Introduction

In this Passenger Rail Update we mark Congress’s passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in November last year, which provides a range of passenger rail funding opportunities. We also note Amtrak’s announced support for the proposed merger between the Canadian Pacific (“CP”) and the Kansas City Southern (“KCS”) Class I railroads, which is currently pending before the Surface Transportation Board (“STB”). Finally, we review a recent Illinois federal district court case discussing whether a freight railroad’s common carrier obligation includes the obligation to provide passenger rail service (spoiler alert—the court held that it does not).

(The authors note at the outset that they represent the Commuter Rail Division of the Regional Transportation Authority, d/b/a Metra, as a party in the CP-KCS merger proceedings before the STB in FD No. 36500, and as Metra’s outside rail counsel in the Illinois district court case discussed below.)

Introduction

This edition of the Commuter Rail Update delves into a recent decision issued by the Surface Transportation Board (“STB”) concerning cost allocation between Regional Transportation Authority’s Commuter Rail Division (“Metra”) and the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (“Amtrak”) for use of Amtrak’s Chicago Union Station. We also highlight New Jersey Transit’s award of a $1.6 billion contract to conduct a much-needed replacement of the Portal North Bridge connecting New Jersey to New York City.

Surface Transportation Board Issues Decision in Dispute Between Amtrak and City of Chicago Over Access to the Chicago Union Station

The Biden Administration has issued a number of directives to public transportation providers, including operators of passenger rail service, directing operating entities to require that all persons working in their systems or using their services wear masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.  While these directives provide that any individual who fails to comply with the mask mandate will violate federal law, the directives make public transportation providers responsible for requiring masks, but do not specify a mechanism for enforcing those requirements.  As the directives stand as of the date of this blog entry, the policy goal is clear and the directives identify various means for penalizing public transportation providers who fail to adhere to the requirements – but they do not specify an enforcement regime. We expect TSA and FTA will issue further guidance, so watch this space.

Introduction

Recent news in the passenger rail transportation regulatory field includes the following:

♦   FRA Awards $47.5M to CRISI Grant to NCDOT
♦   FRA Plans Releases Final Rule of Particular Applicability and Record of Decision for Texas Central Railroad
♦   Massachusetts’ Lawmakers Push for State Acquisition of Pan Am Railways
♦   Colorado Receives Funding for Passenger Rail Study
♦   Montana Hosts Virtual Rail Passenger Summit

Read on for details.

Introduction
 
            The passenger rail sphere has seen a number of developments in the spring of 2020 on the regulatory and funding fronts, including:

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