Arizona Rail Passenger Association

from the The Business Journal of Phoenix – March 16, 2007; by Mike Sunnucks.

Gov. Janet Napolitano’s pursuit of a possible commuter rail line between Phoenix and Tucson is facing skepticism about its financial and practical viability.

Napolitano ordered the Arizona Department of Transportation to study possible rail and transit lines throughout the state, including routes between Phoenix and Tucson as well as one between Phoenix and its West Valley suburbs…

The idea of a passenger rail line between Phoenix and Tucson has been proposed before, facing similar questions about viability and cost…

“If passenger rail was cost effective, private businesses already would have done it. If we look at the Amtrak boondoggle, this really gives us food for thought,” said state Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Ron Gould…

Peoria Mayor Bob Barrett said he is open to looking at rail links between Phoenix and the West Valley, as well as Phoenix and Tucson…

“What would you do when you get there?” said Barrett, pointing out that Phoenix and Tucson do not have large downtown areas or existing mass transit like older cities such as Boston, Washington, D.C., or San Francisco…

A rail link to Phoenix has some support from business and political leaders in Tucson… John Dougherty, vice president of the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, said a rail line could link to downtown Tucson and offer commuter service to Pinal and other suburbs south of Phoenix…

“We are very much in favor of rail, especially as an alternative to building ever more and ever wider freeways,” said Sandy Bahr, state director for the Sierra Club…

Rest of the story at the Business Journal

Editorial, Tucson Daily Star, 14 March 2007

Arizona needs to move aggressively to create a commuter rail line between Tucson and Phoenix and to beef up mass transit throughout the state.

The sooner we build these transportation improvements, the better… we think it is essential for Arizona to get moving with plans for a modern transportation system that includes a high-speed commuter rail line between Tucson and Phoenix, light-rail systems for intracity transportation, modern electric streetcars and energy-efficient buses…

We look for strong advocacy, especially from Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl, who have risen to positions of prominence in both the Republican Party and the Senate. Aggressive advocacy is essential to meet the growth needs of Arizona, and we look to our governor and our delegation in Washington to exert leadership in this area.

Rest of the story in the Tucson Daily Star

Arizona Republic, 11 February 2007, Editorial

The possibilities of a passenger train cruising between Phoenix and Tucson, or commuter rail systems linking the Valley, have long intrigued rail buffs and others, especially as our roads grow more congested.

Over the years, various governors have mused about establishing passenger or commuter rail lines, but the ideas invariably have been set aside as costly or impractical.

Now, Gov. Janet Napolitano is intent on exploring the potential of rail and putting some projects on track. It’s a bold move, fraught with considerable challenges – from obtaining the right-of-way for passenger trains to operate to convincing a highly skeptical Legislature to back rail travel.

Napolitano has asked the Arizona Department of Transportation to lay out several options, including a passenger rail line to connect Phoenix and Tucson by Feb. 14, 2012, the state’s 100th birthday.

Rest of the story in the Republic

From Governor Napolitano’s 2007 State of the State Address [PDF]

We also need to explore transportation innovations. Today, I am directing the Arizona Department of Transportation to provide for us, within the next 90 days, a list of options for mass transit – including commuter rail and light rail – so that this can be part of our transportation planning as we grow.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22 — Amtrak could see a ridership growth spurt of 50 percent in the next five to 10 years, but it would require billions of state and federal dollars invested in the tracks of other railroads, and millions more of private investment in passenger rail cars, the new president of the railroad said Thursday in an interview.

“The stars may be aligning” for a renaissance of rail, both passenger and freight, said Alexander K. Kummant, who was named president of Amtrak in September, after the board fired his predecessor, David L. Gunn.

Rest of the story:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/23/washington/23amtrak.html?ei=5070