Passenger Trains > Coast Daylight Loses Funding

From the San Luis Obispo, California Tribune:

“According to a news release from the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments, which oversees many of the multi-agency transportation projects in the county, the state commission expects a $1.5 billion shortfall in its project commitments through 2019 and has had to take back many of its promised funds. In San Luis Obispo County, the funding cut totals about $45.1 million (including) the following projects:

▪  $25 million designated for the "Coast Daylight” track and signal project to extend San Luis Obispo train service to the San Francisco Bay Area.

SLOCOG Planning Director James Worthley said many of the county’s planned projects are “stuck” now that their funding is unclear, though he noted it’s likely the Coast Daylight track plan won’t come to fruition now that its funding has been pulled.”



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/27/16 17:16 by BobDempsey.

1. This was mostly a jobs bill, as most of these things are, imho.  With a big fat average 3 movements a day between SLO AND Salinas, and 10 moves a day between salinas and gilroy, fitting another 2 trains a day in cud be done with not track additions at all.  Maybe just use the passing sidings as they were intended, and not as yard storage.

Of course, UP wants trheir pound of flesh, for anything.  

State shud just buy the coast line inho...altho the state is prob also looking at all the RE tax $ they wouldnt get from UP. 

My humble idea....use all that HSR money to...,
1. Buy and dispatch the coast line.  Install garage door openers on the manual siding switches.
2. Build a cutoff Gaudalupe-santa maria-Buelton/solvang-Gaviota.  Station stops at Buelton/solvang (big time turist area) and Santa Maria (Pop over 100K)
3. build a cutoff BFL-grapevine--tunnel to Castaic
4. Connector at stocton  from SF valley line to Niles canyon...rebuild Dunbarton br to redwood city.
Thses things would facilitate much better service between LA-SFO and intermediate stops..  and I cant imagine it would cost as much as the HSR which will never be built in my lifetime.

pdt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 1. This was mostly a jobs bill, as most of these
> things are, imho.  With a big fat average 3
> movements a day between SLO AND Salinas, and 10
> moves a day between salinas and gilroy, fitting
> another 2 trains a day in cud be done with not
> track additions at all.  Maybe just use the
> passing sidings as they were intended, and not as
> yard storage.
>
> Of course, UP wants trheir pound of flesh, for
> anything.  
>
> State shud just buy the coast line inho...altho
> the state is prob also looking at all the RE tax $
> they wouldnt get from UP. 
>
> My humble idea....use all that HSR money to...,
> 1. Buy and dispatch the coast line.  Install
> garage door openers on the manual siding
> switches.
> 2. Build a cutoff Gaudalupe-santa
> maria-Buelton/solvang-Gaviota.  Station stops at
> Buelton/solvang (big time turist area) and Santa
> Maria (Pop over 100K)
> 3. build a cutoff BFL-grapevine--tunnel to
> Castaic
> 4. Connector at stocton  from SF valley line to
> Niles canyon...rebuild Dunbarton br to redwood
> city.
> Thses things would facilitate much better service
> between LA-SFO and intermediate stops..  and I
> cant imagine it would cost as much as the HSR
> which will never be built in my lifetime.

I like the ideas, but my guess is nobody will go for them because they aren't "big" enough to cover all of the political back scratching, job creations, etc. that Sacramento needs.  I saw a comment years ago that nobody holds a ribbon cutting when the road is repaved.

Nathan

So you are saying we need a new political administration that will stand up and get things done on the railroad.