SOUTHWEST CORNER

As this is being written, SANTA FE has not yet decided whether or not it is going to join the National Railroad Passenger Corporation. If the railroad does join Railpax there will be a number of changes seen in the passenger service in and out of San Diego. As of now there is a question concerning some of these.

If Santa Fe does turn over its passenger service to Railpax, chances are service between San Diego and Los Angeles will be cut from three trains a day each way to two trains. However, three times a week there will be through service between San Diego and Seattle. According to some sources, passenger facilities here in San Diego will be expanded to serve as the terminus for this north-south western corridor.

Assuming Railpax takes over operation of the San Diegan (will that name be retained?), what kind of intermediary service for the communities between here and Los Angeles will remain? Will the Railpax schedule feature stops at Del Mar, Encinitas, Oceanside, San Clemente, and so on up the line? Or, in the interest of speed and efficiency, will these smaller cities be bypassed by the passenger train after May first, 1971?

As the San Diego to Los Angeles run is included in the Railpax schedule, if Santa Fe were to decide not to participate in the federal venture it would be obligated to retain the San Diegan at the present level of operation at least until 1975.

As mentioned before, we will continue to have passenger trains in San Diego in the future, but it is going to be interesting to see what develops.

Speaking of passenger trains, the National Railway Publication Company, publishers of The Official Guide of the Railways, have made a special offer for the April, May, and June 1971, issues of the Guide.

The April issue of the Guide, which lists among other things all rail passenger services, will be the last complete pre-Railpax passenger service listing. The May issue will be the first to list the new services of Railpax. Comparing the two would give a graphic illustration of the immediate effect of Railpax and the American passenger train. The June issue will continue to update the new services.

These timely issues of the Guide are available at $6.40 for a singly copy, $12.50 for two copies, or $6.00 each for three or more copies and can be purchased from the publishers by mail:

National Railway Publication Company
Special Order Department
424 West 33rd Street
New York, New York 10001