Rail Passenger Association of California & Nevada

Reported by David B. Kutrosky, Managing Director, CCJPA

The Capitol Corridor ridership results for June 2010 were the best month yet for the fiscal year reporting period.  Ridership for June was 7.0% above June 2009 and exceeded business plan projection by 13%.  Revenue continued its positive trend with +11.5% growth over June 2009 (and +4.5% over business plan projection).  On-time performance (OTP) was 91.4% - continuing the Capitol Corridor’s streak as the most reliable train service in the Amtrak system for June 2010 as well as fiscal year-to-date.  The UPRR dispatching team did a remarkable job to recover from service delays/disruptions associated with the final signal construction for the Emeryville Station Track Improvement Project that occurred June 5-7, 2010.  OTP was 82% through June 7, 2010 and improved to a month end OTP of 91%.

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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 and decried this country’s dependence on oil. What is needed to make this time different? When you talk about oil, you have to talk about transportation. This county consumes 25% of the world’s oil production. Two thirds of the oil consumed in this Country is used for transportation and of that 45 percent alone is for gasoline.

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Commentary and Photos by Russ Jackson

. . . On Time Performance.  Strange month, what with the mid-west heavy rains causing detours for several trains.  On June 24 heavy rain washed out the BNSF tracks just south of Las Vegas, New Mexico, with repairs expected to take a week and causing Southwest Chief passengers to be bused around it with a trainset sent via Amarillo.  We looked at the week of June 19 to 25 at Denver, CO and found the California Zephyr eastbound train #6 was late every day that week, 155 minutes on 6/19, 35 on 6/20, 7 on 6/21, 89 on 6/22, 42 on 6/23, and 89 again on 6/24.  The westbound #5, though, showed how difficult the mid-west had become by being late into Denver Union Station 630 minutes on 6/19, 152 on 6/20, 307 on 6/21, 137 on 6/22, 139 on 6/23, 206 on 6/24, and 123 on 6/25.  Some Zephyrs were detoured via Wyoming. 

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Editorial by Noel T. Braymer

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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 placing 7 on the list, for future use, but not signing any contracts. For legal services, there were 5 proposals. The committee recommends Meyers Nave. The acquisition agent proposals were many. The committee chose Overland Pacific, Associated Right of Way Services, and Paragon Partners as the top 3. The committee interviewed those agencies, and Overland Pacific was chosen.   The committee passed a resolution to support the above choices, and the final contracts will go to the TAMC Board of Directors later this month.

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June 16, 2010 Meeting in Oakland

Reported by Michael Barnbaum, Associate Director

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Comments by Noel T. Braymer

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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: the locals said they usually drive to San Diego or Phoenix for flights. Either drive is 3 hours for them).

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Reported by David B. Kutrosky, Managing Director, CCJPA

The Capitol Corridor yielded positive results for May 2010 compared to May 2009 in all relevant performance statistics – ridership, revenue, and on-time performance.  Ridership for May was 1.4% above last year as was revenue (+2.9%).  On-time performance (OTP) set the record for the fiscal year at 95.9% – making the service once again the most reliable train service in the Amtrak system for May 2010 as well as fiscal year-to-date.

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Comments and PHOTOS by Russ Jackson

. . . Good news for Los Angeles Union Station. The lack of a variety of food items available in the LAUS waiting room has been lessened with the news that by July Peets Coffee and Tea, Subway Sandwiches, and Wetzel’s Pretzels will open, and later in the summer Famina Fresh Foods will open near the Amtrak ticket windows. These places will add to what is now available at the News Stand, Union Bagels and Coffee, and the very fine Traxx Restaurant and bar. Other changes at LAUS have the QuikTrak machines and the Budget and Hertz counters moved into the Amtrak Ticket area. Now, if only they could get the old Fred Harvey Restaurant open again! Train Day visitors were able to enter that historic place, and one visitor was amazed to find the bar area on its east side, closed too long.

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