On June 27 Edward R. Hamberger, President of the Association of American Railroads, provided 20 pages of testimony to the House of Representatives' Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure about the relationship between freight railroads and Amtrak.
Mr. Hamberger stated that freight railroads and Amtrak are part of the same system, a system he called the "backbone" of freight movements in America. Freight railroads have supported Amtrak and since most Amtrak trains operate on freight railroads that support must continue. However, under PRIIA, Mr. Hamburger is concerned that freight railroads will have to pay expenses that Amtrak needs to operate. He called on the Congress to adequately fund Amtrak so it may pay its own expenses including track planning and improvements. Freight railroads should not find themselves having to subsidize Amtrak by default because government declines to bear its fair share of the burden.
Here is a link to his testimony: https://www.aar.org/newsandevents/Press-Releases/Documents/PRIIA%20reauthorization%20final%20June%202013.pdf
Link activated:
https://www.aar.org/newsandevents/Press-Releases/Documents/PRIIA%20reauthorization%20final%20June%202013.pdf
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