RailPAC invited Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson to present his vision for Amtrak in the 21st Century at the Annual Steel Wheels Conference in Sacramento, Saturday 29th September. A brief (terse?) response from his PA informed us that he is “unavailable”. No offer, as in the past, to send a senior officer in his stead. It…
Commentary by Russ Jackson Here we are in August, 2018. What a summer it has been on the nerves of rail advocates! Just how different has it been from August in 2008, 1998, 1988 or 1978? Not much. Each of the symbols in the title of this article are just as important to the future…
Fact Checking the Amtrak Proposal to Replace the Southwest Chief with Bus Service in Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico The Southwest Chief would effectively cease to exist if the proposed bus bridge from Dodge City, KS or La Junta, CO to Albuquerque is implemented. While presented as a decision based in concern for passenger…
Mr. Anthony Coscia 13th July, 2018 Chairman of the Board National Railroad Passenger Corporation 60 Massachusetts Avenue NE Washington DC 20002-4285 Dear Mr. Coscia: RailPAC is a 501c3 all volunteer California corporation that has, since 1978, campaigned for the improvement of mobility for all by increased passenger rail service. We support the National…
At the now notorious Los Angeles Rail Summit in April one of Anderson’s most extraordinary comment was that Amtrak is, or shortly will be, “debt-free”. The FY’17 audited balance sheet, thoughtfully posted on their website, reports current liabilities of $1.6 billion, of which $136 million is the current maturities of long term debt and capital…
From Paul Dyson: News is coming in thick and fast about the Southwest Chief and RailPAC is doing its best to keep you up to date. As you probably know Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson has stated that he believes that the National Network sleeper trains (we don’t like the term “long distance”) are not viable,…
A 21ST CENTURY MODEL FOR AMERICAN PASSENGER RAIL By: Dick Spotswood. THE DILEMMA: It’s now obvious that Amtrak, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, and its new management under former Delta Airlines CEO Richard Anderson, regards its principal responsibility as making the Northeast Corridor America’s first true high-speed rail route. That’s a worthy goal and…
This could be a template for YOUR letter to your Mayor, County Supervisor, Congressman etc. Hon. Eric Garcetti Mayor, City of Los Angeles Dear Mayor Garcetti: Thank you for your support of passenger rail, including the Amtrak National Network. We believe that this system of trains and connecting buses is a great asset,…
News Release June 18, 2018 Toni Tinoco 559-445-6776 (w) 559-274-8975 (c) Toni.Tinoco@hsr.ca.gov Ben Kimball 559-623-0450 (w) bkimball@tularecog.org Cross Valley Corridor Plan Approved With Connection to Kings/Tulare High-Speed Rail Station DINUBA, Calif. – Today, the Tulare County Association of Governments (TCAG) Board voted to approve the Cross Valley Corridor Plan that will serve as a vision…
Leaders of RailPAC, All Aboard Arizona, Southwest Passenger Rail Association and the Rail PAssenger Association (NARP) met in Mesa AZ Saturday in the first steps to set up a coalition to support the National Network trains, especially in the west. We’ll be working to add support groups in Colorado, Oregon and Washington, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas…