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Pacific Surfliner – A failing service
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…
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Another close call and Metrolink comes through again
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…
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Well we made it!!! A trip report on the Coast Starlight, the Cascades, and the Empire Builder
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…
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LOOK! IT’S THE SUNSET LIMITED!!!
How’s the timekeeping on Amtrak trains 1 and 2? A Report and commentary by Russ Jackson Each month we have been charting on time performances of the Amtrak long distance trains that enter/leave California. This month its the Sunset Limited’s turn. I know, it’s a losing fight, but several items have come to light in…
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LOSSAN TAC Meeting Report and Commentary
October 16, 2007, Los Angeles Report and Commentary by Paul Dyson RailPAC President NOTE: An important letter from Mr. Dyson to Caltrans Division of Rail Chief Bill Bronte is included in this report. The technical Advisory Committee for LOSSAN met at Los Angeles on Tuesday 16th October. This was the first full meeting of the…
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Why we need to protect the Sunset route
Commentary by Paul Dyson, RailPAC President Those of you who are NARP members will have received a letter from Matt Melzer, former RailPAC director and now Communications Associate at NARP HQ. Matt points out the ongoing threat to the Sunset Limited and calls for action by NARP members to draw attention to the danger to…
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Southern Californian Rail Connections: the good and the bad.
By Noel T. Braymer The reality of most travel without a car is you have to transfer to get to where you want to go. Good rail passenger sevice depends on quick and easy connections. Perhaps the best feature of BART is it is designed to allow passengers to transfer easily within BART. Connections are…
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OTP on the Southwest Chief lately
How has Amtrak train 3/4, the Southwest Chief, (and others) been doing lately? Commentary by Russ Jackson When a long distance train has a very good on time performance it’s a time to celebrate, and while the Southwest Chief regularly has one of Amtrak’s best records it’s good to look once in a while. Southwest…
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Editorial: Now would be a good time to raise Gas Taxes
By Noel T. Braymer The recent collapse of the I-35W Freeway Bridge in Minneapolis highlights a problem that has been growing for years: the deferred maintenance of much of America’s infrastructure. There is an old saying in Economics: “There is no such thing as a free lunch“. The “free lunch” referred to was the practise…
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Santa Barbara City Council Adopts Pro-Rail Program 7–0
Document closely follows RailPAC policy. Commentary by Paul Dyson, RailPAC President At the regular Santa Barbara City Council meeting on Tuesday August 21 the Council unanimously adopted the staff’s report that outlined a policy of passenger rail improvements. The full text of the document can be seen on line at http://www.santabarbaraca.gov/CAP/MG61001/AS61005/AS61020/ AS61031/AI64016/DO64017/1.DOC While the City…