TAMC Rail Policy Committee Meeting Report February 27th, 2011
January 10, 2011 Meeting
Reported by Chris Flescher, Associate Director
RailPAC 2011 Annual Meeting February 25th, 2011
CITIZENS FOR RAIL CALIFORNIA, INC.
A California Non-Profit Corporation (#813820 4/26/1977)
d..b.a. The Rail Passenger Association of California & Nevada
Is HSR a Cargo Cult for California? February 24th, 2011
Editorial by Noel T. Braymer
KCBS Caltrain Report February 23rd, 2011
Caltrain Turns To Another Agency For Possible Bailout
Our own Art Lloyd and Bruce Jenkins are interviewed by KCBS!
Why You Need to Attend Steel Wheels of California 2011 February 23rd, 2011
To say that the situation regarding passenger rail financing and policy making is fluid would be an understatement. Looking back over thirty years of advocacy I find it hard to recall a time when passenger trains were such an ideological issue. But I won’t get into a political discussion in this forum. Instead let’s think about knowledge and education. Let’s start with a question. Do those that are vehemently against funds for passenger trains know what they are talking about? Do they understand the economics of rail versus other modes? IF NOT, WHY NOT?
January CA Intercity Passenger Rail Performance February 21st, 2011
Reported by David B. Kutrosky, Managing Director, CCJPA
(Download: 
January 2011 Performance Report)
Tracking Rail News: February 2011 February 15th, 2011
. . . Photos and Comments by Russ Jackson
Two Amtrak California trainsets at the Sacramento station powered by Amtrak P-42 locomotives.
. . . On January 10 Governor Brown introduced his proposed budget for FY 2010-11. While major reductions are in store for “everyone,” that does not apply to the state rail corridor intercity rail operations. $90,247,027 is exactly the same amount as the last three years. So, no growth in that allocation, but no cut in the funds the program receives from taxes on diesel sales. As one commentator said, “It was the worst of times, it was the best of times.” Other rail operations are not so lucky in their funding sources, however.
Caltrain is one and faces a huge cut that could leave a reduction from 86 to 48 daily trains, no weekend service, no service south of San Jose, no game-time trains to AT&T Park, and closing seven stations. Caltrain is subsidized solely by San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties. A “Save our Caltrain” group has organized, and RailPAC is supporting it. (See separate stories.) If ever there was a transportation system that works it is Caltrain, taking so many people off Highway 101 every day!
Thank you from the Friends of Caltrain February 13th, 2011
The Friends of Caltrain attracted an overflow crowd of 200 grassroots community and business groups and residents to our Caltrain Summit a little over a week ago. Congresswoman Jackie Speier and Sierra Club national executive director Michael Brune came to keynote.
Caltrain Summit Meetings: RailPAC was there February 10th, 2011
By Bruce Jenkins, RailPAC Director, Sunnyvale
Eating at Los Angeles Union Station gets better February 9th, 2011
PHOTO report by Russ Jackson At the right is the Sunset Limited ready to depart LAUS on February 4, 2011, the date of all 7 photos in this report. In the background is the MTA tower, site of the RailPAC-NARP meeting on March 19. While visiting the train station for the meeting, be sure to check out the various new places to eat inside, as well as some old standbys and one not yet to be. To accommodate the new “eateries” the Hertz and Budget rental car stands have moved next to the Amtrak ticket windows.
