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California will never build their line. CA HSR authority signed a construction contract with Tutor Perini to start construction in the coming weeks. It's happe

California will never build their line. CA HSR authority signed a construction contract with Tutor Perini to start construction in the coming weeks. It's happening. * In the meantime, projects like the Southeastern High Speed Rail Corridor [..] will be starved of funds.* This isn't an either/or situation, we can (and are) doing both.

kposehn 13y ago
The section in construction is a line to nowhere that will see no high speed traffic for years, if ever. The portions that must be worked on first is the crossing of the Tehachapi mountains, as it is the most time consuming portion. Yet instead, they are constructing line in the southern Central Valley. I agree with the pessimists. Much as I want high speed rail, I doubt it will happen.
- Anechoic 13y ago
  The section they are construction is a section that a) will need to be built anyway, and b) be used as a test section to iron out the inevitable kinks that will pop up. The logic is that if a project is going to run into problems (which any large project, including this one, will) you may as well do the easier part first to make the later harder parts go more smoothly.
  - kposehn 13y ago
    It would be logical to do that if it were a section that would see some measure if high speed use. The section which would see that would be from Martinez to Davis. That segment sees many capital corridor trains daily and would immediately benefit from high speed service. What they are working on now sees a small fraction of the ridership, iirc.
    - Anechoic 13y ago
      It would be logical to do that if it were a section that would see some measure if high speed use. Not necessarily - a lightly traveled starter corridor works well for a new system in terms of minimizing disruptions when the inevitable problems crop up. To be honest, if it were up to me, I would recommend starting it where it would get the most ridership, but the CHSRA has a legitimate argument here. Also the project can more easily deal with adverse impacts in "the middle of nowhere" better then it could in a more heavily populated area.
chiph 13y ago
Perhaps they can reallocate the $1.2 billion they set aside for prisons that was never spent.

kposehn 13y ago

The section in construction is a line to nowhere that will see no high speed traffic for years, if ever. The portions that must be worked on first is the crossing of the Tehachapi mountains, as it is the most time consuming portion. Yet instead, they are constructing line in the southern Central Valley. I agree with the pessimists. Much as I want high speed rail, I doubt it will happen.

Anechoic 13y ago
The section they are construction is a section that a) will need to be built anyway, and b) be used as a test section to iron out the inevitable kinks that will pop up. The logic is that if a project is going to run into problems (which any large project, including this one, will) you may as well do the easier part first to make the later harder parts go more smoothly.
- kposehn 13y ago
  It would be logical to do that if it were a section that would see some measure if high speed use. The section which would see that would be from Martinez to Davis. That segment sees many capital corridor trains daily and would immediately benefit from high speed service. What they are working on now sees a small fraction of the ridership, iirc.
  - Anechoic 13y ago
    It would be logical to do that if it were a section that would see some measure if high speed use. Not necessarily - a lightly traveled starter corridor works well for a new system in terms of minimizing disruptions when the inevitable problems crop up. To be honest, if it were up to me, I would recommend starting it where it would get the most ridership, but the CHSRA has a legitimate argument here. Also the project can more easily deal with adverse impacts in "the middle of nowhere" better then it could in a more heavily populated area.

chiph 13y ago

Perhaps they can reallocate the $1.2 billion they set aside for prisons that was never spent.