California State Rail Plan 2005-06 to 2015-16

2005-06 – 2015-16 California State Rail Plan
There has been interest for many years in providing additional Coast Route service
to better link California’s two largest metropolitan areas. In 1992, H.R. 39 was
passed requesting a Coast Corridor intercity rail corridor upgrade study be
conducted by the regional transportation planning agencies along the Corridor in
cooperation with the Department. As a result, concerned local agencies formed
the Coast Rail Coordinating Council (CRCC) that is staffed by the San Luis
Obispo Council of Governments. The Coast Rail Improvement Study issued in
the fall of 1994 resulted from H.R. 39. Then in 1996, the Coast Route
Infrastructure Assessment Report was completed. One of the main goals of the
CRCC is to “close the gap” in State-supported train services by connecting
downtown Los Angeles and downtown San Francisco with daily train services.
In 2000, the CCRC issued a Coast Daylight Implementation Plan that envisions
daily service operating on Caltrain tracks from San Francisco to San Jose, and then
on UP tracks to Moorpark, and then on Metrolink tracks to Los Angeles. Stations
are planned in San Francisco, Millbrae, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Santa Clara,
San Jose, Gilroy, Pajaro, Salinas, King City, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, and
south to Los Angeles stopping at existing Pacific Surfliner stations. The study
includes operating costs, but no capital costs.
In fall 2004, the CRCC released the Capacity Analysis for this service.
The analysis identified several capital improvements that would be helpful in
order to increase train frequencies on the Coast Route. The CRCC is now working
with Amtrak, UP, and the Department to identify how to move forward since
capital funding for the improvements is extremely limited. Additionally, at this
time, the UP is not considering new passenger routes due to an increase in freight
traffic and their need to accommodate this demand.
Operating Plan
The Department’s ten-year operating plan includes one round-trip train between
San Francisco and San Luis Obispo, starting in 2007-08, with a second train in
2013-14. The first train would be operated from San Luis Obispo to Los Angeles
as an extension of the new Pacific Surfliner train added in November 2004, and
would provide through train service between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
The second train would operate as an extension of the planned third Los Angeles-
San Luis Obispo round-trip. Direct train connections to San Diego at Los Angeles
would be available on most trips.
The Department believes this extension is a good candidate for rail service
because:
• It would be the only State-supported route to provide direct train service
between the two major population centers of the State, thus closing a key
gap in the system.
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