RailPAC: Rail Passenger Association of CA & NV

eNewsletter for January 21, 2013

The Surfliner Express has been around since February of 2011. Ridership has continued to drop since then and is lower than the all stops service this express train replaced. In October 2012 ridership was 29 percent lower than October 2011. This experiment should end as soon as possible. What is needed is to reduce running…

January 26, 2013
Rail PHOTOS of the Month (January, 2013)

Here are 5 photos by RailPAC photographers. Click on the photo to see it full size! 1. Looking out the rear window of a Superliner car can bring some great views. Here the Coast Starlight, Train 14, is departing the Chemult, Oregon station. (Photo by Alex Friedman) 2. Passengers are boarding the eastbound California Zephyr…

January 24, 2013
A Business Analysis of the San Diego Metroliners

By Andrew C. Selden NOTE: This article appeared as the first article in the first issue of the “RailPAC Quarterly Review,” in September, 1984. What Mr. Selden said then bears close resemblance to the situation facing the Amtrak “experiment” with a morning limited stop train on the same corridor in 2013. Mr. Selden is President…

January 24, 2013
What the Southwest Chief Should Be

Report by Noel T. Braymer Imagine you are at the Albuquerque Train Station and you can catch a train there to Fresno or Denver, St Louis, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C. as well as Chicago and Los Angeles. How many “trains” would be needed to do this? Well 5 but they would all arrive at Albuquerque…

January 19, 2013
eNewsletter for January 14, 2013

Amtrak’s annual operating loss last year was lowest since 1975, ..Washington Post-Jan 10, 2013 The $361 million loss for the year ending Sept. 30 was down 19 percent from the previous year. The last time Amtrak losses were less was 1975.What is significant about the year 1976 is that is when Amtrak was given the…

January 19, 2013
Preserve the Railyards “Depot” site for an Intermodal District and Build Affordable Rental Units in the Railyards

Commentary By Chuck Robuck, RailPAC Director, Sacramento, and former President, CC Riders In the past, the City of Sacramento has proposed building BOTH an Arena and an Intermodal Transit Facility on the City-owned 13-acre parcel near the Historic Train Depot (AKA the “Depot” site). There is clearly not enough space on this site to accommodate…

January 13, 2013
eNewsletter for January 7, 2913

Senate confirms two Amtrak board members Progressive Rail Roading-Jan 3, 2013 The U.S. Senate confirmed Christopher Beall and Yvonne Brathwaite Burke as new members of Amtrak’s board, Amtrak announced today. They will serve five-year terms. The addition of Ms. Burke, who is also a member of the California Transportation Commission and former member of Congress…

January 12, 2013
What has Amtrak President Joseph Boardman accomplished ?

Opinion by Noel T. Braymer Amtrak President Joseph Boardman has the best of intentions. He gave priority to improving Long Distance Rail service with proposals to run daily service on the Sunset. He has supported studies to bring back the Pioneer, extend the Heartland Flyer to Kansas City, return service on the Gulf Coast between…

January 11, 2013
eNewsletter for December 31, 2012

Bike Nation is a Bicycle Rental Company which often uses train stations as part of serving a downtown area for short trips . Renters can drop off bikes near their destination downtown at a Bike Nation bike rack, then pick up another bike to get back to the train station. This is a start up…

January 5, 2013
What will be in the California State Rail Plan?

Opinion by Noel T. Braymer On February 8th a draft for a revised State Rail Plan will be released and with it will begin during the month of February a period for public comment about the plan. What makes this edition of the State Rail Plan special is that it will cover the plans for…

January 5, 2013