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This came to me in the mail from RailPAC today. I thought I'd pass it along.
California Railing Funding Safe in New Budget
Today the Governor's 2004-05 budget was released. While there was changes to some capital funding programs, operating funds was not reduced. This means that all current funding for already running AmTrak service will stay the same and that there will no reduction in service.
Better yet, becasuse ridership is up and cost have gone down, there is sufficant funding available the add an additional Surfliner train between San Diego-LA-Santa Barbara-San Luis Obispo.
Additonally, while some capital projects that havn't gone to bid will be held up, most of those that are in actual construction, especially the double tracking of the Yolo Causeway, will be finished.
As for High Speed Rail, it recieved full funding AND $300,000 for ligitation that might result from the EIR/EIS. The Governor has asked that the HSR Bond election be delay at least until 2006.
This request was due more to practical matters than to politics. If both the Budget bonds and Education Bonds pass in March, the state will have reached it bonding capiticy. Therefore any bonds approved later would result in bonds sales being reduced and spreed over a longer period of time and would also reduce the state bond rating and inaffect increase the interest rate.
This information is being provided to you as a service by the Rail Passenger Association of California (RailPAC), California's largest rail advocacy membership organization.
If you would like information about RailPAC, simple send us your postal mailing address by return e-mail.
Richard L. Silver, Executive Director Rail Passenger Association of California http://www.RailPAC.org
------------------ Trust God, love your neighbor, and never mistake opinion for truth. -Mr. Toy
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That's great news. I was afraid of some rail sevice being 'Terminated' in favor of Hummerways.
Posts: 1572 | From: St. Paul, MN | Registered: Dec 2002
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quote:Originally posted by Mr. Toy: Additonally, while some capital projects that havn't gone to bid will be held up, most of those that are in actual construction, will be finished.
On Saturday (1/10) they closed parts of the Surfliner route south of Irvine for siding construction near Cardiff and possibly other work. Amtrak was using buses to bridge the gap.
As for operations, that was good news to hear they had been spared the cuts. keep on riding!
Posts: 874 | From: South Bay (LA County), Calif, USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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It is good to read that some things are working out well for California railroading. Hopefully this will help to promote other states to offer the same types of service. Being a resident of Arizona, I would like to see Arizona provide some trains between Tucson and Phoenix.
Where is the Yolo Causeway that is being doubletracked? I have not heard of it before.
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The Yolo Causeway is between Davis and Sacramento. It is a long bridge over a floodplain.
Posts: 874 | From: South Bay (LA County), Calif, USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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