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Steel Wheels 1st Quarter 2023 issue available online
The 1st Quarter issue of RailPAC’s magazine Steel Wheels can be downloaded by clicking here. In this issue: ..and more!
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The Curious Case of the Union Pacific’s Wellton Branch: Opportunity in the ‘Phoenix West Line’
Brian Yanity There is great potential in re-establishing a direct passenger train service between Phoenix and Los Angeles. Re-opening of the Union Pacific Railroad’s Wellton Branch west of Phoenix would allow the return of a daily Sunset Limited to Phoenix and support new regional trains. The business case for refurbishing the Wellton Branch is based…
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Passenger Rail to the Imperial Valley
[also published in 3rd Quarter 2022 issue of Steel Wheels] Brian YanityVice President-South, RailPAC (photos by the author unless otherwise noted) (background map: OpenStreetMap.org, annotations by author) An exciting prospect for new passenger rail in Southern California is an Imperial Valley extension to the Coachella Valley Rail passenger service, currently under development. As currently proposed,…
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Steel Wheels 3rd Quarter 2022 issue available online
The 3rd Quarter 2022 issue of RailPAC’s quarterly magazine Steel Wheels can be downloaded by clicking here. In this issue: Passenger rail to the Imperial Valley Introducing the ‘Aurora Group’ advocating for Amtrak’s National Network Amtrak Beech Grove National Network shops Passenger train planning- best practices How many tracks do train stations need? Arizona News…
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The Prospects for Future LA-Phoenix Passenger Rail
Brian Yanity Vice President-South, RailPAC [this is an updated version of an article which first appeared in the Q1 2021 issue of Steel Wheels] The fast-growing Phoenix metropolitan area, the Valley of the Sun, is home to nearly 5 million people- two-thirds of all Arizonans. Phoenix itself has a diverse population of nearly 1.7 million…
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RailPAC sends letters to California’s U.S. Senators in Support of Coachella Valley Rail project funding
[same letter also sent to U.S. Senators Alex Padilla] The Honorable Dianne FeinsteinUnited States Senate331 Hart Senate Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20510 April 2, 2022 Subject: Support funding for the Coachella Valley-San Gorgonio Pass Rail Corridor Service Dear Senator Feinstein: The Rail Passengers Association of California and Nevada (RailPAC) fully supports the for the Riverside County…
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Sign the Petition to Restore Gulf Coast Passenger Rail
If you support the restoration of Gulf Coast passenger rail service between Mobile and New Orleans, now is the time to voice your support to the Surface Transportation Board. This case will set a very important precedent for passenger rail across the U.S. Click here to sign the petition.
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Steel Wheels, 4th Quarter 2021 issue available online
Download the pdf of Steel Wheels, 4th Quarter 2021 by clicking here. In this issue: Northern California Passenger Rail Projects Vision for the future of Inland Empire rail Locomotive emissions New routes to San Diego Bi-Level Challenge Superliner Cars- Whats Next? Future rail service in Monterrey County Arizona News Nevada News and more!
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RailPAC submits support letter for CRISI Grant Application for Coachella Valley Rail
For more information on the Coachella Valley-San Gorgonio Pass Rail Corridor Service Project, click here. Mr. Amit Bose Acting Administrator Federal Railroad Administration U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE Washington, DC 20590 November 4, 2021 Subject: Support for the Coachella Valley-San Gorgonio Pass Rail Corridor Service Project Application for Consolidated Rail Infrastructure…
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RailPAC submits comment letter to U.S. DOT on supply chain and freight issues
The majority of intercity and regional/commuter passenger rail service in the U.S. is on tracks shared with freight trains. Therefore, sufficient capacity, safety and reliability of the nation’s freight rail system is vital to the interest of rail passengers. These two different uses of railroad infrastructure need not be in conflict. Both passenger and freight…