Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-FL), the Republican Leader of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, will convene briefings with public and private sector stakeholders for two days this week to review pending U.S. Department of Transportation plans to issue a Request for Proposals for U.S. high-speed passenger rail service.
In October, legislation Mica helped to author was signed into law that allows, for the first time, private sector participation in the development, financing, operation and maintenance of high-speed rail service in the U.S. By law, the Department of Transportation is required to solicit project proposals by December 15, 2008.
Participants in this week’s two meetings include representatives of some of the nation’s most prominent financial investment firms; manufacturers of trains, railroad equipment, and systems; federal, state and local governments; private rail operators; labor groups; and Amtrak.
“This historic law calls for the dramatic reform of passenger rail as we know it in the United States,” Rep. Mica said. “This week we will hear from many of the key stakeholders who will be instrumental in one of the most exciting transportation opportunities in recent memory – establishing high-speed rail service for the nation.”
Day One: Thursday, November 20, 2008; 2:30 P.M.
Rep. Mica High-Speed Rail Meeting, Northeast Corridor Focus
2253 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515
Expected participants include representatives of:
State Departments of Transportation: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware
City Departments of Transportation: Washington, D.C., New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Wilmington, DE
Federal Government: Federal Railroad Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation
Railroads and Labor: Amtrak, CSX, Norfolk Southern Corporation, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, United Transportation Union, AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department
Commuter Railroads: Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ TRANSIT), Virginia Railway Express (VRE), Maryland Transit Administration, Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corporation
Financial Investment Companies: Goldman Sachs & Co., PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Balfour Beatty Capital, Inc., Scotia Capital, RBC Capital Markets, Citigroup Investment Banking, Babcock & Brown, The Carlyle Group, Wolfe Research LLC, Macquarie Infrastructure Group
Additional: Coalition of Northeastern Governors, Business Alliance for Northeast Mobility
Day Two: Friday, November 21, 2008; 8:30 A.M.
Rep. Mica High-Speed Rail Meeting, National Focus
2253 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515
Expected participants include representatives of:
Manufacturers of trains, railroad equipment, and systems: Talgo Inc., Bombardier Transit Corporation, Wabtec Corp., Alstom, Ensco, Inc., Raul V. Bravo + Associates, Inc., LTK Engineering Services, New York Air Brake Corporation, Plasser American Corp., Lockheed Martin’s Positive Train Control System, Safetran Systems, Union Switch & Signal, Inc., Railway Supply Institute, Woolpert Engineering
States with high-speed rail corridors: State of New York, Florida DOT, Illinois DOT, North Carolina DOT, States for Passenger Rail Coalition, Texas High-Speed Rail & Transportation Corp, Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority, California High Speed Rail Authority, Office of Pennsylvania State House Transportation Committee Chairman Rick Geist
Rail Operators: Virgin Trains, Herzog, Veolia Transportation, National Rail Coalition, Amtrak
Architectural/Engineering/Construction Companies: Fluor Corporation, AECOM, Parsons Brinkerhoff, HNTB Corporation, Caltrain, URS Corporation, Commonwealth Research
Financial Investment Companies: Goldman Sachs & Co., PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Balfour Beatty Capital, Inc., Scotia Capital, RBC Capital Markets, Citigroup Investment Banking, Babcock & Brown, The Carlyle Group, Wolfe Research LLC, Macquarie Infrastructure Group
Federal Government: Federal Railroad Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation
Additional: Mineta Transportation Institute, Association of American Railroads, American Public Transportation Association, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
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