Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 90 Part 1.djvu/171

 PUBLIC LAW 94-210—FEB. 5, 1976

90 STAT. 121

commuter rail authorities which are subject to such Panel, and (3) the Corporation, each of which shall pay one-third of such costs and expenses, unless otherwise determined by a majority of the members of such Panel. The Panel may adopt such rules of procedure and may employ such resources as it considers appropriate. It may issue preliminary and final orders, which shall have the force and effect of law, with respect to any difference of opinion concerning any operational matter which is the subject of such an order. No order of the Panel shall be subject to review by any court. Upon petition by any party subject to the Panel, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia shall enforce any final order issued by the Panel. REQUIRED

GOALS

SEC. 703. The Northeast Corridor improvement project shall be 45 USC 853. implemented by the Secretary in order to achieve the following goals: (1) INTERCITY RAIL PASSENGER SERVICES.—(A)(i) Within 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the establishment of regularly scheduled and dependable intercity rail passenger service between Boston, Massachusetts, and New York, New York, operating on a 3-hour-and-40-minute schedule, including appropriate intermediate stops; and regularly scheduled and dependable intercity rail passenger service between New York, New York, and Washington, District of Columbia, operating on a 2-hour-and-40-minute schedule, including appropriate intermediate stops. (ii) Improvements in facilities in accordance with route criteria approved by the Congress, on routes to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Albany, New York, from the Northeast Corridor main line, and from Springfield, Massachusetts, to Boston, Massachusetts, and New Haven, Connecticut, in order to facilitate compatibility with improved high-speed rail service operated on the Northeast Corridor main line. (B) The improvement of nonoperational portions of stations (as determined by the Secretary in consultation with the National Railroad Passenger Corporation) used in intercity rail passenger service and of related facilities and fencing. Fifty percent of the cost of such improvements shall be borne by States (or local or regional transportation authorities), except that the Secretary may, in his sole discretion, fund entirely any safety-related improvement. (C) The improvements required by this section shall be accomplished in a manner which is compatible with the accomplishment in the future of additional improvements in service levels, and which will produce the maximum labor benefit in terms of hiring persons who are presently unemployed. (D) The submission b;^ the Secretary and the National Railroad Passenger Corporation to the Congress of annual reports on progress achieved and work in progress and planned (including the need for further improvements) with respect to the completion of this program, including an up-to-date account;; ing of intercity passenger ridership, revenues from such ridership, expenses, and on-time dependability of intercity passenger trains in the Northeast Corridor. (E) Within 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Report to submission by the Secretary to the Congress of a report on the Congress, financial and operating results of the intercity rail passenger service established under this section, on the rail freight service improved and maintained pursuant to this section, and on the

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