Sunset Limited: BULLETIN December 11th, 2009
NOTE: Mr. Manning has two confirmations of his information. For a longer report on this issue see: News from URPA This Week at Amtrak; 2009-12-10, link in the right column of this post. Russ Jackson Photo: The daily Texas Eagle arrives at Dallas Union Station December 12. All of us look forward to the day this train finally goes to Los Angeles DAILY!
I have just been informed that the Amtrak Board of Directors has just authorized negotiations with the Union Pacific Railroad for a daily Sunset Limited train. More to follow.
Robert Manning, President, Southwest Rail Passenger Association; Director, Rail Passenger Association of California
AMTRAK SERVICE FAILURE – NOVEMBER 25, 2009 A letter to LOSSAN December 1st, 2009
RAIL PASSENGER ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA
1017 L Street PMB 217
Sacramento, CA 958114-3805
www.railpac.org
1st December, 2009
Hon. Art Brown,
Chairman, LOSSAN Corridor JPB
And members of the Board
Dear Chairman Brown:
Once again the travel plans of hundreds, possibly thousands of Amtrak passengers were severely disrupted by a locomotive failure on the LOSSAN corridor, this time on the busiest travel day of the year.
Boardman response to Dyson 10-30-09 October 30th, 2009
October 30, 2009
Mr. Paul J. Dyson
President
Rail Passenger Association of California
1017 L Street #217
Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Mr. Dyson: (Paul)
Thank you for your letters dated October 28 and 29, 2009. I concur that last weekend’s service disruption was unacceptable.
RailPAC writes Amtrak: UNACCEPTABLE SERVICE FAILURES ON PACIFIC SURFLINER October 28th, 2009
NOTE: Detailed reports of the incidents to which Mr. Dyson refers in the letter below are printed in the November Western Rail Passenger Review which will be mailed this week. To join RailPAC, see the “Membership” link in the right column. -Ed.
RailPAC writes Amtrak CEO Joseph Boardman re Sunset Limited, Texas Eagle, and City of New Orleans routes. New: Boardman Replies July 31st, 2009
TRANSCRIPT OF NOTE FROM JOE BOARDMAN TO PAUL DYSON
7/14/09
Paul:
I have your letter of the 13th. I understand your interest, mine too frankly but we are not ready to pull the trigger on the changes that you want right now. Equipment has become a very complex issue and we are making progress. We rolled out the first stimulus Amfleet rebuild this week. We will roll out the first of 21 Superliner vehicles from Beech Grove August 6th. We are not dilly dallying. Things are getting done. Joe B.
Original letter:
13th July, 2009
Dear Mr. Crosbie:
Many thanks for taking the time for a meeting with me last Thursday (8th July, 2009). I have written today to Mr. Boardman concerning the Sunset route and RailPAC’s support for positive steps by Amtrak. I’d like to expand upon some other topics that we covered briefly.
LOSSAN BOARD DISCUSSES JPA AND THE FUTURE GOVERNANCE OF PASSENGER RAIL IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA July 7th, 2009
July 1 Meeting Report and comments by Paul Dyson, RailPAC President
In an encouraging sign that LOSSAN and the County transportation executives are getting to grips with the conflicts between the multiple agencies operating railroads in Southern California (Amtrak, BNSF, UP, SCRRA and NCTD) the LOSSAN Board on Wednesday discussed the “Corridor Long Term Vision and Institutional Model”.
Sunset Limited Marketing Meeting June 11th, 2009
Reported by Robert Manning, RailPAC Director, with comments by Paul Dyson, RailPAC President.
Wednesday June 10, 2009
I have just arrived home after attending the Sunset Marketing and Revitalization Team meeting which was held June 6, 2009 in New Orleans, LA. I should remind everyone that this SMART (not to be confused with the Sonoma-Marin project) came into existence for the following reasons:
Does Amtrak propose to cease operations in most of the southern and western states within the next five to ten years? June 4th, 2009
Below is a new press release from RailPAC, along with earlier correspondence between Paul Dyson, the RailPAC President, and Joseph Boardman, Interim President and CEO of Amtrak.
Move the Sacramento Depot? May 26th, 2009
Sacramento Preservation Commission Votes to Leave Depot in Place.
Special Meeting May 21, 2009
Report by Bill Kerby, RailPAC Treasurer

With only one dissenting vote, the Sacramento Preservation Commission voted to recommend the City Council rescind its 2004 compromise plan that would have kept the Sacramento Valley Station in proximity of the Union Pacific mainline by moving the entire depot complex more than a football field length.