WASHINGTON -- The House passed a transportation spending bill that
includes $609 million for Amtrak, close to the $621 million the
rail line said it needs to help reach its congressionally mandated
goal of becoming self-sufficient by 2002.
The bill is expected to be reconciled after the August recess
with a Senate version providing $555 million for Amtrak.
Passage of the House bill was the latest in a string of good
news for Amtrak, which reported a 6.2% increase in summer ridership
systemwide, with nearly 1 million more passengers traveling than
last summer. Customer satisfaction levels have hit 80%.
Amtrak also began investing $360 million it received last year
from Congress into several projects, including a high-speed system
in the Northeast, infrastructure upgrades in the Las Vegas-Los
Angeles corridor and construction of an Auto Train terminal in
Lorton, Va.