Transportation Agency for Monterey County Rail Policy Committee Meeting Report for June 2, 2008 By Chris Flescher, RailPAC Associate Director TAMC is still studying alternatives for the Monterey Branch Line There are three being considered. 1. Enhanced bus service. This has a capital cost estimate of $46 million. 2. New combination of bus rapid transit…
California’s Capitol Corridor Month Of May Ridership, Surges 11% vs. 2007 From CCJPA SACRAMENTO —“The May 2008 Capitol Corridor statistics from Amtrak are again an all-time record high, as are the stats on the state’s other two corridor services, with the San Joaquins taking a very big leap upward in ridership,†reports Capitol Corridor chief…
June 2, 2008 From an interview with Mr. Bronte by Bill Kerby, RailPAC Treasurer, and posted with Mr. Bronte’s permission. William (Bill) Bronte, Chief-Caltrans Division of Rail, assumes new duties as the coordinator of the Trade Corridor Improvement Program mandated by Proposition 1B. Appointed by Caltrans Director, Mr. Will Kempton, Mr. Bronte’s new railroad duties…
Commentary by Noel T. Braymer  “People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices.” Adam Smith In a word the problem is inflation. Unlike the inflation of the 1970’s which was sparked by rising…
Capitol Hill Day with NARP Wednesday 30th April was Capitol Hill Day for the NARP Board. The three newly elected NARP Board members, all RailPAC members from California, RailPAC President Paul Dyson, members Ryan Stern and Dennis Lytton joined Jim Loomis from Hawaii (yes, really!) to visit representatives or their staffs on Capitol Hill. Pictured…
Report and PHOTOS by Noel T. Braymer For $159 dollars with the California Rail Pass you can travel on Amtrak trains and buses in California for 7 travel days over a period of 21 days! I had wanted to use the rail pass to travel around California for some time and the April 19 RailPAC/NARP…
Report and PHOTOS by Noel T. Braymer My final trip (of three) was a weekday trip up to the Bay Area. Again I took the early morning San Joaquin, the 711, on an almost full bus. The train was full by Fresno with crowds of school groups. Half of this San Joaquin was reserved for…
From Los Angeles Union Station More photos added 5/21 National Train Day Saturday, May 10 2008 Train Day banner above the waiting room Report and Photos by Robert Manning, RailPAC Director National Train Day started for my wife (Joyce) and me when we boarded Metrolink Train #353 at San Bernardino which departed promptly at 8:45…
From Los Angeles Union Station and Fullerton Photos by Mike Palmer for RailPAC (except as noted). NOTE: Other photos from LAUS are forthcoming and will be posted when they are available. A set of photos can also be found on Trainweb’s “What’s New” page. Visitors to Los Angeles Union Station from the MTA parking structure…
From San Luis Obispo Amtrak station! Photos by David Weisman for RailPAC The classic San Luis Obispo station sports its Train Day banner on May 10, 2008. Amtrak “Daylight” train set for 798/799 was at the platform for tours. This family enjoyed the day, among hundreds of others who came for the festivities. Inside the…