Division of Rail

William D. Bronte
Division Chief

Division of Rail Overview

The Division of Rail (DOR) manages and coordinates statewide intercity passenger rail service known as “Amtrak California” that helps to improve the state’s air quality and reduce highway congestion and fuel consumption.

Amtrak California is comprised of two rail routes, the Pacific Surfliner® which operates between San Luis Obispo and San Diego, and the San Joaquin® which operates Oakland/Sacramento and Bakersfield. A dedicated Thruway bus service offers connectivity between the two routes. In addition to these two routes, the Capitol Corridor®, a state-funded but separately operated service, extends from Auburn to San Jose. These services offer travel to more than 130 destinations in California and parts of Nevada. California's state-supported system carries more than five million passengers annually.

The state-supported Capitol Corridor shares Caltrans-owned equipment, but is managed by the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority.

The Division of Rail is responsible for:

• Equipment design, maintenance and procurement (rail cars and locomotives)
• Infrastructure (track work, signals, railroad crossings, and structures)
• Contract management
• Corridor management
• Scheduling
• Food services
• Marketing & outreach
• Rail safety education

Caltrans contracts with the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) to provide daily operation and maintenance of Amtrak California service.

To plan a trip, view schedules or purchase tickets, visit Amtrak.com or call 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245).