A Trip Report! By Robert F. Mac Donald The California State Rail Museum ushered in the 2007 holiday season with cookies and hot chocolate. To the delight of kids, young and old, they were invited on board the Museum’s “Polar Express†at the old Central Pacific Depot in “Old Town†Sacramento, CA. This “Polar Express 
From Capitol Corridor Managing Director Gene Skoropowski We have just received the November 2007 stats from Amtrak, the second month of the FY08 federal fiscal year. For the Capitol Corridor, the ridership and revenue numbers again show continue substantial growth. There was also substantial ridership growth on the San Joaquins, and continued modest growth in…
From around California and one that’s a bit different! With MANY GREETINGS of the season from the RailPAC Officers, Directors, and editorial staff. The California State Rail Museum in Sacramento greets 2007 Christmastime visitors with decorated locomotive 1915 as they enter. (Russ Jackson photo) The 1992 Chistmas tree at Los Angeles Union Station is one…
Commentary by Paul Dyson, RailPAC President 24 November, 2007 LOSSAN OTP, AND SCHEDULE ISSUES AND STRATEGIES COMMENTS ON DRAFT MEMO AND ON MEMO FROM JONATHAN HUTCHISON, AMTRAK The omissions from these documents are as significant as the content. As I have mentioned before to the LOSSAN TAC and to the LOSSAN Board, there is no…
The Western trains with PHOTOS! (Don’t all Amtrak trains look alike?) Reported by Russ Jackson Here’s our follow-up to the articles we’ve written for the Review and posted on RailPAC.ORG the past few months regarding Amtrak On Time Performance for the western long distance trains. As usual we check the performance at intermediate stations, as…
Amtrak Honored Caltrans Rail Chief William Bronte and the Capitol Corridor’s Eugene Skoropowski with its prestigious President’s Service and Safety Award. Also honored was Patricia Quinn of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA). Recipients in the State Partner category “must demonstrate extraordinary and creative efforts in developing resources to preserve and expand rail…
The Sprinter; The Sacramento RT; and A Metrolink locomotive in need. Oceanside and Folsom in these photos. A Sprinter trainset is at the Amtrak/Sprinter station in Oceanside. Testing of the line is in progress toward a December 28 dedication and opening of service. (Noel Braymer photo) A Sprinter at the new Oceanside Transit Center Sprinter…
CAPITOL CORRIDOR JPB MEETING REPORT November 14, 2007 Suisun City, California Report and PHOTOS by Russ Jackson Two rebuilt Superliner cars in California Car colors are operating now, and the other five on order will start arriving at about one a month starting in the Spring, providing capacity improvement for the Capitols and the San…
Editorial by Noel T. Braymer On a wet Friday October 12th night we relearned how vulnerable California’s transportation system is. In a truck by-pass tunnel underneath the I-5 freeway one truck hit another truck which created a chain reaction causing several trucks to catch fire. The good news was “only” three people were killed. Working…
Travel was from Los Angeles to Portland on October 15-16, then Portland to Seattle on October 17, and Seattle to Spokane October 18, 2007. Here are some notes about our “little” journey, with a few comments about the California Zephyr, too! By John Dornoff, RailPAC/InterMountainRail Associate Director Our Coast Starlight ended up arriving in Portland…