Releases
NARP Releases, Statements & Letters
An archive of press releases, Congressional statements, letters to officials, and written testimony.
Federal Court Acts to Protect Rail Passengers
Decision Allows Amtrak and FRA to Set Quality Standards for Intercity Rail Operations
July 20, 2018
For Immediate Release (18-34) July 20, 2018 Contact: Xenophon Strategies - (202) 289-4001 Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled today in favor of passenger rail service by allowing Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to set their own standards for measuring passenger rail service on time performance. The Rail Passengers Association is in full support of the court’s decision, allowing Amtrak and the FRA to prioritize the service of paying
Medical Student Awarded $10,000 For Education By Rail Passengers
Steve Grado Jr. Will Use Money For Third Year At The University of Mississippi Medical Center
June 4, 2018
For Immediate Release (18-33) Contact: Xenophon Strategies - (202) 289-4001 Jackson, MS - Third-year medical student Steve Grado Jr. was the recipient of a $10,000 award from the Rail Passengers Association. The check was presented to Grado today at his school, The University of Mississippi Medical Center, by Rail Passengers Association President and CEO Jim Mathews. Grado was entered by his father, Steve Grado Sr., into an education sweepstakes hosted by the Association. “This award mea
Summer Travel
Rail Passenger Sets Out On 6,000-Mile Journey To 19 Baseball Stadiums
May 24, 2018
For Immediate Release (18-32) Contact: Xenophon Strategies - (202) 289-4001 Third Annual Summer By Rail Links Train Travel To America’s Greatest Pastime Washington, D.C. - The third annual Summer by Rail journey kicks-off on May 26, and this year’s trip comes with a curveball. With a route that runs 6,000 miles from Miami, FL to Seattle, WA, the Summer by Rail correspondent Jacob Wallace, 21, will visit 19 different Major League Baseball (MLB), Minor League Baseball (MiLB), and independe
Strangers Meet Through Baseball and Trains
Baseball and Passenger Rail Expanded the U.S. in the 20th Century
May 15, 2018
For Immediate Release (18-31) Contact: Xenophon Strategies - (202) 289-4001 Washington, D.C. - What do the Savannah Bananas small-town baseball team and Amtrak’s “Empire Builder” train have in common? They both connect Americans to each other. “Summer by Rail” (www.summerbyrail.com) correspondent Jacob Wallace is a Texas Rangers fan who understands the communities that form around ballparks. As a student focused on transportation, Jacob knows that transit can do the same. This summe
Statement on the Senate Approval of Fuchs, Schultz for STB
Senator Wicker’s Concern Over Freight Train Interference Well Founded
April 26, 2018
For Immediate Release (17-30) Contact: Xenophon Strategies - (202) 289-4001 The Rail Passengers Association applauds the Senate Commerce Committee approval of Patrick J. Fuchs and Michelle Schultz for the Surface Transportation Board, and calls upon the Senate to swiftly vote to confirm. “Our association has had the pleasure of working with Patrick closely during his time as a senior staff member of the Senate Commerce Committee, and we cannot speak highly enough of his commitment to im
Rail Passengers Honor Jim Hamre's Memory with Golden Spike
Hamre Devoted His Life to Passenger Rail and Building Lasting Relationships
April 20, 2018
For Immediate Release (17-29) Contact: Xenophon Strategies - (202) 289-4001 Washington, D.C. - The Rail Passengers Association (RPA) recognized Jim Hamre's life and memory by posthumously awarding him the Association's Golden Spike Award at the Association’s Congressional Reception. Hamre was a strong advocate for passenger rail in the Pacific Northwest as a member of RPA and vice president of All Aboard Washington. "Jim Hamre epitomized what it means to be a rail advocate and a frie
Rail Passengers STB Filing March 21, 2018
Re: STB Finance Docket No. 35743: Application of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation Under 49 USC § 24308(A)—Canadian National Railway Company
March 30, 2018
VIA E- FILING Ms. Cynthia T. Brown, Chief, Section of Administration Office of Proceedings Surface Transportation Board 395 E. Street SW Washington, DC 20423 March 21, 2018 Re: STB Finance Docket No. 35743: Application of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation Under 49 USC § 24308(A)—Canadian National Railway Company Dear Ms. Brown: The Rail Passengers Association, also known as the National Association of Railroad Passengers, is the nation’s oldest and largest organization spe
Rail Passengers Association Remembers Louise Slaughter
New York Democrat Who Supported Passenger Rail Passes At 88
March 16, 2018
For Immediate Release (17-28) March 16, 2018 Contact: Xenophon Strategies - (202) 289-4001 Washington, D.C. - The Rail Passengers Association was saddened to learn that New York Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, a long-time supporter of U.S. passenger rail, died this morning from complications of an injury suffered last week. Rep. Slaughter and the Association have a long history together in advocating for Amtrak and other passenger rail services in the U.S. over the course of her 30 years in o
RPA Names Colucci To Resource Development Role
#17-27
February 26, 2018
Washington, D.C. – The Rail Passengers Association today named Mark A. Colucci as Vice President for Resource Development, joining the DC-based RPA professional staff after more than a decade of business development and fundraising success for the American Hospital Association in Chicago. “Mark is a seasoned, experienced professional with a strong track record and a commitment to our mission here at the Association,” said RPA President Jim Mathews. “One of my most important goals since
RPA Says Shutting Down Amtrak Routes Will Not Make America Safer
-- Applauds Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson For Strong Safety Stance on PTC --
February 15, 2018
For Immediate Release (17-27) Contact: Xenophon Strategies - (202) 289-4001 Washington, D.C. - In testimony before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee with jurisdiction over rail, Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson said unequivocally that Amtrak will suspend services on routes that run in areas that don't apply for extensions on Positive Train Control through 2020. He also declared that he is going to bring the aviation safety culture to railroading, and faulted Amtrak for "running