Rail Passenger Association of California & Nevada

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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Commentary by Russ Jackson, RailPAC

There has been much discussion in the past month or so about the immediate fate of the Amtrak long-distance trains. This writer provided his share of the verbiage in an article posted on www.railpac.org, titled “Amtrak long distance trains, the kinda good, the pretty bad, the really ugly,” which explained what was going on as of that time. That article was inspired by several sources, the work of Trains Magazine’s excellent writer Fred Frailey, who stirred up the rail advocacy community; by RailPAC Executive VP Bob Manning’s very successful trip to Washington, DC, and his personal visit with Senator Barbara Boxer among many others (his report is also on the website); and by RailPAC’s long commitment to the preservation of the long-distance trains as a needed economic part of the passenger rail transportation system in the country.

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Report and Photo provided by Robert Manning, RailPAC Executive VP

Often we complain about things but fail to correct the problem. Yes, I’m referring to the underserved passenger train service in the west. This conveys the sad possibility that some service may be cut while we are attempting to inaugurate daily service between Los Angeles to Palm Springs and Indio California. It’s a simple fact that we have major problems. The Sunset Limited may be eliminated along with other trains such as the Southwest Chief. Here is why:

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Opinion of Noel T. Braymer

I grew up in Orange County in the 1960′s. In Orange County all the TV stations were in Los Angeles and my family subscribed to a local newspaper and the Los Angeles Times. Even as a child I followed the news and read the newspapers. I remember all through out the 60′s and 70′s Los Angeles every few years would propose a new “Rapid Transit” rail system which after months of publicity and criticism would die out until the next attempt was made. The proposed projects were usually fully grade separated and while they might share existing rights of ways including rail ROW no attempt was made of using the existing railroads. These projects were very expensive and often got the support of major construction companies and Labor Unions. The proposed cost and the questions about ridership usually shot these projects down. Finally in the late 1970′s Los Angeles concentrated on just building a Wilshire Subway by applying for a Federal Grant instead of depending on voter approval for a county wide system. In the early 1980′s the voters of Los Angeles County approved the first sales tax increase for improvement of all forms of transportation not just for rail transit.

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This is what I find really interesting. Comparing the 563 which replaced the 565 we find that it had 39% less ridership and 23% less revenue. Despite the less than stellar On Time Performance of the Surfliners the 563 was the only train to lose ridership and revenue compared to the year before. But what I find more interesting is looking at the 763, the first train to Santa Barbara. The ridership of the 763 more than doubles the ridership of the 565 and almost triples the revenue. Looks like the best way to increase ridership and revenue is to extend trains, not skip stations to run faster.

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This is the way progress has always been made in California for rail service, one grant at a time. A million here and a million there and soon you are talking real money. Local projects and High Speed Rail will continue to be built one step at a time. When you try to build rail service in one giant leap you get shot down by critics crying about the cost and saying no one will ride it. When people are have decent rail service they will demand more. NB

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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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 Lately there has been a great deal of hysteria about the possible 98 billion dollar price tag for California High Speed Rail adjusted for inflation for an 800 mile system. Below the radar  are plans by Amtrak to build a new 200 mph plus High Speed Rail line on the 457 miles between Boston and Washington for around 120 Billion dollars. There is little talk about the states of the NEC paying for this project and it looks as though the plan is for this to be fully funded by the Feds. Last week House Transportation Chair  John Mica gave up on his ill conceived plan to get private financing and operation for HSR on the NEC and he said he supports transferring money to the NEC from HSR funding allocated for California which he expects will be returned by the State to the Feds. NB

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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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Traveling The Web Of California Bus/Rail Connections
Report and Comments by Ralph James

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