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
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:
San Mateo Daily Journal - Public: Don't cut weekend Caltrain tripsMay 28, 2009, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BATN/message/41596 Public: Don't cut weekend Caltrain trips Caltrain Community Meetings: Possible Fare Increase/Service SuspensionsTime/date: 6 p.m., Wednesday, May 27 Source: http://www.caltrain.com/news_2009_05_18_community_meetings.html Caltrain will hold three community meetings to receive public comments about proposed fare increases and service suspensions. The following proposals will be considered:
Caltrain is facing a projected $10.1 million deficit for Fiscal Year 2010. One-time funding sources that have been used to bridge deficits for the last seven years are largely depleted. Another key funding source, State Transit Assistance, has been eliminated for the next few years. This puts an additional strain on Caltrain’s partners – the City and County of San Francisco, San Mateo County Transit District and the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority – who each rely on STA funds for their transit operations. In addition, the deepening recession and job losses are beginning to negatively impact Caltrain ridership and revenues. March showed the first monthly ridership decline in many years. The meetings will take place at 6 p.m., Wednesday, May 27 at the following locations:
Two public hearings will be held at 10 a.m., Thursday, June 4, at the Caltrain Administrative Office, 1250 San Carlos Ave., San Carlos, on the proposed changes and a declaration of fiscal emergency. A fiscal emergency is called if an agency is projected to have negative working capital within one year. Comments will be accepted up until the public hearings. To comment, attend one of the community meetings or public hearings, send e-mail to changes@caltrain.com, send regular mail to District Secretary, Caltrain, P.O. Box 3006, San Carlos, CA 94070-1306, or call 1.800.660.4287 (TDD for hearing impaired only 650.508.6448). Stop the downward spiral...Save CaltrainOn May 7, the Caltrain JPB scheduled two public hearings on possible fare and service changes as well as to declare a fiscal emergency. Caltrain is facing a projected $10.1 million deficit for the next fiscal year which starts this July. Over the years, the introduction of Baby Bullet service and other one-time measures managed to get Caltrain through several years of structural deficits, but it appears they've run out of one-time measures. However, raising fares and/or cutting service would be a dire hit to the positive momentum of the last several years. BayRail Alliance believes that major changes are needed to address the structural deficits. Without major changes, Caltrain's plan to cut service and raise fares could be the beginning of a downward spiral. 
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