Here are some links with extensive listings to different avocacy groups.
http://www.trainweb.org/moksrail/links/links.htm
http://www.on-track-on-line.com/arps-list.shtml#kansas
http://www.narprail.org/linksassn.htm
The NARP site lists a Bay Area group.

I would recommend joining NARP - the National Association of Railroad Passengers. They're the national group that every advocate should join.

I believe it is NARP that holds an annual (springtime) regional members meeting in Oakland near the Jack London Square station.

Another good national organization is the National Corridors Initiative http://www.nationalcorridors.org

California has two regional organizations, which are somewhat in competition with each other, evidently due to some differences in philosophy. One is TRAC (Train Riders Association of California) http://www.calrailnews.com/ The other is RailPAC (Rail Passenger Association of California) http://www.railpac.org/ I am a member of the latter, but I get a little annoyed with it sometimes.

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Originally posted by Mr. Toy:

California has two regional organizations <snip> One is TRAC (Train Riders Association of California) http://www.calrailnews.com/ The other is RailPAC (Rail Passenger Association of California) http://www.railpac.org/ I am a member of the latter, but I get a little annoyed with it sometimes.

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I belong to both. TRAC seems to cover the Bay Area more often, but I like RailPAC's newsletter more. But then I'm biased; they published one of my pictures a while back.

Both organizations are strong advocates of rail though, so check 'em out and join one or both!