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Downtown Natomas Airport Environmental Impact Meeting Report
Presentation/Open House Report by Marcia Johnston, RailPAC Director Sacramento Amtrak Station Wednesday, March 11, 2009 Introduction: Mike Wiley, General Manager, Sacramento Regional Transit Presenter: Jim Heck, Consultant, HDR Engineering The Environmental Impact Report [EIR] is a report that documents the potential impacts of a proposed project. Under Federal and State laws, certain proposed projects require…
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Monterey County TAMC meeting report
TAMC Rail Policy Committee 2-2-2009 Reported by Chris Flescher RailPAC Associate Director, Salinas For the Monterey Branch Line (MBL) project, the alternatives analysis is happening. All alternatives will connect with the future Caltrain extension in Castroville. Two alternatives appear to be the most viable, and the service could start operation in 2014/2015. The alternatives being…
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INCREASED CALIFORNIA RAIL FUNDING FOR 2009
An interview with Caltrans’ BILL BRONTE Reported by Bill Kerby, RailPAC Treasurer with Russ Jackson, RailPAC.org editor There is good news to celebrate and some not so good news as to the future of funding for the Caltrans Rail program for the year 2009 as of the publication date of this newsletter. In late February…
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TRACKING RAIL NEWS . . .and PHOTOS
. . . and Commentary by Russ Jackson . . . March, 2009. February will go down as an important month for rail funding in the U.S. and California. As you saw in the Kerby-Jackson report, the California Rail Program received an increase, not a decrease, in operating funding for 2009! That does reflect the…
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UPDATED INFO: The Sunset Limited Derailed at the Palm Springs Station NOW repairs are being made!
A PHOTO report By Robert Manning, RailPAC Director 3/8 UPDATE: What a Difference a week can Make! Amtrak cancelled service on the Sunset Limited for the Palm Springs Train Station Sunday March 8, 2009 due to extensive track work. (NOTE: “No alternative transportation provided”) Union Pacific is replacing the spur line that comes off of…
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New President, Different Congress, Same Old Politics with the Media still long on spin and short on facts
Editorial by Noel T. Braymer After the customary political fun and games, President Obama got an Economic Stimulus Bill which will pump 787 Billion dollars into the sinking economy. Despite the pre-inaugural emphasis on infrastructure construction, the final total for infrastructure was around 100 billion dollars. This pales against the estimated 2.2 Trillion dollar back…
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BURBANK AIRPORT AUTHORITY PROPOSES TRANSIT CENTER
Commentary by Paul Dyson, RailPAC President, and member, Burbank Transportation Commission. The facility would provide “moving walkway” link with the Amtrak/Metrolink station. The Burbank Glendale Pasadena Airport JPA has put forward an ambitious plan to improve public transit connections at the Burbank Bob Hope Airport. The airport already has the closest rail access of any…
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CCJPA February Meeting report
by Bruce Jenkins, RailPAC Director The Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) met in Suisun City on Wednesday, February 18, 2009. The Board approved the CCJPA FY ’09-’10 — FY ’10-’11 Business Plan Update. The Plan will be finalized and submitted to the Secretary of Business, Transportation and Housing Agency (BT&H) by Apr ’09. (Note:…
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California Corridors January 2009 Stats
from Eugene K. Skoropowski, Managing Director, Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority It appears that the economic slowdown may be starting to impact all California’s services, with the Pacific Surfliners taking the biggest hit. Although the Capitol Corridor is still in growth mode for riders and revenue, and we are the only California service still ahead…
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Rail Safety Improvement Act will save lives
By Robert Manning, RailPAC Director Printed in The Desert Sun, Palm Springs, February 8, 2009 Sometimes it takes a major tragedy to provide something good. And that is exactly what happened this past September when the Metrolink train crashed into the Union Pacific freight train in Chatsworth, killing and injuring people. As a result of…