"WASHINGTON - A Senate bill introduced Tuesday aims to increase the supply of passenger cars for intercity service through both fixing damaged Amtrak cars and enticing builders to create new designs. An increased supply of passenger cars will be essential if intercity passenger rail becomes part of the solution to high fuel prices.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., introduced the bill. He said he sees passenger trains taking the place of shorter-distance airline flights as fuel costs rise, and said an improved supply of passenger cars is essential to that.
The bill would:
• Create a matching grant program at the Department of Transportation for Amtrak and states to rehabilitate damaged passenger cars.
• Mandate that Amtrak establish a committee to explore design specifications for the next generation of passenger rail equipment.
• Create a "rolling stock trust fund" to ensure Amtrak and the states have a secure and reliable source of funding to replace aging cars."
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