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What’s it like to ride the train?
Commentary and Trip Report by Dana Hawkes I am taking the train from LA to Houston. It is nearly universal that people are surprised, they have never taken a long distance train ride, and they are very curious about what it is like, and when they learn it takes longer than a plane they wonder…
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Amtrak 40th Anniversary Exhibit Train… Coming soon!
Exhibit Train Schedule for the West Coast Can you hear the sound of a whistle? To commemorate our 40th Anniversary, we’ve put together a special train with displays of photos, uniforms, china, and memorabilia from America’s Railroad? while also offering a glimpse into the future. The Amtrak Exhibit Train is coming soon to a station…
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Update: Texas Eagle burglarized at San Antonio
Gene Poon has updated this story for us, giving more details of a story that has implications for Sunset Limited/Texas Eagle passengers going through San Antonio and laying overnight on the train there. San Antonio Police reportedly have gotten some suspects to talk about how the Texas Eagle was burglarized, and passenger hand baggage stolen…
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September 2011 CA Intercity Passenger Rail Performance
Reported by David B. Kutrosky, Managing Director, Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority Continuing the positive trend from the previous nineteen months, the Capitol Corridor performance in September 2011 maintained a steady upward trend compared to September 2010. September 2011 ridership was 145,894 an 11 % increase over September 2010. Revenue showed even better results with…
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Sacramento Rail station improvements underway
Commentary and photos by Russ Jackson, RailPAC Did you know the very busy Sacramento Valley Rail Station, known today as the Sacramento Amtrak Station on I Street, was built in the 1920’s on a lake bed? That lake, called “China Slough” and “Sutter Lake,” was filled in when the current historic station that still serves…
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Amtrak advisory, and a comment
See the special commentary at the end. Special employee advisory September 8, 2011 Message from Joe Boardman Dear Co-workers, The House Transportation Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee has released a proposal for FY ’12 that would significantly reduce Amtrak’s federal funding, specifically the operating support. The proposal also prohibits the use of federal operating…
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Train Travel; It’s the people you meet that make a difference
Report by Chuck Robuck, CCRiders With all the BAD news we are being bombarded with these days, I thought I’d share a GOOD story with you for a change. I have long been a believer in the “Karma” and “you reap what you sow” philosophies. This week, something happened that strengthens my belief in these…
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Some Amtrak California Zephyr Service to Resume
Trains 5 & 6 to operate between California and Colorado this weekend Reported by Amtrak and Gene Poon CHICAGO – Daily service by the Amtrak California Zephyr between San Francisco Bay Area and Denver will resume this weekend, effective with the departure of eastbound Train 6 from Emeryville, Calif., on Sept. 3, and the westbound…
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Building Credibility at the High Speed Rail Authority Board Meeting
August 25 Meeting Report by Bill Kerby, RailPAC Treasurer Public comments, invited by the High Speed Rail Authority (HSRA) Board at the opening of the meeting August 25, 2011, lasted about a half hour with two minute presentations: hiring opportunities for small businesses; environmental justice; support for HSRA recommended route alignments; and one instance where…
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Followup: A trucker looks at the Nevada Amtrak-truck crash
Recently the RailPAC website published four “theories” of how the July accident between a truck and Amtrak’s California Zephyr in the Nevada desert east of Reno might have happened (posted July 15, 2011). We asked Jason Brown, a commercial trucker, for his opinion on the events surrounding that crash. Commentary by Jason Brown for RailPAC.org…