Ran across the on the Yosemite Valley RR discussion group. This plan has been around for several years. Apparently the project is still active, though it is unclear when this was originally written, as I think it mentions the new milenneum in future context.

From: "Ted Hogan" <yvrr@elite.net> Add to Address Book
To: yvrr@LServ.Com
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 11:47:58 -0800
Subject: [YVRR] Revised Yosemite Park Plan Comments

March 22, 2005

Superintendent
Yosemite National Park
P.O. Box 577
Yosemite National Park, California 95389

Subject: Draft Revised Merced River Plan/SEIS

The National Park Service (NPS) has begun revised scooping activities
regarding a comprehensive Yosemite Valley Plan, which will borrow
heavily
from several previous plans, including the Draft Yosemite Housing Plan,
and
Draft Yosemite Valley Implementation Plan.

The Yosemite Valley Railroad (YVRR) is dedicated to reestablishing rail
as an alternative public transportation link to Yosemite National Park.

In prior correspondence to NPS, we took issue with the quality of
transportation elements in both the Housing and Valley Implementation Plans. Specifically, we found that none of the plans adequately dealt with the full range of regional transportation alternatives available, and, perhaps more importantly, failed to preserve the ability to provide other
transportation alternatives at a future date.

We are expressing this opinion and providing this information in the
hope that you and other leaders within the Park Service Planning group take serious consideration of a future rail system in your scooping process.

The added benefit of this rail system would enhance the transportation
structure for the New UC Merced Campus. As the map would indicate it would be a direct connection to the Campus on La Paloma Rd. to the Amtrak system and the proposed High Speed Rail ,to include future Airport facilities at the former Castle Air Base.

Technical Memorandum #3, of the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation
Strategy (YARTS) included the following summary:

"The rail alternative supports most of YARTS criteria except for two
key criteria. The most important issue for the rail mode is timeliness for
implementation. . Additionally, the rail alternative would likely be
developed in only one corridor, . However, there is a long-term
potential for rail transportation to Yosemite . ." [YARTS Technical Memorandum #3, May 15, 1997, page 19.]

Consultant transportation experts came to the same conclusion at the
1996 Yosemite Park Transportation Symposium. Their recommendations included references to the historic precedence of the YVRR, which operated in the Merced River corridor up to El Portal from 1906 to 1945. We strongly encourage that whatever plan you might consider, it would include a feasibility study for future rails.

Transportation plans are required to be comprehensive. The initial NPS
efforts and YARTS studies were comprehensive, but the resultant plans
are not. This approach seems to be the antithesis of transportation
planning practiced elsewhere in the United States, where diversity in modes and methods is typically embraced. Yosemite is the 'Crown Jewel' of America's national park system. We live in the most technologically advanced country in the world founded on the entrepreneurial sprit. We are on the threshold of a new millennium. And, the best alternative we have to the automobile for the next 20 plus years is a regional public bus system? While we support a regional bus system proposal as part of the solution, by itself, it is a bland, status quo response that lacks imagination and fails to add the journey as part of the Yosemite adventure.

Now that the National Park Service will recommence a revised plan for
the valley and region, we think it's important the rail alternative be
recognized in the NPS plan. We are not suggesting they study the
alternative in exhausting detail at this time, but we do believe that
the option needs to be recognized because decisions will be made over the next several years that may preclude forever the ability to develop such an alternative.

The ultimate decision to build rail transportation to Yosemite will be
competitive and will necessitate the combined efforts of private and
public organizations including local, regional, state, and federal
organizations. Not an easy task. The Yosemite Valley Railroad, a nonprofit (501)(c)(3) group encourages support from the NPS to do a feasibility report on such a rail system to better serve the public. Not only for passenger service but for freight possibilities and waste hauled out of the Park to a remote location.

In closing, we applaud and support the Park Service for the steps it is
taking to achieve GMP goals by proposing to implement a very
progressive plan for the Park. We know that there are a broad range of
perspectives to address, which complicates the planning and slows implementation of changes. However, with specific reference to the transportation elements of the plan, we cannot support any of the alternatives proposed. The level of detail necessary to fully understand the transportation elements of the plan, the plan's failure to reflect the diversity available in transportation services, lack of a long-range perspective, and failure to relate to other Park transportation needs, sets the tone for our recommendation that the National Park Service planners expand the range of alternatives as it relates to transportation.

Sincerely,
Ted Hogan, President
Yosemite Valley Railroad Co.

Ted Hogan, President, Yosemite Valley Railroad Co.
P.O. Box 606, Merced, CA 95340, http://www.yvrr.com/
America's most important rail project- Get involved!!