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Steel Wheels Conference Sacramento September 29
If you want to help RailPAC preserve and expand the National Network of passenger trains, and grow the regional services in California you should attend this important event. Registration is open at eventbrite.com. railpac2018.eventbrite.com The event will be held at the California State Railroad Museum from 10.00am and we have a number of experts who…
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Anderson to California, Congress, and Amtrak Employees – ********
Just heard from an unimpeachable source that Anderson has told employees that the current operation of the Southwest Chief is unacceptable and will be changed. Here’s the full text, bold or italics are mine: We know many of you have concerns about the status of the Southwest Chief. Here’s an update: We are considering changes…
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RailPAC California State Legislative Resolution SJR-30
RailPAC initiates California State Legislature Resolution to support the National Network and invest in new rolling stock. Senator Mark McGuire today (Thursday August 9th, 2018) introduced Senate Joint Resolution 30 (SJR 30), drafted by RailPAC, with language that calls for an end to the Amtrak plans to break up the National Network into short corridors…
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Anderson turns down RailPAC invitation
RailPAC invited Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson to present his vision for Amtrak in the 21st Century at the Annual Steel Wheels Conference in Sacramento, Saturday 29th September. A brief (terse?) response from his PA informed us that he is “unavailable”. No offer, as in the past, to send a senior officer in his stead. It…
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ATK, CEO, OTP, PTC, F&B, BLT, UP, etc. Challenges, challenges.
Commentary by Russ Jackson Here we are in August, 2018. What a summer it has been on the nerves of rail advocates! Just how different has it been from August in 2008, 1998, 1988 or 1978? Not much. Each of the symbols in the title of this article are just as important to the future…
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RPA Staff Fact Check of Amtrak Statements re Southwest Chief
Fact Checking the Amtrak Proposal to Replace the Southwest Chief with Bus Service in Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico The Southwest Chief would effectively cease to exist if the proposed bus bridge from Dodge City, KS or La Junta, CO to Albuquerque is implemented. While presented as a decision based in concern for passenger…
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RailPAC Letter to Amtrak Chair Coscia
Mr. Anthony Coscia 13th July, 2018 Chairman of the Board National Railroad Passenger Corporation 60 Massachusetts Avenue NE Washington DC 20002-4285 Dear Mr. Coscia: RailPAC is a 501c3 all volunteer California corporation that has, since 1978, campaigned for the improvement of mobility for all by increased passenger rail service. We support the National…
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Amtrak debt free says Anderson – Amtrak FY17 audited balance sheet says otherwise
At the now notorious Los Angeles Rail Summit in April one of Anderson’s most extraordinary comment was that Amtrak is, or shortly will be, “debt-free”. The FY’17 audited balance sheet, thoughtfully posted on their website, reports current liabilities of $1.6 billion, of which $136 million is the current maturities of long term debt and capital…
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Newspaper Report on Amtrak meeting with Senators
From Paul Dyson: News is coming in thick and fast about the Southwest Chief and RailPAC is doing its best to keep you up to date. As you probably know Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson has stated that he believes that the National Network sleeper trains (we don’t like the term “long distance”) are not viable,…
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SPLIT AMTRAK – The current structure is dysfunctional – Richard Spotswood
A 21ST CENTURY MODEL FOR AMERICAN PASSENGER RAIL By: Dick Spotswood. THE DILEMMA: It’s now obvious that Amtrak, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, and its new management under former Delta Airlines CEO Richard Anderson, regards its principal responsibility as making the Northeast Corridor America’s first true high-speed rail route. That’s a worthy goal and…