The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) presented its $8.2 billion budget for passenger rail programs in Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 at a March 8 webinar, hosted by APTA and linked at more than 100 locations. FRA Deputy Administrator Karen Rae was the featured speaker at the webinar.

The overwhelming majority of that amount—$8.046 billion—would go toward the National High-Performance Rail System (NHPRS): the first year of a six-year proposal to set the stage for realizing President Obama’s goal of giving 80 percent of Americans convenient access to a passenger rail system, featuring high-speed service, within 25 years.

FRA is requesting these funds to preserve and enhance America’s existing rail infrastructure and to support development of a three-tiered passenger rail network consisting of:

* Core Express—Connect large urban areas up to 500 miles apart within two to three hours on electrified, dedicated track (125-250+ mph);

* Regional—Connect mid-size urban areas up to 500 miles apart with service on dedicated and shared track (90-125 mph); and

* Emerging—Connect smaller communities with service on shared track (up to 90 mph).

For the first time ever, the administration proposes to include passenger rail programs in a multi-year authorization funded with mandatory contract authority out of a dedicated rail account of the new Transportation Trust Fund (the successor to the Highway Trust Fund).

This budget also advances $223 million for railroad safety activities, including monitoring compliance of federal safety regulations throughout the nation’s rail industry.  Another $40 million would support the research agenda in rail systems safety, human factors in train operations, rolling stock and components, track and structures, track and train interaction, train control, grade crossings, hazardous materials transportation, train occupant protection, facilities and test equipment, and rail cooperative research.

In addition to FRA’s support for developing “world-class” high-speed rail, Rae cited these key changes to passenger rail programs:

* Opportunities for private sector participation and greater competition;

* Investment in Northeast Corridor and in rail station accessibility by bringing all stations into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act;

* Upfront investment in replacing aging equipment that will increase reliability, boost domestic manufacturing, and create jobs;

* Better and more comprehensive administration by consolidation and integration of previously disconnected passenger rail programs; and

* Realignment of the Amtrak budget according to business lines (state corridors, Northeast Corridor, long-distance routes), thus increasing the transparency of Amtrak’s federal funding.