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Amtrak long distance trains: does less than daily make any sense?
Amtrak has recently requested additional funds to cover operating costs and reduced revenue because of the Covid-19 pandemic. A corollary to this request is a plan to reduce long distance service from daily (in most cases) to three or four times a week. RailPAC President Steve Roberts replies: Amtrak’s request for funds – How should […]
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RailPAC comments at Metrolink special board meeting, May 29, 2020
Click here for Metrolink May 29, 2020 meet agenda link showing the Item 8, draft recovery plan. May 28, 2020 Chair Brian Humphries and BoardSouthern California Regional Rail AuthorityLos Angeles, CA SPECIAL BOARD MEETING FRIDAY 29 MAY, 2020 PUBLIC COMMENT RailPAC, the Rail Passenger Association of California and Nevada has been a consistent supporter of […]
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RailPAC submits letter to San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority in response to proposed cuts to Thruway Bus Network
May 28, 2020 Honorable Vito Chiesa, Chair San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority 949 East Channel Street Stockton, CA 95202 May 29, 2020 SJJPA Board Meeting Agenda Item 7, Thruway Bus Network Changes Dear Chair Chiesa and Board Members. At this difficult time the Rail Passenger Association of California and Nevada recognizes that with the reduction […]
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RailPAC submits comment letter on California High Speed Rail Authority’s Draft 2020 Business Plan
California High Speed Rail Authority’s Draft 2020 Business Plan was issued February 12, 2020. The public comment period is open until June 1, 2020 RailPAC’s submitted public comment letter is below: California High-Speed Rail Authority 770 L Street, Suite 620Sacramento, CA 95814 May 21, 2020 Dear CHSRA Board Members: After review of the 2020 California […]
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RailPAC co-signs letter highlighting opportunities to cut the costs of extending Caltrain into the Transbay Terminal in downtown San Francisco
May 14, 2020 Dear Mayor Breed, This letter comes from groups committed to the idea that that getting Caltrain connected to 10 other rail lines and over 40 bus lines in downtown San Francisco would be a major move toward seamless transit and therefore deserving of a high priority. The attached report […]
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RailPAC Commentary on Metrolink Antelope Valley Line Improvements
RailPAC has been urging LA Metro and Metrolink to double truck the line between Burbank and Santa Clarita for more than two decades. We finally have a down payment from the State, with some matching funds from other sources. Why am I less than excited by this news? Two and a half decades have passed […]
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2020 Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP) Grants Awarded
This past week the California State Transportation Agency announced the 2020 grants distributed as part of the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP). Created by SB 862 in 2014, the TIRCP utilizes revenues from the State of the California’s cap-and-trade program and vehicle registration fees to fund capital projects that reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) […]
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Coronavirus Relief Package Includes $1 Billion for Amtrak, $25 Billion for Transit Agencies
In late March 2020, RailPAC was one of over 240 signers from across the country (including elected officials, cities and organizations) on a letter written by Transportation for America (T4America) and the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). The letter urged Congress to provide $13 billion in emergency funding for public transportation and passenger rail service. […]