For information about Train Day activities near you, go to http://www.nationaltrainday.com/events/other/and click on your state for a list of events! Now read about some of the activities in California: RailPAC salutes one of the Train Day events to be held in California: at the Dunsmuir Amtrak station from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This historic railroad town on the route of the Coast Starlight, built in the 1880s, will have many features, an exhibit of train use during World War II, and the 4th annual Pie Social! Pie is $3 a slice, $20 for a whole pie. Come on up!

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Posted in Reports

Report and Comments by Russ Jackson, RailPAC, Dallas. PHOTOS by Richard Strandberg, Mike Palmer, Russ Jackson. Maps from the Amtrak timetable.

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RailPAC Report by Russ Jackson, Robert Manning, and from the Amtrak.com timetable. Photo by Robert Manning.
In its revised schedule dated December 5, 2011, Amtrak California quietly added a new train-bus service finally recognizing the importance of travel from Palm Springs, Indio, and the Coachella Valley to/from Los Angeles. Until then the only Amtrak service was the tri-weekly Sunset Limited long-distance train, and connecting buses to/from the San Joaquin trains. These new buses do not go to the Palm Springs train station, but go to the downtown Airport station and other cities enroute.

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Posted in Issues, Reports

January 26 Meeting Report by Mike Barnbaum, RailPAC Associate Director
Part 1 of 2 reports from that day. Headlines: Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Commentary, Reports

Report and a Commentary by Mike Barnbaum, RailPAC Associate Director
Part 2 from January 26, 2011 day of two meetings. Headlines: Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Reports

By Bruce Jenkins, RailPAC Director

The Coast Rail Coordinating Council (Coast Daylight) held it’s Policy Meeting on Friday, Dec. 16th in Monterey.

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Posted in Reports

Southwest Chief and the snow delays   December 22nd, 2011

Report by Russ Jackson, RailPAC

The first major snow storm of the winter affected Amtrak trains 3 and 4, the Southwest Chief starting December 19, and is still affecting the train’s on time performance as of this writing. As the winter progresses we will see how prepared this season the Amtrak system is for this year’s inevitable weather problems, but this storm showed two regular, continuing flaws: locomotive failure problems and yard turnaround problems. This first storm showed fast recovery on both issues, and hard work keeping the trains running out on the road.

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Posted in Reports

From Amtrak.com 12/19/11:

Coast Starlight Train 14 and Amtrak Cascades Trains 508 and 1514:
Track Work Affects Schedules and Service

Effective January 3 through February 8, 2012

Track work being performed by Union Pacific Railroad will affect the
northbound Coast Starlight and Amtrak Cascades on select dates, as
described below:

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Posted in Reports

Report and photos by Robert Manning, RailPAC Executive VP

The temporary Transportation Center in the heart of downtown Indio, witnessed more people then anyone could have imagined on this special day. Two temporary modular buildings now house the Greyhound bus station and the future passenger train facility which will be built.

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Report by Mike Barnbaum, RailPAC Associate Director

The Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Board of Directors met for the final time in 2011 on November 16 in the City Council Chambers at the City of Suisun City. Chair Bob Franklin (San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District) opened the meeting with his “Report of the Chair” that included news of all-time records being set for the Capitol Corridor in three key categories of Ridership, Revenue, and On-Time-Performance. Chair Franklin also mentioned that there will also be $42 Million coming in in Proposition 1B Funds that will include 42 rail cars and 6 Locomotives for Amtrak California, of which the Capitol Corridor will get 10 cars and two locomotives. Chair Franklin went on to highlight Section 209 in regards to Amtrak Operations Pricing Policy and that December 11th is the 20th Anniversary for the Capitol Corridor.

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Posted in Reports