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TAMC Rail Policy Committee Meeting Report
June 7, 2010 Meeting Reported by Chris Flescher, Associate Director The commuter rail extension (Gilroy to Salinas) is now in the right of way acquisition phase. The committee has issued a request for proposals in 3 categories: acquisition agent, legal services, and on-call appraisal. For the on-call group, the committee received 8 proposals. They recommend…
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Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Board Meeting Report
June 16, 2010 Meeting in Oakland Reported by Michael Barnbaum, Associate Director The Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority Board of Directors Meeting was held at the BART Boardroom in Oakland. There were as many as ten out of the sixteen total directors present for this particular meeting. The Meeting opened with remarks from Chair Jim Holmes…
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Trip on the Sunset Limited from Los Angeles to Yuma
Report and Photos by Mike Palmer, RailPAC correspondent, Torrance, CA My work sent me on an assignment to Yuma, Arizona for two days, May 19-20. As luck would have it I was able to work my visit around train times – it also helped that there is limited LA – Yuma air service. (Side note:…
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TAMC Rail Policy Committee Meeting Report
May 3, 2010 Meeting Reported by Chris Flescher, Associate Director There was a recommendation to create an Ad Hoc Committee for proposed stations. The group members would visit the sites of the proposed Castroville and Pajaro Stations, plus the existing Salinas train station. The recommendation passed. The RPC has recently met with the operators of the Capitol…
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TAMC Rail Policy Committee Meeting Report
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…
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CSCN Outlines How to Improve Amtrak’s Coast Starlight
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…
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San Joaquin Valley Rail Committee Meeting Report
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…
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RailPAC addresses SJVRC on BFD-LAX Gap
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…
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Amtrak California Railcar Development Open House
Report by Jarrod DellaChiesa, Director and Website Editor As we all know, there are currently no funds available for new railcars. In 2006, Californians approved the procurement of new railcars through Proposition 1B. The budget crisis has caused the release of the Prop 1B bonds to be put on hold indefinitely. In the midst of this,…
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Coalition Building at Steel Wheels Conference
Commentary by Paul Dyson, President This year at Steel Wheels in California we tried a couple of innovations. While most of the day consisted of the usual (excellent) presentations by politicians and industry professionals, we also put together a forum of passenger rail advocates from different groups to discuss High Speed Rail, and to attempt…