The Berkeley Amtrak station for the Capitol Corridor trains has needed reconstruction for a long time. On February 25, 2005, a groundbreaking ceremony was held to finally get this redevelopment project underway at the 3rd and University Avenue location. Shown in this photo are Capitol Corridor Managing Director Gene Skoropowski and Iris Starr, Redevelopment Coordinator for the City of Berkeley, who organized the event. (Photo by RailPAC director Marcia Johnston)

Capitol Corridor Report

February 16, 2005

Suisun City Hall

Reported by Russ Jackson

The CCJPA met in its usual aura of good feeling at the Suisun City Hall, basking in the glory of its success as usual. First on the agenda was the election of a new officers for the coming year. Roger Dickinson from Sacramento will be the new Chair, and Forest Williams, Santa Clara, the new Vice Chair. Mr. Dickinson was in Washington, so Mr. Williams took the gavel expressing his enthusiasm for the Capitol Corridor and urging that it be an active group in promoting the trains.
The CCJPA voted an update to its current Business Plan, "premised upon the state's continuing financial deficit situation," and maintaining the current 24-train service plan with the funded service increases to San Jose and Roseville/Auburn. They presume no additional capital or operating money will be made available, but they will maintain "aggressive, proactive marketing strategies and seek innovative partnerships to increase the value of marketing, and most importantly, continue growth in ridership and revenues; they will seek opportunities to add service while staying within the State's budget allocation." The CCJPA voted to extend its managing agreement with BART for five years, continuing the arrangement that has brought it such success.
During a discussion of the transfer of bus Route 20A, Nevada City-Auburn, to the local transit service, similar to to the agreement for Santa Cruz-San Jose, Director Tom Blalock asked that they look into a bus connection from the growing tourist area of Ft.Bragg/Mendocino to the connection at the Willits Skunk Train depot to supplement the Skunk service.
The extension of the Capitol Corridor train service to Reno (to replace some of the current Thruway bus service)(See www.railpac.org for Reno pictures) is of continuing interest to the CCJPA, and a report on its progress was heard. While the current financial status of both California and Nevada, the latter being tied up with the Reno trench project currently, a working group of the project "partners" including Placer County, has been meeting to keep the momentum going. An estimated budget of $5 million would be needed, with $4 million asked for in the yet-to-be passed new version of TEA-21 from the Congress. Improvements would be required for track and signal construction to increase service between Sacramento and Auburn, then design and environmental plans between Auburn and Reno/Sparks. The Union Pacific's current status of trying to get its house in order does not permit them to fully work on this project immediately, either.
Then they got to the topic all had been highly anticipating: the financial future of Amtrak, and its likely downgraded effect on the Capitol Corridor. Managing Director Gene Skoropowski reported that "without Amtrak would we be able to operate? Yes and No;" the state would "need a new operator," and he reported there is only one other system in the country that runs on freight railroad-owned mainline tracks and is operated by someone other than Amtrak. He said that the freight railroads would be very reluctant to ok anyone other than Amtrak, as a "new operator could present probems in the insurance liability area, for one." With Amtrak, that organization holds the insurance policy but a new operator would have to negotiate a new agreement, and no insurance company has indicated it would be interested. This requirement would fall on the CCJPA.
Mr. Skoropowski then discussed the future of Amtrak funding, repeating his comments expressed in a document he posted on Tuesday where he said, "The administration does seem to recognize that they must have a federal-state partnership with the states for intercity passenger rail capital investment, albeit on a 50-50 basis rather than 80-20 for roads, there seems to be no new funding for this program, however, and the implication is that federal funds used to support the current national network of passenger rail run by Amtrak would be taken away from that function and the money made available to states on a matching basis." Gene went on in his document to say that since the entire "long distance passenger rail system costs about $300 million in subsidy, there is not much of a 'savings' likely to come cutting off all those services. Of the remaining $900 million of the total $1.2 billion Amtrak federal allocation, about half of that amount (actually more than half -Ed.) is for capital infrastructure maintenance/renewals along the Northeast Corridor."
Gene then surprised the group by saying Amtrak President David Gunn had called him to say that DOT Secretary Norm Mineta had called telling Gunn and the Amtrak board to NOT submit a budget request for next year. Gunn had just met with his board (only 3 members of which are active -Ed.) on this. Liz O'Donoghue, from Amtrak Government Affairs West, said that the board was undecided on whether to submit a request or not. Mr. Skoropowski introduced a letter from the LOSSAN Corridor asking that the CCJPA and other agencies ask the state to write a joint letter to the State legislature asking for a joint resolution supporting Amtrak funding. This was approved by the board, after several members expressed reservations about supporting a blank resolution to "support Amtrak." Mayor Jim Spering of Suisun said there are "good thing and bad things" about Amtrak, and the CCJPA must "maintain institutional access to the rails." Gene then reported he is pursuing alternatives with Mr. Gunn in anticipation of what might happen, particularly regarding vehicle maintenance, and he will meet personally with Mr. Gunn in early March. The State adopted a plan a year ago in case Amtrak goes away, and the CCJPA would work with Caltrans in implementing it if necessary.
In his Managing Director's report Mr. Skoropowski detailed the ridership growth not only has continued "it accelerated dramatically in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, with an all time high of 102,135 in December. Revenue continues to grow and the on time performance is back to the 90% range." He reported that the UP is working very cooperatively to keep trains running, with the railroad's OTP is now at 97 to 98%, the deductions caused by the portions that were Amtrak's fault, particularly locomotive mechanical maintenance. A new supervisor is on hand at the new Oakland facility who will revise the way maintenance is conducted. Preventive maintenance has fallen way behind. The bright spot was the trains are being washed regularly now and look much better.


RailPAC Contacts Publications Issues Meeting Reports 2005 Reports 2005-11-16 Capitol 2005-11-10 San Joaquin 2005-11 Announcement 2005-10-24 Bay Area 2005-09-21 Capitol 2005-09-14 LOSSAN 2005-09 Coast and TAMC 2005-09-08 San Joaquin 2005-07-14 San Joaquin 2005-07-11 TAMC 2005-06-25 CASHRA 2005-06-16 LOSSAN 2005-06-15 Capitol 2005-05-30 TAMC 2005-05-12 San Joaquin 2005-04-27 Coast Rail 2005-04-19 LOS-SAN 2005-03-11 San Joaquin 2005-02-16 Capitol 2005 Annual 2005-01 San Joaquin 2005-01 Monterey Membership Links	The Berkeley Amtrak station for the Capitol Corridor trains has needed reconstruction for a long time. On February 25, 2005, a groundbreaking ceremony was held to finally get this redevelopment project underway at the 3rd and University Avenue location. Shown in this photo are Capitol Corridor Managing Director Gene Skoropowski and Iris Starr, Redevelopment Coordinator for the City of Berkeley, who organized the event. (Photo by RailPAC director Marcia Johnston) Capitol Corridor Report February 16, 2005 Suisun City Hall Reported by Russ Jackson The CCJPA met in its usual aura of good feeling at the Suisun City Hall, basking in the glory of its success as usual. First on the agenda was the election of a new officers for the coming year. Roger Dickinson from Sacramento will be the new Chair, and Forest Williams, Santa Clara, the new Vice Chair. Mr. Dickinson was in Washington, so Mr. Williams took the gavel expressing his enthusiasm for the Capitol Corridor and urging that it be an active group in promoting the trains. The CCJPA voted an update to its current Business Plan, "premised upon the state's continuing financial deficit situation," and maintaining the current 24-train service plan with the funded service increases to San Jose and Roseville/Auburn. They presume no additional capital or operating money will be made available, but they will maintain "aggressive, proactive marketing strategies and seek innovative partnerships to increase the value of marketing, and most importantly, continue growth in ridership and revenues; they will seek opportunities to add service while staying within the State's budget allocation." The CCJPA voted to extend its managing agreement with BART for five years, continuing the arrangement that has brought it such success. During a discussion of the transfer of bus Route 20A, Nevada City-Auburn, to the local transit service, similar to to the agreement for Santa Cruz-San Jose, Director Tom Blalock asked that they look into a bus connection from the growing tourist area of Ft.Bragg/Mendocino to the connection at the Willits Skunk Train depot to supplement the Skunk service. The extension of the Capitol Corridor train service to Reno (to replace some of the current Thruway bus service)(See www.railpac.org for Reno pictures) is of continuing interest to the CCJPA, and a report on its progress was heard. While the current financial status of both California and Nevada, the latter being tied up with the Reno trench project currently, a working group of the project "partners" including Placer County, has been meeting to keep the momentum going. An estimated budget of $5 million would be needed, with $4 million asked for in the yet-to-be passed new version of TEA-21 from the Congress. Improvements would be required for track and signal construction to increase service between Sacramento and Auburn, then design and environmental plans between Auburn and Reno/Sparks. The Union Pacific's current status of trying to get its house in order does not permit them to fully work on this project immediately, either. Then they got to the topic all had been highly anticipating: the financial future of Amtrak, and its likely downgraded effect on the Capitol Corridor. Managing Director Gene Skoropowski reported that "without Amtrak would we be able to operate? Yes and No;" the state would "need a new operator," and he reported there is only one other system in the country that runs on freight railroad-owned mainline tracks and is operated by someone other than Amtrak. He said that the freight railroads would be very reluctant to ok anyone other than Amtrak, as a "new operator could present probems in the insurance liability area, for one." With Amtrak, that organization holds the insurance policy but a new operator would have to negotiate a new agreement, and no insurance company has indicated it would be interested. This requirement would fall on the CCJPA. Mr. Skoropowski then discussed the future of Amtrak funding, repeating his comments expressed in a document he posted on Tuesday where he said, "The administration does seem to recognize that they must have a federal-state partnership with the states for intercity passenger rail capital investment, albeit on a 50-50 basis rather than 80-20 for roads, there seems to be no new funding for this program, however, and the implication is that federal funds used to support the current national network of passenger rail run by Amtrak would be taken away from that function and the money made available to states on a matching basis." Gene went on in his document to say that since the entire "long distance passenger rail system costs about $300 million in subsidy, there is not much of a 'savings' likely to come cutting off all those services. Of the remaining $900 million of the total $1.2 billion Amtrak federal allocation, about half of that amount (actually more than half -Ed.) is for capital infrastructure maintenance/renewals along the Northeast Corridor." Gene then surprised the group by saying Amtrak President David Gunn had called him to say that DOT Secretary Norm Mineta had called telling Gunn and the Amtrak board to NOT submit a budget request for next year. Gunn had just met with his board (only 3 members of which are active -Ed.) on this. Liz O'Donoghue, from Amtrak Government Affairs West, said that the board was undecided on whether to submit a request or not. Mr. Skoropowski introduced a letter from the LOSSAN Corridor asking that the CCJPA and other agencies ask the state to write a joint letter to the State legislature asking for a joint resolution supporting Amtrak funding. This was approved by the board, after several members expressed reservations about supporting a blank resolution to "support Amtrak." Mayor Jim Spering of Suisun said there are "good thing and bad things" about Amtrak, and the CCJPA must "maintain institutional access to the rails." Gene then reported he is pursuing alternatives with Mr. Gunn in anticipation of what might happen, particularly regarding vehicle maintenance, and he will meet personally with Mr. Gunn in early March. The State adopted a plan a year ago in case Amtrak goes away, and the CCJPA would work with Caltrans in implementing it if necessary. In his Managing Director's report Mr. Skoropowski detailed the ridership growth not only has continued "it accelerated dramatically in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, with an all time high of 102,135 in December. Revenue continues to grow and the on time performance is back to the 90% range." He reported that the UP is working very cooperatively to keep trains running, with the railroad's OTP is now at 97 to 98%, the deductions caused by the portions that were Amtrak's fault, particularly locomotive mechanical maintenance. A new supervisor is on hand at the new Oakland facility who will revise the way maintenance is conducted. Preventive maintenance has fallen way behind. The bright spot was the trains are being washed regularly now and look much better.
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