RAIL PASSENGER ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA 1017 L Street PMB 217, Sacramento, CA 95814 New Year message from Paul Dyson, RailPAC President: I think it’s fair to say that RailPAC has had a moderately successful year in 2008, a year that has involved a lot of swimming upstream and around all sorts of obstacles. We pass a…
From Phoenix, Arizona; Santa Fe, New Mexico, Dallas-Ft. Worth Texas, and California. Comments by Russ Jackson, RailPAC Secretary-Emeritus. Photos by contibuting photographers with our thanks. This year’s Christmas tree is from Phoenix on December 13. (Photo by Gene Holmerud) After the tree lighting ceremony “the second act was free rides that left the Central &…
Reported by Chuck Robuck, CC Riders President, RailPAC Member from Auburn FYI, I attended this meeting as a CC Rider rep and wanted to give you a brief recap. BACKGROUND The purpose of the meeting was to reconstitute the Funding Strategy Steering Committee that had been established several years ago to look at Placer County…
Reported by Gene Skoropowski In spite of the big Thanksgiving weekend travel surge, ridership growth for November 2008 in all of California was quite modest, likely reflecting the impacts of both the economic downturn, as well as falling gas prices. Sustained on-time performance on the Capitol Corridor has helped keep riders, and improved on-time performance…
RailPAC Letter from President Paul Dyson December 4, 2008 Supervisor Mike Antonovich The Hon. Ara Najarian Mayor of the City of Glendale, California Hon Art Brown Council member, Buena Park Via E-Mail METROLINK WEEKEND SCHEDULES – TRIPLE TRAVEL OPTIONS AT NO COST Dear Mayor Metrolink Board members: What do we mean when we say…
. . . PHOTOS and Commentary by Russ Jackson . . . December, 2008. Dare I say “what a month” again? What else can you say about a month that saw the election of a new direction for our country and presumably for passenger rail transportation, and the approval of many rail initiatives including RailPAC-supported…
Editorial by Noel T. Braymer Amtrak was created by politics and remains a child of politics. The recent resignation of Amtrak President Kummant doesn’t come as a major surprise. It is doubtful that he would have the support of the new administration. There are stories of friction between Mr. Kummant and the Amtrak Board. Also…
By Noel T. Braymer Proposition R raises the sale tax another half cent in Los Angeles County. This money will be used to help build the “subway to the sea” which will extend subway service west down Wilshire Blvd. There will be money to extend Light Rail on the Gold Line east from Pasadena towards…
Commentary and Photos by Russ Jackson NOTE: This column first appeared in the November, 2008, issue of the Western Rail Passenger Review. Tracking the News will now also appear here monthly, with color pictures added. Your comments will be appreciated. November, 2008. Elections, elections, elections. That is the focus of attention as this edition goes…
From Gene Skoropowski Northern California Corridor ridership on the Capitol Corridor and San Joaquins continues double-digit growth, despite economic slowdown and falling gas prices, while the Pacific Surfliner ridership levelled off after months of growth. Ridership and revenue results for the month of October 2008 (the first of the new Federal Fiscal Year) remain strong…