Commentary by Jarrod DellaChiesa, Director and Website Editor On Saturday, May 15 Amtrak passengers were not allowed to board Pacific Surfliner #763 in Chatsworth. Would-be passengers reported the Conductor designated the train as “overcrowded and unsafe”. Ridership was high on this run due to passengers traveling to the Strawberry Festival. We desperately need new railcars in…
April 5, 2010 Meeting Reported by Chris Flescher, Associate Director Presentation from planners working on the HSR segment San Jose – Merced In 2035, if the fare is at the lower planned level, then the expected ridership is 100 million people per year. The run time from San Francisco to Los Angeles, phase 1, will…
Reported by David B. Kutrosky, Managing Director, CCJPA After the first increase in 13 months, ridership for the Capitol Corridor in April 2010 was just slightly below April 2009 by 0.5%. As mentioned in previous monthly reports, the greatest impediment to ridership gains is the on-going mandate of three (3) Friday furloughs per month for state government employees (which…
CONNECTIONS! It’s all about connections. Depending on your journey you may live close to a station that has a direct service to your destination. But there’s a good chance that you’ll need to transfer, from bus to train, light rail to high speed rail, Surfliner to long distance Amtrak. RailPAC’s campaign is all about connections…
May 6, 2010 — The Coast Starlight is one of Amtrak’s 15 long-distance passenger rail routes, serving 27 cities between Los Angeles and Seattle. The route has been described as “one of the most fascinating journeys on the West Coast. It will take your breath away.” The route offers unparalleled experiences of the western states…
April 29, 2010 Meeting in Fresno Reported by Michael Barnbaum, Associate Director After the Pledge of Allegiance and introductions the San Joaquin Valley Rail Committee went right into public comments on non-agenda items. One speaker stepped up to speak, and that was RailPAC Treasurer Bill Kerby. Bill spoke on three critical matters: Highlights of the…
Now’s your chance to voice your opinion on the next generation of California Cars – the national standardized railcar. We posted a story a few days ago with information on the new cars. We invite you to check that story out and then visit Amtrak California’s virtual open house (available until May 28, 2010). …
Statement by Bill Kerby, RailPAC Director and Treasurer at the April 29, 2010 meeting in Fresno, CA Three events motivate this statement: Development of ideas at the joint RailPAC/NARP meeting in Los Angeles on April 17 Joint agreement proposals among regional railroads and the HSR The 29th anniversary of the last run of the SP San…
Dear Mr. Boardman: Having heard no announcements regarding the proposal to introduce a daily Sunset/Eagle we conclude that negotiations are continuing with Union Pacific regarding the operating details, schedules, etc. It seems to us that if there is capacity for a train three days a week there should be capacity daily, especially given the major…
National Train Day is approaching fast and we wanted to take this opportunity to highlight some events taking place around the state on May 8, 2010! 2010 marks Amtrak’s third year celebrating America’s love of train travel. It’s a perfect day to get your kids, family and neighbors to discover the benefits of traveling by…