Today's Headlines

Passenger service returns to Sacramento-Stockton route

After a nearly three-decade absence, direct passenger rail service between Sacramento and Stockton began February 21 as part of the Amtrak California San Joaquin route. Other changes also effective include new morning and evening express trains and new reserved seating service.

A daily southbound train will depart Sacramento at 6:20 a.m. and arrive in Bakersfield at 11:45 a.m. A daily northbound train will leave Bakersfield at 5:45 p.m. and arrive in Sacramento at 11:15 p.m.

The service marks the fifth San Joaquin train and the first time since 1971 that Sacramento and the San Joaquin Valley have been connected directly by passenger rail. Since 1974, Amtrak has operated a Bakersfield to Oakland route. Bus service between Stockton and Sacramento was added in 1980. Four other San Joaquin trains will continue to operate between the Central Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area.

As of Feb. 21, the early morning departure from Oakland and the evening departure from Bakersfield operate as Express Trains and will no longer stop at Wasco, Corcoran, Madera and Turlock/Denair. Passengers to and from Sacramento can still connect with those four trains in Stockton via an Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach.

All San Joaquins between Bakersfield and Sacramento will make intermediate stops in Stockton, Riverbank, Turlock/Denair, Merced, Madera, Fresno, Hanford, Corcoran and Wasco.

In Stockton, the San Joaquin train to and from Sacramento will stop at a different location, the ACE Commuter Station, located at North Aurora and East Weber Streets. The four San Joaquin trains to and from the Bay Area will continue to use the Stockton Amtrak Station at 735 South San Joaquin Street.

The direct Valley-to-Sacramento train means a return of service that was discontinued more than 27 years ago. Caltrans and Amtrak expect to attract many new travelers, who are now taking their cars. During the state's fiscal year 1998, the San Joaquins carried more than 702,000 passengers, an eightfold increase over the route's first fiscal year.

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Privatized British railroads to get government oversight

LONDON -- The Journal of Commerce reports that British railroads are bracing themselves for a government showdown next Thursday, when ministers are expected to appoint a powerful new watchdog to knock the privatized industry into shape.

Industry figures said the rail summit should signal a fresh start for the rail network which has seen dismal service levels since privatization under the last Conservative government.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott will head the summit knowing that unless he turns around performances before the next election, the Labor government could face a commuter backlash.

Critics say Mr. Prescott's approach so far has been one of tough talk and little action, with the chorus of passenger complaints rising 25 percent in the period from April 1 to October 17.

The appointment of a chairman for the new Strategic Rail Authority (SRA), which will award and monitor rail franchises, is set to top Thursday's agenda.

Industry observers believe the top job is almost sure to go to former Eurotunnel Plc chairman, Sir Alistair Morton -- the no-nonsense industrialist who also helped Mr. Prescott save the multi-billion pound Channel Tunnel Rail Link from collapse.

Analysts say the appointment of an industry heavyweight like Morton should lead to an improvement in standards thanks to his reputation for driving hard bargains.

"I guess the summit will be the launch of Alistair Morton, and the good news about that is he is the kind of man who gets things done, regardless of the financial consequences -- as he showed with the Eurotunnel," said BT Alex Brown transport analyst Richard Hannah. "Right now the industry needs a big hitter at the top. Morton is a man of action more than he is a man of finance."

His job will be to bring a long-term strategy to the railways and address the short term crisis of network capacity constraint which has led to more delays, overcrowding and cancellations as ticket prices rise.

Prescott is expected to unveil some new measures to improve standards into the medium to longer term, after pledging more trains, drivers and a new rail task force last November.

Passenger group Save Our Railways has called for next week's summit to push for Railtrack Plc. to invest in expanding the network, not just upgrading it.

SOR also wants speedy legislation to beef up the SRA's powers to demand higher standards from the train operators through enhanced contract terms and tougher penalties.

Last week, Franchising Director John O'Brien, whose job will eventually be folded into the SRA, published his latest damning quarterly report on rail services.

In a new school report-style grading system, only one train operator out of 25 got an "A" for punctuality and reliability.


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