By Gene Skoropowski, Managing Director, Capitol Corridor JPB California Intercity Passenger Rail ridership and revenue records continue to be “smashed” by these August statistics. Major ridership growth continues all across California, with the Pacific Surfliners growing at +9.5%, the Capitol Corridor at +21.2% and the San Joaquins at +27.5%. These three California intercity rail services…
Editorial By Noel T. Braymer The current Administration is claiming that if only Oil Companies were given oil leases to every possible place including National Wildlife Reserves and off shore that the price of fuel would magically go down. This comes from an Administration that promised it would keep oil prices low because it knew…
By Paul Dyson, RailPAC President 3rd September, 2008 THE BALKANIZATION OF LOSSAN – WHAT HAPPENED TO A REGIONAL VISION? Imagine that Southwest Airlines is run by a public board, and members of that Board includes say the Mayor of Yuma AZ, and the Mayor of Rancho Mirage, CA. Because of their power on the Board,…
Stored in the weeds and on the rusty rails of the Santa Maria Valley Railroad, east of Guadalupe. A PHOTO report by Russ Jackson including views of the Guadalupe Amtrak station. 9/1 UPDATE Steve Grande of Trainweb sent us the following information: “Don’t forget that there are a couple of Amtrak ex-MHCs out in La…
August 27, 2008 Reported by Marcia Johnston, RailPAC Director, Sacramento and Chuck Roebuck, President, Capitol Corridor Riders and RailPAC Member, Auburn Chart and Photo courtesy Sacramento DOT. The City of Sacramento Department of Transportation held a public workshop August 27 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. to update the public on the latest developments, discuss the…
Published Sunday, August 24, 2008, by the Marin Indpendent Journal By Dick Spotswood, RailPAC Secretary, Mill Valley THE BIG ISSUE on the November ballot in both Marin and Sonoma counties is the passage of Measure Q, a one-quarter cent sales tax to fund construction and operation of a commuter train between Cloverdale and Larkspur. A…
Transportation Agency for Monterey County Rail Policy Committee August 4, 2008 Meeting Reported by Chris Flescher, RailPAC Director, Salinas For the Monterey Branch Line service (Castroville to Monterey), there are questions about building the busway or light rail line in two phases. There are two alternatives and each seems to be very competitive for receiving…
Coast Starlight overnight ridership UP! Report and Comments provided by Eugene K. Skoropowski Managing Director Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority Whatever records on ridership and revenue that existed before July 2008 can be considered “smashed” by the July statistics. Major growth happened all across California, and the Capitol Corridor and San Joaquins both grew at…
Editorial By Noel T. Braymer By late 2010 several auto makers plan to roll out either plug-in electric hybrid or all electric cars. The keystone of these new cars will be the use of Lithium Ion Batteries. It has been long known that electric propulsion is clean, efficient and economical. The weak link has always…
By RailPAC Director Bruce Jenkins and Treasurer Bill Kerby Photos by Bill Kerby The San Joaquin Valley Rail Committee meeting met in Richmond Thursday, July 17, 2008 at the Richmond Amtrak/BART Station. During Public Comment, Mike Barnbaum (RailPAC Associate Director), made comments on menu items and food service as well as several other items that…