State of the Association By Paul Dyson, RailPAC President Honored Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen: While it’s normal at an Annual meeting of members to hear a number of reports from Officers of the Association, in the interests of putting together an interesting program, and our activities and plans into a single “State of the Association 
California State Rail Museum, Old Sacramento Reported by Russ Jackson Photos by the writer except where noted. Amtrak 6, the eastbound California Zephyr arrived at the Sacramento station at 9:45 on 4/19. The gateway to Old Sacramento and the Rail Museum is at the west end of the platform. (Mike Palmer photo) What a great…
In The Stanford Room at the California State Rail Museum, Old Sacramento (west of the main museum building) PROGRAM INFORMATION and RESERVATION FORM THIS EVENT IS NOW S O L D O U T! Confirmed Speakers: Don Phillips, long time rail writer and special columnist for TRAINS Magazine! (Photo © 2008 TRAINS Magazine. Reprinted with…
Reported by Gene Skoropowski, Managing Director, Capitol Corridor Americans won’t ride trains? Are you sitting down? If any evidence to the contrary is needed, just use these California statistics. If the “auto capital of the world” is attracting this kind of intercity passenger market, the naysayers for rail investment can indeed be effectively countered with…
SMART: Sunset Marketing and Revitalization Team Meeting Report, New Orleans, March 29, 2008 PHOTOS and trip report, by Robert Manning, RailPAC Director SMART is a grass-roots organization formed January 19, 2008 in order to “Save and promote Amtrak’s long distance passenger train the Sunset Limited.” This diverse group, comprised mostly of people from the Gulf…
NOTE: Information about the day’s schedule is posted on the Event post. Dear RailPAC members and friends, Amtrak is sponsoring National Train Day on May 10. This is a great opportunity to spread the word about RailPAC and the need for more passenger rail service. There will be events around the state both big and…
Editorial by Noel T. Braymer Ridership on Amtrak, commuter and transit trains is growing and reaching all time records. Los Angeles will see the extension of the Gold Line from LAUS out to East Los Angeles by late next year and the start up of the Expo Line to Culver City by 2010. Metrolink will…
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY RAIL COMMITTEE March 27, 2008, Fresno Meeting Report by Russ Jackson and Bruce Jenkins Photos by Russ Jackson What a day it was! The trip to SJVRC meetings on a San Joaquin train is always a treat, and today was no exception. Train 712 was on time to Fresno, which always is…
A Report from Fresno on “Collaboration” By Bill Kerby, RailPAC Treasurer In a five step plan, AMTRAK and Caltrans on March 27th presented results to the San Joaquin Valley Rail Committee (SJVRC) of a performance enhancement initiative that began in mid-2007. The first of these steps elevated service delivery, fare structure and marketing changes for…
Official letter received March 21, sent by e-mail to RailPAC President Paul Dyson. Dear Mr. Dyson: Thank you for your email (not posted here) that I received yesterday. At the direction of our President and CEO, Alex Kummant, Amtrak is already in the process of reviewing our current operation of the Coast Starlight as we…