Arizona Rail Passenger Association

Union Pacific’s Centennial Steam Train will visit New Mexico and Arizona in recognition of the states’ 100th anniversary of admission into the Union.

This includes a display on Sunday, 13 November 2011. Come on down to the station for a little memorabilia, and think on what Union Station will be again whenever we can get a train an hour to Tucson, and five daily trains to Los Angeles…

NOTE: The Phoenix display says  “631 South 7th” but it’s not clear if that is 7th Street or 7th Avenue (1 mile apart) … the train will NOT be at Union Station. Stay tuned for more details.

The full schedule, from the U.P. Press Release:

From the Arizona Republic, 2011-03-28:

A state transportation panel has approved Arizona’s first comprehensive rail plan, which is necessary to build a passenger rail network but doesn’t address the question of how to pay for improvements…

Arizona Department of Transportation planners recommend linking, by various types of rail, Phoenix with its suburbs, neighboring cities and the rest of the country. The wide-ranging plan calls for short- and long-haul passenger rail and freight improvements. It envisions new tracks and restored freight lines that could be used to carry people and goods.

Specifically, the plan calls for a commuter-train system connecting the East and West Valley suburbs, plus an intercity system to connect Phoenix and Tucson.

It also envisions longer-haul passenger rail lines, with track to reach Las Vegas, Los Angeles or both with high-speed bullet trains…

Rest of the story here.

(Sent November 2009)

The Honorable Thomas C. Carper
Chairman, Board of Directors
National Railroad Passenger Corporation
60 Massachusetts Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20002

Re: Restructuring of Sunset Limited service

Dear Sir:

Since our inception in 1984, the Arizona Rail Passenger Association has recognized the need for daily Sunset Limited operation and has worked to educate Arizona government and business leaders and other regional stakeholders on the importance of improved intercity passenger rail service. We understand that the restructuring of the Sunset may be on the agenda for this month’s Amtrak Board meeting and we urge the implementation of daily operation as soon as is practicable.

This past year, there has been some discussion—both within Amtrak and among passenger rail advocates—of restructuring the Sunset Limited by combining it with the Texas Eagle and operating a through Chicago-Los Angeles train via Texas and Southern Arizona. We support this concept. Historically, leisure travel between Arizona and the Midwest has far out-paced that between Arizona and the Southeast, and current highway and airline data suggest that this trend continues.

Of course, we would also like to see the train re-routed back through Phoenix. Phoenix-Los Angeles is the 15^th most heavily traveled airline corridor in North America. Moreover, returning the Sunset to Phoenix would set the stage for future Phoenix-Tucson regional rail service—fulfilling another vital unmet need.

We are eager to provide you with any additional input you may need as you plan the restructuring of the Sunset Limited and appreciate your consideration.

Yours sincerely,

/s/
Robert H. Bohannan, AICP, President

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Dear Friends,

Every time you sit, stuck in traffic on congested streets and highways, you are paying a hidden price – it’s something I call the “time tax.”  It is an especially ugly tax, because it pulls time away from the things you value most: your family, your home, your community.

We now know that Arizona is the fastest growing state in the nation, and no county in this state is untouched by that growth.  Keeping up with this demand and developing smart alternatives is a challenge we face together.

Over the past four years, we’ve done a lot.  We added more than 500 additional lane miles of freeway throughout Arizona and directed millions of dollars to improve road safety and increase capacity.  Last year, with the help of the legislature, an additional $307 million went towards accelerating highway construction and this year, one of my budget proposals generates $400 million for transportation projects throughout the state.  We’ve made progress, but we can’t stop there.

Earlier this year, I issued an Executive Order directing the Arizona Department of Transportation to look at transportation alternatives besides freeways.  Can we add light rail at the state level?  What about commuter rail?  Are there other new ideas to explore?  What will it take to make those ideas work?

Those are the kinds of questions that will be answered when the ADOT report is presented to me in just a few weeks.  I look forward to sharing that information with you, and to begin working with our communities toward a comprehensive, statewide transportation plan that makes sense.

As Arizona continues to flourish and grow, we will need to ‘play it smart,’ and invest our precious dollars where they will count the most.  Together, we will build an Arizona that acknowledges growth, coordinates between government and the private sector and embodies an exceptional quality of life.

As always, if you have any questions or comments, please contact my office at 1-800-253-0883 and ask to speak to Constituent Services.

Yours very truly,

Janet Napolitano
Governor

As of March 2007. From Amtrak timetables and from Open Road Tours ( www.openroadtours.com )