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Arizona and passenger rail: Now and in the exciting future
Report and Commentary by Russ Jackson, PHOTOS by Russ Jackson, Mike Palmer, Bill Lindley. We all know that two major transcontinental railroads have crossed the state of Arizona for over 100 years, built by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe in the north and the Southern Pacific across the southern route. Today the AT&SF is…
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What’s next for LOSSAN?
By Paul Dyson President, Rail Passenger Association of California and Nevada The LOSSAN Board met Monday 19th November in the wake of the unanimous decision by NCTD on Thursday 15th to reject the proposed Joint Powers Board. Some of the reasons: The expected $79,000 share of the cost to set up the agency, and, after…
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PHOTOS of the MONTH from RailPAC (November)
Here are 5 photos taken by RailPAC photographers. Clic on the photo to see it full size! 1. The Coast Starlight in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon in October, 2012. Photo by Alexander Friedman. 2. The eastbound California Zephyr has arrived at Sacramento’s new platform on September 15, 2012. RailPAC in action: Two passengers found…
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November 15th workshop for the Sacramento Valley Station Phase 2
Meeting notice from Gregory Taylor, Project Manager, Sacramento Valley Station Phase 2, Department of Public Works “The City of Sacramento is asking for help getting passengers to attend our workshop. We need patrons of the longer haul trains from the station – Coast Starlight, California Zephyr, and the San Joaquins. With the active participation of…
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Transportation Agency for Monterey County meeting report
Rail Committee meeting held August 6, 2012 Report by Chris Flescher, Salinas RailPAC Director Santa Cruz Branch Line George Dondero, the Executive Director of the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (SCCRTC), made a presentation. In (last) December, the Sierra Northern Railroad pulled out of an agreement to operate service on the branch line. The…
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PHOTOS of the Month: October, 2012
5 new Rail PHOTOS taken by RailPAC Photographers! 1. Amtrak’s Capitol Limited arrives at Cumberland, Maryland, on September 28, 2012. Lots of CSX trackwork in the area caused 90 minute delays, but the tracks are much smoother. Photo by Mike Palmer. 2. The Galloping Goose is now running on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic in…
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Caltrain Modernization Program
Report by Bruce Jenkins, RailPAC Director Caltrain is the commuter railroad operating on it’s own Right of Way (RoW) from San Francisco to San Jose with a limited six train service further south to Gilroy on Union Pacific RoW. The San Francisco/San Jose leg has been a rail commuter line since 1863 and was known…
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The Texas Eagle in Illinois and the San Joaquins in California
Commentary by Ralph James, RailPAC contributor On October 2, 2012, the Railway Age “blog” contained an article by Lyndon Henry, “Texas Eagle highlights passenger train success,” which was included in the October 8 RailPAC weekly e-newsletter. In that article a statement is made that the Chicago-St. Louis upgrades on the Union Pacific will not affect…
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YES, Long-Distance Amtrak Trains are Crowded!
Trip Report on the Southwest Chief and the Empire Builder Commentary by Andrew C. Selden, MinnARP, Minneapolis Recently I rode Los Angeles-Chicago on Amtrak’s Southwest Chief #4 over a weekend and it was jammed the entire way. There were two sleepers and just two coaches, which the crew—conductor and service crew alike—reported was a standard…
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To Sacramento by way of the Sunset Limited-Texas Eagle
Photo and Trip Report in newly rebuilt Superliner cars by Russ Jackson, RailPAC “It isn’t the destination it’s the journey.” That’s what the retired doctor sitting across from us in the Sunset Limited dining car said about train travel. He was the personification of that statement, as his trip started in Seattle on the Coast…