RailPAC: Rail Passenger Association of CA & NV

RailPAC eNewsletter for July 28, 2014

Crowded San Joaquin route needs more Amtrak trains Visalia Times-Delta-Jul 22, 2014 And I’m not the only person who is riding. Amtrak publishes annual ridership statistics, and for several years in a row, the numbers have been going up for all of Amtrak California’s trains. But don’t take Amtrak’s word for it, see for yourself. The trains which…

August 1, 2014
The Southwest Chief: a “Rose-y” mid-summer update

Report and Commentary by Russ Jackson, RailPAC Opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of the RailPAC Board Here it is mid-summer, 2014, and no final decisions have been made about the future of Amtrak’s Southwest Chief; whether it will continue to run on its historic route west of Newton, Kansas…

July 31, 2014
Complete the Santa Cruz Passenger Rail Study Survey

Your ideas are important! The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (SCCRTC) is analyzing the feasibility of passenger rail transit service along the 32-mile Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line. Complete an Online Survey on “Passenger Rail Goals & Scenarios”. Your feedback will guide station, service scenario, and ridership analysis. Ensure the passenger rail study reflects everyone in…

July 29, 2014
SLO Rail Supporters Social Evening

Save the date! Wednesday – August 13, 2014 6:30 – 8:30 PM Meet local elected representatives including SLO Mayor and the Chair and Vice Chair of LOSSAN Light refreshments Donation minimum $10 RSVP essential to Paul Dyson

July 28, 2014
Annual Steel Wheels Conference

Saturday – November 15th 10:30 – 3:30 PM | Doors open at 10:00 California State Railroad Museum Auditorium, Sacramento Register Today Members: $35 / Non-members: $45 There’s still time to register for Steel Wheels in Sacramento, your chance to meet and question railroad officials and advocates and to learn about the state of the passenger…

July 28, 2014
Friday’s problems on the San Joaquins and Amateur Hour with the Bus Connections at Bakersfield.

Story and Photos by Noel T. Braymer I have known for years that July and August are the busiest months for Amtrak California. Having had 2 trips on Amtrak on Fridays this month I’ve learned that Fridays and Sundays are the busiest days on Amtrak in California. Unfortunately when there is a problem on the…

July 27, 2014
We Need More Connections to California High Speed Rail

By Noel T. Braymer It is looking more likely with secure funding from Cap and Trade money that the first 300 miles of High Speed Rail will be running between Burbank and Merced in the next 8-10 years.The High Speed Rail Authority is planning to finish 800 miles in California in about 16 years. However…

July 24, 2014
RailPAC eNewsletter for July 21, 2014

Fresno supervisors reject call to renounce high-speed rail ABC30.com-Jul 16, 2014 FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) A local attack on the California high-speed rail program fizzled in Fresno. An effort to get the Fresno County Board of Supervisors to renounce their support for the project died. It was backed by just one supervisor. July 21, 2014 The above…

July 24, 2014
The San Joaquins: California’s Overnight Trains?

By Noel T. Braymer Many would love to be able to catch a train in the evening and wake up near their destination from one end of California to the next. This isn’t likely to happen anytime soon. There has been talk for years about extending a round trip San Joaquin over the Tehachapis overnight…

July 17, 2014
RailPAC eNewsletter for July 14, 2014

The sorry state of Amtrak’s on-time performance, mapped Washington Post (blog)-Jul 10, 2014 Eight of the 33 routes, including most of the long-distance cross-country lines, experienced on-time arrivals less than 50 percent of the time over the past 12 months. The Empire Builder, running from Chicago to Washington, ran on time only 21 percent of the time…

July 17, 2014