California State Rail Plan 2007-08 to 2017-18

2007-08 – 2017-18 California State Rail Planoperations, and on maintenance of plant and equipment. The Plan continues thesemeasures for the next five years. Challenges that Amtrak faced in FFY 2003-04which are likely to continue include: 1) continuing deterioration in host railroads’capacity and infrastructure, and 2) failures and delays attributed to deferredinvestment in and reconstruction of Amtrak’s plant and equipment.To support the existing system, the five-year Strategic Plan calls for Federalfunding averaging about $1.6 billion per year. The plan holds the line on Federalsupport for operating purposes each year at $570 million. The majority of Federalsupport is for capital improvements to the existing system and to bring facilitiesand equipment up to a state-of-good-repair. The Plan reiterates current Federalpolicy that Amtrak not initiate new train services unless the state or states servedpays the full operating loss. Amtrak continues to seek full state funding for“direct” operating losses on existing state-supported trains.California Capital FundingAlthough the Plan is primarily directed to preserve and improve Amtrak-ownedassets in the Northeast Corridor, it also proposes funding for several projects inCalifornia. It includes $90.1 million for projects which impact California, ofwhich $41.5 million is for projects wholly in California and $48.6 million is formulti-state projects that partially impact California. Key projects in Californiainclude: Phase II of the new maintenance facility in Oakland that was completedin September 2004 and fully operational in December 2004; overhauls ofPacific Surfliner equipment; and basic repairs of Amtrak-owned equipmentmaintenance facilities in Los Angeles. The actual level of funding for the projectsis dependent on Congressional appropriations during the period of the Plan.Figure 11A lists the California related projects included in the AmtrakStrategic Plan.188