Amtrak Improvement Act

(LATEST SUMMARY)

Amtrak Improvement Act - Provides that the National Railroad Passenger Corporation shall directly perform all maintenance, rehabilitation, repair, and refurbishment of rail passenger equipment.

Provides for the facilitation of completion of the Northeast Corridor Project.

Provides for the establishment of efficient customs inspection procedures aboard trains operated in international intercity rail passenger service.

Increases the amount of annual Federal financial assistance to the Corporation from $334,300,000 to $534,300,000.

Increases the amount of unpaid securities, obligations, or loans to the Corporation which may be outstanding at any one time from $500,000,000 to $900,000,000.

Provides for an investigation and study of the social advisability, technical feasibility and economic practicability of a high-speed ground transportation system between the cities of Tijuana, Mexico and Vancouver, British Columbia by way of specified cities in Washington, Oregon, and California.

Authorizes to be appropriated not more than $8,000,000 for the purpose of carrying out such an investigation and study.

Requires the Secretary of Transportation to plan and contruct a model intermodal transportation terminal at Union Station in the District of Columbia. Authorizes the appropriation of not in excess of $7,000,000 to carry out such planning and construction.

Authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to make payments to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to finance the cost of designing and other necessary planning of a rail rapid transit line in the median of the Dulles Airport Road. Directs the Secretary to undertake a feasibility study of extending a rail rapid transit line to Baltimore-Washington International Airport from the proposed Greenbelt Road Metro Station, utilizing the median of the Baltimore-Washington Expressway. Authorizes the appropriation of not in excess of $3,000,000 to carry out both of the above projects.

Revises the Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970 by providing that a State, regional, or local rail transportation agency must reimburse Amtrak for a fixed percentage (33 1/3) of the losses attributable to additional rail service requested by such agency.

Provides that if any railroad or any person controlling one or more railroads owns a number of shares of Amtrak in excess of 33 1/3 percent of the total number of common shares outstanding, such excess number shall, for voting and quorum purposes, be deemed to be not issued and outstanding.

Requires the Secretary of Transportation to study and report to the Congress on the potential for integrating rail service provided by Amtrak with other modes of transportation, with particular attention to the transportation needs of rural areas.

Extends the basic Amtrak system so as to provide adequate intercity rail service to major population areas of the 48 contiguous States, including the areas of Boise, Sioux Falls, Manchester, Portland, Maine, and Des Moines.

Changes the designation of under Secretary of Transportation to Deputy Secretary of Transportation.