TrainBlog by Marcel Marchon

TRAC has posted the latest issue of their newsletter “California Rail News”.

california | amtrak | metrolink | passengerrail | capitolcorridor | trains

After initial troubles with the order from Budapest, that one has recently been confirmed.

And today they received a new order from Westfalenbahn (actually Angel Trains) for an additional 19 units. This brings the total to 182 units.

Just received this from TRAC:

TRAC E-Bulletin [#05-27]

TRAC Members & Associates–

If you believe in a nation rail service, TAKE ACTION today (Tues. or Weds.).

The $550 million approved by House Appropriations is a shut-down number for Amtrak; it will not even keep the east and west coast corridors funded, much less healthy. You can say goodbye to any overnight trains; the funding bill specifically PROHIBITS that they be funded! There will be a House amendment introduced to increase Amtrak funding to a much higher level (LaTourette/Oberstar Amendment), and another to drop the language prohibiting funding of specific routes (Corrine Brown Amendment).

1) It is IMPERATIVE that you call your House Representative in Washington, as the vote is Wednesday or Thursday. The message is simple: VOTE FOR THE AMENDMENTS FOR INCREASED AMTRAK FUNDING IN THE TRANSPORTATION BILL, HR 3058. Name the amendments (above). [To find reps.: www.trainriders.org, click on flashing button on left, (if an ad then appears click ‘ignore this ad’ X), enter zip code and press enter.]

Calling your Representative is most important; if you are so motivated, also call:

2) Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger: 916-445-2841. Ask the Governor to call Jerry Lewis and stress the importance of Amtrak funding to California. (Schwarzenegger’s office has sometimes answered that this is a federal issue so the Governor won’t act–if so tell them the Governor often lobbies on federal issues that effect California.)

3) Congressman Jerry Lewis (R-Redlands, Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee) 202-225-5861. ‘Increase Amtrak Funding.’

Thank you for your efforts,

–

Alan C. Miller
Executive Director
Train Riders Association of California

Official TRAC Website: http://www.calrailnews.com/

Technorati Tags: california | trains | amtrak

Ok, this is not about trains, but it’s about transportation and commuting, so I guess I can still write about it …:

This was posted on BATN earlier:

Q When I [BATN: pointlessly, wastefully, unnecessarily] warm up my car in the morning, I always use two sets of keys. One to start the car and the other to lock the car when I go back into my apartment to get ready. I guess people who had their cars stolen didn’t do that?

A Bad idea. San Jose police say car thieves aren’t deterred by an unattended locked car with its engine running. If they see a car running and no one inside, they’ll smash the window and take off.

What’s with these people anyway? Aren’t the gas prices high enough already? And isn’t it summer? I can understand that people might want to warm up their car for a short while in winter, when it’s freezingly cold, but in summer? This is just plain stupid …(and there were earlier reports that some people do it for 30-45 minutes!)

On a related note, people leaving their car running while running a short errand in a nearby location is a common sight …

I guess that was about the worst thing that can happen from an operations perspective - the Swiss Rail Network suffered a major power outage tonight, right at the beginning of rush hour. Trains were stopped all over Switzerland due to insufficient voltage in the catenary. Commuters and other travelers were stranded at stations everywhere, some even out in the countryside (some trains couldn’t make it to the next station…).

After about four hours, technicians were able to fix the problem and trains started running again…

See also:
Swiss trains roll again after shutdown
Railway bosses take stock of network collapse