The Press-Tribune from Roseville, California • 15

Monday, April 26. 1982 PRESS TRIBUNE 15 Amtrak debuts Coast Starlight on run through South Placer runs passenger trains over iht nation rail lines under contract with the railroads, subsequently asked SP to allow the rerouting The railroad refused the request, stating if would require an additional $3.5 million in track improvements The case went before a national arbitration panel after negotiations with SP failed The panel in December ruled in favor of Caltrans and Amtrak stating the track improvements were unnecessary Gianturco noted some 175. win people are expected to ride the rerouted Coast Starlight in addition to the 457.000 people who rode it in 1981 during the first year of operation In total, we expect more than million people to ride Amtrak trains in California this year." she added South Placer guests boarding the train in Sacramento included Roseville Chamber of Commerce President -elect Ray Taylor; Mike and Robert Gall of Gall 's Imports in old Town Roseville Assemblyman Gene Chappie Roseville: and former Congressman Bizz Johnson and his wife. Albra The Johnsons tixik their grandson. John Alexander, on his first train ride (Continued from Page 1 1 passenger train down to 10 mph as he inched the Coast Starlight around the bend of the SP yard's at Pacific and Lincoln streets tc head north under the Sierra Boulevard bridge and past Sierra View Countrv Club Golfers interrupted their games to wave as Willetts added power to his diesel units, taking the train at a steady clip to 50 mph through Lin coin and 60 mph to 70 mph through the farmlands of South Placer County toward the Marysville stop "The rerouting is going to provide Amtrak a lot better service." the 17 year veteran SP engineer said "It's a lot smoother roadbed and will serve a lot more people in the valley The Starlight had traveled down the west side of the valley in its run from Los Angeles to Seattle.

The switching operation through the Roseville SP yard, the largest marshaling operation west of the Mississippi, went smoothly. "There were no problems." Stevenson said "The train shouldn't have any trouble going through the yard Stevenson added he believes the Coast Starlight could stop in Roseville without any problems "A stop in Roseville would serve Auburn, Colfax. Lincoln and Roseville much better than Sacramento or Marysville." the conductor said The 259 passengers who boarded the nine-car train for the ride in Sacramento swelled to more than 700 by the time it left Chico for the short jaunt to Tehama, where it turned around for the trio home Champagne flowed as Bill Ber thelsen and his Dixieland Jazz Band Cats Jammers, of Sacramento livened up the partv A special cake commemorating the Coast Starlight's arrival on the east side of the Sacramento alley as cut on board High school bands and townspeople jammed the passenger depots in Marysville and Chico to witness the return of regular passenger train service after a 2 year absence. Passenger service from Sacramento to Marysville and Chico had been discontinued by SP in 1957 At each of the two 15-minute Marysville and Chico State Transportation Director Adriana Gianturco and Amtrak Vice President Clark Tyler told the crowds ol the four-year struggle to reroute the Coast Starlight through Sacramento. Marysville and Chico "More than a million additional people will have convenient access to this important north-south rail route, the most successful in the Amtrak system." Gianturco said The oast Starlight is Amtrak main north-south train on the West "oast Caltrans recommended in 1978 the train be rerouted through Sacramento and up the east side ol the valley to increase the train's ridership and profitability Amtrak.

a semiDublic agency that Merger the trip at Assemblyman Wal Rio so. joined Marvsville The inaugural run of the rerouted Coast Starlight was arranged by Caltrans and Amtrak for members ol the press and invited guests COAST STARLIGHT heads north under Sierra Boulevard bridge in Roseville toward Lincoln after leaving Southern Pacific's (SP) main east-west track for first stop in Marvsville on inaugural run through South Placer County. South Placer County Special inaugural run of train was arranged for press and invited guests by Amtrak and Caltrans. ROSEVILLE Chamber of Commerce representatives Mike Gait (left) and Ray Taylor take time out for buffet lunch aboard Amtrak's rerouted Coast Starlight through Daily Press-Tribune photos by Jim Janssen STATE Transportation Director Adriana Gianturco tells story of four-year struggle to reroute Coast Starlight at each of train's inaugural run stops in Sacramento. Marvsville and Chico.

II mwi I W' mm mm I 'Prft Johnson helped push for trans-Sierra Amtrak run through South Placer County when Amtrak took over passenger rail service in 1971. SOUTH PLACER Southern Pacific (SP) Conductor Don Stevenson of Roseville helps passenger off Amtrak's rerouted Coast Starlight at stop in Chico during maiden run from Sacramento. FORMER Congressman Bizz Johnson and wife Albra of Roseville take grandson, John Alexander, for train ride aboard rerouted Coast Starlight through South Placer County..