energy efficiency and renewable energy, towards ideas of social and institutional reform and personal changes that require much lower energy use. Yet government action is only scratching the surface, and current policies on transport and growth can only make things worse. We are on the road to ecological Armageddon, with little apparent thought for the effects on the current population, let alone those who follow.

His article is well-developed and thorough, and provides an excellent synopsis of the Contraction & Convergence model, which would equitably reduce carbon output by spreading the load among all the citizens and enterprises of the world...really appears workable. To read Hillman's article, go to Counter Currents.

Richard Risemberg on 09.20.05 @ 09:53 PM PST [link]  

Talk radio can be quite a valuable resource. Today I heard an estimate that we'll be spending enough on the Katrina relief and rebuilding to give each person displaced by the hurricane $400,000 (I have not done my own numbers to substantiate this). The likelihood of the city being destroyed again is not likely to be reduced. Despite being politically expedient to rebuild, rebuilding at any cost is foolish. Seems there was no political advantage to fixing levies (or reducing global warming), but a great advantage to re-establishing a target for hurricanes of increasing strength.

The second memorable item I heard today from talk radio was that federal troops entered San Francisco within one day following the 1906 earthquake--this before the availability of any modern communication equipment. Here's a bit more on the response to that calamity.


MORE

Eric Miller on 09.19.05 @ 06:58 PM PST [link]  

Economists for the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released a report on how the destruction spawned by Hurricane Katrina could affect the price and supply of building materials.

The report showed the full extent of the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the overall economy and on the housing market is still unclear, and the immediate focus is properly on human life and health, but the number of homes destroyed by this catastrophe is almost certain to dwarf the losses from any previous U.S. natural disaster. Past experience, together with the visible devastation, provides some basis for projecting the effects on construction activity, the supply and cost of building materials and construction labor, and other implications for the housing market.

The number of housing units destroyed (made uninhabitable and beyond economically-justified repair) by Hurricane Andrew in 1992 was estimated at over 28,000. The combined effect of Hurricanes Jeanne, Ivan, Frances, and Charley in 2004 was almost as large, with nearly 27,500 housing units destroyed, according to estimates compiled by the American Red Cross. In those cases, most of the destruction was caused by winds or the immediate force of the storm surge. The number of homes with major but reparable damage was more than twice the number destroyed. The 1906 San Francisco earthquake/fire reportedly destroyed 28,000 buildings.

Katrina also caused widespread immediate damage in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, but the flooding in New Orleans, Mobile, and elsewhere is likely to translate into much larger numbers of homes destroyed. Although the floods generally did not tear off roofs or walls or cause structures to collapse, many homes will be permanently uninhabitable. The flood waters carried contaminants that cannot easily be removed, and even if the water were clean, prolonged submersion would cause structures to be damaged beyond repair. This is likely to be the fate of a large share of the more than 200,000 homes in the city of New Orleans.Although the loss of tens of thousands of homes implies increased demand for, and construction of, new homes, past experience has shown that there is no massive surge in home building in affected areas. Replacing units destroyed by the storm will not begin for many months and will take place slowly, over a number of years.

In Dade County (now called Miami-Dade), the number of residential permits was 9,026 or 7.8 percent of the state total in 1993, the year following Hurricane Andrew. That share of the state was slightly lower than the county’s 7.9 percent share in 1991. By 1995, there was an increase to 14,718 or 12.0 percent of the state, but that number still wasn’t much greater than what might have been expected if there hadn’t been a hurricane.

The experience in other areas, such as Alameda County, Calif. following the 1991 fires and Charleston, S.C., after Hurricane Hugo in 1989, was similar. Homes were rebuilt or replaced very slowly.

Eric Miller on 09.19.05 @ 04:21 PM PST [link]  

For recently released prisoners, finding jobs and housing while avoiding criminal activity are keys to staying out of prison. Now a new Urban Institute report finds that where former prisoners settle after their release also influences their prospects.

In Chicago, more than half of released prisoners in the multiyear study settled in just seven communities: Austin, North Lawndale, East Garfield Park, West Englewood, Humboldt Park, Roseland, and Auburn Gresham. But focus groups in the neighborhoods—along with interviews of former prisoners, family members, reentry service providers, and state and local officials—find communities ill-prepared to support this growing population.

The study, "Chicago Communities and Prisoner Reentry" by Christy Visher and Jill Farrell, also found much-needed services were lacking. Only 21 percent of ex-prisoners had access to adult education programs and 14 percent to job training; 10 to 13 percent had access to counseling, mental health treatment, and parenting services.

Often, the characteristics of the communities affected former prisoners' chances of success. Those who considered their new neighborhoods drug-free and safe were more likely to have a job and work more, and less likely to use drugs or return to prison than those who felt their neighborhoods were unsafe.

Many surveyed said relationships with Chicago law enforcement and parole agents did not contribute to successful reentry. Although 94 percent of prisoners said their parole officers acted professionally and respected them, only 52 percent said the officials eased their transition to society, and only 45 percent said such supervision would help them stay out of prison.

Neighborhood organizations and community groups were recognized by area residents and former prisoners as important providers of services and support, but only 16 percent of released prisoners reported belonging to such organizations as churches, recreation groups, or tenant associations.

The report is the latest publication in a longitudinal study of how former convicts in Illinois fare after prison and what types of assistance help reduce reincarceration rates. Researchers are following a group of prisoners released in 2002 and 2003. The report is based on prerelease surveys of 400 male prisoners, postrelease interviews with prisoners, focus groups of residents in four communities receiving the most ex-prisoners, and interviews with reentry service providers and state and local officials.

"Returning Home" Project

"Chicago Communities and Prisoner Reentry" is part of "Returning Home: Understanding the Challenges of Prisoner Reentry," a multistate research initiative exploring ways to improve reentry outcomes for individuals, families, and communities. The Illinois research has been supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Woods Fund of Chicago, the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation.

Eric Miller on 09.14.05 @ 06:01 PM PST [link]  

Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League called on Congress to immediately pass and fully fund comprehensive disaster assistance legislation that protects the rights of the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Morial called on Congress to take the following steps immediately:

Create a Victims Compensation Fund - Congress must immediately pass legislation creating a Victims Compensation Fund for the hundreds of thousands of citizens injured, killed and displaced as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

Provide Disaster Unemployment Assistance - Congress must provide for federal disaster unemployment assistance to every worker left jobless by this tragedy and provide a meaningful benefit that meets the needs of unemployed workers and their families.

Protect Voting Rights - America must ensure that the hundreds of thousands of citizens displaced by Hurricane Katrina continue to have full voting rights in their home states.

Morial stated that these are only the first, but critical steps that Congress must take in the coming days and weeks.

Eric Miller on 09.14.05 @ 05:55 PM PST [link]  

In the wake of the emergency communications problems experienced during and after Hurricane Katrina, the National League of Cities (NLC) called on Congress to take immediate action on legislation that would set a firm date for television broadcasters to return the radio frequencies that has been set aside for public safety purposes. NLC has long been a vocal advocate for legislation that would permanently clear broadcast spectrum for local emergency officials, including the SAVE LIVES Act and the HERO Act.

During emergencies, first responders, including fire, police, emergency medical officials and others have greater need to use a variety of communications equipment using multiple frequencies. Currently, there is insufficient bandwidth available to them; instead this bandwidth is used by private television broadcasters. In 1997, Congress promised first responders that the radio frequencies would be available to them by December 31, 2006. The 9/11 Commission's Final Report concluded that the inability of these first responders to talk with each other and the congestion of the frequencies on the spectrum resulted in the significant loss of life.

US House Representatives Curt Weldon (R-Pa.), Jane Harman (D-Calif.) and Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) have asked the House leadership to bring to the floor for consideration the Homeland Emergency Response Operations Act (HERO), H.R. 1646.

The Spectrum Availability for Emergency-Response and Law Enforcement to Improve Vital Emergency Services (SAVE LIVES) Act, S. 1286, sponsored by US Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), would set a deadline of December 31, 2008 for the frequencies to be returned to public safety agencies.
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton (R-Texas) has promised to introduce legislation that would set a firm date for the release of the radio frequencies.

Eric Miller on 09.14.05 @ 05:52 PM PST [link]  

While the US government and all too many of its citizens are covering their ears and shouting "la la la la" at any mention of global warming, Europeans are preparing for the coming and ever-more-evident effects of our fossil-fuel profligacy. The International Herald Tribune reports:

As countries across Europe reduce production of greenhouse gases in order to fight climate change, scientists and citizens are discovering that effects of warming are already upon us. Irreversible warming is already happening, they say, and will continue for a century even if polluting emissions are controlled by the Kyoto Protocol, the international treaty aimed at limiting greenhouse gases.

To this end, they say, government and citizens must prepare for a steamier future, adapting to a climate that is hotter and stormier.

"In addition to mitigating climate warming, we should also be focusing on how to adapt," said Richard Klein of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, in Germany. "In the last few years people have realized that climate change will happen. Adapting is not a choice--it's something we need to do."

The early warning signs of global warming are apparent: an increase in summer deaths due to heat waves in Europe; the northern migration of toxic algae and tropical fish to the Mediterranean; the spread of disease-carrying ticks into previously inhospitable parts of Sweden and the Czech Republic.

The full article:

Richard Risemberg on 09.13.05 @ 10:49 PM PST [link]  

It's hard to believe it's been four years since the World Trade Centers fell. I was in San Francisco then, asleep. The phone rang and I was told to turn on the television because "it's surreal."

What's happened since is also surreal.

Today New Yorker's are busy imagining the new "freedom tower." Reading the news yesterday that a court ruling confirmed that an American, Jose Padilla, to be exact, can be held indefinitely without a hearing or having charges filed against him makes the idea that our freedom is guaranteed, or that we are better in this respect than say Stalinist Russia or Cuba, hard to fathom.

I'm not defending Padilla. I am only suggesting that we must recognize the same rights for others (all others including those in other countries or labeled as "illegal," as we expect for ourselves, or how can we really be free? Charge him, put him before a jury and find him guilty or let him go.

Today it seems our freedom exists at the whim of government. Really bad people or not, we must have a rule of law.

It's possible that September 11th, 2001 might come to be known as the day that freedom ended. It doesn't have to be that way. Today we are reminded to better understand what our freedom is and insure that same freedom--and rights--for others as we continue to celebrate it.

If you'd like to look back, here are a few articles from our archives.


Q&A: WTC Attacks And The Smart Growth Movement

In The Face Of Tragedy

A Call To Open Arms

Hell Visits Paradise

Take Back The City

Eric Miller on 09.11.05 @ 09:26 AM PST [link]  

I'd like to relay two positive experiences that came upon me today.

The first one reinforces the notion that "you can't judge a book by its cover." I was outside a rental property I own talking with a fellow who owns the one next door. I had heard lots about him, most impressingly that his Plymouth Caravan was dotted with "W" stickers.

"If I had my way I'd live in the wilderness," he said, and I may be paraphrasing. "But I don't like to see farmland being converted into subdivisions."

"Wow," I thought, this guy gets it. "We" are "they."

The second bright spot came as neighbors, planners and politicians gathered at a street corner to discuss "traffic calming" on a street in Pittsburgh. One of my neighbors commented he didn't care about aggravating motorists because he didn't own a car. "I don't own a car either," said one of the traffic planners, "but I care about traffic."

My eyes lit up. A traffic planner without a car. There is hope, if not a positive response to traffic calming.

Eric Miller on 09.07.05 @ 05:55 PM PST [link]  

Direct passenger rail service to and from the Gulf Coast and New Orleans cannot be fully restored at this time due to severe infrastructure damage from Hurricane Katrina, but Amtrak does plan to extend two services that had been previously truncated.

Amtrak is offering full refunds and waiving all penalties for passengers who had made reservations traveling to or from New Orleans or other areas served by the affected trains.

Crescent (trains 19 & 20)

This train normally operates daily between New York and New Orleans. Through the southbound departures on Sept. 11 and the northbound departures on Sept. 13, the trains will originate and terminate in Atlanta instead of New Orleans. Starting with the southbound departures on Sept. 12 and the northbound departures on Sept. 13, the trains will originate and terminate in Meridian, Miss., instead of New Orleans.

No alternate transportation is available between Meridian and New Orleans.

City of New Orleans (trains 58 & 59)

This train normally operates daily between Chicago and New Orleans. Through the southbound departures on Sept. 3 and the northbound departures on Sept. 4, the trains will originate and terminate in Memphis instead of New Orleans. Starting with the southbound departures on Sept. 5 and the northbound departures on Sept. 6, the trains will originate and terminate in Jackson, Miss., instead of New Orleans.

No alternate transportation is available between Jackson and New Orleans.

Sunset Limited (trains 1 & 2)

This train normally operates three-days-weekly between Orlando and Los Angeles, via New Orleans and Houston. Until further notice, the trains will originate and terminate in San Antonio, instead of Orlando.

No alternate transportation is available between San Antonio and Orlando, via New Orleans. Service to and from the Orlando area continues to be maintained by the Silver Star (trains 91 & 92), the Silver Meteor (trains 97 & 98) and Auto Train (trains 52 & 53). Service to and from Houston continues to be maintained by an Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach Connection to and from the Texas Eagle (trains 21 & 22) at Longview, Texas.

Amtrak will continue to monitor the hurricane damage and cleanup and make further schedule adjustments if necessary, but this service plan modification will be in effect until further notice.

The affected trains will continue to offer both Coach class and First class (Sleeping Car) service, with food services for passengers provided on a modified basis on the City of New Orleans and Sunset Limited. Coach class and First class customers will all be served from the Lounge Car on the City of News Orleans, while Coach class and First class customers will all be served from two areas of the Dining Car on the Sunset Limited.

Amtrak reservation agents are contacting passengers regarding the schedule adjustments. Passengers may also call 800-USA-RAIL for assistance with their travel plans.

Amtrak provides intercity passenger rail services to more than 500 destinations in 46 states on a 22,000-mile route system. For schedules, fares and information, passengers may call 800-USA-RAIL or visit Amtrak.com.

Eric Miller on 09.06.05 @ 06:54 PM PST [link]  

Today, the National Trust for Historic Preservation announced that it will make grant funds and technical assistance available to organizations in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina to help defray costs associated with repairing damage to historic areas.

The National Trust web site, nationaltrust.org, is offering the public an opportunity to donate to grant funds for preservation work specifically directed toward the disaster along the Gulf Coast, and is allowing those with the appropriate credentials to sign up for the National Trust and FEMA Heritage Assessment teams.

Eric Miller on 09.06.05 @ 06:46 PM PST [link]  

Here's just a quote, I'm sure you can Google the rest:

"But to my country I want to say this: During this crisis you failed us. You looked down on us; you dismissed our victims; you dismissed us. You want our Jazz Fest, you want our Mardi Gras, you want our cooking and our music. Then when you saw us in real trouble, when you saw a tiny minority preying on the weak among us, you called us "Sin City," and turned your backs. Well, we are a lot more than all that. And though we may seem the most exotic, the most atmospheric and, at times, the most downtrodden part of this land, we are still part of it. We are Americans. We are you."

Eric Miller on 09.04.05 @ 07:37 PM PST [link]  

A Report from the National Association of Railroad Passengers:

The Department of Homeland Security, in a news release today, reported that "Amtrak will be sending a train to New Orleans today to assist in the evacuation of citizens to safe areas."

Amtrak is moving to restore some service that was curtailed this week due to the hurricane tragedy. Amtrak will extend its City of New Orleans and Crescent trains as explained below.

The City of New Orleans, now running only Chicago-Memphis, will be extended to Jackson starting with the Chicago departure on Labor Day, and the Jackson departure Tuesday, September 6. The following week, service will be extended further south to Hammond, Louisiana, starting with departures from Chicago on Monday, September 12 and from Hammond on Wednesday, September 14.

The Crescent, now running New York-Atlanta only, will be extended to Meridian, MS starting with departures from New York on Monday, September 12, and from Meridian on Wednesday, September 14.

The tri-weekly Sunset Limited continues to run only between San Antonio and Los Angeles (carrying Texas Eagle through cars to and from Chicago, St. Louis, Little Rock, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin and intermediate points). Thus, the only regular Amtrak service at Houston is a Thruway bus connection to the Texas Eagle at Longview (for travel to and from the Midwest).

Amtrak ridership was strong this summer even before the late-July start of major gasoline price increases. In July, most routes had double-digit percentage ridership growth compared with July, 2004, levels. The handful of exceptions were explained by severe on-time performance issues, or reductions in capacity.

Eric Miller on 09.02.05 @ 02:20 PM PST [link]  

The weakness in the transportation policy of the United States is all too apparent. I was watching the FEMA spokesman on CNN repeat again and again that those in New Orleans were told again and again to leave.

But how? Many people in cities don't have cars--not only poor people but tourists, the frail and others are at any given time without transportation.

Instead of lining up city buses to help people get out of town, or using rail cars, people were huddled into the Superdome, Convention Center and other spaces.

It's almost as if the nation's only evacuation plan is to get in your car and drive to a motel somewhere in the distant suburbs.

Imagine for a moment how that would have worked in New York on 9-11. Unlike New York, in New Orleans it wasn't possible to walk out of the city.

Eric Miller on 09.02.05 @ 08:04 AM PST [link]  

It's impossible to imagine that a city can descend into such a situation as we are witnessing now in New Orleans. I used to think people who kept canned food and water in the basement were a little crazy. Now I'll be sure to keep a supply myself, along with a portable camp stove.

Disaster can bring out the best, and apparently the worst, in people.

It would seem little direction and a lack of planning lead to the current situation. was thinking as I saw folks being herded into the Superdome before the storm that it was a bad idea. Surely they could bus or train them out of there.

Now no one seems to be in charge or know what to do.

It would seem there's little we can do to help. I thought about going to New Orleans, but the chaos will undoubtedly keep many away. What about driving to Baton Rouge and picking up people just to move them north? It would also appear training is required to be able to volunteer for the Red Cross and assist properly. That leaves donating, and that's important. Yahoo.com has a link set up on the front page--that may be as efficient a way as anything to contribute.

Even then, it's apparent there is little in the way of leadership or direction being provided. It's almost as if troops are holding back angry crowds and no one knows what to do. How many buses are there in the state? It would seem we should have them running in a constant convoy. What about the trains? boats?

Then there are the larger questions. If this is the first test of Homeland Security and evacuation since 9-11, how did we do? Unfortunately at this junction that question would seem an easy one to answer.

Eric Miller on 09.01.05 @ 07:45 PM PST [link]