[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 76 (Thursday, May 8, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E862-E863]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                COMMENDING AMTRAK ON NATIONAL TRAIN DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES L. OBERSTAR

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 8, 2008

  Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to highlight the importance 
of passenger rail in the United States and express my support for 
Amtrak in conjunction with National Train Day on May 10th, 2008.
  National Train Day marks the 139th anniversary of the ``golden 
spike'' being driven into the ground at Promontory Summit, Utah, in 
1869. The ``golden spike'' bound the last tie connecting the last rail 
that united the Central Pacific Railroad with the Union Pacific 
Railroad, connecting the United States by rail from coast to coast.
  The transcontinental railroad was born thanks to the support of 
President Abraham Lincoln. He, along with Civil War leaders, envisioned 
and planned the creation of the railroad. Not only did the completion 
of the railroad result in the ability to deliver goods and people 
across the country, it ultimately bound

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the east with the west, further unifying the country as the divide 
between the North and the South was beginning to mend.
  The transcontinental railroad was the first of its kind. It was an 
engineering marvel completed with great precision and speed. The 
railroad was an engineering wonder and it set the example for how 
transcontinental railroads would be built across Canada and Russia some 
20 to 25 years later.
  Completion of the transcontinental railroad created a new sense of 
wonder and enthusiasm for discovery and entrepreneurship across the 
country. It set the stage for a great migration of businessmen, created 
a new frontier for those seeking a new way of life, enabled faster 
movement of people and goods, and provided the country with a great 
opportunity to expand the economy.
  Today, we are witnessing a rebirth of passenger rail in America. In 
the same way that the transcontinental railroad was critical to our 
Nation in the late 19th century, a strong national passenger rail 
system is vital today. In order to strengthen intercity passenger rail 
in this country, today I have introduced the ``Passenger Rail 
Investment and Improvement Act of 2008''.
  The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, more commonly known as 
Amtrak, operates a nationwide rail network, serving more than 500 
destinations in 46 States over 21,000 miles of routes, with nearly 
19,000 employees. Amtrak recently marked the beginning of its 38th year 
of operation. Our passenger rail service has come a long way since its 
beginnings in 1971, and has faced many challenges since, but continues 
to grow stronger with each passing year. Despite uneven Federal 
investment over the years, Amtrak has persevered, achieving many 
successes in improved operating efficiency, increased ridership, and 
higher revenue.
  In fact, in FY 2007, Amtrak set a new ridership record for the fifth 
year in a row, exceeding 25.8 million passengers. At the same time, 
Amtrak increased ticket revenues by 11 percent to more than $1.5 
billion, a figure that increased for the third straight year. These 
successes are being enjoyed across Amtrak's entire network. In FY 2007, 
Amtrak held 56 percent of the air/rail market between New York and 
Washington and 41 percent of the market share between New York and 
Boston. This shows that where Amtrak is provided the resources to 
succeed, it provides a trip-time competitive alternative to air and 
car.
  America needs to look toward Amtrak as we address our growing 
transportation needs. The Department of Transportation describes the 
problem of congestion on our highways and in the air as ``chronic.'' 
Amtrak removes almost eight million cars from the road annually. 
Airports are experiencing significant delays too, with more than 
400,000 flights departing or arriving late in 2006. Amtrak eases air 
congestion by eliminating the need for 50,000 fully loaded airplanes 
each year.
  Amtrak is also a substantially more environmentally friendly mode of 
transportation than automobiles or airplanes. According to the World 
Resources Institute, rail transportation produces 57 percent less 
carbon emissions than airplanes, and 40 percent less carbon emissions 
than cars.
  Madam Speaker, I lend my strong support to the commemoration of 
National Train Day on May 10, 2008, and encourage all of my colleagues 
to use this excellent opportunity to reflect on the benefits that 
Amtrak and intercity passenger rail provide to our Nation.

                          ____________________