[OKC] ok passenger rail news

Fri Jan 30 12:29:05 PST 2009

fyi

From: passrailok at yahoogroups.com [mailto:passrailok at yahoogroups.com] On
Behalf Of sfrr at aol.com
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2009 1:21 PM
To: passrailok at yahoogroups.com; heartland_flyer at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [passrailok] This Week on the Flyer >= Corridor

January 30, 2009

This Week on the Flyer Corridor

WEBSITES

The PassengerRailOK.org and PassengerRailKS.org websites are being revamped.
They are going to be directed heavily toward encouraging Oklahoma and Kansas
legislative dialog. The front page for PassengerRailOK.org has been loaded.
Let us know what you think.

OKLAHOMA LEGISLATION

Fourteen bills-resolutions have been filed for the Oklahoma Legislative
Session related to passenger rail or rail projects. Some legislation
includes a brief discussion of passenger rail from the 2005 session with no
real change in funding/operation proposed. Here are the highlights:

1. SB424            nbsp;         Senator Mary Easley (Tulsa)

An Act relating to railroads; amending 66 O.S. 2001, Section 324, which
relates to the Oklahoma Tourism and Passenger Rail Act; prohibiting
Department of Transportation from certain activities without including
passenger rail service to Tulsa; and declaring an emergency.

10.  Do all things necessary or convenient to carry out the powers expressly
granted in this act the Oklahoma Tourism and Passenger Rail Act.  Provided,
however, the Department is hereby expressly prohibited from authorizing,
directing or otherwise participating in any activity authorized pursuant to
this act if such activity does not include or promote the inclusion of
passenger rail service to Tulsa for the benefit of the citizens of Northeast
Oklahoma.

Passenger Rail Oklahoma Review:  This legislation is intended to address the
seeming lack of movement toward expanding Oklahoma's passenger rail network
to Tulsa.  Impatience is evident.  Amtrak is currently studying a route
between Tulsa and Oklahoma City at the request of the state of Oklahoma. The
study is expected to be complete late this year. The paragraph proposed to
be changed is as follows:

2. SJR35            nbsp;          Senator John Sparks (Norman)

A Joint Resolution in support of the State of Kansas, the Kansas Department
of Transportation, and the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak)
for their participation with the Amtrak feasibility study requested by the
Kansas Department of Transportation on February 11, 2008; and directing
distribution.

Passenger Rail Oklahoma Review:  This legislation is intended to acknowledge
and show support for the state of Kansas in their visionary decision to
study the 600 mile passenger rail corridor (Kansas City - Wichita - Oklahoma
City - Fort Worth). It is also intended to show that federal matching
programs are evolving. The study is expected to complete this year.

3. HB1768       Representative Mike Jackson (Enid)

<StartFT>An Act relating to motor vehicles; amending  <47> O.S. 2001,
Section <1104>, as< last >amended by Section <1>, Chapter <45>, 2nd
Extraordinary Session, O.S.L. 20<06> (<47> O.S. Supp. 2008, Section <1104>),
which relates to motor vehicle apportionment; creating apportionment for the
Oklahoma Tourism and Passenger Rail Revolving Fund; designating source of
funds; tying apportionment to certain growth estimate trigger; providing for
growth trigger calculation; capping the total amount of apportionment;
providing procedures if growth trigger is not met; amending <66> O.S. 2001,
Section <325>, which relates to the Oklahoma Tourism and Passenger Rail
Revolving Fund; requiring certain percentages of funds be expended for
certain purposes; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

Passenger Rail Oklahoma Review:  Similar legislation was introduced last
year by Representative Jackson and stalled in committee. This complex
funding bill attempts to be all things to all Oklahoman's. It does not
represent any realistic figures as the cost for expansion the routes
mentioned have not been studied. Although we highly appreciate
Representative Jackson's second attempt, we expect this bill to die early in
committee.

<EndFT>

In Summary the bill would provide for the following percentages, derived
from the Oklahoma general fund at $5 million per year until the Oklahoma
Tourism and Passenger Rail Revolving fund would reach $30 million.

54% to Oklahoma City - Sapulpa - Tulsa - Broken Arrow - Claremore - Vinita -
St. Louis (High Speed Rail Corridor, Commuter Trains, Conventional Passenger
Rail projects).

20% Texas to Kansas along the route including Ardmore, Pauls Valley,
Purcell, Norman, Oklahoma City, Edmond, Guthrie, Perry, and Ponca City.
(High Speed Rail Corridor, and daily train service)

13% to provide for a one-seat or space ride from Oklahoma to Chicago
(connecting coach service).

10% to rehab and upgrade feeder-line freight rail routes.

3% for station operating costs (ticket agent, checked baggage in Oklahoma
City, installation of automatic ticket machines in remaining stations,
station improvements, wi-fi)<EndFT>

KANSAS LEGISLATION

A House Concurrent Resolution, similar to that provided in Oklahoma through
SJR35 has been placed in the hands of a Kansas Representative. This is the
first piece of legislation introduced in Kansas as drafted by Passenger Rail
Kansas/ the Northern Flyer Alliance. 

LEGISLATION OVERVIEW

Relationships with Kansas and Oklahoma legislators are continuing to develop
but we need your assistance. It is vitally important from this point forward
that everyone make every attempt to attend meetings with various Kansas and
Oklahoma legislators to talk about the passenger rail issue. Northern Flyer
Alliance Vice President - Kansas, Mark Corriston, corvids at sbcglobal.net is
tracking the Eggs and Issues meetings occurring over Kansas. Northern Flyer
Alliance Bob Kemper swaviator at gmail.com, Northern Flyer Alliance Oklahoma
Government Affairs Official is working behind the scenes on several
different projects in the Oklahoma City area and at the State Capitol. His
progress has been tremendous.  If you would like to know how you can further
contribute with legislative promotion, please contact Mark or Bob.

  _____  

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Passenger Rail Oklahoma is a grass roots advocacy organization dedicated to
the preservation and expansion of passenger rail in Oklahoma and Kansas.

www.passengerrailok.org  

MARKETPLACE

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