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RailPAC California State Legislative Resolution SJR-30
RailPAC initiates California State Legislature Resolution to support the National Network and invest in new rolling stock. Senator Mark McGuire today (Thursday August 9th, 2018) introduced Senate Joint Resolution 30 (SJR 30), drafted by RailPAC, with language that calls for an end to the Amtrak plans to break up the National Network into short corridors…
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ATK, CEO, OTP, PTC, F&B, BLT, UP, etc. Challenges, challenges.
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…
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RailPAC Letter to Amtrak Chair Coscia
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…
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Amtrak debt free says Anderson – Amtrak FY17 audited balance sheet says otherwise
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…
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SPLIT AMTRAK – The current structure is dysfunctional – Richard Spotswood
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…
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LAUS Summer Train Fest – But where are the advocates?
Take a look at the announcement for the Summer Train Fest: Union Station Summer Train Fest to be held Saturday, July 15 As I write we have not received an invitation, even though we were regularly invited to National Train Day activities. Apparently we have to be approved by Metro, Metrolink and LOSSAN, possibly Amtrak…
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Southwest Chief Developments
Amtrak’s actions regarding the Southwest Chief, threatening to stop running the train through western Kansas, Colorado and eastern New Mexico via the Raton Pass have run into opposition from the Senators for those states. https://www.chieftain.com/bipartisan-bicameral-lawmakers-raise-concerns-over-amtrak-withholding-funding-for/pdf_55d3c0bc-6523-11e8-9163-d371f5d9f499.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share RailPAC will be asking California and Nevada Senators to write in support of their colleagues. Please support our efforts by…
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California Integrated Travel Conference 2018 at UC Davis May 1and 2
RailPAC Board members Doug Kerr and Steve Roberts attended this event, and their report follows. Chad Edison and State staff have been working hard to bring together the many State rail and transit agencies to make travel easier for the passenger, a long standing RailPAC goal. On May 1 and 2 Steve Roberts and I…
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The Anderson Tape – LA Rail Summit April 19, 2018
The recording of Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson’s presentation, plus audience questions, is now available. The Anderson segment begins at approximately One Hour and 46 minutes. https://www.ustream.tv/recorded/114596550 It seems to be taking an awfully long time for the implications of these remarks to sink in. RailPAC is currently reviewing the options, and sounding out potential allies,…
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Why Anderson thinks he is doing the right thing – Amtrak’s mission statement
Why Anderson thinks he can, and should, destroy the National Passenger Rail Network Paul Dyson, RailPAC President Amtrak CEO Richard Anderson has interpreted PRIIA and other Amtrak legislation, and together with Amtrak’s flawed management information systems, has concluded that the national Network is a hopeless money loser. It is therefore his job to get rid…