Californians for Electric Rail
@calelectricrail.org
Bringing together transit riders, environmentalists, and union members for fast, clean, safe catenary electric regional, intercity, and freight rail in California. #CatenaryNow #ElectrifyMetrolink
New report from @jmooreotto.bsky.social on using RRIF and TIFIA to provide a stable source of capital funding for rail electrification and automation projects! Shifting off discretionary grants is one step towards helping agencies build long-term capacity. publicenterprise.org/report/the-t...
The Transit Infrastructure Lottery
Read the full report here. Executive summary Federal transportation investment in the United States suffers from both a quantity problem and a quality problem. The quantity problem is much-d...
publicenterprise.org
BREAKING: Jason Gibbs doesn’t get ratified for the Metro board, the issue is sent back to the region. Thank you to everyone who called and wrote in. We need a transit champion on the Metro board — not a lover of expanding highways.
A lot of folks are going to Sacramento on Monday the 10th to ask the state legislature to restore the $2 billion in cap and trade funding that Governor Newsom's CAR Board cut. Join here if you can!
Rally and Lobby Day to Save Transit, Affordable Housing, Clean Air & Clean Water Programs throughout California
Governor Gavin Newsom's Appointees at the California Air Resources Board just voted to rob programs that fund transit, affordable housing, clean air, and clean water programs to give billions to Big O...
actionnetwork.org
Transbay Coalition@transbaycoalition.bsky.social · 3mo agoWild that @airresources.bsky.social wants to give billions of dollars to Big Oil by taking money away from public transit & affordable housing programs Read more: envirovotersedfund.org/cap-and-inve... and send a letter actionnetwork.org/letters/carb...
CARB recently defunded the state's main funding for the State Rail Plan, along with other devastating cuts to transit, housing, and clean air. Learn more about what's going on tonight and how you can take action at this webinar tonight at 7! actionnetwork.org/events/expla...
Explainer webinar: California Air Resources Board cuts to transit, housing, communities and how we can reverse the cuts
The California Air Resources Board recently made a decision which: Cut funding for affordable housing throughout the state by $800M, effectively eliminating a program that helped build tens of thous...
actionnetwork.org
Last week the LOSSAN board voted 6-5 to reauthorize OCTA as the manager for the Surfliner and LOSSAN corridor. Senator Blakespear and board members outside of OC expressed concern about process & OCTA's performance. More and more are calling for governance reform! sd38.senate.ca.gov/news/lossan-...
LOSSAN Rail Corridor Agency Administrative Support Agreement
Official website of Senator Catherine Blakespear, representing California Senate District 38.
sd38.senate.ca.gov
Meanwhile OCTA's just-released coastal resiliency study has 0 mention of realignment and only considers various ways of reinforcing the existing, soon-to-be underwater alignment. Why are they allowed veto power over the US's 2nd busiest rail corridor again? octa.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=...
octa.legistar.com
Josh Fruhlinger@jfruh.bsky.social · last wk.if i were the state in charge of the second most used passenger rail corridor in the US, connecting two of the largest cities in the country, i would have simply started building a new route 10 years ago when it was obvious this was going to happen
The best time for California to invest in fast, frequent, carbon-free electric rail all around the state was 50 years ago. The second best time is now.
Zack Labe@zacklabe.com · last wk.Wow - the average global sea surface temperature outside of the polar regions is currently tied for the all-time absolute hottest on record (in the NOAA/OISST dataset). The record was in 2024. More graphics like this at www.climatecentral.org/climate-brie... 🌊
Regional rail on time and under budget! Wish this was Metrolink. Unrealistic cost estimates are a widespread problem. But unlike California, NY uses multi-year funding agreements to pay for capital projects, encouraging honest budgeting and better oversight - making it easier to stay under budget.
Stefanos Chen@stefanoschen.bsky.social · last wk.The M.T.A. finished this nearly billion-dollar MetroNorth project almost $200M under budget and years ahead of schedule. Can it do the same with some of its big-haul projects? www.nytimes.com/2026/07/27/n...
The California Air Resources Board wants to take Cap-and-Invest funding from programs that support housing, transit, clean air, and clean water and give it to oil companies that are reaping record profits. Join a rally and lobby day on 8/10 to save these programs. actionnetwork.org/events/emerg...
Rally and Lobby Day to Save Transit, Affordable Housing, Clean Air & Clean Water Programs throughout California
Governor Gavin Newsom's Appointees at the California Air Resources Board just voted to rob programs that fund transit, affordable housing, clean air, and clean water programs to give billions to Big Oil. Come demand that the state legislature step in and fund these programs as part of the state budget that's being set right now! We will have a rally at noon followed by meetings with legislators inside the Capitol. Details to come
actionnetwork.org
Happening tomorrow! Join the Association’s Executive Director, Michael Pimentel, along with fellow panelists Natalie Spievack of Housing California and Jeanie Ward-Waller of Fearless Advocacy.
Bay Area transit advocates are leading the charge to save BART, Muni, Caltrain and AC Transit from dire service cuts. To hone your advocacy skills join this free training Aug 5 at @spur-urbanist.bsky.social @transitcenter.bsky.social luma.com/m78g9xyz
Storytelling for Transit Advocates: A Hands-on Training · Luma
Two important ballot measures will be on the ballot this November: Connect Bay Area and Stronger Muni for All. Both of these were voter initiatives, and we…
luma.com
Key takeaways from Friday's Metrolink board meeting: - Metrolink will have a budget by next month - Budgeting for 20% cuts (2026 service), not more severe cuts - Metrolink's finances will be even worse next year - Rancho Double Track about to break ground, 30 min SBL service possible by 2028.
Californians for Electric Rail@calelectricrail.org · 2w agoReporting live from the Metrolink board meeting. Staff reported a number of written comments concerning maintaining service. Thanks for taking action!
Great piece from @hsrail.bsky.social on how electrification, level boarding, fare and schedule coordination, and improved service - all enabled by consolidated governance - can turn underused commuter rail into vibrant urban transit. Metrolink, you taking notes? www.hsrail.org/blog/how-nit...
NITA Can Notch an Early Success with Metra’s "Quantum Line" | High Speed Rail Alliance
hsrail.org
Very exciting news - 30 minute service on the San Bernardino Line should be possible by 2028. But will Metrolink have enough money to fund the service?
Californians for Electric Rail@calelectricrail.org · 2w ago7E Construction contract for SCORE Marengo and Rancho Siding Extension projects. Kettle says he's very excited about this one. They are approving Granite Construction to deliver this SBL siding project - now expected to be complete before 2028!
Reporting live from the Metrolink board meeting. Staff reported a number of written comments concerning maintaining service. Thanks for taking action!
Capitol Corridor is working on their vision plan, but they appear to be scaling it back to previous years - with less service and less commitment to electrification. Learn more and tell them to support electrification, #ValTrain and more service tonight at 6:30! docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Capitol Corridor Vision Plan
The Sacramento region needs robust electric rail connecting it to the Bay Area. Capitol Corridor is working on updating their service vision. The updated plan reduces the scope of service improvements...
docs.google.com
Great example of why level boarding is so important for speed and reliability. With level boarding, passengers with mobility impairments can board unaided - increasing their autonomy while reducing delays and padding.
Metrolink CA Bot@metrolinkca-bot.bsky.social · 2w ago(AV Line) Train 207 to Lancaster is delayed up to 10 minutes due to train congestion and passengers needing assistance.
Tomorrow at 10 am, Metro wants to give $35 M in transit money to roads instead of funding Metrolink. Show up tomorrow to tell the board to vote No on item 27 and stop Metrolink cuts!
Streets For All@streetsforall.org · 2w agoThis Thursday @metrolosangeles.bsky.social has a board meeting: Items 5, 55-57 remake the board composition Item 13 could lead to cancelling open street events like CicLAvia Item 27 moves $35M from transit funding to road projects Make your voice heard: mailchi.mp/streetsforal...
Tomorrow at 10 am, Metro wants to give $35 M in transit money to roads instead of funding Metrolink. Show up tomorrow to tell the board to vote No on item 27 and stop Metrolink cuts!
Streets For All@streetsforall.org · 2w agoThis Thursday @metrolosangeles.bsky.social has a board meeting: Items 5, 55-57 remake the board composition Item 13 could lead to cancelling open street events like CicLAvia Item 27 moves $35M from transit funding to road projects Make your voice heard: mailchi.mp/streetsforal...
This agreement is a great win for state capacity. In-house staff at CAHSR will be managing development of the High Desert Corridor instead of pricy consultants.
Streetsblog California@streetsblogca.bsky.social · 2w agoCalifornia High-Speed Rail, High Desert Corridor Sign Agreement to Fill Key Gap in Statewide High-Speed Network cal.streetsblog.org/2026/07/21/c...
metrolink electrification/modernization should’ve started at the same time as caltrain modernization. but there is still time straighten out the antelope valley line, start prepping for a new newhall tunnel. electrification of it, ventura county, and san bernadino lines. finally, tehachapi
The Capitol Corridor service vision refresh ahead of their 7/23 webinar frames four choices for Corridor ID prioritization. www.capitolcorridor.org/wp-content/u...
Cap-and-Invest is California's premier climate program. Now @airresources.bsky.social is turning it into a slush fund for big oil, defunding programs that support housing, transit, clean air, and clean water. Join a rally and lobby day 8/10 to stop the cuts.
Rally and Lobby Day to Save Transit, Affordable Housing, Clean Air & Clean Water Programs throughout California
Governor Gavin Newsom's Appointees at the California Air Resources Board just voted to rob programs that fund transit, affordable housing, clean air, and clean water programs to give billions to Big Oil. Come demand that the state legislature step in and fund these programs as part of the state budget that's being set right now! We will have a rally at noon followed by meetings with legislators inside the Capitol. Details to come
actionnetwork.org
Tell Metro to use TDA funds for Metrolink, not roads!
Streets For All@streetsforall.org · 2w agoThis Thursday @metrolosangeles.bsky.social has a board meeting: Items 5, 55-57 remake the board composition Item 13 could lead to cancelling open street events like CicLAvia Item 27 moves $35M from transit funding to road projects Make your voice heard: mailchi.mp/streetsforal...
This Thursday @metrolosangeles.bsky.social has a board meeting: Items 5, 55-57 remake the board composition Item 13 could lead to cancelling open street events like CicLAvia Item 27 moves $35M from transit funding to road projects Make your voice heard: mailchi.mp/streetsforal...
The cats are back and they’re telling you to come to our info session on Tuesday, July 28th at 7pm, to learn about cuts that affect the lives of ALL Californians and how you can help 🐈🐈⬛🐈 RSVP: actionnetwork.org/events/expla...
In their May 21 PAF committee meeting, NCTD reported that none of their 35 hydrogen buses were in service due to an incident involving a fuel supplier. Still ongoing iirc. If the Sprinter had hydrogen trains at the time, it would be in a significantly more dire situation than it is right now.
NCTD will next year face the same fiscal cliff Metrolink is facing now. Sunday Coaster and Sprinter service could be eliminated. We need regional governance, regional operations funding, and electrification to overcome the fiscal challenges. www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/07/20/r...
Reduce train service, cut bus routes. North County Transit District looks for ways to plug funding gap.
Expected fare hikes unlikely to affect deficits forecast over the next few years, officials say.
sandiegouniontribune.com