BURBANK AIRPORT AUTHORITY PROPOSES TRANSIT CENTER February 25th, 2009
Commentary by Paul Dyson, RailPAC President, and member, Burbank Transportation Commission.
The facility would provide “moving walkway” link with the Amtrak/Metrolink station.
CCJPA February Meeting report February 23rd, 2009
by Bruce Jenkins, RailPAC Director The Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) met in Suisun City on Wednesday, February 18, 2009.
California Corridors January 2009 Stats February 12th, 2009
from Eugene K. Skoropowski, Managing Director, Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority
It appears that the economic slowdown may be starting to impact all California’s services, with the Pacific Surfliners taking the biggest hit.
Rail Safety Improvement Act will save lives February 10th, 2009
By Robert Manning, RailPAC Director
Printed in The Desert Sun, Palm Springs, February 8, 2009
RIC SILVER: A real rail advocate! February 6th, 2009
A tribute with PHOTOS to RailPAC’s outgoing, one-of-a-kind former Executive Director, by Russ Jackson
We first met Richard L. Silver sometime around 1995. RailPAC was still a small, but noisy, organization of rail advocates who were speaking our minds on California and Amtrak national issues. Alan Wimmergren was president, founders Byron Nordberg and Dr. Adrian Herzog, all now deceased, were very active in promoting our ideas.
Tracking the News for February February 2nd, 2009
TRACKING THE NEWS . . .
. . . PHOTOS, and COMMENTARY by Russ Jackson
February, 2009. Superliners! When you “GoogleEarth” to their U.S. map and zoom in on the Beech Grove, Indiana, Amtrak shop you see a yard area at the top (north) of the property. While the date of the photo is unknown, and you can’t get real close, there are 43 Superliner cars stashed there. The clue is there are at least two Sightseer Lounge cars, unmistakable by their roof windows. That has to be the “weeds” we’ve referred to here regarding cars that should be put into service ASAP.
Penny Wise and Pound Foolish February 1st, 2009
Editorial By Noel T. Braymer
After retiring as President of Southern Railway, W. Graham Claytor took over as President of Amtrak in 1982. At that time Amtrak recovered only 48 percent of its costs from revenue. Eleven years latter when Mr. Claytor retired from Amtrak in 1993 Amtrak’s cost recovery was 75 percent. Shortly before retiring Mr. Claytor predicted that Amtrak could recover all of its operating costs from revenues by the year 2000. In 2002 Amtrak was deeply in debt and so short of cash that it almost shutdown.
Has it been 30 years already? February 1st, 2009
By Noel T. Braymer
In 1978 I was in my mid-twenties, single, the rent for my apartment in Los Angeles was $160 a month, and my car was paid for thanks to my parents. About the last thing on my mind were trains.
