RailPAC - A statewide membership organization working for the expansion and improvement of rail passenger service in California and Nevada

Subject: Support for the Coachella Valley-San Gorgonio Pass Rail Corridor Service Project Application for Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Grant Funding

Dear Administrator Bose:

The Rail Passengers Association of California and Nevada (RailPAC) fully supports the California Department of Transportation Division of Rail and Mass Transit’s (Caltrans) application for Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Grant funding for the Coachella Valley-San Gorgonio Pass Rail Corridor Service Tier II Project Approval and Environmental Documentation Project (Project). RailPAC is a 501c3 volunteer group of railroad professionals and advocates that has campaigned for improved personal mobility in California and the west since 1978.

RailPAC applauds this effort to advance additional intercity rail service between Los Angeles Union Station (“LAUS”) and the Coachella Valley. This new passenger rail service has long been a goal of our organization, the California State Rail Plan, and Riverside County, and has been studied at least seven times by public agencies since the early 1990s. The time for action is now.

If funded, the CRISI award would advance the project closer to construction and implementation of daily intercity rail service between Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley. With the Service Development Plan (SDP) and Tier I environmental clearance for the corridor expected to be approved in early 2022, the NEPA/CEQA Tier II environmental study is the next step toward fulfilling the transformative vision in partnership with the Federal Railroad Administration.

As a joint project between Caltrans and Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC), the local implementing agency, the project will provide for the following:

Preliminary engineering along the 76-mile eastern section of track to the 30% level; and
Project-level environmental clearance for up to six stations, a new third main track, and associated grade crossing and signal improvements on the eastern section of the corridor.

RailPAC fully supports the proposed CRISI grant to further develop the main feature of the preferred Build Alternative Option 1 (as described in the Project’s Tier 1 EIS/EIR): the construction of a new third mainline track along 76 miles of the Union Pacific (UP) Railroad’s existing Yuma Subdivision between Colton and Coachella. Given the capital costs of the third mainline track proposed from Colton to the Coachella Valley, RailPAC wants to emphasize the variety of benefits to passenger and freight rail that are possible with this investment in additional track capacity. Any proposed service in the Project corridor, and the capital improvements associated with it, is a building block for future service improvements and expansion. Laying the foundation for future expansion adds significant public value to the Coachella Valley – San Gorgonio Pass Rail Corridor Service Project (CVR). Examples of this expansion include:

Greater frequency and speed of CVR passenger trains, and extension south to the Imperial Valley
Daily Amtrak Sunset Limited
Benefits to Union Pacific freight rail
New California-Arizona regional passenger services

The State of California and RCTC are investing in regional mobility and transportation infrastructure, as well as in sustainable freight and goods movement, and are committed to matching funds for the CVR Project. This is a game-changing economic opportunity with environmental benefit to all communities along the route from Los Angeles to Coachella Valley.

Sincerely,

Brian Yanity

Vice President- South and Board Member,

Rail Passenger Association of California and Nevada (RailPAC)

Robert Manning

President, Southwest Rail Passenger Association

Board Member, Rail Passenger Association of California and Nevada (RailPAC)

November 4, 2021 by Brian Yanity

Amtrak Long Distance, Commentary, Electrification, Rail Technology

RailPAC submits comment letter to U.S. DOT on supply chain and freight issues

The majority of intercity and regional/commuter passenger rail service in the U.S. is on tracks shared with freight trains. Therefore, sufficient capacity, safety and reliability of the nation’s freight rail system is vital to the interest of rail passengers. These two different uses of railroad infrastructure need not be in conflict. Both passenger and freight trains sharing the same tracks will benefit from coordinated planning, efficient operations, and capital improvements.

RailPAC is pleased to offer this comment letter in response to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)’s Request for Information: America’s Supply Chains and the Transportation Industrial Base (Docket No. DOT-OST-2021-0106). RailPAC has provided written responses to particular freight and logistics topics on which the DOT seeking information from the public, as described by the notice of request for information

RailPAC’s 11-page comment letter can be read by clicking here.

October 18, 2021 by Brian Yanity

Events, Steel Wheels Conference

Registration for the RailPAC Annual Meeting on October 16th is Now Available!

Registration for the Steel Wheels Conference on October 16 is now available. Additional details and the registration link are available on the Events tab. As noted earlier, the in-person meeting has been canceled. The 2021 conference will be a Zoom meeting.

CITIZENS FOR RAIL CALIFORNIA dba RAIL PASSENGER ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEMBERS MEETING

Date: Saturday October 16, 2021

Time: 10 a.m. (Formal business meeting scheduled after the presentation)

Format: Zoom meeting (see below for registration and invitation details)

Agenda:

Welcome

In remembrance of Bruce Jenkins and Marcia Johnston

The 2021 Annual Meeting is being held in the memory of these two dedicated RailPAC members

Guest Speaker: Jim Allison, Manager of Planning, Capitol Corridor JPA

Business Meeting: To conduct the regular business of the organization:
To elect the Board of Directors.
To receive reports from the President and Secretary/Treasurer

Any other business

Meeting Registration: Register at http://railpac2021.eventbrite.com/

Upon Zoom registration, the invitation will be sent to the registrant’s email address. Please also check your Spam folder if it does not arrive. Please be advised last-minute registrations may be affected by a Zoom meeting cap.

Meeting Invitation: A day or two before the meeting, those who registered will be sent a Zoom invitation for connection on the day of the meeting.

Meeting Protocol: On Saturday October 16, for meeting security purposes, we will be using a “waiting room.” As a result, there will be a short delay between the time of your electronic connection with the meeting and your entrance into the meeting. Please mute your microphone upon meeting entry.

September 11, 2021 by Brian Yanity

Events, Steel Wheels Conference

RailPAC Annual Meeting will be held on Zoom, October 16

Out of caution due to the COVID situation, RailPAC has decided to hold its annual meeting on October 16 in a Zoom-only format. The in-person event, originally planned to be held at the California State Rail Museum in Sacramento, has been cancelled. More details will be provided soon..

August 28, 2021 by Brian Yanity

Commentary, eNewsletter

Update on Noel Braymer’s rail ENews

“As many of you have noticed, Noel Braymer’s ENews is no longer showing up every Monday in our inboxes. I wanted to give everyone an overview of the status of this popular information source. Over the past two years changes with the web vendors and the functionality of their products used to produce ENews combined with increases in the number of publications with “paywalls” has made it increasingly difficult and challenging to produce ENews using its traditional format. Noel tried very hard to make it work but things became increasingly unworkable. As a result we are taking a step-back to reevaluate the ways in which current news can be provided and products that might be available to achieve that goal at a reasonable cost. At present, there is no timeline for a replacement. So on behalf of myself, the RailPAC Board and all ENews readers I wish to thank Noel for all his hard work over the past decade in developing, editing and distributing ENews – including during his trips to Ireland. Thank you Noel.”

-Steve Roberts, RailPAC President

August 27, 2021 by Brian Yanity

Antelope Valley Line, LA Metro, Metrolink/SCCRA, SCORE Program

RailPAC submits comment letter on Draft EIR for Antelope Valley Line Capacity and Service Improvements Program

Brian Balderrama

Senior Director

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority

One Gateway Plaza

Mail Stop: 99-17-2

Los Angeles, CA 90012

Email: AVL@metro.net

August 22, 2021

Subject: Public Comment Letter on Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Antelope Valley Line Capacity and Service Improvements Program

Dear Mr. Balderrama,

The Rail Passenger Association of California and Nevada (RailPAC) is a two-state organization with membership throughout California and Nevada. RailPAC is a strong advocate for an expanded comprehensive public transportation network serving the entire state of California as well as Nevada. RailPAC is an all-volunteer non-profit passenger rail advocacy group, founded in 1978.

RailPAC fully supports the three capital projects in Antelope Valley Line (AVL) Capacity and Service Improvements Program Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR):

Balboa Double Track Extension located in the City of Los Angeles

Canyon Siding Extension located in the City of Santa Clarita

Lancaster Terminal Improvements located in the City of Lancaster

The three projects assessed in the EIR will provide the capacity required to allow Metrolink to increase AVL service to all-day 30-minute bi-directional headways between Los Angeles Union Station and the Santa Clarita Valley and up to 60-minute bi-directional headways between the Santa Clarita Valley and the Lancaster Terminal by the year 2028.

Upon completion, these three projects will benefit thousands of rail passengers each day on the Metrolink AVL- enabling a safer, more reliable and more frequent passenger train service, improving on-time performance and operational flexibility, while reducing the risk of train delays and operational shutdowns during routine maintenance and incidents on the AVL.

Sincerely,

Brian Yanity

Vice President- South and Board Member,

Rail Passenger Association of California and Nevada (RailPAC)

Fullerton, California

August 22, 2021 by Brian Yanity

Central Coast

Central Coast Railroad Festival: October 1-2, 2021

The next Central Coast Railroad Festival will be held October 1-2, 2021 in San Luis Obispo and Northern Santa Barbara Counties, California. For location information and a full schedule click here.

August 13, 2021 by Brian Yanity

Amtrak Long Distance, Arizona, Bay Area, Caltrain, Commentary, Editorials, Electrification, High Speed Rail, LA Metro, LOSSAN, Metrolink/SCCRA, Nevada, Rail Photos, Rail Technology, SCORE Program, Steel Wheels Conference, Technical and Rolling Stock

Steel Wheels, 3rd Quarter 2021 Issue Available Online

Download the pdf of Steel Wheels, 3rd Quarter 2021 by clicking here.

In this issue:

Hydrogen and battery-electric rail propulsion
Dumbarton rail corridor
Amtrak dining
Amtrak to Glacier Park, group trip report
RailPAC California infrastructure priorities
Arizona News
Nevada News
RailPAC board member Marcia Johnston remembered
and more!

August 10, 2021 by Brian Yanity

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