Investigation Into Amtrak Sewage Dumping Ordered

In an effort to increase pressure on Amtrak to improve local service, the Orange County Transportation Commission has ordered its staff to investigate whether trains operated by the Washington-based rail agency have been dumping raw sewage along tracks in the county.

Amtrak officials initially denied that their San Diegan trains running between Los Angeles and San Diego dump untreated sewage anywhere along the route.

“It’s all retained on board, airline-style,” said Arthur L. Lloyd, Amtrak’s San Francisco-based spokesman.

But Lloyd said Tuesday that another train--the “Desert Wind,” which runs between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City--does dump raw sewage on the tracks when it goes through Orange County.

“Railroads have been doing this for more than 100 years,” he said. “There are no harmful health effects.”

Lloyd said the sewage is not chemically treated but is emitted as “a fine spray when discharged at high speeds.”

Orange County Transportation Commissioner Dana W. Reed raised the sewage issue during a meeting Monday in Santa Ana. Referring to a Florida lawsuit filed recently against Amtrak over sewage dumping, Reed asked for an investigation to see if dumping was being done in Orange County. He also raised the possibility of legal action if evidence of improper disposal is found.

“I think it’s a disgusting thing to do,” Reed said of the dumping Tuesday.

Reed admitted his request for an investigation was prompted by “our troubles with Amtrak” and his participation two weeks ago in talks with Amtrak officials in Washington.

Those talks were aimed at resolving complaints from OCTC and the Los Angeles-San Diego Rail Corridor Agency about declining ridership on the San Diegan trains, a drop in on-time performance and the need for Amtrak to spend money on improvements.

Also, Reed has been part of an effort to add two trains to the route during the massive, disruptive Santa Ana Freeway widening project, already under way.

Amtrak officials have said they cannot afford improvements, even though OCTC and other agencies have agreed to pick up part of the cost.

A major factor in the decline of on-time performance, Amtrak officials said, is the route’s aging signal system. Amtrak is involved in an extensive rail replacement program, but county officials contend that Amtrak only reluctantly agreed to the project.

Ridership on Amtrak’s San Diegan is seasonal and ranges between 115,000 and 190,000 boardings per month.