Poll: Is Passenger Rail Service Important To America’s Future?

Passenger rail service, Amtrak, is a topic in the 2012 elections. Republican candidates vow to remove federal funding from Amtrak as ridership is increasing and stimulus funding is updating infrastructure. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 has invested billions in our national railroad infrastructure, working toward improved rail service for passengers and transporting goods.

Between New York and Washington, Amtrak said, 75 percent of travelers go by train, a huge share that has been building steadily since the Acela was introduced in 2000 and airport security was tightened after 2001. Before that, Amtrak had just over a third of the business between New York and Washington.

In the same period, Amtrak said, its market share between New York and Boston grew to 54 percent from 20 percent.

Nationally, Amtrak ridership is at a record 30 million people; the Northeast accounts for more than a third of that and is virtually the only portion of Amtrak’s system that makes money. (Frustrations of Air Travel Push Passengers to Amtrak)

I’ve taken numerous trips via Amtrak in the last few years and think it’s a great way to travel. No form of transit is without subsidy, we subsidize all other forms of travel.

Which brings us to the poll question this week: is passenger rail service important to America’s future? The poll is located in the right sidebar.

— Steve Patterson

Great Ghost Sign In East St. Louis

I’m now curious about “Langley & Reed Bicycle Repairing.”

Where in East St. Louis IL was it located? How long was it in business?  Who were Langley & Reed the ?

I miss painted signs/advertising, so much more permanent and interesting than modern backlit signs.

— Steve Patterson

Storefront Still Vacant A Decade Later, Tax Dollars Wasted?

The Renaissance Hotel, Ballrooms and parking garage were built in 2002, a decade ago. Like most deals, it was complicated and players took fees off the top.  But tax money was also involved.

The Missouri Development Finance Board was involved in the financing of the hotel and building the garage, from their 2003 annual report:

The decrease in operating income from 2002 to 2003 is primarily related to the decrease in loan and note receivable interest income from 2002 due to the pay off of the St. Louis Convention Center Hotel loan receivable. The St. Louis Convention Center Hotel loan’s outstanding balance as of June 30, 2002, was $13,455,000 with an interest rate of 9.5% with interest income of $1,753,225 and $759,329 earned in FY2002 and FY2003, respectively. Other considerations for the decrease in operating income are a decline in participation fee income of $179,540 and an increase in professional fees of $139,862 for FY2003.

I just find it curious when I go down 10th Street I see a thriving Stefano’s and an Edible Arrangements location on the west side of this building but on the east side, facing the hotel, a retail space remains empty — for a decade! Shouldn’t someone be trying to get this space leased? What must visitors think when they see this?

A restaurant with sidewalk dining would be nice, the building would provide shade for dinner. The city has the parking lane marked off as no parking, that’d need to change to lease this space. But how does it happen that no visible effort is made to lease a space for a decade?

— Steve Patterson

Reducing Waste…Or Not

A sign over drinking fountains in a building at Washington University School of Medicine caught my eye last recently.

I love the idea of encouraging the reuse of  bottles, I do that at home for water to go. Meanwhile the cafe is wasting plastic on customers eating there. Maybe get the cafe a commercial dishwasher?

— Steve Patterson

No Surprise, Readers Pick McCaskill Over Akin

Nobody should be shocked that readers overwhelmingly selected Sen. Claire McCaskill over Rep. Todd Akin last week. Readers of this blog are largely from the City of St. Louis, the opposite of voters in Missouri.

Q:  Which candidate do you want to be elected the next US Senator from Missouri?

1. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D) 143 [71.86%]
2. Rep. Todd Akin (R) 35 [17.59%]
3. Neutral/unsure/no opinion 21 [10.55%]

Without a doubt McCaskill will carry St. Louis. In the 2006 general election McCaskill received 95.56% of the vote in St. Louis, Republican challenger Jim Talent received just 3.6%. (two minor party candidates made up the difference)

The 2006 statewide numbers were very different. McCaskill received 49.6% of the vote to Talent’s 47.3% (see results).

Akin would be bad for urban cities. Akin voted against HB2847 (Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations) in December 2009, for example. Other nays include reauthorization of Amtrak. See Akin’s votes on transportation bills here.

Please join me in supporting Sen, Claire McCaskill on November 6th.

— Steve Patterson