California governor sinks SF-LA high speed rail plans NEWSWIRE

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A high speed rail bridge under construction over the Fresno River near Madera in May 2016. Two photos, Bob Johnston SACRAMENTO, Calif. – In his “state of the state” message Tuesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that he intends to withdraw the state’s support of the California High Speed Rail Authority’s plans to build a […]

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LA Metro seeks ways to deal with declining ridership NEWSWIRE

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Passengers board an LA Metro light rail train at Union Station in January 2017. Metro, like many public transit systems, is dealing with declining ridership. TRAINS: David Lassen LOS ANGELES — From Crenshaw to Century City to Little Tokyo, workers are digging tunnels, laying track, and building stations in a massive expansion of LA Metro’s […]

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BART, Amtrak exploring possible joint transbay crossing NEWSWIRE

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A Capitol Corridor train passes through Crockett, Calif. Amtrak and BART are considering a shared crossing of San Francisco Bay that would allow direct service between San Francisco and Sacramento. Steve Glischinski SAN FRANCISCO — Bay Area Rapid Transit and Amtrak are joining forces to study the possibility of a second San Francisco Bay rail […]

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San Francisco’s transit center to remain closed until at least June NEWSWIRE

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SAN FRANCISCO — The Transbay Transit Center, the downtown bus terminal which will eventually also serve as San Francisco’s station for the California high speed rail system, will remain closed until at least June, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The $2.2 billion dollar facility had been open for just six weeks when it was closed […]

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Niles Canyon’s restored Southern Pacific Krauss-Maffei diesel to debut in July NEWSWIRE

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9010 receives its “new” used truck repatriated from France. Pictured, from left, are Rich Alexander, SP 9010 Lead Machinist Bill Stimmerman and Dennis Mann, all PLA volunteers. Robert Zenk Volunteer Rob Fern and SP 9010 Restoration Crew Chief Howard P. Wise look over some of their work. Robert Zenk The once and future 9010 looked […]

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San Francisco to build new mid-route loop for historic F-Line NEWSWIRE

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A MUNI PCC car. Ivan Abrams SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, known as MUNI, plans to build a new bi-directional loop on its historic F-Line that will improve service on the popular streetcar route. The loop will be located in downtown San Francisco, right in the middle of the F-Line between […]

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Amtrak ‘San Joaquins’ adjust schedules NEWSWIRE

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A San Joaquin with former New Jersey Transit Comet cars prepares to depart Bakersfield, Calif., on Jan 31. 2017. A schedule adjustment has added more service to Bakersfield on weekends and holidays. Bob Johnston STOCKTON, Calif. — Amtrak’s San Joaquins have introduced new schedules to better accommodate weekend travelers and shorten connections to bus service. […]

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Niles Canyon Railway will host ‘Skookum’ during celebration of the first transcontinental railroad NEWSWIRE

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Skookum will run in Oregon once more before relocating to California. Martin E. Hansen SUNOL, Calif. — After Trains Magazine’s photo charter in Oregon in March, Skookum No. 7, the “never say die” 2-4-4-2 that was left for dead in 1955 in a Washington forest and resurrected earlier this year at Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad, […]

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Report: San Francisco transit center could be closed another six months NEWSWIRE

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SAN FRANCISCO — The transit center that will eventually be the San Francisco terminal for high speed rail could remain closed another six months. The San Francisco Chronicle offers that estimate in its latest report on the Transbay Transit Center, which was shut down just six weeks after its opening in August. [See “San Francisco […]

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Congressmen join effort to sway Amtrak plans to close call center NEWSWIRE

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RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Members of California’s congressional delegation have joined the effort to save Amtrak’s reservation call center in Riverside, which employs about 500 workers. The Riverside Press-Enterprise reports that 37 of the state’s representatives in Congress have agreed to sign a letter asking Amtrak to change its plan to close the Riverside center on […]

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San Diego seeks plan to connect airport, rail lines NEWSWIRE

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A San Diego Trolley passes near the city’s airport in January 2016. The area’s association of governments is looking for a plan to connect rail transportation to the San Diego airport. TRAINS: David Lassen SAN DIEGO — San Diego-area officials have begun the process of better connecting transit to San Diego’s airport, with talk of […]

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Still no reopening in sight for San Francisco transit center NEWSWIRE

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SAN FRANCISCO — There’s still no estimate of a reopening for San Francisco’s Transbay Transit Center, so its temporary replacement has received a bit more permanence. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Clipper card kiosks, which allow passengers to buy or add money to their fare cards, have been reinstalled by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission […]

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