5 ms·

Even if all the municipalities suddenly jumped on board, even in the best case high-speed rail is a decade and a half off. It isn't a realistic solution.

mullen 9y ago
SF to Gilroy could be done in under a decade, which then would be connected to LA once that track was done. California is messing up the HSR project by not getting SF to Gilroy and LA to San Diego completed first. Sacramento to Nowhere is a PR blunder for the state.
- jonathankoren 9y ago
  It's because that's the only places where they can actually build. The peninsula is full of millionaires that hate the idea of HSR. ("But I don't it at grade!" "But I don't want it in the air!" "But I don't want it in a trench!" "But I don't in a tunnel!" "It's all moving so fast!" "Can we put an HSR to stop every 2 miles?") https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2015/10/14/palo-alto-blasts-high-speed-rail-project-for-moving-too-fast https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2015/10/14/palo-alto-bla... http://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/high-speed-rail-met-with-concerns-in-san-carlos/article_6743a242-5d52-11e7-970f-f3255fe73447.html http://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/high-speed-rail-met...
- esmi 9y ago
  The BART extension to San Jose was first voter approved in 2000. Many years and bonds later it's closer but a San Jose BART station still does not exist. I'm not sure CA could do SF to Oakland by HSR in a decade. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_Valley_BART_extension https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_Valley_BART_extensio...
thebrettd 9y ago
It is not a realistic short-term solution, but maybe a good long term move? Your comment makes it sound like it isn't a reasonable investment at all because it won't return in the desired timeframe.
x220 9y ago
The only reason it could not be realistic is that California is politically dysfunctional and unable to solve problems. Nearly every other industrialized country has a rail system that connects cities and helps commuters. It is totally possible to accomplish.

mullen 9y ago

SF to Gilroy could be done in under a decade, which then would be connected to LA once that track was done. California is messing up the HSR project by not getting SF to Gilroy and LA to San Diego completed first. Sacramento to Nowhere is a PR blunder for the state.

jonathankoren 9y ago
It's because that's the only places where they can actually build. The peninsula is full of millionaires that hate the idea of HSR. ("But I don't it at grade!" "But I don't want it in the air!" "But I don't want it in a trench!" "But I don't in a tunnel!" "It's all moving so fast!" "Can we put an HSR to stop every 2 miles?") https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2015/10/14/palo-alto-blasts-high-speed-rail-project-for-moving-too-fast https://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2015/10/14/palo-alto-bla... http://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/high-speed-rail-met-with-concerns-in-san-carlos/article_6743a242-5d52-11e7-970f-f3255fe73447.html http://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/high-speed-rail-met...
esmi 9y ago
The BART extension to San Jose was first voter approved in 2000. Many years and bonds later it's closer but a San Jose BART station still does not exist. I'm not sure CA could do SF to Oakland by HSR in a decade. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_Valley_BART_extension https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_Valley_BART_extensio...

thebrettd 9y ago

It is not a realistic short-term solution, but maybe a good long term move? Your comment makes it sound like it isn't a reasonable investment at all because it won't return in the desired timeframe.

x220 9y ago

The only reason it could not be realistic is that California is politically dysfunctional and unable to solve problems. Nearly every other industrialized country has a rail system that connects cities and helps commuters. It is totally possible to accomplish.