(The Sacramento Bee published the following editorial on its website on October 1.)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — When the Capitols 527 train from Auburn arrived 29 minutes late into Sacramento last Wednesday morning, passengers were annoyed but not surprised. The 527 has been so late so often, even employers have adjusted to it. One regular rider told The Bee that some of his chronically late fellow passengers are required to work through their lunch hours to make up for routinely showing up late to their jobs in the morning.
Recent tardiness has been blamed on what railroaders call “slow orders.” Trains that could travel at 79 mph are slowed to 40, 25 or 10 mph either because work is being done on Union Pacific track or because the tracks are in such poor repair that it would be dangerous to allow trains to travel them at high speeds.
For the past three weeks, a 10 mph slow order has been in place along a 5-mile stretch of track between Auburn and Rocklin, a forced delay that adds 30 minutes to the morning commute.
A 10 mph slow order is significant. It means tracks are in really bad shape. According to those who ride the trains, some 40 ties — the wooden pieces between the rails — have been marked for replacement. Union Pacific had said the track would be fixed by Oct. 1 but riders report they have seen no signs of repair work. And an official with the Joint Powers Authority, which runs the Capitols service, got word recently that repairs probably won’t be completed before Oct. 17 at the earliest.
After inquiries from the authority, UP last Thursday switched the 527 to an alternate track. That this wasn’t done weeks ago is a sign of how UP gives short shrift to passengers and to the taxpayers who have invested billions of dollars to upgrade the private railroad tracks.
Even on the alternate track, 527 was about 10 minutes late getting into Sacramento the first few days it was tried because freight was given priority and because of rerouting delays. Then, yesterday, the train was routed back to the old track. A UP official promised to get back to The Bee with an explanation last week; we’ve yet to hear from the railroad.
Meanwhile, chronic tardiness has regular riders pushing for a temporary Amtrak bus — “bustitution” — between Auburn and Roseville until track repairs are completed.
Passengers and California taxpayers deserve at least that. They’ve paid for it.