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Trainsmag.com just reported that With Chicago Union Station as a backdrop, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., on Sunday called for Congress to pass a $1.8 billion Amtrak security and tunnel improvement bill.
The Senate Commerce Committee last week approved the measure, which would allow Amtrak to hire more police officers and modernize tunnels leading to Penn Station in New York, as well as those in Baltimore and Washington. The lion's share of the funding - about $1 billion - would go to the tunnels.
"Despite Amtrak's quick response to the post-Sept 11 service demands, the fact remains: Amtrak needs additional resources to provide the security and safety necessary to operate under the looming threat of terrorist attacks," Durbin said at the news conference.
The entire Senate may consider the bill this week, the Chicago Tribune reported. The measure does not include funding for metal detectors or X-ray checks of baggage aboard trains.
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I support Sen Durbin. The Bill is very important. Improving the safety & security of the tunnels, as well as bridges, is vital. Hiring more police officers is also needed. This would allow for additional patrol officers & investigators. Metal detector screening of all contents being placed on board would go a long way to providing a true, effective, and safe system. However, the sad reality is cost continues to outweigh safety in providing transportation for our citizens. The lack of any real improvement since 9/11 of private security working at metal detectors in airports, paid for by airlines, proves this point. Amtrak needs to be made safer to prevent it from becoming a high profile target for terrorists but it cannot do it on it's own.
Posts: 218 | Registered: Mar 2001
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If it's between $1.8 billion for security and nothing at all, I support it. But remember that the bill once also included over a billion dollars to address Amtrak passenger capacity by fixing damaged passenger railcars and buying some new ones. That money was taken out to make the bill palatable to Sen. McCain, who thinks that ANY appropriation for Amtrak other than that absolutely necessary to protect the safety of passengers and crew is a waste of taxpayer money.
Posts: 22 | From: Chicago, IL | Registered: Aug 2000
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