BayRail Alliance
BayRail general meeting
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CaltrainQ: Why is Caltrain electrification so important?
If we don't want to sit in gridlock on the Peninsula in the coming years, and we don't want to build new freeways, then we must increase the capacity of Caltrain to carry more passengers.
Caltrain is in a situation now where increases in diesel fuel prices and other costs related to labor, such as health insurance premiums, are outpacing even the healthy growth in ridership. The year is quickly approaching when Caltrain, filled to capacity, will be unable to accommodate additional riders during peak hours. In the near future, Caltrain may be forced to raise fares even more, and cut service. There is a very real danger of triggering a downward spiral of decreasing service, decreasing ridership, and higher fares. Electrification is a proven method worldwide of cutting operating costs, and Caltrain staff have prepared analyses of how many more extra seats they can offer at reduced operating cost if Caltrain is electrified, in their Project 2025 presentation. Caltrain has a lot of aging equipment that will need to be replaced soon. Since Caltrain has to replace a lot of equipment in any case, now is the time to spend some extra money to do it right and allow Caltrain to grow and sustain service over the next few decades. Electrification of Caltrain will revolutionize transit on the Peninsula, attract tens of thousands of new riders, and set an example in the U.S. of what rail transit can be. Save Caltrainhello this is a test
Dec 16, 2009 Transbay Transit Center meetingTime/date: Wednesday, December 16, 2009 Source:
December 9, 2009 Dear Resident of District 6: I am writing to invite you to an important community meeting to discuss a recent proposal by the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) that may have significant consequences to many properties in the area of Main and Beale Streets, as well as the South Beach areas of Second and Townsend Streets. This meeting will also be a good opportunity to review current plans to replace the Transbay Terminal with a new Transbay Transit Center. The meeting will be held on: Wednesday, December 16, 2009 CHSRA is preparing to consider an alternative site for the proposed Transbay Terminal, currently underway at First and Mission streets. When San Francisco voters overwhelmingly approved in 2008 a bond issue to fund a high speed rail system in California, they did so with the understanding that a Transbay Terminal would be built at First and Mission Streets to fully integrate public transit and locate it near the downtown core. Planning for the First and Mission site has been underway for many years with the appropriate entitlements and planning programs in process. The project broke ground on the temporary terminal site last December. By contrast, CHSRA is preparing to consider an alternative site for a northern terminus at Beale and Main Streets that is simply infeasible and has been rejected in environmental reviews already conducted by the TWA and the City and County of San Francisco. Studying this proposal further would result in costly delays and further expense to the development of a viable high speed rail system in California. Moreover, on its face, the Main and Beale Streets alternative would require hundreds of home-owners to lose their homes through eminent domain, none of whom have even heard from CHSRA about their pending action. I am holding this informational meeting to present the facts of what is being considered to you and to collect your concerns to forward to the CHSRA. I have invited representatives of the California High Speed Rail Authority to attend this district meeting and explain why they would consider the Beale and Main site to the detriment of District 6 residents, the City of San Francisco and their own program. I hope you can attend this important meeting and make your views known. If you would like more information or have additional questions, please contact my staff April Veneracion at (415) 554-7972. Alternatives Analysis Open House HSR San Francisco to San Jose SectionTime/date: September 30, 2009 6:00 – 8:00 pm Source: Alternatives Analysis Open HouseCalifornia High‐Speed Rail Authority San Francisco to San Jose Section Project Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement Wednesday, September 30, 2009 SamTrans Auditorium 1250 San Carlos Avenue – San Carlos 6:00 – 8:00 pm In late‐January 2009, the California High‐Speed Rail Authority (Authority) held public scoping meetings along the Caltrain corridor in San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties for the San Francisco to San Jose High‐Speed Train (HST) Project Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) process. Public and agency comments provided at those meetings and in other written correspondence received before April 6th, 2009 were included in the draft scoping report, which was completed and published as a draft document in June 2009. Based on the input from the scoping process and previous studies the Authority is developing design alternatives for the Caltrain corridor that will serve both existing Caltrain and future high‐speed train service. The Authority is holding community workshops in order to share and discuss the alternatives development process and initial design alternatives for the Caltrain corridor. We invite you to attend the first of three community workshops to be held on September 30, from 6:00‐8:00 pm at the San Mateo County Transit District (SamTrans) 2nd Floor auditorium, located at 1250 San Carlos Avenue (San Carlos, CA). Your participation is important. Public and agency input received during this phase of the project is a key part of the evaluation process helping to determine which alternatives and design options will be advanced for further environmental and engineering review. For your convenience, we will be conducting two additional alternatives analysis open house meetings in October, one in San Francisco and one in Santa Clara County. These meetings are scheduled for: October 9, 6:00‐8:00 pm Sunnyvale Recreation Center (Ballroom) 550 E. Remington Drive Sunnyvale, CA October 13, 6:00‐8:00 pm Milton Marks Conference Center 455 Golden Gate Avenue – Lower Level San Diego A/B/C Rooms San Francisco, CA These meetings will provide the same information presented at the meeting held on September 30 in San Mateo County. The format of the meeting will be “open house” style, with various stations providing maps illustrating the proposed alignment alternatives, informational materials, and project exhibit boards. Project staff will also be available during the evening to respond to inquiries and to collect public comments. To learn more about high‐speed rail visit the California High‐Speed Rail website at: www.cahighspeedrail.com or contact the San Francisco to San Jose project information line at: (510) 587‐8640 Save Caltrain/HSR Downtown Extension, Stop the Beale Street Terminal Trojan HorseAfter years of planning, the Transbay Transit Center/Downtown Extension is nearing shovel-ready status. However, California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) is attempting to kill this project with a bogus idea of a having a downtown station on Main and Beale Street. Transbay Transit Center opponents are claiming that the Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA) needs to restudy their alternative as a part of the environmental clearance process. If their claim holds true, it would make the Transbay Transit Center project no longer eligible for the $400 million in Stimulus funds. If the project receives that fund as planned, construction would start within months. BayRail general meeting September 2009BayRail Alliance will hold a general meeting to explore and discuss the futurel of freight train service on the Peninsula. Time/date: Next Thursday, BayRail Alliance will hold a general meeting to explore and discuss the current level of freight train service on the Peninsula, the impact it would have on the high speed rail infrastructure, and the future options for freight train service. Location: Caltrain Declares September Rail Safety MonthAt the JPB meeting on September 3, 2009, Caltrain has proclaimed September Rail Safety Month. Caltrain is continuing its effort to raise awareness on rail safety through education, enforcement and engineering.
Rail Safety tips:
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