Saturday May 8th Union Station and environs will be a whirl of transportation activism and fun activities.
At 10 a.m. the Metro Special Board meeting in the Metro Board Room on the upcoming fare change will be held. It should be an interesting spectacle if nothing else as I noted in my previous commentary.
Then starting at 11 a.m. and until late afternoon the 3rd Annual National Train Day will occur all over Union Station.
This includes various transportation-related exhibitors who will be staffing tables on the walkway off the south courtyard near the old Fred Harvey Restaurant facing Alameda.
Participants include:
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen
California High Speed Rail Authority
California Operation Lifesaver
Fillmore & Western Railway
Grand Canyon Railway
Metro
Metrolink
Pacific Railroad Society
Rail Europe
Rail Passenger Association of California (RAILPAC)
Santa Barbara Car Free
South Coast Railroad Museum
Southern California Transit Advocates
Train Riders Association of California, Inc. (TRAC)
Transit Coalition
VIA Rail Canada
There are National Train Day events being held Saturday throughout Southern California -- including in Bakersfield, Guadalupe, Los Angeles (at Traveltown in Griffith Park), Oceanside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Santa Barbara. Plus I've confirmed refreshments will be provided in the afternoon at theVan Nuys Train Station (7724 Van Nuys Blvd)
I'll be at the SO.CA.TA table at Union Station from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Given the response last year, I expect a robust turnout and a chance to hear from the public about the issues they care about. I always appreciate a chance to exchange views and perspectives. Overall should be quite a day.
It's a good time to take a peek at how sustainable transportation and related topics are showing up on legislators' priorities. Here's a very NON-comprehensive list.