Month: August 2007

  • Bay Bridge Closure- Labor Day Weekend (Followup)

    The Bay Bridge reopened at 6 PM on Monday, September 3, 11 hours ahead of schedule. Over the weekend BART carried a record number of passengers, became a rolling party with its overnight service, and other public transportation systems saw record numbers of riders! No major tieups were encountered. Congratulations to Caltrans for its $1…

  • August 11 Train and Tribute to Bob Conheim

    The “Lord Mayor” of the Capitol Corridor Riders group who passed away on July 15 at age 63 was honored by his friends and family at Recreation Park in his hometown of Auburn on August 11. In his honor a special Capitol train traveled from the Bay Area to Auburn for the event. Many friends…

  • New rail construction in Southern California

    Photos taken August 22, 2007, by Noel Braymer The new Metrolink station at Buena Park is nearly finished including this pedestrian bridge across the tracks. Looking at the new Los Angeles Gold Line “run-through” bridge that crosses US 101 at the south end of Union Station. The freeway is in the foreground. RailPAC has long…

  • Santa Barbara City Council Adopts Pro-Rail Program 7–0

    Document closely follows RailPAC policy. Commentary by Paul Dyson, RailPAC President At the regular Santa Barbara City Council meeting on Tuesday August 21 the Council unanimously adopted the staff’s report that outlined a policy of passenger rail improvements. The full text of the document can be seen on line at http://www.santabarbaraca.gov/CAP/MG61001/AS61005/AS61020/ AS61031/AI64016/DO64017/1.DOC While the City…

  • Bay Area “Regional Rail” meeting report

    August 20, 2007, Suisun City Hall Reported by Russ Jackson The Draft “Regional Rail” Plan was presented at a series of August meetings around the Bay Area. This writer chose to attend the afternoon session in Solano County, while other RailPAC members attended other meetings. The Plan is called a “blueprint for expanding the region’s…

  • Capitol Corridor Friday Accident

    Special Message to Riders – August 20, 2007 The What, When, and Why “An apology and a report to Capitol Corridor riders on the events of Friday afternoon and evening, August 17th” from Gene Skoropowski For those of you who were caught up in the events of Friday afternoon and evening, and there were some…

  • The Coast Starlight’s summer On Time Performance has improved!

    Report and Photos by Russ Jackson Rail passengers wanting to use the Coast Starlight, Amtrak trains 11 and 14, in recent years have agonized about the late trains not only at the endpoints of Seattle and Los Angeles, but at all stations in between. On February 15, 2007, the status of that day’s two Starlights…

  • July Amtrak California Corridor Ridership and ticket revenue results

    Provided by Gene Skoropowski, Managing Director, Capitol Corridor JPB. RailPAC thanks Gene for this information and commentary he sends us each month: Gene says, “We have received the ridership and revenue results for July 2007 from Amtrak, and, once again, the Capitol Corridor is setting records, the 10th month in a row. “After 10 months…

  • Bay Area Regional Rail Plan Workshops

    Dates and Times Track the Bay Area’s rail future by attending a public meeting near you on the Draft Regional Rail Plan After 18 months of analysis and stakeholder involvement, we are unveiling a blueprint for expanding the region’s network of rail lines. The Draft Regional Rail Plan will identify potential rail passenger and rail…

  • Dunsmuir Amtrak Stations

    A Rail station and a Bus station at the foot of Mt. Shasta! PHOTO report by Russ Jackson. Dunsmuir is an historic railroad town 55 rail miles north of Redding. The Southern Pacific had shops and a yard there from steam locomotive days. Amtrak’s Coast Starlight continues to stop there, usually in the middle of…