California High Speed Rail Thread

[Hatman]

The connection between Palmdale and Victorville is absolutely necessary. The XpressWest people know this, and have said it would definitely be part of a 'phase 2', which would be completed when California's high speed rail is completed between LA and Palmdale.
What is the timeline for that project?
My guess is that XpressWest will probably be delayed substantially until this section of California's network is at least closer to construction. Building the Victorville-LV section as a stand-alone starter system would clearly not work. The important things they could do in this corridor now is planning (so that there will be public transit available at the future station in Las Vegas) and right-of-way preservation. Beyond that, I wouldn't expect much to be done until California is serious about the LA-Palmdale section.
It is encouraging to know, though, that Nevada wants this link enough to give it some state support. That makes me hopeful that something will be built eventually.

[Eightball]

Certainly not definitive news it will move forward, but still good news. We are starting to see positive spin off effects of CA HSR starting construction. AAF starting construction and appearing viable doesn't hurt, either. With TX HSR looking more viable everyday, what an exciting time for passenger rail in the US

[BrownTown]

Originally Posted by LosAngelesSportsFan

Dumbest comment of the thread. I know a lot of people that go to vegas at least 5 or 6 times a year and not 1 of them would drive to victorville and jump on a train to go to vegas. You're practically half way there once you get to Victorville lol

And how many of them would drive to Union station and pay twice as much? The fact people wouldn't use the train is a reason not to build it, not a reason to throw more money at it. If the cheap section can't make money then there's no way the far more expensive one can.

[blackcat23]

I don't really follow this thread that closely, so this may have already been brought up, but the planned High Desert Corridor could potentially solve the Victorville-Palmdale gap which is currently being discussed.

http://thesource.metro.net/2014/10/0...y-is-released/

[202_Cyclist]

San Fernando leaders confront state officials over bullet train route

By RALPH VARTABEDIAN
MAY 30, 2015, 5:00 AM
LA Times

“Finding a route into the Los Angeles Basin for the California bullet train is proving far more difficult than it seemed a year ago, as opposition is surging in wealthy and working­class communities alike.

The depth of opposition became more apparent Thursday evening when protesters in the city of San Fernando took over an open house meeting held by the California High­Speed Rail Authority. They demanded that state officials answer questions about the project's impact on their community.

But unlike typical protests, this one was led by elected officials. Seventy people, headed by the city's mayor pro tem and other current and former city officials, marched into a city auditorium and set up their own public address system….”

http://www.latimes.com/local/califor...530-story.html

[Busy Bee]

What a bunch of a-holes.

[unanimity]

Originally Posted by 202_Cyclist

San Fernando leaders confront state officials over bullet train route

By RALPH VARTABEDIAN
MAY 30, 2015, 5:00 AM
LA Times

“Finding a route into the Los Angeles Basin for the California bullet train is proving far more difficult than it seemed a year ago, as opposition is surging in wealthy and working­class communities alike.

The depth of opposition became more apparent Thursday evening when protesters in the city of San Fernando took over an open house meeting held by the California High­Speed Rail Authority. They demanded that state officials answer questions about the project's impact on their community.

But unlike typical protests, this one was led by elected officials. Seventy people, headed by the city's mayor pro tem and other current and former city officials, marched into a city auditorium and set up their own public address system….”

http://www.latimes.com/local/califor...530-story.html

Scenes like these make me want to stage a pro-CAHSR counterappearance at one of these community meetings. The media will continue to cover the veracity of the nay-sayers; they're the only ones who are flashy enough for the station's attention.

I'm worried that if we pro-HSR's don't get out there and equate their energy in favor of the project, those who are iffy about the project will only see the propaganda of said nay-sayers and will think that the momentum of the project is swaying in the irreversible direction of defeat- then they too will become opponents of it.

In the big picture of things, the entire CAHSR system indeed has a lot of momentum behind; but since we're at point where heavy construction has yet to commence, the project can still be stopped. Only after a few years of track laying with tangible results will it be safe to say that CAHSR will become may reality. We need to get out there the next time they make a scene and make a scene right back- with solid accurate information that will show the media, California and the rest of the country that HSR isn't Jerry Brown's pipe dream; its still a legitimate and practical need and in the interest of millions of californians. We need to create that image! If anyone possibly interested in appearing at one of their anti-hsr meetings with some signs/thoughts of our own?

[Bikemike]

Originally Posted by unanimity

Scenes like these make me want to stage a pro-CAHSR counterappearance at one of these community meetings. The media will continue to cover the veracity of the nay-sayers; they're the only ones who are flashy enough for the station's attention.

I'm worried that if we pro-HSR's don't get out there and equate their energy in favor of the project, those who are iffy about the project will only see the propaganda of said nay-sayers and will think that the momentum of the project is swaying in the irreversible direction of defeat- then they too will become opponents of it.

In the big picture of things, the entire CAHSR system indeed has a lot of momentum behind; but since we're at point where heavy construction has yet to commence, the project can still be stopped. Only after a few years of track laying with tangible results will it be safe to say that CAHSR will become may reality. We need to get out there the next time they make a scene and make a scene right back- with solid accurate information that will show the media, California and the rest of the country that HSR isn't Jerry Brown's pipe dream; its still a legitimate and practical need and in the interest of millions of californians. We need to create that image! If anyone possibly interested in appearing at one of their anti-hsr meetings with some signs/thoughts of our own?

I've always been hoping that some organizers finally come forward to set up a pro-HSR (and general pro-development) gathering for good projects like these. As always in California the vocal minorities are disproportionate in their ability to be heard and influence. California is a liberal state but is getting too conservative in many ways.

[M II A II R II K]

Meet the People Getting Screwed Over By Jerry Brown’s High Speed Rail

Read More: http://reason.com/reasontv/2015/06/0...crewed-over-by

"It's like a field of dreams—if you build it they will come," says Mary Jane Fagundes, a Hanford, California resident in danger of losing her home to California's high speed rail. "But it's just a dream that's never going to become a reality."

Fagundes is one of many Central Valley property owners whose land will be affected by the construction of the high speed rail. Fagundes and her husband, Jerry, first learned that the rail was coming down their street from a cousin. Though the train will run 80 feet from their front door and cause severe vibration and noise damage, the California High Speed Rail Authority will not deal with the Fagundes family because the tracks do not technically touch their property line.

"We really can't do nothing until they build the train because they're not impacting us," says Jerry Fagundes. "But talking to a lawyer we do have to get involved right now with a letter stating our impacts." The Fagundes family will have to initiate an inverse condemnation suit against the state to recoup the losses from the damage that will be caused to their property due to the construction of the high speed rail.

.....

• Video Link

[Busy Bee]

I would expect more from the Reason Foundatiion- wait no I wouldn't.

[redblock]

CONSTUCTION BEGINS!

http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/...e24647566.html

[northbay]

That's great news!

[Muji]

[202_Cyclist]

Bob Hope Airport's connection to high-speed railway is still in the air
Official stresses need for a new air terminal before discussion of high-speed train.

By Chad Garland
Burbank Leader
June 20, 2015

"If the state’s bullet train is going to have a station near Bob Hope Airport, the two transportation facilities should connect, airport Executive Director Dan Feger said this week. However, first things first — the airport and the city need to hash out the details of a proposed 14-gate replacement terminal at the airfield, he added.

That was the position Feger outlined during a presentation to the Burbank City Council on Tuesday. Council members had asked what the airport was doing to collaborate with officials from the California High-Speed Rail Authority regarding a possible station on the rail segment that will run from Palmdale to Burbank.

“It would be our hope that we can find common ground for an agreement to build a replacement terminal building,” Feger said. “That’s the first step — we need that step — and with that step behind us, then I think we should be having these kinds of discussions [about high-speed rail]...”

http://www.burbankleader.com/news/tn...,7057479.story

[Busy Bee]

Found this floating out there on the interwebs. Not sure what to make of it but it seems to show a Siemens Velaro D with an American flag and rendered with a California landscape in the background. Another visualization excercise to sell CHSRA on Siemens? They're not going to win anyone over with that ghastly geezer RV paint scheme:


http://static6.businessinsider.com/i...et-train-1.jpg

[fflint]

I've never seen any rendering of CAHSR with a livery that was not blue and yellow.

[scalziand]

CSHRA and Amtrak are doing a joint order to try to lower costs.

Here's the Acela version:

[rawocd]

That was the original plan, but about a year ago CAHSR decided to go its own way. But the NEC train was going to impose some limitations on CAHSR that seemed like too much of a compromise. http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/...e19521495.html

[scalziand]

Bummer.

[Streamliner]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Found this floating out there on the interwebs. Not sure what to make of it but it seems to show a Siemens Velaro D with an American flag and rendered with a California landscape in the background. Another visualization excercise to sell CHSRA on Siemens? They're not going to win anyone over with that ghastly geezer RV paint scheme:

You can see it in the background at the 0:18 mark on the video on the following page:

w3.usa.siemens.com/mobility/us/en/events/pages/moving-california.aspx

It appears to have been displayed at the Siemen's Moving California event. I think it looks a lot better, even if it's just a rendering and not what the final product will look like. They have years to decide on that. The blue and yellow scheme is pretty clunky looking though and does not make the project look very cutting edge. .