DEIR Chapters and Appendices

The first Valley Rail train(s) are anticipated to operate in Fiscal Year 2021/2022.

The Valley Rail Program is funded to make improvements on both Union Pacific Railroad and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad tracks.

The Valley Rail Program is funded to build up to 16 stations.

The Valley Rail Program is funded through a combination State, Federal, and Local funding sources. State funding for the Program includes: Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP), Senate Bill (SB) 132 funding for the ACE Extension to Ceres/Merced, State Rail Assistance (SRA) Program, and Proposition 1A. Federal funding includes: Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program, FTA 5307 Funds, and 2016 Earmark Repurposing. Local funding includes: San Joaquin County Measure K Sales Tax and Stanislaus County Local Transportation Fund (LTF). Most of the Valley Rail capital costs have been funded through the $500.5 million SJJPA/SJRRC April 2018 TIRCP grant, and the $400 million provided to SJRRC from SB 132 in 2017.

ACEforward is a program that seeks to improve and expand service for ACE®. Valley Rail is a joint program that includes improvements and expansions of both ACE and Amtrak San Joaquins that is focused on improvements between Sacramento and the San Joaquin Valley.

Valley Rail is anticipated to be completed by the end of Fiscal Year 2026/2027.

Valley Rail is anticipated to reduce GHG Emission of 5.2 MMT of CO2 by 2025. Additionally, the Valley Rail Program converts Amtrak San Joaquins and ACE service to renewable fuel which will reduce 1.9 MMT of CO2. Valley Rail’s increased rail ridership is anticipated to reduce 88.4 million vehicle miles traveled by 2025.

Valley Rail extends one ACE round trip to/from Sacramento and one round-trip to Ceres/Merced which expands the markets served by direct ACE service between the Central Valley and the Bay Area. In addition, Valley Rail provides three ACE round trips from Ceres to Sacramento (Natomas) which will connect to ACE trains traveling to the Bay Area by using the North Lathrop Transfer Station. Valley Rail also provides additional coaches and new, more powerful, and more environmentally locomotives for ACE trains which increase the capacity to move passengers on ACE to the Bay Area and between the Tri-Valley and Silicon Valley. By expanding ACE markets, Valley Rail is helping to increase the need for further improving service between the Central Valley and Bay Area via the Altamont Corridor.

Valley Rail will provide shuttle service to/from Sacramento International Airport via the Natomas Station. California High Speed Rail service will connect to Valley Rail in Merced. Valley Rail will link to Sacramento RT at City College, Midtown, and Old North Sacramento Stations as well as Sacramento Valley Station. Valley Link Service will connect to the Valley Rail service (initially at the North Lathrop Transfer Station). Valley Rail ACE service connects to the Capitol Corridor (sharing Fremont, Great America, Santa Clara, and San Jose stations), and Caltrain (and ultimately high-speed rail) at San Jose. ACE links to VTA’s light rail services and buses at Great America, and San Jose stations and VTA buses at Santa Clara. ACE has numerous free shuttles (provided by VTA) at Great America to take commuters to their offices, and one at Pleasanton to serve the Hacienda Business Park. ACE provides an express shuttle bus link to BART at its Pleasanton Station.