Comments on HSR Thru Riverside   August 31st, 2010

Comments Compiled from a RailPAC Member

We were recently contacted by a Professional Engineer who has, until recently, done a small amount of work on the CAHSR project.  This is a summary of his report.  Apparently the concept designs he cites are in the public domain (e.g. used in public outreach meetings) however the conclusions he offers (and are shared by RailPAC) are decidedly not the CAHSRA “message”.

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Posted in Commentary, Issues

Travel Observations   August 31st, 2010

Comments by RailPAC member Freeman Gosden Jr.
on his recent trip from Santa Barbara-LA-Chicago-Emeryville- Santa Barbara

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Posted in Reports

July California Intercity Passenger Rail Performance   August 27th, 2010

Reported by David B. Kutrosky, Managing Director, CCJPA

July ridership started off weak, but ended up strong as we posted a fiscal year-best of 141,479 passengers for the month.  This is a 5.0% increase in ridership above July 2009!  Revenue continued its positive trend with +14.7% growth over June 2009. On-time performance (OTP) was 97%, the best result in the history of the Capitol Corridor.  Obviously, with these extraordinary results the Capitol Corridor continues be the nation’s OTP leader–it’s the most reliable train service in the Amtrak system.  The UPRR continues its commitment to keeping the Capitol Corridor trains on schedule while managing the increased levels of rail freight traffic as the economy begins its slow recovery.

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Posted in Commentary

Central Coast Railroad Festival: October 7-11   August 12th, 2010

Second Annual Festival to Focus on Modeling, History and Rail Excursions
Festival Organizers Seek Volunteers and Sponsors

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Posted in Commentary

California High Speed Rail Gets Real   August 11th, 2010

Editorial by Noel T. Braymer

The California High Speed Rail Authority (CAHSRA) has been often criticized over the high costs and intrusive aspects of some of the alternative routings for the HSR project. In response to problems poised by alternatives for the route between Los Angeles and Anaheim the CEO of LAMETRO Art Leahy and the CEO of the OCTA Will Kempton co-signed a letter to CAHSRA asking for a new and less intrusive alternative last March. On July 8th the CAHSRA released a new alternative following many of the suggestions of the local agencies servicing the Los Angeles to Anaheim route. The result was a much more economical and practical alternative which was much less intrusive for nearby property owners.

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Posted in Editorials

The Biggest Obstacle to High Speed Rail in California   August 11th, 2010

Opinion by Noel T. Braymer

In terms of routing there is general agreement about the HSR project from Southern California as far north as Fresno. Combinations of publicly owned rail and road rights of way and cooperation with the BNSF has the route largely laid out up to Calwa Yard in Fresno. The City of Fresno wants a HSR station in the general area of the old SP Train Station in downtown Fresno. The same is true for the city of Modesto and is an option in Merced. The problem is the refusal of the Union Pacific to cooperate with any discussion of HSR service on their right of way. There is an opinion held by many that UP’s stance is just a bargaining ploy to wring out the maximum price for use of their rights of way from the CAHSRA. I think that is a gross misreading of the UP’s management thinking and shows ignorance of the history of American railroading.

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Posted in Editorials

Tracking Rail News: August 2010   August 7th, 2010

The San Joaquin in Bakersfield

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Posted in Tracking Rail News

San Joaquin Valley Rail Committee Meeting Report   August 2nd, 2010

July 29, 2010 Meeting in Atwater

Reported by Michael Barnbaum, Associate Director

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Posted in Reports