Californians for Electric Rail @calelectricrail Twitter profile

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Californians for Electric Rail

5 months

Why are we so focused on electrification, instead of just improving service, when mode shift is the biggest environmental benefit of trains? There are a few reasons: 1/

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

5 months

Unlike *checks notes* Senegal, Southern California simply cannot afford 15 min, all day electric rail service.

Wyatt Gordon

@yitgordon

5 months

Trains run every 10-15 minutes Monday through Saturday from 5:45am to 11pm. A ticket costs 1,500 CFA ($2.50) for second class and 2,500 CFA ($4.30) for first class one way. Ridership is currently 115,000 passengers per day with capacity for up to 200,000. 🚆

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

3 months

Catenary trains vs hydrogen trains

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

4 months

This is what we need for every transit project in the state. Ditch the consultants, use your own engineers, and electrification becomes even more cost-competitive with vaporware alternatives.

Paul E Williams

@PEWilliams_

4 months

BART did in-house engineering work on its new train cars, sped up production, and now the project is being delivered early and 15% under budget.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

2 months

Not only can the hydrogen trains @CaltransHQ bought and plans to run on the Surfliner not reach 110 mph, they can't even reach the current diesel Surfliner's 86 mph top speed. Caltrans is spending big on worse service and undermining the value of massive investments in tunneling.

RideSD

@ride_sd

2 months

Want 110mph rail in San Diego? We Strava tracked an Amtrak train to show how it could be possible A thread... 🧵

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

10 months

. @ValleyLinkRail is planning 100% hydrogen operations, even though it's running on freeway medians & lacks the usual barriers to catenary: - no "visual impacts" - no objection from Class 1s - substantial capital costs from the hydrogen production facility Make it make sense!

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

1 month

CA and Norway should also team up to push zero emissions freight forward. Electric trains haul >90% of the rail passengers and freight in Norway, including heavy, high capacity ore trains.

California Governor

@CAgovernor

1 month

California and Norway are teaming up to fight climate change. 🇺🇸🤝🇳🇴 Today, standing at the Larkspur Ferry Terminal – home to one of the world’s first clean hydrogen fuel cell passenger ferries – we signed a new Memorandum of Understanding to advance climate collaboration.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

18 days

This should be the Surfliner, Capitol Corridor, Metrolink, and rail across the state. Californians deserve world-class trains just like the Northeast has.

Amtrak

@Amtrak

18 days

⚡️ it's electric ⚡️ Did you know: riding Amtrak on the Northeast Corridor can reduce a passenger’s greenhouse gas emissions up to 83% compared to driving!

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

3 months

$127 million for fossil fuel greenwashing and experimental technology that is set up to fail and could compromise service on CA's rail lines. Invest in clean, proven, reliable electric wires instead please!

Caltrans HQ

@CaltransHQ

3 months

California leads in clean transportation, continues to expand zero-emission hydrogen-powered passenger rail fleet. 🚈🚝🛤️ Read more: #trains #zeroemission #rebuildingca

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

3 months

Secret knowledge forbidden to CARB and Union Pacific

Eyezak

@Eyezak_M

3 months

@alanthefisher is right. Electric freight better than Diesel freight

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

13 days

BNSF and Union Pacific don't want you to know about this

Freightliner

@RailFreight

13 days

Increasing our electric fleet ⚡ Switching to electric traction over diesel boosts the benefits of rail even more - cutting carbon emissions by over 90% compared to road haulage - that's why we have increased our fleet of electric locomotives to 25. #Freightliner

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

10 months

Highways have streamlined environmental review and are designed and built by in-house experts with reusable formula, but our rail projects are bespoke and subject to endless review. We have a growth machine for planet-killing highways. Why can't we have this for rail?

Carter Lavin (carterlavin.bsky.social)

@CarterLavin

10 months

About a third of the cost to electrify @Caltrain (and tees up the @CaHSRA ) but the electrification project reduces travel times for EVERYONE, helps move tens of thousands more people daily, and lowers carbon emissions

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

8 months

Caltrain electrification, one of the most expensive rail electrification projects ever, still cost ~4x per mile less than this highway widening.

Taylor W Anderson

@TaylorWAnderson

8 months

The state of Utah wants to spend $217 million PER MILE widening Interstate 15 through Salt Lake City. $3.7 billion in total on sprawl-inducing, heavily subsidized freeway expansion. And the #utleg is willing to write blank checks to fund it.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

1 year

Caltrain will start replacing 75% of its stock with electric trains with higher capacity next year, while Metrolink's plan is 2 hydrogen trains a day, with less than half the capacity of typical trains. Caltrain is planning for growth, Metrolink is planning for failure.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

2 months

Metrolink, Capitol Corridor, Surfliner, Coaster when??

Caltrain

@Caltrain

2 months

Caltrain Successfully Tests Electric Trains from Redwood City to San Jose! Read more: .

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

19 days

Victory Alert: AB 2503, our bill to streamline rail electrification, has passed the Assembly floor! Now it's onto the Senate!

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

4 months

Class 1 railroads have tried to convince policymakers that they can't run freight trains under wire. Meanwhile in reality, freight trains run under trolley wires in San Diego County every night.

SDIV Railroad

The SDIV (San Diego and Imperial Valley) stops in El Cajon, so the brakeman can throw a switch allowing the train to leave the MTS trolley tracks. Due to the fact that SDIV shares tracks with the...

www.flickr.com

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

3 months

@CaltransHQ @CA_Trans_Agency @Tony_CTDirector @ToksOmishakin @CAgovernor @ENERGY Looking forward to this happening a few years down the line. Please prioritize passengers and reliability and just electrify already. "No more hydrogen trains | Rail company that launched world's first H2 line last year opts for all-electric future"

No more hydrogen trains | Rail company that launched world's first H2 line last year opts for...

State-owned LNVG to buy 102 battery trains and 27 catenary-connected models in order to phase out diesel, says Lower Saxony government

www.hydrogeninsight.com

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

1 month

Expensive "mitigations" of visual impact like this are why we need to exempt rail electrification from CEQA 👇

HS2 Ltd

@HS2ltd

1 month

New Video Alert! 🎥🤩 We have made significant progress at our Copthall Tunnel site. Located within the London Borough of Hillingdon, between Harvil Road and Breakspear Road South. The 880m long tunnel sits between the twin bored Northolt Tunnel and the Colne Valley Viaduct.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

2 months

Great thread, but missing one key improvement: electrification. Caltrain electrification will 25 min off a similar length trip; electrifying the Surfliner/Coaster would be a game changer even without the much-needed improvements suggested here.

RideSD

@ride_sd

2 months

Want 110mph rail in San Diego? We Strava tracked an Amtrak train to show how it could be possible A thread... 🧵

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

8 days

Newsom could push to electrify, speed up, and expand service on Capitol Corridor. Instead, he's pushing this highway widening and unproven hydrogen trains that will lock in existing service for decades. So much for climate leadership!

Don Gibson 🍅🔬🥑

@DNAgibson

8 days

I have commuted from Sacramento to Davis daily for 14 years. What's the climate-friendly solution? 1) Make Davis build more homes to make it affordable to move there 2) Improving transit options links 3) Widen freeways Caltrans & Newsom picked freeways

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

2 months

This is excellent news. What's not so excellent is that it took nearly two months to restore full rail service between CA's 2 largest cities. We need an empowered, unified agency to take over that can move fast on vital infrastructure upgrades like moving tracks inland.

OCTA

@goOCTA

2 months

Full passenger rail service will return through #SanClemente beginning Mon., March 25! Metrolink trains will once again operate to #Oceanside & Pacific Surfliner trains will operate without bus connections to #SanDiego . Details:

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

18 days

AB 2503 passed the assembly with a vote of 73-0. Legislators agree: we need to speed up rail electrification!

Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

19 days

Victory Alert: AB 2503, our bill to streamline rail electrification, has passed the Assembly floor! Now it's onto the Senate!

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

2 months

We are proud to work with Streets for All and RailPAC on our first piece of legislation, AB 2503! Electric rail is a critical climate solution, one of the cleanest modes of transit, and it's time to put an end to the roadblocks holding it back.

Streets For All

@streetsforall

2 months

AB 2503 by @alex_lee This exempts electrified catenary rail from CEQA, streaming the cleanest and highest quality rail transit in the world 🚄✨ Thanks to cosponsors: @calelectricrail & @RailPAC

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

2 months

Now would be a great time to start planning to electrify the @Metrolink Antelope Valley Line, which shares track with HSR from Burbank to Los Angeles. @MetroLosAngeles

CA High-Speed Rail 🚄💨

@CaHSRA

2 months

We’ve environmentally cleared 422 of the project’s 494 miles! By this summer, the Palmdale to Burbank section’s environmental document will be considered by our Board. If approved, we will have completely cleared the 463 miles from downtown SF to LA Union Station. #FactFriday

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

1 month

Catenary trains have substantially lower operating costs than diesel trains. Policymakers shying away from catenary because "it's too expensive" is a classic case of short term thinking that is pennywise and pound foolish.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

29 days

Electrified Brightline is breaking ground and will be in Southern California before you know it. Clock is ticking, @metrolosangeles @goSBCTA . Where are the plans to electrify the Metrolink SB line so Brightline can continue to LA?

Toks Omishakin

@ToksOmishakin

29 days

Historic Historic day in transportation—⁦ @GoBrightline ⁩ breaks ground in NV! A majority of this #highspeedrail line is in #SoCal . Major txs ⁦ @POTUS ⁩ ⁦ @VP ⁩ ⁦ @CAgovernor ⁩ ⁦ @CaHSRA ⁩ ⁦ @Caltrans8 ⁩ ⁦ @goSBCTA ⁩ ⁦ @CA_Trans_Agency ⁩ ⁦⁦

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

4 months

Why is @Metrolink asking for $200 million to widen the I-15 in the most polluted region in the US when it urgently needs more funding of its own? We can't let the highway lobby keep running regional rail into the ground, it's time for a new, centralized rail agency for SoCal.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

4 months

Hydrogen on the Antelope Valley line makes zero sense given: - The route will be shared with High Speed Rail, which needs wires - The tracks are publicly owned - High frequency service is planned in the near future

numble

@numble

4 months

Lancaster is pushing Metrolink to use hydrogen-powered trains on Antelope Valley Line, and to build hydrogen station instead of planned diesel station at Lancaster station. They say it makes sense because Lancaster will be a large hydrogen producer.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

4 months

California high speed rail is happening sooner than you think. SoCal, it's time to start planning for the future and putting up wires to bring CAHSR into Palmdale, LA, Anaheim, and beyond!

CalMatters

@CalMatters

4 months

If you listen to California’s political class, the high-speed rail project sounds like a textbook boondoggle – over-budget, delayed and larded up with waste. Yet in communities across California’s farm belt, the discourse is refreshingly different. 1/4

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

4 months

Hydrogen-fueled trains are nothing but an expensive distraction from real solutions.

Sammy Roth

@Sammy_Roth

4 months

Southern California is about to have the nation's first hydrogen-fueled train: via @mariagallucci

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

4 months

Regional rail in Southern California is in serious trouble. If we want an electric rail network that compete with cars, we need serious reforms. That's why we, together with @streetsforall and @RailPAC are proposing a merger of all the rail agencies on the LOSSAN corridor. 🧵

California Transit Nerd

@riley_gdr

4 months

Happy this is done. Great working with @streetsforall @RailPAC and @calelectricrail Thank you to @Transit_Co @Surfrider @circulateSD @ride_sd and others for signing it link shortly

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

6 months

Great editorial from the LA Times. We agree, why can't we have the urgency seen for the 10 Freeway for essential Surfliner infrastructure, or for railway electrification?

Sammy Roth

@Sammy_Roth

6 months

“Why can’t more transportation projects get the speedy treatment? Although the work being done on the 10 Freeway is a model of expediency, other important transportation repair jobs have taken far longer to complete,” @latimes editorial board writes:

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

3 months

This is why SoCal needs governance reform. Provincial interests like this (wealthy mansion owners in a tiny town) cannot be allowed to hold back infrastructure vital for national security, millions of passengers, and air quality for millions more.

NoTrueLeftist🚊☢️

@notrueleftist

3 months

why does a village of 4000 people get to hold up a project that connects literally millions? it’s going UNDER them, there should be no problem at all but here we are

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

29 days

We agree: San Bernardino, Davis, Fullerton, Palmdale, Pomona, Encinitas, Gilroy, Santa Barbara, Fairfield, and many other cities across the state deserve this type of train service.

Hayden Clarkin

@the_transit_guy

29 days

I’m crazy enough to believe that every city over 50,000 people in this country should have a train station that looks like this with frequent trains:

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

27 days

Electrify Metrolink, electrify the Alameda Corridor, get people and goods out of cars and trucks and onto trains, or our air is never going to get better.

Right To Zero CA

@RightToZeroCA

27 days

LA just earned its 25th-straight F in air quality from @LungAssociation . 😷 With transportation, warehouses, railyards & ports cited as major sources of pollution in California, the takeaway is clear - we need to #ElectrifyEverything now. ⚡

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

5 months

Absolutely unacceptable for a major, costly, infrastructure project like the Del Mar tunnel to be planned to preclude proven, global standard overhead catenary tech needed for high speed + frequency service. @SenBlakespear please hold SANDAG accountable for this terrible plan.

Paul Wennberg

@PaulOWennberg

5 months

@calelectricrail Del Mar realignment by SanDag has assumed value-engineered TBM to reduce diameter saving $200M. How? b/c "overhead electrification of the trains is not planned for the corridor and .. should assume use of battery- or hydrogen-operated trains in the future.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

2 months

Visual impact of these wires: positive. Let's stop requiring expensive reports and mitigations before putting them it. It's time to pass AB 2503 to exempt electric rail from CEQA and catalyze implementation of this transformative green technology!

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

13 days

Imagine the jobs created by LA Metro getting a head start on HSR to SoCal by electrifying the Antelope Valley Line! Let alone electrifying freight rail and the rest of Metrolink in SoCal.

Rebuild SoCal

@RebuildSoCal

13 days

High-speed rail will help connect Californians in modern and more efficient ways. 13,000 jobs have been created as @CaHSRA continues to work on the nation's first high-speed rail project. Which will connect the Bay Area with LA County! 🚄☀️

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

2 months

There's an alternative form of zero-emissions freight that's existed for decades in the US and elsewhere: electric trains. The infrastructure will cost money either way, why not put that investment into a mode that reduces traffic & road violence and helps transit?

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

10 months

@ValleyLinkRail Valley Link is seeking to create their own hydrogen via electrolysis in Tracy and are seeking legislation, SB 746, to enable them to recoup the losses from expensive H2 tech by selling excess H2. Almost feels like this whole rail project is an excuse for this H2 facility.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

3 months

The ten fastest high-speed trains in Europe all use overhead wires. We're fighting to bring this to California, but NIMBYs, Class 1 railroads, and the hydrogen interests embedded in the governor's office want to keep this from you.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

4 months

This is what we have to look forward to not only on the Arrow but on the Surfliner, Capitol Corridor, and San Joaquins if Caltrans has their way. #CatenaryNow

Orko hates NFTs

@orkoliberal

4 months

Seems bad!

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

1 month

AB 2503 has passed its first committee! One step closer to exempting overhead catenary from CEQA!!

Huell Howser Democrat

@TribTowerViews

1 month

AB 2503 to streamline electric rail passes Assembly Natural Resources 8-0. Onto Appropriations and then, if approved, to Assembly Floor.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

13 days

We are a grassroots, all volunteer organization. Meanwhile, Sempra donated $250k to CA politicians and Chevron spent $1.2 million lobbying (both are banking on hydrogen to keep them in business). If any donors from Big Catenary would like to get in touch, our DMs are open...

Huell Howser Democrat

@TribTowerViews

13 days

The diesel and hydrogen huffers on Altamont Press really think @calelectricrail is astro turf via the catenary industry.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

20 days

If electricity is free, shouldn't it be very cheap to run overhead wires? Green hydrogen uses at least 3x more energy, the price should be at minimum 3x higher. Incidentally, the retail price of gray hydrogen in California is over $30/kg.

Transbay Coalition

@TransbayC

20 days

Director Jain says he is very supportive of hydrogen trains, says UPRR would likely not support catenary wires for electric trains. Says sometimes electricity is free b/c so much clean energy and DOE is lowering hydrogen costs (cites hydrogen hub). So says hydrogen will be cheap

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

28 days

Zero emission, fully electric.

Brightline West

@BrightlineWest

28 days

Brightline West officially broke ground on the nation's first true high-speed rail system which will connect Las Vegas to Southern California. The 218 mile system will be the greenest form of transportation in the world, with zero emission, fully electric trains reaching 200 mph.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

1 month

The last point is outright false. Stadler claims that the maximum speed of their H2 FLIRTs is 79 mph - slower than diesel trains currently travel on the Surfliner. Gradinger is clearly not paying close attention to the technical details

Huell Howser Democrat

@TribTowerViews

1 month

According to @CaltransHQ asst. dep. director Kyle Gradinger, problems with the performance of hydrogen trains are a “Twittersphere exaggeration” and that testing for Caltrans-purchased FLIRTs are performing “as well as we expected, if not better.”

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

2 months

Things we need to make this excellent vision possible: - Electrification to handle those 110 mph speeds - A unified regional rail agency with its own staff running the show so that we can get these projects built under budget and on time.

RideSD

@ride_sd

2 months

Want 110mph rail in San Diego? We Strava tracked an Amtrak train to show how it could be possible A thread... 🧵

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

2 months

Why do we need to exempt rail electrification from CEQA? Why doesn't environmental law promote environmental goods like catenary? We've published Part 1 in a series answering these questions, starting off with some basic principles about the law. #AB2503

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

3 months

Shell, which last year lobbied CA for bigger hydrogen subsidies, is shutting down all its H2 fueling stations in the state. Don't let this underdeveloped technology compromise service and reliability on our rail systems; invest in overhead wires instead.

Shell Is Immediately Closing All Of Its California Hydrogen Stations

The oil giant is one of the big players in hydrogen globally, but even it can't make its operations work here.

insideevs.com

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

2 months

Part 2 in this series is up: a deep dive on how lawsuits against Caltrain electrification by some of the US's richest towns misused CEQA to cause 3 years of delays, millions of extra taxpayer dollars spent, and untold increased emissions. 🧵

Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

2 months

Why do we need to exempt rail electrification from CEQA? Why doesn't environmental law promote environmental goods like catenary? We've published Part 1 in a series answering these questions, starting off with some basic principles about the law. #AB2503

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

7 months

Important point here. Freight RRs are pushing hydrogen, a technology they know won't work, so they can claim that zero-emissions trains don't exist and avoid having to make any new investments in zero-emissions. Of course, electric freight trains have existed for a century.

nationalize the trains pete 🇺🇸🇹🇹 🇬🇾🇺🇦🇵🇸

@menorman

7 months

@pdfguru @joffemd @CaltransHQ @CAgovernor @CA_Trans_Agency yea, @AirResources already agreed to put in a "feasibility review" of their locomotive rule in 2027 at which point they're suppose to assess what "progress" has been made on zero-emissions solns w the implication being that they could delay it if they "aren't ready yet" so...

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

2 months

Secret knowledge forbidden to CARB

American-Rails.com

@americanrails

2 months

Milwaukee Road "Little Joe" E-70 and a trio of SD40-2s with a westbound freight negotiating Pipestone Pass (Montana) on June 17, 1973.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

1 month

Congressmembers including CA's Laphonza Butler, Mark Takano, Nanette Barragan, Katie Porter, Ro Khanna, and Barbara Lee, are calling on the EPA for stronger railroad emissions standards. They understand catenary better than CARB.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

5 months

Great to see sensible standards for green hydrogen subsidies! But even with these standards, hydrogen should not be used to power trains. H2 uses 2.5x more power than electric rail and can't provide reliable, high frequency service, compromising rail's power to cut car emissions.

Wilson Ricks

@wilson_ricks

5 months

Well folks, it's been a year. But after a long contentious deliberative process, I'm happy to confirm that the US Treasury has endorsed the 'Three Pillars' standards for subsidized clean hydrogen production: It's almost as if they read our paper :)

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

4 months

Great news! Now it's time to get serious about moving the tracks away from the coast.

Caltrans HQ

@CaltransHQ

4 months

Caltrans today issued an emergency declaration for the OC landslide that has affected a major Southern California link that provides critical commuter, intercity and freight rail service. @CAgovernor @CA_Trans_Agency @goOCTA @CaltransOC @metrolinkoc

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

12 days

Today we told SBCTA to focus on double tracking and service, hold off on more unproven hydrogen trains, and electrify the San Bernardino Line. SBCTA received dozens of comments thanks to you! Keep up the pressure! You can read our letter here:

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

2 months

A step in the right direction, but disappointingly this plan does not address freight rail at all. Electric freight trains, not hydrogen trucks, are the best ZE way to haul goods long distances, and we will need federal action to force Class 1s to electrify across state lines.

On Capitol Hill

@EarthjusticeDC

2 months

#BREAKING : The Biden Administration announced a new national strategy for achieving a zero-emission freight network by 2040. Cleaning up dirty freight pollution will help us meet our climate goals AND protect the health of our communities.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

15 days

We need a unified Southern California Regional Rail Agency that will take decisive action to move the Surfliner tracks inland and electrify the tunnels.

Senator Catherine Blakespear

@SenBlakespear

15 days

“The data is clear and the message more urgent than ever that our coastline near the rail line is at critical risk of failure."

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

8 months

Biodiesel produces as much if not more ozone (SoCal's top pollutant) as petroleum diesel. To truly improve air quality, the Surfliner should be converted to overhead catenary electric rail, yet there's currently no timeline to do so.

Pacific Surfliner

@PacSurfliners

8 months

It's #CleanAirDayCA ! 💙 We're proud to share that #PacificSurfliner trains are now powered by renewable diesel, a more sustainable fuel alternative. This change will further reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help improve the air quality in #SouthernCalifornia !

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

4 months

SoCal Gas spent millions in ratepayer money to fight electrification and sell policymakers on hydrogen - likely contributing to Caltrans' & ARCHES' senseless push for hydrogen trains. SB 938 (Min) would crack down on this practice.

Ari Plachta

@AriPlachta

4 months

Taking a break from my X break to share that @DaveMinCA introduced a bill in response to our investigation into SoCalGas' use of customer $$ to lobby against clean energy policies

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

4 months

This is a step in the wrong direction. California needs strong leadership from the state to design and implement a statewide rail electrification program, but this appointment perpetuates the car-oriented status quo.

Sammy Roth

@Sammy_Roth

4 months

Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas will appoint a Ford dealership owner and champion of freeway expansion to the California Transportation Commission:

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

1 month

When will Metrolink commit to electrifying the SB line so that Brightline can continue to Los Angeles?

Mr. X

@DevsInDeets989

1 month

Rancho Cucamonga is not Los Angeles, @HSRail . You'd still have to take @Metrolink , drive, get a rideshare, or find other ways to and from Los Angeles.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

2 months

This is a huge problem for SoCal regional rail, and why we need a unified agency to take over. LAUS, Oceanside, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Burbank need to become transfer hubs with through-running (especially at LAUS), but poor service and captial management get in the way.

rust belt city enjoyer

@rustbeltenjoyer

2 months

Many US rail networks lack radial connectivity and this hurts their ridership. We should be building rail networks with the mentality of everyone going everywhere at once, not just commuting downtown for work.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

2 months

Electrifying the San Bernardino Line, Antelope Valley Line, and freight lines from Fullerton to Barstow will similarly provide good union jobs in the communities where many workers live. Let's make it happen! #ElectrifyMetrolink

CA High-Speed Rail 🚄💨

@CaHSRA

2 months

Check out this great @KTLA piece on California High-Speed Rail's latest milestone - 13,000 good-paying labor jobs created since the beginning of construction!

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

3 months

Hydrogen fueling stations across California are down. Are we really going to build our vital lifeline public transportation network around this in 10 years?

Mike Jelfs 💙💚

@mikejelfs

3 months

One of the largest companies in the world cannot make #hydrogen #FCEV refueling work in one of the largest markets, what does this tell you? News release today.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

4 months

Glad that Metro at least sees overhead catenary as a viable option for Metrolink. Need to spread this mindset to all of SoCal's transit agencies.

numble

@numble

4 months

@JohnKno16181787 @A320Lga This is the description.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

20 days

This really gives the game away. Transit riders are being asked to subsidize industry via hydrogen trains. How is this fair? Why is the strategy to decarbonize heavy industry to force sub-par tech in transportation, with far more emissions and more impact from failure?

Hydrogen Insight

@hydrogeninsight

22 days

EU #hydrogen targets are 'impossible' as green H2 costs eight times as much as grey H2 today: @TotalEnergies CEO Prices will not come down if renewable #H2 is used in hard-to-abate industries only, warns Patrick Pouyanné

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

12 days

"But won't electric rail strain the grid?" As this chart shows, hydrogen has far more potential impact on the grid. To fuel a train with H2 uses at least 3x more energy than wires. Let's save that hydrogen for where we really need it, and save the grid by wiring up our trains!

Jesse D. Jenkins

@JesseJenkins

12 days

There's been a lot of consternation & digital ink spilled over Bitcoin, data centers, AI and their impact on the grid. But do you know what's even bigger load growth driver, according to @TheBrattleGroup : hydrogen electrolysis! Wouldn't it be good if @USTreasury ensured 10s of

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

19 days

The fight for electric rail and the fight for better transit service are one and the same. Electric rail enables, and in fact requires, to be cost effective, more frequent service, while hydrogen rail locks in the status quo and prevents better for cost reasons.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

3 months

Making Metrolink, Capitol Corridor, Surfliner, Coaster better than driving is critical to meet our climate goals. We need electric rail ASAP, and we can't allow them to wither and die through neglect, hydrogen, and erosion. #CatenaryNow

Ian Griffiths

@icgee

3 months

What are the implications of this? Well, if we want to reduce VMT by shifting people onto sustainable modes, we need to focus heavily on those LONGER trips if we want to make major reductions in VMT. That means getting people on transit - especially regional transit.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

7 months

@Tony_CTDirector Hydrogen trains use 2.5x more energy than electric trains, and >95% of hydrogen on the market comes from fossil fuels. Overhead catenary is a climate solution, H2 is not. Meanwhile in Germany, this "innovative solution" has been tested and found lacking

The dream of the first hydrogen rail network has died a quick death

Germany's Lower Saxony government started running 14 hydrogen trains in August 2022

qz.com

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

2 months

Notably missing from these plans: Metrolink. Metro could electrify all of the Antelope Valley Line and parts of the San Bernardino line if it wanted to. 2028 is coming soon, the time to put up the wires is now. #ElectrifyMetrolink

Right To Zero CA

@RightToZeroCA

2 months

LA is going for the gold (standard) in zero-emission transportation for the 2028 Olympics. 🥇 Read more on their plans to electrify transportation so residents can breathe easy when millions flood their city for the games. #ElectrifyEverything

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

5 months

Once again, the overwhelming winner of the "sources of greenhouse gases" contest? Passenger cars. Time to invest in fast, clean, electric rail and get some mode shift going to cut those emissions - the planet can't wait. #CatenaryNow

Carter Rubin

@CarterRubin

5 months

Babe wake up, @AirResources ’e latest GHG inventory just dropped.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

21 days

Our letter to Capitol Corridor board calling on them to stick to their 2016 vision plan and pursue electric, not hydrogen trains. Thanks to @TransbayC @streetsforall @Transit_Co for signing on! It's not too late to give public comment at 10 am tomorrow.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

3 months

With overhead catenary, you can greatly increase speed with small upgrades over time. Metra Electric is decades old, and small changes will get it to 90 mph. Whereas SBCTA's brand new hydrogen FLIRTs top out at 79 mph. Catenary = better service.

RAIL Magazine

@RAILMag

3 months

Currently, speeds are limited to 65 mph, but @metra is exploring up to 90 mph in some sections. IMO, the agency’s vision under CEO Jim Derwinski has been much more ambitious than it had previously.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

4 months

What do hydrogen rail pilots (in Tracy, San Bernardino, and Lancaster) have in common? Low income, transportation cost-burdened, POC residents who could really benefit from better transit. But instead, they get unreliable, leaky, explosive H2. Environmental injustice in action.

numble

@numble

4 months

Lancaster is pushing Metrolink to use hydrogen-powered trains on Antelope Valley Line, and to build hydrogen station instead of planned diesel station at Lancaster station. They say it makes sense because Lancaster will be a large hydrogen producer.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

4 months

Secret knowledge forbidden to CA regulators and transit agencies.

Eric the Red

@RealEric4Real

4 months

@calelectricrail Class I’s: “doesn’t look like anything to me”

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

25 days

🚨🚨Action Alert: Call into the Capitol Corridor Board of Directors meeting to tell them you want catenary-battery hybrid, NOT hydrogen FLIRTs on Capitol Corridor. 🚨🚨 May 1st at 10 am or email ccjpaboard @capitolcorridor .org before 3 PM on April 30.

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Huell Howser Democrat

@TribTowerViews

25 days

. @CapitolCorridor board will receive a report on hydrogen trains at its May 1 board meeting.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

2 months

Californians for Electric Rail is proud to support SB 1031 to fund Bay Area transit operations and increase regional integration. Southern California needs a similar measure to save Metrolink - who's with us?

Senator Scott Wiener

@Scott_Wiener

2 months

Bay Area transit is at a crossroads. We need big changes for a vibrant future. Today, we’re announcing the Connect Bay Area Act (SB 1031) to authorize a 2026 ballot measure to fund, modernize & integrate our transit systems. I’m joined by my legislative partner @aishabbwahab .🧵

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

3 months

Metra's new battery trains use a pantograph to charge. A much better option for low-frequency branch lines like the Arrow or Valley Link than hydrogen, and allows for gradual phase-in of catenary with battery-OCS hybrid networks

Stadler Trainset Procurement Video

Metra charges into a greener future with the purchase of battery-powered trainsets from Stadler. The procurement of these trainsets was approved by Metra's B...

www.youtube.com

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

4 months

Love this vision from the NRDC. Stop widening highways and electrify Capitol Corridor! Caltrans needs reform now. #JustTransitionForCaltrans

Carter Rubin

@CarterRubin

4 months

New from me: Caltrans's I-80 CEQA analysis is flawed and reflects a concerning pattern that must change for California to reach our climate, mobility and equity goals.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

2 months

The EPA is holding a hearing today to decide whether to authorize CA's In-use Locomotive Rule, which mandates a transition to zero emissions rail and is currently under threat of lawsuit by the Class 1s. We've got a number of members and allies calling in today to testify 🧵

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

20 days

This type of freight opposition is why we need strong federal regulations & a national electrification plan mandating a transition to catenary. When Class 1s are required to electrify, they will change their tune - catenary is the only viable zero emissions solution for freight.

Transbay Coalition

@TransbayC

20 days

Director Jain says he is very supportive of hydrogen trains, says UPRR would likely not support catenary wires for electric trains. Says sometimes electricity is free b/c so much clean energy and DOE is lowering hydrogen costs (cites hydrogen hub). So says hydrogen will be cheap

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

3 months

The Antelope Valley Line is #1 priority for catenary, as a high frequency line that will be shared with HSR. Battery electric is how to transition gradually while they wire up the whole route, and avoid the sunk costs and drawbacks of hydrogen, which we must stop at all costs.

Metamodernism

@metamodernismyt

3 months

More news on the Antelope Valley Line zero-emissions pilot, but no solid answer on choice of technology (hydrogen vs battery electric). Metrolink's study favored battery multiple units, but their board still wants hydrogen. Let's hope they go battery.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

10 months

Hydrogen has no place in transport or residential settings.

California Governor

@CAgovernor

10 months

Clean, renewable hydrogen is essential to our energy future and cutting pollution. This is an all-of-government approach to creating the market for more zero-emission vehicles, a clean electric grid, and more.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

4 months

Yet another example of the dominance of hyper-local interests on what should be regionally planned decisions - and why we need a stronger, unified SoCal Regional Rail Agency.

numble

@numble

4 months

Lancaster is pushing Metrolink to use hydrogen-powered trains on Antelope Valley Line, and to build hydrogen station instead of planned diesel station at Lancaster station. They say it makes sense because Lancaster will be a large hydrogen producer.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

7 months

We agree with environmental justice groups around the state - things that can be electrified, should be electrified. And rail is one of them - electricity has been the best way to power a train for 100 years and will only improve.

CCAEJ

@CCAEJ

7 months

$7billion in funding was announced that will shape our energy future. #EnvironmentalJustice groups have been excluded from the entire #ARCHES process & we stand together to demand a seat at the table. @CAGoBiz @ENERGY #EquityPrinciplesForHydrogen Platform➡️

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

3 months

Any congressmembers from the California delegation want to follow Rep. Moulton's lead?

Rep. Seth Moulton

@RepMoulton

3 months

America is stuck in the past. As Germans plow ahead with plans to further modernize and electrify their rail lines, we continue to funnel our own money into expanding highways and airports. We deserve clean, affordable transit — let's make it happen. 🚅

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

4 months

More track closures due to coastal erosion. We need to get to work on electrifying and moving the tracks inland ASAP, no more foot-dragging from OCTA. To do that, we need a stronger, unified SoCal Regional Rail Agency.

MetrolinkOC

@MetrolinkOC

4 months

OC/IEOC Line Alert: Tracks are closed between San Juan Capistrano and Oceanside due to possible hillside sliding near San Clemente. Update to follow.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

7 months

Disappointing statement from @POTUS , a famous rider of electric rail as a senator. H2 trains have higher operating costs, lower capacity & max speed than electric trains. They have been found lacking when tested for passenger and don't yet exist for freight. Please do better.

A. Rizzo

@emoscientist2

7 months

Biden appears to be endorsing hydrogen trains. Remember, H2 trains use 2.5x more energy than electric trains, lax regulations on "green" H2 could increase CO2 emissions, and H2 poses serious hazards + feasibility issues in transport & refueling. Bad sign for federal rail regs.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

2 months

This is why CA must stop delaying critical emissions reducing electric rail projects writing reports about the aesthetic impact of wires. Rail electrification needs to be exempt from CEQA. #AB2503

Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

2 months

CA is falling behind its 2030 greenhouse gas targets. We need meaningful transit service improvements and rail decarbonization today, not doomed to fail hydrogen pilots that waste critical time to cut emissions. #CatenaryNow

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

1 year

The 190 page EIR for the SBCTA environmental impact report spends as much space on the aesthetic impacts of a facility next to a rail yard as it does the risks from storing large amounts of hydrogen, a flammable, leak-prone gas.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

14 days

Action Alert: Tell SBCTA no more hydrogen trains! SBCTA wants to buy 3 more H2 trains. Instead, they should retrofit to battery and double track the SB line to make way for future catenary. Email clerkoftheboard @gosbcta .com by 5 pm tomorrow. More info:

CER SBCTA Transit Committee 5/9 Talking Points

docs.google.com

nationalize the trains pete 🇺🇸🇹🇹 🇬🇾🇺🇦🇵🇸

@menorman

18 days

nestled in this agenda, we find this gem: apparently @goSBCTA canNOT actually convert the existing @MetrolinkArrow FLIRT fleet to h2 as was originally planned & must instead buy completely new vehs. that seems odd, but at least maybe they can do battery conversions for cheaper.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

3 months

We sent the Treasury a letter pushing back on this industry rent-seeking. Tax credits must put zero emissions before growing the hydrogen industry, given the potential service disruptions caused by unreliable new tech and the existence of viable alternatives (like electric rail!)

David Roberts

@drvolts

3 months

Unbelievable. A group of "hydrogen hubs" -- i.e., giant subsidy-farming machines -- have informed the US gov't that it would like those subsidies to be even more generous, with even fewer strings attached. The absolute brass balls.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

15 days

While the CTC gears up to widen I-80, Capitol Corridor is preparing to abandon plans for faster, more frequent electric rail service on the same corridor in favor of expensive, unproven hydrogen trains. Our government's addiction to cars is why we don't have good rail service.

Carter Rubin

@CarterRubin

15 days

The CTC is gearing up to allocate a hundred million in Trade Corridor dollars to a low-scoring plan to widen I-80 while San Diego’s only freight rail link to the rest of the country falls into the Pacific for want of funding.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

5 months

Southern California needs this yesterday, to combat the pollution, traffic, and dangerous road conditions caused by our overreliance on trucks at our ports and warehouses.

JR Urbane Network

@JRUrbaneNetwork

5 months

The Jinhua Railway, connecting the commodities trading capital of the world (Yiwu City) to one of the world's busiest container ports (Ningbo-Zhoushan Port) has begun dynamic testing of all systems. The railway is an electrified line that can run double-stack container trains.

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

2 months

🚨🚨Hearing Notice: AB 2503, which exempts rail electrification and service improvements on existing right of way from CEQA, is getting its first hearing in the Assembly in one week on April 8th at 2:30 PM! 🚨🚨 Check this link for a livestream:

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Californians for Electric Rail

@calelectricrail

13 days

Our letter to @goSBCTA telling them not to buy any more unproven hydrogen fuel cell trains and to prioritize San Bernardino Line improvements. Thanks to @streetsforall , @PC4EJ , @CCAEJ , @RailPAC , @Transit_Co , @briannajegan , and @TransbayC for signing on!

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