Amtrak's Capitol Limited Route runs along the Great Allegheny Passage, providing a great opportunity to increase accessibility to the trail. TTOC is advocating for "roll-on/roll-off" service along the route by reaching out to local elected officials, bike trail users, and communities who benefit from increased tourism.
The call-to action template letter instructions are below:
(It is also posted on-line at: www.gaptrail.org/trailtown.cfm [1].)
Lets get RoRo Rolling: Amtrak Call-to-Action
Dear Trail Supporter:
The Allegheny Trail Alliance and the Trail Town Program have been advocating for the roll-on/roll off service along Amtrak’s Capitol Limited Route and need your continued help! Thanks to your support we are that much closer to seeing this happen, and you can still contribute! The attached letter thanks Amtrak for their interest and encourages them to provide this service as soon as they can. Please adapt the letter below and make the necessary changes (as highlighted by quotation marks) to personalize it for your own situation and interest.
Amtrak prefers hard copies rather than e-mails, so we ask that you send a copy directly to the address listed in the supplemental letter below. Also, please mail a copy of your letter to the ATA at P.O. Box 501, Latrobe, PA 15650, or e-mail it to admin@atatrail.org [2] Your immediate help is necessary and greatly appreciated!
Thank you for your time!
SUPPORT LETTER:
Date
Mr. Joseph H. Boardman
President and CEO of Amtrak
National Railroad Passenger Corporation
60 Massachusetts Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20002
Dear Mr. Boardman,
Thank you for your interest in providing enhanced bicycle service on the Capitol Limited. I am excited by the prospect of being able to roll-on and roll-off on the Capitol Limited route between Pittsburgh, PA and Washington, DC. I am encouraged with the news that it might be available in Spring 2011. I want to bike the Great Allegheny Passage and the C&O Canal towpath and appreciate the opportunity to ride the rails before I ride the trails. I look forward to using the service "every year/month/week, especially between x and y."
We appreciate Amtrak’s commitment to enhancing tourism opportunities and multi-modal transportation networks.
Sincerely,
(Your signature)
Copy: Ray LaHood, Secretary, U. S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Ave, SE
Washington, DC 20590