RailPAC: Rail Passenger Association of CA & NV

September 2011 CA Intercity Passenger Rail Performance

Reported by David B. Kutrosky, Managing Director, Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority Continuing the positive trend from the previous nineteen months, the Capitol Corridor performance in September 2011 maintained a steady upward trend compared to September 2010. September 2011 ridership was 145,894 an 11 % increase over September 2010. Revenue showed even better results with…

October 15, 2011
Enewsletter EXTRA: LOSSAN new services

The following material are highlights from the information package included in the Agenda for the Board Meeting for the LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency held on September 28, 2011 in Los Angeles. This material is posted on the LOSSAN web site. Enewsletter EXTRA LOSSAN The above copy of this enewletter is on a PDF file and…

October 13, 2011
eNewsletter for October 10, 2011

Could HSR derail Hanford Amtrak station? Hanford Sentinel – Eiji Yamashita Oct 4, 2011 Rail officials predict negligible impact from the switch, while many locals consider the existing Amtrak train system as a key component of Hanford’s … It seems the plan for HSR assumes the elimination of the San Joaquin Trains. This would leave…

October 12, 2011
Santa Clarita to the Green Line to Orange County by Rail?

Opinion by Noel T. Braymer The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) is currently conducting a study of what to do with what is left of about 20 miles of what was the Pacific Electric’s West Santa Ana Branch. This right of way has been publicly owned by the Counties of Los Angeles and Orange…

October 8, 2011
Sacramento Rail station improvements underway

Commentary and photos by Russ Jackson, RailPAC Did you know the very busy Sacramento Valley Rail Station, known today as the Sacramento Amtrak Station on I Street, was built in the 1920’s on a lake bed? That lake, called “China Slough” and “Sutter Lake,” was filled in when the current historic station that still serves…

October 6, 2011
eNewsletter for October 3, 2011

The view from the driver seat of a Metrolink Sealed Corridor grade crossing. This is the Almond St. crossing in Orange. Notice the central medians which discourage vehicles from going around the gates. There are quad gates: barriers blocking all corners of the intersection. There are also gates blocking the sidewalks to keep pedestrians from…

October 5, 2011
eNewsletter for September 26, 2011

More rail service could spring from new agency SignOnSanDiego.com – Sep 23, 2011 The San Diego-LA-San Luis Obisbo rail corridor — known as LOSSAN to officials … no farther than Northern California for a role model: the Capitol Corridor … September 26, 2011 The above copy of this enewletter is on a PDF file and…

September 28, 2011
eNewsletter for September 19, 2011

Suit in fatal NV Amtrak crash says door locked San Jose Mercury News – Sept 15, 2011 Another lawsuit filed against Amtrak in the fatal crash with a truck in Nevada this summer blames a locked door on the train for making the disaster worse … September 19, 2011 The above copy of this enewletter…

September 21, 2011
eNewsletter for September 12, 2011

There are now just 6 more grade crossings left between Los Angeles and Fullerton. Last week the final funding was approved to finish triple tracking between Los Angeles and Fullerton. These project don’t just help passenger rail service. They insure that freight service isn’t effected by passenger trains, they eliminate traffic back up at crossings,…

September 14, 2011
Infrastructure: Pay for it Now, or You Will Later!

Opinion by Noel T. Braymer Most people heard about the power outage on Thursday September 8th in the San Diego area. I was caught in the middle of it. Nothing forces you to realize how much “civilized” life depends or how much we take infrastructure for granted until it fails. People couldn’t work because because…

September 10, 2011