Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "amtrak"

Amtrak train stops on I Street Bridge

2012-01-02T05:19:07Z

A west bound Amtrak train suddenly stops on the I Street Bridge on January 1, 2012 at 12:35 p.m. The train was detained for twenty minutes then was pulled back to the Sacramento train station. A few minutes later, the bridge swiveled over to let a Hornblower cruise ship past through.

To see the train being rolled back, click video.

Amtrak now offers free Wi-Fi on Capitol Corridor trains

2011-11-30T00:38:46Z

Travelers on Amtrak riding through the Capitol Corridor will now have Wi-Fi access on board the trains – and it’s free.

Amtrak launched the new service Monday to coincide with “Cyber Monday,” the busiest Internet holiday shopping day of the year, according to a press release from Amtrak.

The Capitol Corridor is an intercity passenger train system that provides rail service along a 170-mile rail corridor to 16 stations in eight counties, including Placer, Sacramento and Yolo.

The route extends from Auburn to San Jose, and includes stops in Rocklin, Roseville, Davis, Richmond and Berkeley and other cities.

Passengers can connect to the Wi-Fi service onboard the trains through any laptop or other portable device that is Wi-Fi enabled.

For commuters, such as Sacramento lobbyist Jack Bean, the new service will make working while traveling more convenient.

“I commute every day from the Bay Area so this will definitely benefit me,” Bean, 53, said Tuesday.

Bean said he’s looking forward to having a single, reliable network connection while on the train.

“There are alternate (wireless) connections (available),” Bean said, “but you lose it, and you get it, and you lose it in each area – so this will be nice.”

According to the Amtrak website, the service is not password protected, and travelers only need to connect to the "AmtrakConnectStation” network on their wireless devices to use it.

California state passenger rail agencies funded the implementation of Wi-Fi by reinvesting cost savings from prior completed rail projects, according to the press release.

“This has been the number one request from passengers since about 2003,” Luna Salavar, spokeswoman for the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Agency, said Tuesday.

“We tried several different techniques (to provide the service) in the past,” Salavar said, “but this was the first one that we feel will be successful in providing free Wi-Fi to our customers.”

The biggest challenge to connectivity on trains is the limited bandwidth available through third-party cellular data networks along many routes.

Salavar said that the AmtrakConnect service is designed to take advantage of technology improvements such as faster 4G speeds, as they become available along rail routes.

Sarah Tarlano, a college student headed to San Francisco from Penn Valley Tuesday – with her laptop in tow – said she read about the new service online.

“I’ll probably be checking email, using Facebook or reading the news (on the train),” said Tarlano, 19.

Although she usually likes to download media files while she travels, Tarlano said that the limited bandwith and file size restrictions won’t stop her from using the new service.

“I’ll do other things, so that’s ok,” Tarlano said. “(Wi-Fi) will still be good to have.”

Network performance on the trains will vary as the train travels, depending on the proximity of cell towers and strength of wireless signals along the route, Salavar said Tuesday.

The Wi-Fi service also blocks access to streaming video and restricts file downloads larger than 10 MB because of limited bandwidth on board. Passengers will want to download any large files before boarding the train.

The CCJPA was able to contract with Wi-Fi vendor Nomad Digital to use their wireless network technology and cellular towers for service, according to Salavar.

Amtrak is part of the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Agency which delivers transit service in coordination with the Union Pacific Railroad and Caltrans.

Wi-Fi service is already available on Amtrak high-speed express trains along 12 East Coast routes and on the Amtrak Cascades rail service in the Pacific Northwest.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

Movement: A photo essay of the Sacramento Valley Station

2011-11-06T21:45:57Z

It’s as if the ghosts of all those who have traveled through these halls before us can still be heard... I find myself yet again walking through empty rooms that echo not only my footsteps, but the seeming sounds of the past

The Sacramento Valley Station finds itself as a hub of transportation for the Sacramento area. Currently serving as an intermodal complex, the facility includes Amtrak, light rail, regional bus services and taxi amenities.

The public portions of the building are those that many are familiar with such as the main hall, or passenger waiting area, where customers purchase tickets or pass through to the facilities outside to the north. Outside are the bus berths, passenger tunnel and platforms, areas for taxis, and of course the rail lines themselves.

What the public doesn’t see are the dilapidated and crumbling rooms, once used as restaurants and offices. Light rich rooms, these areas have moods all to themselves. A large main hall that was used as a restaurant area reverberates densely as the building creaks and moans. Smaller offices are calm and quiet in their desolation.

They all sit empty, unusable due to their lack of upkeep, failure to meet building codes and absence of basics, such as elevators, restrooms and heating and cooling systems.

The building, constructed in 1926, marked the terminus of the first Transcontinental Railroad. Over the years, neglect of the facilities took its toll on the aging walls. The materials, though of quality, have simply outlived their life span.

The building itself qualifies as a historic property under the National Historic Preservation Act and is listed in historic registers, including the California Register of Historical Resources and National Register of Historic Places, among others.

More recently the City has put forth a federal grant application, with hopes of receiving approximately 28 million dollars of leverage money. The funds will go towards revitalizing the entire facility, to make use of the 53,000 square feet of space not being used and rehabilitating the historic features.

In the meantime, the City is now retrofitting the station to meet current standards for earthquake safety, as well as adding upgrades for people with disabilities, using an already granted sum of $11 million in federal and state monies.

Disclosure: Carlos Eliason is a photographer/videographer and designer working in the Sacramento area. He is also a creative media intern for the City of Sacramento.

Caltrans celebrates rail safety month

2011-09-15T23:47:51Z

September is Amtrak California’s rail safety month. Board members, Caltrans employees, and Senator Carol Liu spoke Thursday at the California State Railroad Museum about California’s rail safety statistics and the future of rail safety.

California has the most railroad fatalities annually in the nation, and has the second most incidents of trespassing.

“Since 2008, 300 people have been killed in railroad accidents just in California,” said Caltrans Chief Deputy Director Richard Land. “Our belief is that tragic incidents like these can be stopped.”

September was dedicated rail safety month in 2009 when California passed resolution No. 10, a bill promoting education of railroad hazards intended to eliminate accidents in the future.

Senator Carol Liu, author of the resolution, said, “Our goal is to educate parents since many trains pass schools. We need to bring down the number of folks trying to beat the train.”

Caltrans demonstrated the necessity of educating the public on rail safety through several tragic stories.

One of these stories was told by Caltrans Maintanence Supervisor Frank Ornelaz II, the final speaker at the event. Ornelaz described an incident in which his father was anxiously rushing home from the dentist (he had been robbed the night before) and was fatally hit while trying to beat an oncoming train.

Operation Lifesaver State Coordinator Pete Aadland described another incident in which a train slammed into a semi-truck that was carrying gasoline and that, according to Aadland, “resulted in a fireball that could be seen for five miles.”

But due to the state’s resolution and Caltrans dedication to safety, fatal incident are on the decline.

Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Board Chair Bob Franklin said “Since 2009 rail accidents have declined steadily...We have also put up fencing along Oakland's Jack London Square, and plan to do the same in other parts of the state.”

Franklin said it takes a train five minutes, or ½ mile, to stop after engaging the brakes.

“Collectively, we can all contribute to railroad safety,” said Ornelaz.

For more information, visit www.amtrak.com or http://www.dot.ca.gov.

Strings Express to open downtown

2011-01-11T01:34:08Z

A longtime Sacramento area restaurant chain is taking its first shot at a downtown location in a spot – and it’s taking a shot at a location that has seen several businesses fail recently.

Strings Restaurant Group is focusing on quick, affordable meals at its new restaurant – Strings Express – at 431 I St. near the Amtrak station, which will open the first week of February, according to Al DeCaprio, president of the organization.

The space has not seen its doors open for business since May, 2010. It was most recently home to the 5th and H Cafe, which was open for less than a year.

After 5th and H Cafe closed, there were plans to open a Depot Bikes & Cafe, but that business never opened.

“It’s off the beaten path,” Managing Partner Michael Gelber said. “But with a big name and some advertising, it will be successful.”

Gelber said he anticipates the restaurant drawing heavily on the downtown workforce and Amtrak passengers.

“It will not be full-service, but counter service, similar to Chipotle,” DeCaprio said. “It’s made-to-order from scratch, and the menu items with the longest cook times will be getting out in five minutes.”

“We want to get the lunch crowd, and we will have a lot of take-out options for people who want to grab something and get on the train or take it home to their families,” Gelber said.

Most menu items will be priced at less than $7, and the salad, soup and bread that traditionally come with the meals in a full-service Strings restaurant will now be á la carte.

“You can do a combo where you get a soda and salad or cheesy garlic bread for $2, or you can get the trifecta and get all three for $3,” Gelber said.

Menu items will include salads, cold sandwiches, grilled panini sandwiches and baked pasta dishes, DeCaprio said.

The first Strings restaurant opened near the intersection of Sunrise Boulevard and Coloma Road in Rancho Cordova in 1986. It was followed by another in Loehmann’s Plaza in Sacramento, DeCaprio said.

The restaurant now has 27 locations in northern California, and DeCaprio said he hopes to expand the smaller, faster idea at the corporate level, then look into franchising it if it proves successful.

Similar small-scale restaurants Strings dabbled in in shopping malls were too expensive to operate, but DeCaprio said locations like the upcoming one at Fifth and I streets will work.

“The challenge will be getting the public to buy into a quick-service Italian concept,” he said. “They’re used to burgers and Mexican food, and we believe they will buy into it once they see it is all fresh products.”

Gelber said the curb parking will be changed to a short-term loading zone so customers can park up front, place their orders and go.

Seating will be available both inside and outside on the patio, and Gelber said that at some point down the line, live music might be offered.

For now, however, the focus is on lunch and take-out, as well as catering.

“I think it’s a good idea,” said Lesla Lehtonen, who commutes via Amtrak to Sacramento from Berkeley three times a week. She added that she can see herself stopping at the restaurant.

Hours for the new restaurant will be 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. It will not be open on weekends. For more information, visit the restaurant's Facebook page, where more information will come as it gets closer to opening.

Image one: Strings Express location at 431 I St. Image two: Al DeCaprio. Image three: Spinach and pepperoni baked pasta dish – one of the items to be offered at the restaurant.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.

Travelers' thoughts about firearms on Amtrak

2010-12-03T01:07:13Z

With news of Amtrak’s new firearm policy to take effect Dec. 15, The Sacramento Press wanted to get an idea of what travelers think about the decision.

First-time Amtrak traveler Tina Stephens simply doesn’t see the need for such a policy.

“I don’t see any reason why anybody would need a firearm on the train anyway,” Stephens said. “I see no need for people to carry one if the people who work for Amtrak don’t have to carry them. That just opens yourself up for a lot of problems.”

Christina Miller of Redding also has mixed feelings about the policy.

“I don’t see a problem with it, but then again the terrorist thing is kind of scary,” Miller said. “If I were a hunter and I was traveling, I would want to be able to travel with what I need to hunt. But I’m not sure how I feel about that.”

Mike Goedert of Iowa sees no problem with it.

“I guess I don’t have any problem with it as long as they separate it from the individual who brings it aboard, I guess that would be fine,” Goedert said. “It’s just like any other apparel you would bring like a knife or something that you can stick in your luggage and they let you bring that aboard, so I guess it’s allright.”

Sharon, a frequent Amtrak traveler, isn’t comfortable with the idea.

“I think it’s really unusual. I think that it will cause everyone to be searched more, and I’m not comfortable with it,” she said. “As a frequent traveler, I have wondered why we haven’t had more awareness of baggage, and I think that this could cause a big problem.”

On the other hand, Spencer Schilling, 23, is just starting to travel on Amtrak a lot and approves of the policy as long as it’s done right.

“It sounds fine to me as long as they’re authorized to have the gun in the first place,” Schilling said. “As long as they’re legally allowed to and it’s locked on-board, then it’s fine with me.”

Sacramentan Annie Lee said she thinks it sounds OK in theory, but could be dangerous in practice.

“I just think that if they’re going to be vigilant about checking it, and they’re going to make sure that the arms are going to be locked, then that should be OK,” Lee said. “My only concern is then other people may try to abuse this law and take it further. Once you open the door to allow firearms, people may start to allow firearms on that are not locked or unloaded. There’s always going to be loopholes people are going to try to get in between.”

Margarita Garcia, however, said she doesn’t think the new policy is a good idea under any circumstance.

“I don’t think its a good idea because there’s a lot of kids, and even if they’re locked away and stuff, you never know. There’s a lot of crazy people out there, and you just never know.”

What do you think about Amtrak’s new policy?

Sacramento Pride Grows Up to Role as California's Capital Pride!

2010-06-18T07:46:57Z

With an iconic new location--Sacramento's scenic Capitol Mall, expanded marketing efforts and a growing roster of prestigious corporate sponsors and exhibitors, the 26-year-old Sacramento Pride Festival is expected to break attendance records on Saturday.

The June 19 Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., attracting an estimated 10,000 visitors and bringing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of economic benefit to Sacramento’s downtown area. Festival admission is $10.

After a number of years at South Side Park, the Festival will move to Capitol Mall in 2010, where a street-festival layout sandwiched between the Tower Bridge and the State Capitol dome is expected to add novelty and cachet to “California’s Capital Pride.” Adding to the buzz are headline entertainers from New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, a new high-energy Amtrak Dance Pavilion featuring popular regional DJs, and give-aways including $50 in free play at Jackson Rancheria Casino & Hotel, California State Fair and Village People concert tickets, music downloads from Masterbeat and more.

Featured on two live stages will be “Ru-Paul’s Drag Race” winner Bebe Zahara Benet, singer-songwriter and LOGO Channel star Joel Evan; musical comedy duo That’s What She Said (TWSS); and Kaylah Marin, whose dance remix single “On the Floor (Oh Baby Please)” hit #4 on the Billboard Club Play Charts. Local favorites include songstress Gwen McMillin, folk singer Joshua Macrae, and punk-soul-hip hop band RCWB (Rendezvous w/Cool Beans). A complete entertainment schedule is attached.

The Sacramento Pride Festival will kick off with a Pride Parade at 10 a.m., featuring State Assembly Speaker John Pérez as Grand Marshall. The parade will begin at the intersection of 7th and T streets and proceed on 7th Street to the Festival entrance at 7th Street and Capitol Mall.

An Opening Ceremony and ribbon-cutting will follow the parade at 11 a.m. on the Festival 4th Street Stage, featuring Assembly Speaker Pérez, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and other dignitaries.

Sacramento Pride would not be possible without the support of its generous corporate sponsors, including Title Sponsor Jackson Rancheria Casino & Hotel, Wells Fargo, Outword Magazine, Rainbow Chamber of Commerce, HP, Rainbow Pages, Regional Transit, Faces Nightclub, Barefoot Wine, Bud Light, JetBlue, WriteAway Communications Services, Infinite Entertainment, Uptown Studios, SMUD, Amtrak, CARES, Cheer SF, California State Fair, Power of Two Promotions, Lumens Light + Living, Safeway, IKEA, Sacramento News & Review, Curve Magazine and SF Weekly.

Sacramento Pride is produced by the volunteers and staff of the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center and proceeds support Center programs and services, including youth services, adult discussion groups, HIV support services, transgender support services, a free weekly legal clinic, gathering space for local community organizations and more. For more information about Sacramento Pride, visit www.sacramentopride.org.

$10 Buys Big Value at Sacramento Pride

2010-06-06T23:01:29Z

Let’s face it—a sawbuck just doesn’t go very far these days. But thanks to generous corporate sponsorships and a year's worth of robust volunteer effort to build the event, Sacramento Pride is shaping up to be the best value of the region's summer festival season!

Sacramento Pride Festival, Saturday, June 19, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., will be held at Sacramento’s scenic Capitol Mall for the first time this year. To go along with its exciting new location, Pride's volunteer organizers are bringing in new attractions, star-power entertainment, and excellent swag--all for the price of a $10 admission ticket.

Here is a list of the top 10 added values for guests attending Sacramento Pride:

1) $50 Casino Bucks from Sacramento Pride Title Sponsor Jackson Rancheria Casino and Hotel
Don’t throw that Pride Festival ticket away! Printed on the reverse side is your coupon for $50 in free casino play at Jackson Rancheria. (Offer only applies to new customers, who are not currently members of Jackson’s Dreamcatcher Club®. However, Jackson Rancheria has been so touched by the support of the LGBTQI community that EXISTING club members may submit their tickets for $25 in free Casino Bucks!)

2) 10 Free Music Downloads from Masterbeat
Look for volunteers wearing Masterbeat T-shirts at our new high-energy Amtrak Dance Pavilion. They’ll be handing out Masterbeat cards good for 10 free music downloads at https://www.masterbeat.com to the first 1,500 visitors!

3) Free California State Fair and Village People Concert Tickets
Hightail it over to the Amtrak Dance Pavilion anytime you hear the DJ spin a Village People tune. Pride Sponsor California State Fair staff will be handing out free passes to the Fair and to The Village People (Y-M-C-A!), in concert at Cal Expo Tuesday, July 27.

4) FREE Logo Goodie Bags to the First 5,000 Guests
Collect your reusable, souvenir Pride Goodie Bag at the gate, and use it to collect your SWAG from our fabulous array of Festival sponsors and exhibitors.

5) Star Entertainment Line-up at 2 Live Stages
“Ru-Paul’s Drag Race” winner Bebe Zahara Benet. Musical comedy duo That’s What She Said (U-Haul: The Music Video). LOGO Channel star singer-songwriter Joel Evan. Billboard Club Dance Chart recording artist Kaylah Marin. Dreamy sister duo Karmina. Cast members from Steve Silver’s “Beach Blanket Babylon.” And lots of local favorites, including Cheer SF, Sacramento Sirens Cheer Elite, Cheer Sacramento, and Folsom Cheer Elite; vocalist/activist Cooper Rae; singer-songwriter Gwen McMillin; folk singer Joshua Macrae; A Church For All Gospel Choir; Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus; Downtown Diva Danielle; Taryn Thru U; Rusty Nails… we could just go on and on. Check out the official Sacramento Pride Program in the June 10 issue of Outword Magazine for a complete entertainment listing, or visit http://sacramentopride.org.

6) Amtrak Dance Pavilion
You asked for more fun, more excitement, more chance to dance the day away! We heard you! Sacramento Pride Sponsors Amtrak and Infinite Entertainment, along with One DJ Nation, will provide you with a diverse mix of high-energy dance music all day long. Our line-up of guest DJs includes DJ Gabriel, DJ Lurid, DJ Clay and Sacramento’s own Jammin’ Jo.

7) Kidzone and Carnival
Bounce houses! Face painting! Arts, crafts, games and family-friendly fun! Staffed as usual by the wonderful folks at Sierra Forever Families.

8) Entertainer Meet-&-Greets and Merchandise Signing Opportunities
Several of our performers will be on hand after their stage performances to mix and mingle with our Pride guests. Have your picture taken with Bebe or Joel. Or purchase a TWSS CD or Pride T-shirt to have the girls sign! Celebrity signing areas will be announced from the 4th Street and 6th Street Stages.

9) Skip the Lines!
For the first time this year, you can purchase your Sacramento Pride Festival admission tickets and drink tickets online. Just go to http://sacramentopride.org and click on the Store link. Buy four tickets online, and you will receive a free 24 x 36-inch collectible poster, mailed to you with your tix in a tube.

10) The Priceless Opportunity to Make a Difference in Your Community
Sacramento Pride is produced by the staff and volunteers of the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center, and your $10 Pride Festival admission is the primary source of funding for Center programs and services throughout the year. Those include youth programming, HIV support services, transgender support services, adult men’s and women’s discussion groups, free weekly legal clinic, free or low-cost meeting space for community organizations and much more. Many Center services are not available anywhere else in Northern California outside the Bay Area. Your attendance on June 19 is a contribution that will make a difference in our community, all year long!

Sacramento Pride Reinvented

2010-05-09T00:45:50Z

This is not your daddy’s Sacramento Pride!

Sacramento Pride is making big changes in 2010, all aimed at transforming the annual regional celebration of LGBT culture and accomplishments into an event worthy of its new tagline, California’s Capital Pride.

The list of changes begins with the day-long Pride Festival’s move this year to Sacramento’s Capitol Mall. The Festival will be held Saturday, June 19, from 10 am to 5 pm. Sandwiched between the State Capitol dome on the east and the golden spans of the Tower Bridge on the west, the Festival’s move to the scenic city gateway is intended to raise visibility and emphasize the important role of the LGBT community in Sacramento and statewide.

The Festival’s move from Southside Park, where the festival has been held for the past several years, to Capitol Mall has been warmly received by city officials, who awarded the event an $8,100 City of Festivals Grant for the first time this year. “Sacramento’s LGBT community is essential to making this city a great place to live, work and play,” said Councilmember Ray Tretheway. “The State Capitol and Tower Bridge will be the perfect backdrop as thousands of people from throughout the state and nation gather to celebrate our capital’s annual pride festival.”

Also new in 2010:

An amped-up entertainment line-up, featuring several nationally-known acts as well as a robust slate of local talent at two stage locations. Entertainers confirmed to date include:
-- Season 1 winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Bebe Zahara Benet
-- Recording artist Kaylah Marin, whose dance remix hit “On the Floor (Oh Baby Please)” currently is #4 on the Billboard Club Play Charts
-- TWSS, or That’s What She Said, an L.A. musical comedy duo perhaps best known for the YouTube sensation, “U-Haul: The Music Video”
-- Singer/Songwriter Joel Evan, whose new hit single "Storm" is taking the dance clubs by storm.
A new Sacramento Pride Parade route, featuring a symbolic route reversal, beginning at 10 am at Southside Park (where it used to end)and ending at the entrance to the new Capitol Mall Festival grounds.
The high-energy Amtrak Dance Stage, made possible by a generous sponsorship from Amtrak.
An all-new Dyke Celebration. Scheduled for Friday evening, June 18, at the State Capitol West Steps, the event will feature a twist on the traditional “Dyke March” with a festive line-up of musical, dance, Drag King and spoken-word performances. Participants of all genders are invited to join the celebration of unity and equality.

Sacramento Pride 2010 will have the support of the largest number of corporate and non-profit sponsors in the history of the event, beginning with Title Sponsor Jackson Rancheria Hotel & Casino, Outword Magazine, Wells Fargo, The Hewlett Packard Company, Regional Transit, JetBlue, Barefoot Cellars, Safeway, Rainbow Chamber of Commerce of Sacramento, Rainbow Pages, SMUD, Amtrak, California State Fair, Uptown Studios, IKEA, BudLight, Lumens Light + Living, Infinite Entertainment, WriteAway Communications Services, Power of Two Promotions, CARES, Sacramento News & Review, and Cheer San Francisco. Outword Magazine publisher Fred Palmer, sales and marketing agent for Sacramento Pride, has been instrumental in attaining most of the event sponsors.

As always, Sacramento Pride is produced by volunteers and staff of the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center, and proceeds support Center youth services, HIV support services, programs for transgender individuals, gay men and lesbians, a free weekly legal clinic and other services critical to the health and wellbeing of the LGBT community.

For more information, visit http://sacramentopride.org, or follow Sacramento Pride on Facebook, Twitter and MySpace.

Depot Bikes and Cafes Offers Opportunities for Sacramento Bicycle Commuters

2010-04-10T21:27:32Z

Depot Bikes and Cafes, a conjoined bike repair and retail shop, cafe and social area, plans on opening its doors at 431 I St, Suite 102, in mid-May.

This location sets the business at the convergence of the Sacramento Amtrak and Capitol Corridor train stations, SacRT bus station and Sacramento light rail stations. Owner Tim Fallis said he hopes the shop will foster a stronger trend of bicycle commuting and commerce in Sacramento.

Fallis' family has always been full of cycling enthusiasts. The business venture started as Fallis began reselling Strida compact bicycles independently from the manufacturer. His success pushed him to pursue opening a specialized bike shop, focusing on commuter and commercial-use bicycles.

Fallis contacted his sons Mike, who has made a career in food and wine sales, and Chris, who attended the United Bicycle Institute in Ashland, Ore. with his proposal. The brothers agreed to offer their services and together came up with idea of a cafe, lounge area and bicycle shop under one roof.

In his market research, Fallis found that similar businesses were popping up around the United States and Europe. Sacramento presented itself as a prime location.

According to the Bicycle Commuting Trend's survey from 2000-2008, Sacramento is No. 4 of the 70 largest U.S. cities in terms of population that commutes by bicycle daily. The Sacramento Capitol Corridor station is rated No. 1 from here to San Jose in terms of bicycle-to-train interaction.

Depot Bikes plans to offer a wide variety of services to this large and ever-growing population of cyclists. The shop includes commuter and commercial bike sales, bike rentals, indoor bike valet and storage, quick turnaround repair, cafe-style food and drink service, lounge area for train layovers and repair wait, a historical library of the Sacramento area and a map service for train and bus routes, bike trails, river access and downtown neighborhoods.

"Our main focus is to get people out of their cars as much as we can." Fallis said, "and to show them bikes are functional for commuters and commerce as well enjoyment."

Depot Bikes will be hosting a preconstruction party from 5-8 p.m. Saturday.The event is invitation-only, but local businesses, community members and other interested individuals are encouraged to contact Fallis for additional information.

For more details and contact information, e-mail: info@depotbikesandcafes.com

Work underway on train station, tracks

2010-01-28T06:12:30Z

Maintenance work began Wednesday on Union Pacific railroad tracks in the Downtown Sacramento railyards, while ongoing upgrades continue at the historic Sacramento Valley Station.

Union Pacific has started rail maintenance work on existing tracks. Rail cars that are part of a track replacement train known as the TRT 909 are pulling up the rail and replacing railroad ties underneath, said Aaron Hunt, public relations director for Union Pacific.

"We have track improvement projects going on throughout the state currently," he said.

The work is not part of the $60 million Downtown track relocation project, said Richard Rich, development director of Thomas Enterprises' Railyards project.

The timing was determined by the amount of train traffic and loads on the tracks, even though those tracks will be ripped out in a year or so, as track relocation work is scheduled to start by May. Railroad track relocation is the first phase of a regional transportation center being built in the 244-acre historic railyards adjacent to the existing station at Fifth and I streets.

The design and location of the future transit hub must still be determined. Two weeks ago, Thomas and another development team proposed incorporating the transportation center into a new Kings arena if the arena were built adjacent to the existing train station.

On Tuesday, the California Department of General Services closed off a dozen parking spaces next to the train station for work expected to begin soon on upgrading the station's electrical system, said Linda Tucker, spokesperson for the city's Department of Transportation.

Those spaces won't be available until May 15. The station's water system is also being updated at this time, she said.

City workers are designing new front-entry canopies for all the doors and strengthening wall and floor connections, she said.

Workers have also secured the building against pests, updated the natural gas system, repaired basement leaks, removed some lead paint and asbestos, and done other work since the city bought the building on behalf of its residents in 2006. Amtrak leases the station from the city.

Sacramento Valley Station sits on a major national trade route, the Central Corridor, whose western junction is the high-volume Port of Oakland. Freight and passenger trains share three tracks in a configuration set up about the time the Sacramento station was built in 1925.

Track relocation work will include building tracks devoted to freight, in order to allow a higher volume of freight trains to move more quickly through Sacramento. Freight and passenger tracks also will be moved at least 300 feet north and straightened to allow for longer trains.

Amtrak locomotive gets an eco-makeover

2009-07-23T07:20:19Z

California's air may start to look a little cleaner, thanks to the California Department of Transportation and its project partners.

Caltrans's revolutionary "green locomotive" debuted Wednesday morning at the Amtrak Sacramento Valley station.

Members of Caltrans and its project partners assembled within the train station at a press release to make statements regarding the new locomotive, considered a major step toward reducing California's carbon footprint.

It is one of the 15 F59PHI model locomotives owned by Caltrans and operated by Amtrak that is now installed with a 710ECO Repower upgrade package. The package is said to consist of the latest microprocessor-controlled locomotive engine technology for lower emissions, increased fuel economy and predictable maintenance costs.

The F59PHI models were initially built by Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc. in October 2001 to meet Tier 0 Environmental Protection Agency emissions standards, the minimum EPA requirement for fuel emissions from passenger locomotives.

James Goldstene, executive officer of the California Air Resources Board, explained that in other words, the newly-installed technology in the F59PHI model makes the engine run cooler and uses fuel more efficiently, allowing the locomotive to advance from Tier 0 to Tier 2 EPA emission standards, resulting in a 50 percent reduction of operating emissions.

Sacramento County Supervisor Roger Dickinson said that the development is "an illustration of our willingness to work with anyone and everyone to clean up the air for Sacramentans." He added that climate change and global warming is an issue that must be addressed at the local level by communities, and that the newly-introduced technology makes riding the train a "smarter and better" decision than ever before.

Following the statements, the representatives of Caltrans, the EPA and other organizations descended into the tunnel beneath the Sacramento Valley rail tracks, resurfacing to stop and admire the "green locomotive."

The retrofitted model has already begun operating on the intercity passenger rail service Capitol Corridor between Sacramento and the Bay Area as of three weeks ago.

The Capitol Corridor serves the Sierra Foothills in addition to Sacramento and the Bay area, and it is operated by the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority in partnership with Caltrans and Amtrak.

Along with Amtrak California’s Pacific Surfliner and San Joaquin intercity rail line, Capitol Corridor is the third busiest rail line in the nation with a ridership of 1.7 million.

Capitol Corridor alone is responsible for eliminating 559 million miles worth of highway travel, said Eugene Skoropowski, Capitol Corridor managing director.

Caltrans is working to convert the remaining 14 Amtrak-operated locomotives to this upgraded model — which is the cleanest diesel electric passenger locomotive in the country — as quickly as possible, stated Caltrans Division of Rail chief Bill Bronte. So far there is available stimulus funding for seven of the 14, he said.

Money for the project came from the Carl Moyer Program, a partnership between the California Air Resources Board and local air boards in the state that provides grants for projects reducing pollutants from heavy-duty engines. Retrofitting the F59PHI involved both the Sacramento Metropolitan and Bay Area Air Quality Management districts.

Kevin Bahline of EMD said that the company is in the process of launching the eco-friendly technology globally.

See also: Eco train engine unveiled

Photo Credit: Images 1, 2, 4 & 5 by Ed Fogle; images 3 & 6 by Kati Garner.

Eco train engine unveiled

2009-07-18T00:51:02Z

A greener locomotive will make its official California debut in Sacramento Wednesday.

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will present the locomotive during a press conference at the Sacramento Valley Rail Station, which holds a prestigious spot in railroad history as the western starting point for the Transcontinental Railroad.

Caltrans and Amtrak are partners operating "Amtrak California." Caltrans owns this locomotive, plus 16 others and 88 train cars. Amtrak operates the trains and stations.

The first in the Amtrak California passenger fleet, the locomotive has been upgraded to operate using the cleanest diesel technology available for train engines.

“This is really a big step for Caltrans. We took a proactive role to get a cleaner locomotive on the tracks, and we’re proud to see this project through,” said Caltrans Director Will Kempton. "It aligns with Gov. (Arnold) Schwarzenegger's objectives to clean up Caltrans’ carbon footprint, and it contributes to the bigger goal of California going green."

The locomotive -- built in 2001 by Illinois-based Electro-Motive Diesel -- was upgraded in May by the same company to produce lower greenhouse gas emissions and use less fuel, among other things.

The locomotive has been powering Amtrak trains on the Capitol Corridor Route between Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area since June.

Amtrak California expects to reduce its operating emissions by up to almost 50 percent after converting 14 other locomotives of the same model to this technology, according to Caltrans' rail division.

Disney Train Tour: experience Christmas in June

2009-06-20T04:37:03Z

“Who doesn’t love Christmas in June?”

Nicole Rivelli, team member of Walt Disney Studio’s Special Events,

posed this question when asked about the timing of Disney’s “A
Christmas Carol” Train Tour stop in Sacramento.

This weekend will mark the seventh stop for Disney’s train on its 40-city tour.

Sacramento native and president of the Walt Disney Picture Group, Mark
Zoradi, wished everyone a “Merry Christmas” as he introduced the
interactive walk-through train tour being held at the California State
Railroad Museum.

The train is filled with costumes, flat-screen TVs with commentaries
from all the characters, including Producer Robert Zemeckis, and a
behind-the-scenes peek of how the digital 3D film was made.

One of the most appealing attractions is the "Face Morph" station.
Children and adults use Hewlett Packard Touchsmart PCs to take a
picture of their faces and have them morphed into characters from the
film.

A 50-foot by 50-foot-tall 3D theater allowed attendees a 10-minute
preview of the film, which is still in the process of being filmed.

“I think Robert's goal was to stay true to what Dickens wrote, so when
you see Disney's "A Christmas Carol," it's going to be like seeing "A
Christmas Carol" for the first time.” Rivelli said.

The train tour will continue to travel the country, hitting 26 states
altogether.

“It's a five-month tour, so we started in May. We're going to have
Christmas all summer, but when we end, it'll be in November – right
when the film releases – so it's all kind of culminating up to the
film release,” Rivelli said.

Since its start in Los Angeles, the attraction has gotten phenomenal reactions.

"L.A. had five-hour lines. Denver [and] Albuquerque had three-hour
lines. So I think that being able to see … Disney … when they would
normally have to come out to Orange County to see it, or all the way
to Florida, the fact that we're bringing a little Disney magic to
them, they love it,” Rivelli said.

"It was definitely an easy decision to make it stop in Sacramento,”
Rivelli said. “I mean, look at it, the old town is the perfect
backdrop for this train.”

The Disney train tour highlights a part of history from Dickens’ time
and brings a book to life that has played a huge part in classical
literature.

The train tour will end in November, right in time for the movie
release on Nov. 6.

All images photographed by Fino Balanza

Preservation Commission Approves Depot Plan

2009-05-22T06:04:42Z

On Thursday night, Sacramento's Preservation Commission held a special meeting to review plans to expand and refurbish Sacramento's historic passenger depot. The depot's environmental impact report includes two alternatives: a "move the depot" option that would involve rolling the historic building 400 feet north to meet the new track alignment, or a "don't move the depot" option that would build an expanded station between the current depot and the new track alignment. The commission was asked to provide their recommendation to City Council as to whether the city should move the station or not.

Union Pacific's railroad tracks adjacent to the depot currently form a sharp S-curve that limits the length of passenger trains that can safely pull into the station, and limits the maximum speed of freight trains passing through the city. The tracks' current location also puts freight trains very close to waiting passengers, with no barriers or other protection between trains and people. Union Pacific wants to straighten out the S-curve into a single tangent. By smoothing the curve, freight trains could travel more quickly, eliminating a traffic bottleneck. By providing separate freight tracks and limiting access to them with a fence, passengers waiting on the platform would be safer.

The issue of the historic depot has been a contentious point since the original plans to relocate the tracks appeared in the late 1990s. Preservation advocates are concerned that if the depot is no longer adjacent to the tracks, it will be replaced by a new building and the historic building will fall into disuse or disrepair. The city's objective is to maintain the depot as an "intermodal" station, a station where passengers can move between many different transportation modes: car, city bus, intercity bus, light rail, commuter train or long-distance train. Sacramento's passenger station is one of the busiest in the country, serving over a million passengers a year, and rail transit providers expect dramatic increases in rail passenger traffic in the coming decades, so either plan must allow for growth.

In 2007, the Sacramento City Council selected a radical plan: rather than abandon the depot, the existing depot would be moved to a new site adjacent to the tracks on giant rollers. Once relocated, the new depot would be put back into service. Over the past two years, staff have examined the plan more closely but had concerns about the feasibility of moving the depot. In order to cover all of their options, the report on the depot plan included two alternatives: a "move the depot" plan and a "don't move the depot" plan.

Both plans involved three phases. In Phase 1, the tracks are to be relocated and a surface path built from the depot to the new location. In Phase 2, temporary landscaping improvements would be added, along with an underground concourse allowing access to passenger train platforms without crossing freight tracks. This phase would also include some cosmetic and seismic retrofit to the depot. Phase 3 is split into two options.

In the "move the depot" option, two city blocks would be freed up for residential development, and a triangular structure would be built behind the depot to provide shelter to embarking passengers. In the "don't move the depot" option, the historic building would still serve as an entrance but a large structure similar to an airport concourse would be built behind the depot. Access to the tracks would be via this elevated concourse or via the underground tunnel completed in Phase 2. This structure would also contain a Greyhound bus terminal and drop-off points for local buses, and be adjacent to a relocated RT Metro light rail line. The bus functions would also be present in a "move the depot" scenario, but located at different points around the depot. Both plans include provision to make space for future high-speed rail lines, and both plans include space on the existing lots for new development. Another feature of both plans is a secondary tunnel at the western edge of the tracks, where "red cap" operated vehicles can transport limited-mobility and disabled passengers to the tracks.

Sacramento's city staff support the "don't move the depot" alternative, on the basis that it would be cheaper, provides more space for expansion, and avoids risks to the historic structure associated with relocation. The "move the depot" would provide less space for expansion, and the walk from entrance to tracks would be shorter, but the relocation would cost more than would be saved by building a smaller station expansion.

Some members of the public voiced concerns about the "don't move the depot" alternative. Kay Knepprath of the "Save Our Rail Depot" (SORD) Coalition stated that the city has already agreed to move the depot, and reiterated concerns that if the depot loses its connection with the tracks, it will no longer be used as a passenger station. City attorney Cheryl Patterson addressed the latter issue by mentioning that federal transportation funds will be used to pay for restoration of the station, and those funds require that the building continue to serve a transportation function. In other words, if it stops being a train station, the money must be returned. The operator of the local Yellow Cab franchise asked that, regardless of which option was selected, sufficient parking space for cabs be provided in the plan.

The Preservation Commission voted 5-2 to support staff's recommendation to select the "don't move the depot" option. Their recommendation will be passed along to the Sacramento City Council for a final decision on Tuesday, June 2.

A copy of the Preservation Commission agenda, including PDF copies of the environmental documents regarding the proposed track relocation and depot move, can be found here:

http://www.cityofsacramento.org/dsd/meetings/commissions/preservation/2008/PC_Agenda_5-21-09.cfm

Suspicious object found on light rail

2009-04-03T19:28:58Z

At 9:40 this morning, a suspicious object was spotted on the light rail and called in by a citizen at the Amtrak station on 4th and I Streets, causing a flurry of emergency vehicles to come to the scene.

The Sacramento Police Department responded, and the Sacramento Fire Department, HAZMAT team, Federal Protective Services, District Attorney's Investigator and the FBI were all on the scene.

Cars were not allowed into the Amtrak parking lot to allow for emergency vehicle access, however, people on foot were allowed into the station. According to Sergeant Norm Leong of the Sacramento Police Department Public Information Office, Amtrak and light rail will still be running.

"First thing they’re going to do is send the robot in and that’ll allow us to determine if it’s a non-explosive or explosive and then we’ll go from there," Leong said. "The idea is to use the robot to kind of take a look at the item and decide what they want to do with it."

Jim Doucette, of the Fire Department PIO, said that the robot is a fairly new device, but that it's been used in drills and training.

"Our robot has the ability to go in and not only videotape broadcast a TV picture back to the command post, but it also has the ability to take air samples or take a sample of liquid," Doucette said. "It’s a good tool for us. It's totally remote control. Somebody will be operating it from a joystick from far away. It puts the robot into a situation that could be hazardous instead of putting a body in there."

At 11:50 a.m., the object was being x-rayed and all lines were running but not making stops at the Sacramento Valley Station.

Light Rail Suspicious Activity

2009-04-03T18:11:32Z

Free Webcam Chat at Ustream

This is a live feed from our office window, which is the epicenter of the hazardous materials threat ongoing at the Sacramento Valley Station Light Rail stop.

The feed captures a small fraction of the law enforcement officers involved, but shows the ones at the center of the problem

UPDATE: Live feed was discontinued at approximately 12:45p.m. as all the law enforcement had left the scene.

Off track, Amtrak parking

2008-11-03T10:22:29Z

Our office, The Sacramento Press office, is located at 431 I Street right next to the Sacramento Valley Station. We share a parking lot with the train station.

Parking at this location is not a pleasant experience. The lot serves as parking for our building, the train station and often times the Sacramento Federal Court house.

Most days I choose not to drive to work, firstly because I prefer to use the very convenient light rail option, but secondly because the parking situation is so terrible.

By 10 a.m., the lot is almost certainly full and the few remaining spots are almost always 2 hour spots, not suitable for those hoping to park and ride the train.

After finally finding a spot most travelers are unaware that the most difficult aspect of parking still lies ahead, the parking kiosks. While there are small black signs sprinkled throughout the lot that inform people to remember their space number, that fact often goes overlooked.

Many times I will assist parking lot patrons who have not remembered their space number. Then there are those who remember their space but assume that the letter 'C' on each spot is a part of the number. 'C' in this case stands for "Compact" but try and tell that to a frustrated motorist who can't locate the letter 'C' on the keypad of the kiosk.

And last but not least is the question that almost every person has but is mentioned nowhere in the parking lot; do you need to put your parking slip in your car?

The answer seems to be no, but I will consult the City of Sacramento and find out all the facts.

Until then, share your troubles parking in the Amtrak parking lot in the conversation below. Do you have different problems than the ones mentioned above? Do you have any suggestions for how the lot might be improved?