Zinke fires warning shot at Amtrak

Bipartisan legislation to continue federal funding for Amtrak was passed by the U.S. House last week, but not before Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Whitefish, riled rail supporters with a vote to totally defund the service.

The Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act keeps financing at about $1.4 billion a year for the next four years — close to what Amtrak receives now — and includes some performance reform standards. The bill next goes to the Senate for a vote.

Zinke ultimately voted in favor of the funding package and reform, saying it makes Amtrak more transparent and accountable while also increasing competition and private sector participation in passenger rail.

But before his vote of support, Zinke backed a proposed amendment in the bill that called for stripping Amtrak of its entire federal funding. He called his amendment vote a warning shot for Amtrak.

“I’m a supporter of rail,” Zinke told the Whitefish Pilot. “I grew up next to the railroad and understand how important the rail is to Whitefish and tourism.

Whitefish is Amtrak’s busiest stop in Montana, with about 65,000 riders arriving there on the Empire Builder in 2013.

“But it’s come to a point where Amtrak has to adjust its business model,” he said. “My vote was a ‘shot across the bow’ to let Amtrak know that we are serious and take fiscal accountability and transparency seriously in Montana.”

The amendment to defund Amtrak ultimately failed with a 147 to 272 vote.

Despite record revenue totaling $3.2 billion in fiscal year 2014, Amtrak operated at a net loss of about $227 million — down 37 percent from the previous year. Continued operation losses are projected for the next five years.

Long-distance routes — like the Empire Builder — remain an area where Amtrak bleeds money. Amtrak’s 2015 financial plan notes that long-distance routes simply couldn’t exist without government backing.

“The economics and consumer demand for long distance train service do not make it possible to cover all operating expenses solely with ticket revenue,” the report notes.

Zinke said Amtrak could improve in rural areas by creating a more extensive network. He compared Amtrak’s current rural service to a “bike path to nowhere.”

“If they want to make rail viable in the rural environment, then they have to make a network and show they want to make a difference,” he said. “If you have a bus route that doesn’t stop anywhere, you’re not going to get many passengers.”

He harshly criticized the Empire Builder’s on-time performance, which hovered around 23 percent last year but has improved to 72.9 percent.

“That’s going from a no-show to an F,” Zinke said. “They have to show they are serious about improving rural service.”

Amtrak officials have argued congestion from increased freight traffic is to blame for the poor on-time performance.

Zinke says too much of Amtrak’s funding is put into the East Coast corridor.

“Right now, the East Coast takes up a large portion of the funds,” he said. “Meanwhile Montanans pay in and I don’t believe we get our fair share reinvested.”

Zinke said he’s serious about making sure Amtrak starts focusing on more than the route between Washington D.C. and New York City. Ideally, he wants to see passenger rail find success without any government funding.

“That’s a win for the industry and for Montana taxpayers,” he said.