Editorial by Noel T. Braymer No doubt the call by RailPAC to build HSR between Bakersfield and Los Angeles first at the San Joaquin Valley Rail Committee meeting on July 29, 2010 and extend the San Joaquin trains on it to Southern California didn’t go over well with the California High Speed Rail Authority. No…

Editorial by Noel T. Braymer The California High Speed Rail Authority (CAHSRA) has been often criticized over the high costs and intrusive aspects of some of the alternative routings for the HSR project. In response to problems poised by alternatives for the route between Los Angeles and Anaheim the CEO of LAMETRO Art Leahy and…

Opinion by Noel T. Braymer In terms of routing there is general agreement about the HSR project from Southern California as far north as Fresno. Combinations of publicly owned rail and road rights of way and cooperation with the BNSF has the route largely laid out up to Calwa Yard in Fresno. The City of…

Editorial by Noel T. Braymer In the aftermath of the BP Oil gusher in the Gulf of Mexico, now in its 3rd month the President is talking about a new Energy Policy. President Obama is calling for less dependence on oil. But every President since 1974 starting with President Nixon has called for energy independence…

Editorial by Noel T. Braymer First there was the explosion on April 5th in Montcoal, West Virginia at the Upper Big Branch Coal Mine which killed 29 miners. The cause of the deadly explosion was a build up of coal dust and methane gas which is very explosive if there is an ignition source. It…

Comments by Noel T. Braymer Governor Schwarzenegger recently proposed service between Los Angeles, Anaheim and San Diego in 2 hours and 10 minutes. This will be a “demonstration project” to give Californians a taste of Higher Speed Rail. So far there haven’t been many more facts about this project beyond a deadline of November, 2…

Editorial by Noel T. Braymer Raising money for any transportation project, but particularly rail passenger service is always difficult. Adding to the difficulties are the high price tags for many rail projects. Already there is increasing concern about the price tag for the California High Speed Rail project. There are estimates of 6 billion dollars…

Editorial By Noel T. Braymer Transportation is second only to housing of the cost of living for most people. Flying today often means crowded planes, long waits because of annoying security searches and sudden cancellations. Rail passenger service what little there is of it is no less subject to disruption. Generally we are dependent on…

Editorial by Noel T. Braymer Recently I was watching on a local access cable TV channel a discussion about plans to add 4 more lanes between Del Mar and Oceanside on the I-5 Freeway. The panel had representatives from Caltrans and SANDAG the planning agency for San Diego County. These 4 new lanes would be…

Editorial by Noel T. Braymer To get to the RailPAC/NARP meeting in Sacramento on January 16th I once again chose the San Joaquin Bus/Train connection. I have been riding the San Joaquin now for almost 30 years. In that time I have long hoped for direct rail service from Southern California to the San Joaquin…