(The Sacramento Bee published the following story on its website on September 24.)
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The westbound Capitols 527 commuter train from Auburn was 35 minutes late getting into Sacramento one morning last week. Don’t blame Amtrak. Blame Union Pacific.
A lawyer aboard the train who was late to work e-mailed The Bee to tell us that the 527 parked for 15 minutes just short of the Rocklin platform, then moved into Rocklin, picked up passengers and parked another 15 minutes while a freight train passed in the other direction.
There is a second track along that stretch that could have accommodated the 527 but another freight had broken down and was parked on it. So the passengers on 527 just sat, and sat, and sat.
State taxpayers have invested billions to improve and expand capacity on tracks owned by Union Pacific. In return, the railroad is supposed to make its tracks available for passenger service.
Recent statistics indicate that there has been some improvement in on-time performance. But, as the Auburn to Sacramento leg of last Wednesday’s 527 Capitols commute shows, not nearly enough.