Quote:
Originally Posted by Car(e)-Free LA
The Tokaido Shinkasen tops out at trains every 3 minutes on two tracks at 175 MPH. That allows for the full 128 TPD each way+Vegas and Palmdale Metrolink service. The key is really good signalling, impeccable OTP, and 4 tracking in the miles leading up to every single station to allow overtakes. It's a high bar, but 4 tracks through the San Gabriel Mountains is harder.
|
Can you provide a link to a Japan timetable?
As for 4-tracking the corridor - think instead about an eventual second mainline along I-5, which would bypass Bakersfield and Fresno and completely avoid Palmdale. The total mileage savings is about 50 miles. It would no doubt be a lot cheaper to build than what is currently being built in the Central Valley since it would have one or two stations at most.
That would free up the Palmdale section to commuter rail and Las Vegas.
However, I'd assume that the two lines would converge at Burbank Airport, and so the approach for the I-5 line would probably have to tunnel to LA Union, which wouldn't be cheap, plus connections to the Annaheim line and west to CAHSR Phase 2.
No telling what would be involved to connect to NoCal, but there is of course the possibility of building both the Peninsula approach AND Altamont.