Quote:
Originally Posted by SoCalKid
Is this being planned for true high speed rail?
Also, why does it jog up to hit the Greenville airport but then not run through Greenville itself? As a fast growing city with a surprisingly dense/active urban core, it seems like a miss to not have a station near downtown.
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This is the preferred route for a true HSR line. There were two other routes, along I-85 right of way and along the existing NS right of way that were routed closer to all the intermediate cities downtowns. The reason this is the preferred route is that it is much, much cheaper to build, and with true HSR capabilities, gets far more passengers riding the trains.
Take the time to read the EIS Tier 1 study where all this is explained in about 300 pages I really do not wish to repeat. Here's the link.
https://railroads.dot.gov/environmen...ail-tier-1-eis
Never-the-less, they are finding it difficult to raise all the funds needed, so the are suggesting not building the electrical infrastructure, double tracking the entire corridor, nor buying true HSR trainsets - initially. They want to piecemeal the project's construction, which probably means not finishing it in a timely manner, not finishing it at all, or never even start actual construction of any of it. And even if they do start building it, prolonged re-construction activities means slower performance with continuing construction in construction zones.
Not good in imho. Fund it, build it, operate it as designed is the best way to proceed, or not build it at all.