Amtrak opens new train

A new, daily service connection is now open for Amtrak passengers in the San Joaquin Valley.

The train, which will run from Bakersfield to Oakland, was announced at a press conference held at the Amtrak Station in Downtown Fresno on Monday.

“It provides a great opportunity for our communities in the valley to get from Point A to Point B in a realistic time,” said Patricia Taylor, the executive director for the Madera County Transportation Commission. “It allows us to commute on a day trip to and from our locations, and the more opportunities we have, the better services we have.”

The connection came as the result of a four-year effort to get another train, and was pushed for by representatives from across the valley, including Fresno County Supervisor Henry Perea, D-District 3...