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Special Trains to Sonoma this Summer
Author: J
Date: 02-11-2014 - 07:27
From Today's Federal Register, here is an excerpt of a petition to operate for several trains from Sacramento and San Jose this summer.
(SMART), owner of 77 miles of former Northwestern Pacific Railroad Company trackage in Marin, Sonoma, and Napa Counties, CA, has petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for a reconsideration of an approval condition on the Brazos Drawbridge at
Milepost 64.7. SMART asked FRA to reconsider Condition 4 of FRA-2008-0010, granted on February 24, 2009, which states, ``Approval is for freight movements only and shall be revisited prior to any passenger operations.''
SMART, Amtrak, and the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority are asking for an exception to the condition cited above to permit the operation of two round-trip, chartered Amtrak passenger trains over the Brazos Drawbridge to Sonoma Raceway on Sunday, June 22, 2014, for a NASCAR Special, and on Sunday, August 24, 2014, for an Indy Car Special. The two passenger trains are an 11-car train from and to Sacramento, CA, and a 5-car train from and to San Jose, CA.
FRA previously granted an exception to the condition cited above to allow a chartered Amtrak special train a 1-day movement on June 23, 2013, over the Brazos Drawbridge while operating between Sacramento and Sonoma Raceway. That special train was considered a great success, and the Sonoma Raceway has requested SMART's cooperation in arranging for the operation of two special trains on June 22, 2014, as well as two special trains on August 24, 2014.
The intended operating route of these special trains is from Sacramento and San Jose on the Union Pacific Railroad to Suisun-Fairfield, via the California Northern Railroad from Suisun-Fairfield to Brazos Junction, and over SMART trackage from Brazos Junction over
the Brazos Drawbridge to Sonoma Raceway and return.
As in 2013, a specific operating plan will be in place to ensure correct operation of the Brazos Drawbridge and the safety of train operations, equipment, passenger boarding and alighting, staffing, and raceway access and egress.
(SMART), owner of 77 miles of former Northwestern Pacific Railroad Company trackage in Marin, Sonoma, and Napa Counties, CA, has petitioned the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for a reconsideration of an approval condition on the Brazos Drawbridge at
Milepost 64.7. SMART asked FRA to reconsider Condition 4 of FRA-2008-0010, granted on February 24, 2009, which states, ``Approval is for freight movements only and shall be revisited prior to any passenger operations.''
SMART, Amtrak, and the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority are asking for an exception to the condition cited above to permit the operation of two round-trip, chartered Amtrak passenger trains over the Brazos Drawbridge to Sonoma Raceway on Sunday, June 22, 2014, for a NASCAR Special, and on Sunday, August 24, 2014, for an Indy Car Special. The two passenger trains are an 11-car train from and to Sacramento, CA, and a 5-car train from and to San Jose, CA.
FRA previously granted an exception to the condition cited above to allow a chartered Amtrak special train a 1-day movement on June 23, 2013, over the Brazos Drawbridge while operating between Sacramento and Sonoma Raceway. That special train was considered a great success, and the Sonoma Raceway has requested SMART's cooperation in arranging for the operation of two special trains on June 22, 2014, as well as two special trains on August 24, 2014.
The intended operating route of these special trains is from Sacramento and San Jose on the Union Pacific Railroad to Suisun-Fairfield, via the California Northern Railroad from Suisun-Fairfield to Brazos Junction, and over SMART trackage from Brazos Junction over
the Brazos Drawbridge to Sonoma Raceway and return.
As in 2013, a specific operating plan will be in place to ensure correct operation of the Brazos Drawbridge and the safety of train operations, equipment, passenger boarding and alighting, staffing, and raceway access and egress.
Special Trains to Sonoma this Summer