Amtrak Long Distance
Issues and Proposals
RailPAC focuses on outlining the benefits, unique markets served and market potential of: Amtrak’s long-distance routes.
RailPAC advocates continue to support the following goals for improving the Amtrak system of long-distance trains entering and leaving California.
- Full integration A compete re-fleeting of Amtrak, including new bi-level equipment and overhaul of the Viewliner I sleeping cars for product uniformity and reliability. While re-fleeting is underway, the remaining equipment is undergoing state of good repair initiatives and must continue.
- RailPAC will monitor the efforts of the State Supported Route Committee in its efforts to improved Amtrak accounting cost allocations. For route performance benchmarking, RailPAC supports the use of Long-Term Avoidable Costs as the metric for comparison rather Fully Allocated Costs.
- Vigorous and timely action by the Surface Transportation Board to enforce recent court decisions reinforcing Amtrak’s on-time performance rights.
- Daily service for the Sunset Limited between Los Angeles and New Orleans, coordinate with Southern Rail Commission on extending long-distance rail service to serve the Gulf Coast including extending the Daily Sunset Limited to Florida.
- Reinstate the Amtrak Desert Wind service from Los Angeles to Las Vegas and Salt Lake City, with connections to Brightline high-speed rail service between Las Vegas and Southern California and the California Zephyr at Salt Lake City to Chicago.
Nevada
RailPAC will support the efforts for rail initiatives as outlined in the Nevada State Rail Plan.
- Support and grow the Nevada Rail Coalition
- Extension of selected Amtrak Capitol Corridor frequencies to Reno
- Address platform access issues at Elko Station
- Construction of Brightline from Las Vegas to Rancho Cucamonga and Palmdale in California
- Reinstate the Amtrak Desert Wind service from Los Angeles to Las Vegas and Salt Lake City, with connections to Brightline high-speed rail service between Las Vegas and Southern California and the California Zephyr at Salt Lake City to Chicago.
- Capital projects to address Elko freight yard congestion
- Support for transit initiatives in the Reno and Las Vegas metropolitan areas
Arizona
In addition, RailPAC will continue to coordinate with All Aboard Arizona on rail initiatives in Arizona including the Sun Corridor passenger rail between Phoenix and Tucson, the daily Sunset Limited and additional regional trains between Nogales, Tucson, Phoenix and Los Angeles.
June 3, 2022 RailPac article: The Prospects for Future LA-Phoenix Passenger Rail
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