Month: January 2008

  • California Transportation Commission Meets in Sacramento

    Notes submitted by Bill Kerby, January 10, 2008 Commissioners were relieved when Executive Director John Barna corrected the minutes from the past meeting that stated “no members were present” to “no members were absent.” Today, the newly elected chair of the California Transportation Commission, John Chalker of San Diego, efficiently led the commissioners and witnesses…

  • Monterey County Rail Meeting Report

    The Transportation Agency for Monterey County Rail Policy Meeting, held on January 7, 2008 “Progress is being made on the Monterey Branch Line service!” Reported by Chris Flescher, RailPAC Associate Director During public comments, one person said that he had rode the Sprinter once, and he was impressed at how high quality the train was.…

  • OCEANSIDE TRANSIT CENTER – A GOOD FACILITY LET DOWN BY POOR EXECUTION

    Commentary By Paul Dyson, RailPAC President On Friday January 11th I had a quick turnaround trip to Oceanside on a RailPAC errand that resulted in my spending about 90 minutes at the Transit Center. My observations are about the Transit Center rather than the trainride and I’m trying to look at it from the point…

  • San Joaquin Valley Rail Committee report

    January 10, 2008 Merced, California Reported by Bruce Jenkins, RailPAC Director The meeting was abbreviated because train #701 (north) was delayed due to a grade crossing accident south of Merced. The SJVRC Board entertained a request to change the meeting date to the 3rd Thursday of the month. However, because of schedule conflicts with a…

  • What is the final word for California High Speed Rail?

    By Noel T. Braymer George Skelton of the Capital Journal from Sacramento wrote some rather discouraging things about what is being proposed for the California High Speed Rail Project. This is what he wrote as published in the December 24 issue of the Los Angeles Times.”Turns out, as a Sacramentan, I wouldn’t be allowed to…

  • America wants more Rail Passenger Service

    By Noel T. Braymer Back in November 4th of last year PARADE Magazine ran a story about Amtrak entitled “With high gas prices and airport delays, could we make our trains…A Better Way To Travel?” With this story PARADE Magazine ran a poll of its readers asking “Should America Invest more in Trains? In the…

  • BULLETIN: Western blizzard affects Amtrak trains and buses

    Special Amtrak release sent to RailPAC by Ed von Nordeck BLIZZARDS IN CALIFORNIA AFFECTING SERVICE . EXTREME BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WILL AFFECT THE SIERRA NEVADA AND SISKIYOU MOUNTAINS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA THE NEXT FEW DAYS, WITH HEAVY SNOWFALL CLOSING THE HIGHWAYS. . ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 4 AND SATURDAY, JANUARY 5: – ALL THRUWAY BUSES BETWEEN SACRAMENTO…

  • Sprinter Inauguration – December 28, 2007

    I was delighted to receive an invitation from NCTD to represent RailPAC at these ceremonies in Escondido this past Friday. It’s been nearly 27 years since a group of us, including the late Byron Nordberg and Adrian Herzog, and the very much alive Russ Jackson and Noel Braymer, met at Oceanside and discussed the possibilities…