RailPAC: Rail Passenger Association of CA & NV

Sacramento Rail station improvements underway

Commentary and photos by Russ Jackson, RailPAC Did you know the very busy Sacramento Valley Rail Station, known today as the Sacramento Amtrak Station on I Street, was built in the 1920’s on a lake bed? That lake, called “China Slough” and “Sutter Lake,” was filled in when the current historic station that still serves…

October 6, 2011
eNewsletter for October 3, 2011

The view from the driver seat of a Metrolink Sealed Corridor grade crossing. This is the Almond St. crossing in Orange. Notice the central medians which discourage vehicles from going around the gates. There are quad gates: barriers blocking all corners of the intersection. There are also gates blocking the sidewalks to keep pedestrians from…

October 5, 2011
eNewsletter for September 26, 2011

More rail service could spring from new agency SignOnSanDiego.com – Sep 23, 2011 The San Diego-LA-San Luis Obisbo rail corridor — known as LOSSAN to officials … no farther than Northern California for a role model: the Capitol Corridor … September 26, 2011 The above copy of this enewletter is on a PDF file and…

September 28, 2011
eNewsletter for September 19, 2011

Suit in fatal NV Amtrak crash says door locked San Jose Mercury News – Sept 15, 2011 Another lawsuit filed against Amtrak in the fatal crash with a truck in Nevada this summer blames a locked door on the train for making the disaster worse … September 19, 2011 The above copy of this enewletter…

September 21, 2011
eNewsletter for September 12, 2011

There are now just 6 more grade crossings left between Los Angeles and Fullerton. Last week the final funding was approved to finish triple tracking between Los Angeles and Fullerton. These project don’t just help passenger rail service. They insure that freight service isn’t effected by passenger trains, they eliminate traffic back up at crossings,…

September 14, 2011
Infrastructure: Pay for it Now, or You Will Later!

Opinion by Noel T. Braymer Most people heard about the power outage on Thursday September 8th in the San Diego area. I was caught in the middle of it. Nothing forces you to realize how much “civilized” life depends or how much we take infrastructure for granted until it fails. People couldn’t work because because…

September 10, 2011
Amtrak advisory, and a comment

See the special commentary at the end. Special employee advisory September 8, 2011 Message from Joe Boardman Dear Co-workers, The House Transportation Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee has released a proposal for FY ’12 that would significantly reduce Amtrak’s federal funding, specifically the operating support. The proposal also prohibits the use of federal operating…

September 9, 2011
Train Travel; It’s the people you meet that make a difference

Report by Chuck Robuck, CCRiders With all the BAD news we are being bombarded with these days, I thought I’d share a GOOD story with you for a change. I have long been a believer in the “Karma” and “you reap what you sow” philosophies. This week, something happened that strengthens my belief in these…

September 9, 2011
eNewsletter for September 6, 2011

Prop 1A which approved up to almost 10 billion dollars in state bonds for High Speed Rail also had a provision for a Peer Review Group to oversee the project to see that it was well managed and money not wasted… This group, none of whom are paid for their services is under the leadership…

September 8, 2011
eNewsletter for August 29, 2011

…What is the history of rail during major earthquakes? During the Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989 many buildings and several roads suffered damage. The Bay Bridge had to be shut down and a large section of viaduct for the Nimitz Freeway in Oakland was destroyed. Caltrain ran on the night of the earthquake. BART was…

September 5, 2011