Tim Geeslin opened the first TXARP meeting to be held in Southeast Texas.    The Galveston site was a good choice with very good Accommodations for the attendees.    The meeting ran from 10:00 am until around 4:00 pm.     The theme of the meeting was "How do we Promote, Improve, and Expand Rail Passenger Service in Southeast Texas?"

Mr. Travis Hinton, Chief Operating Officer, Amtrak InterCity, addresses the attendees.     Mr. Hinton was very candid and had everyone's attention with his comments.     He fielded questions from the floor with surprising directness answering what he could.     He would be a most welcome speaker for any future event.

Mrs. Joy Smith, General Manager, Southwest Business Group speaks to her friends in TXARP.     Joy is known to just about everyone in the region and was animated as always talking about her trains.     She addressed some concerns on the operation of the Sunset Limited and announced the schedule changes that are being put into place to try and improve on time performance of the only Transcontinental Passenger Service in the United States.

Tim Geeslin again as in the Fort Worth NARP meeting has managed to do wonders with the $25.00 registration fee.     Again he has managed to include a good luncheon within that modest fee.     The hotel staff did a good job taking care of all of our needs not just lunch.

Dr. Bill Pollard of Conway AR, is addressing the group explaining the TEMPO marketing organization and how it was formed.     Dr. Pollard is a member of the team that markets the Texas Eagle and sets prices and such.     The Texas Eagle has come from being almost extinct to the current best performer of Amtrak's long haul trains.     Bill is a long time TXARP member and a NARP Director for Region 9.     There were three NARP Directors present for the TXARP meeting.

Mr. Peter Bryan, Member, Amtrak Advisory Committee is addressing the group explaining how and what the group does.     Peter will leave the board this year and someone else will be elected to take his place.     He has been very active in his support of rail passengers.

Mr. Jerome Trahan, Executive Director, Crescent Promotions outlined what is planned for the extension of the Crescent service into the Dallas / Fort Worth Area in a few months.    The new service has a name, the Crescent Star.

The final speaker for the day was Ms. Shirley Delibero, President & CEO, Houston Metro.     Ms. Delibero spoke of the challenges of getting a light rail project off the ground in Houston     You have to give Metro credit, in spite of the fact that funding was blocked by Congress, they are going ahead with construction of a starter route.     Ms. Delibero was instrumental in the early planning stages of helping to make the Dallas Light Rail System a reality when she was with DART.