California High Speed Rail Thread

[Busy Bee]

Originally Posted by electricron

If so few HSR trains will be using the station, why build it?

Because providing interconnectivity between HSR and existing and complimentary Amtrak regional services like the San Joachins has been a longstanding priority. That said the cost of the station seems very high. You should be able to build such a station for 40-60 million, and that would be a very nice station.

[HusBy]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Because providing interconnectivity between HSR and existing and complimentary Amtrak regional services like the San Joachins has been a longstanding priority. That said the cost of the station seems very high. You should be able to build such a station for 40-60 million, and that would be a very nice station.

Ok I can buy the interconnectivity even though you only have to go to Fresno for the same thing. But why 1. relocate the station for this reason and 2. locate it in such an inconvenient location. If you're going to move it, then put it closer to town, ie that little area called Storey or just off hwy 145 so it can be served conveniently by buses, existing traffic patterns, and have a case for building up a new town center around it. The new location is absurd... even if it is the path of least resistance.

[electricron]

Originally Posted by HusBy

Ok I can buy the interconnectivity even though you only have to go to Fresno for the same thing. But why 1. relocate the station for this reason and 2. locate it in such an inconvenient location. If you're going to move it, then put it closer to town, ie that little area called Storey or just off hwy 145 so it can be served conveniently by buses, existing traffic patterns, and have a case for building up a new town center around it. The new location is absurd... even if it is the path of least resistance.

Why spend all the money buying land to route trains through central business districts when you are going to place the station far away from them anyways?

[sopas ej]

From Urbanize Los Angeles:

Here's how Brightline West could connect with California High Speed Rail

A 54-mile corridor separates Palmdale from Victor Valley



October 07, 2024, 8:00AM
Steven Sharp

Along the I-15 Freeway in the Inland Empire, heavy construction is set to commence next year for Brightline West, the $12-billion high-speed rail line which will connect Southern California with Las Vegas. Simultaneously, California High Speed Rail continues to make progress in the Central Valley, and could one day make its way southward into the Los Angeles area. In anticipation of a day when both services are up and running in Southern California, steps are being taken to connect them.

A September 2024 presentation published by the High Desert Corridor Joint Power Agency offers a look at the proposed High Desert Corridor high-speed rail line, which would span a roughly 54-mile corridor between Palmdale and Victor Valley. This would allow for direct service on Brightline West between Los Angeles Union Station and Las Vegas, rather the current route which is to terminate outside of Los Angeles County in Rancho Cucamonga.

Currently in the environmental review phase, the rail line would commence from the proposed Palmdale Transportation Center, which would connect California High Speed Rail and Metrolink's Antelope Valley Line. From there, the High Desert Corridor Line would veer east through mostly undeveloped land in unincorporated Los Angeles County, primarily between State Route 138 and State Route 18.

[...]

[homebucket]

^



Why not connect it to Phase II of CAHSR (the LA to SD route) since it'll be swinging through ONT? The additional track connecting from the Rancho Cucamonga Brightline West station to wherever the CAHSR ONT station will be shouldn't be more than 4-6 miles in length, far shorter than this proposed 54 mile route. Or really, the most simple solution, interline Brightline with the existing Metrolink San Bernardino Line, if the ultimate goal is to provide direct service between Union Station and Las Vegas.

[sopas ej]

Originally Posted by homebucket

^



Why not connect it to Phase II of CAHSR (the LA to SD route) since it'll be swinging through ONT? The additional track connecting from the Rancho Cucamonga Brightline West station to wherever the CAHSR ONT station will be shouldn't be more than 4-6 miles in length, far shorter than this proposed 54 mile route. Or really, the most simple solution, interline Brightline with the existing Metrolink San Bernardino Line, if the ultimate goal is to provide direct service between Union Station and Las Vegas.

My guess is because Phase II is many years after Phase I?

And Apple Valley to Palmdale was already in the planning stages, it was talked about on page 211 (High Desert Corridor): https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/sho...80558&page=211

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by sopas ej

My guess is because Phase II is many years after Phase I?

And Apple Valley to Palmdale was already in the planning stages, it was talked about on page 211 (High Desert Corridor): https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/sho...80558&page=211

Ah ok thanks for the link! I must've missed that conversation. Looks like they do anticipate most of the ridership to be generated from folks coming from Rancho Cucamonga (4.6 million) vs Palmdale (1.1 million).

If we consider that Brightline West is already under construction, and if the goal is for a one seat ride from Union Station to Las Vegas, it does seem like the quickest and easiest path to completing this objective would be to electrify the Metrolink San Bernardino Line and interline it with Brightline West. Especially since we don't know how long it'll take to build the CAHSR LA to Palmdale segment, which is occurring after the Merced to SJ segment anyway.

[bzcat]

Originally Posted by homebucket

^



Why not connect it to Phase II of CAHSR (the LA to SD route) since it'll be swinging through ONT? The additional track connecting from the Rancho Cucamonga Brightline West station to wherever the CAHSR ONT station will be shouldn't be more than 4-6 miles in length, far shorter than this proposed 54 mile route. Or really, the most simple solution, interline Brightline with the existing Metrolink San Bernardino Line, if the ultimate goal is to provide direct service between Union Station and Las Vegas.

That may still happen in the future but you have to start somewhere.

Here are the facts:

1. CAHSR has approved EIR now from Palmdale to Union Station. Construction on this segment will start relatively soon (land acquisition right now). There is no EIR from Union Station to San Diego (only preliminary analysis) and no construction will start at least for another 10-15 years. The run-thru tracks at Union Station have to be in place first anyway and that project is taking forever to start construction.

2. High Desert Corridor is starting EIR stage so it will be ready for construction by the time CAHSR is building the Palmdale to LA segment so timing wise, it will happen way sooner than hypothetic Rancho Cucamonga to Ontario connection.

3. High Desert Corridor has some funding from the cancelled highway project.

4. Metrolink has refused to even consider simple electrification (they are pursing hydrogen toy train idea) so interlining with San Bernardino line is a pipedream. The only interlining opportunity in the near future is with CAHSR via Palmdale.

5. Metrolink will need to be dragged kicking and screaming into electrification once CAHSR does its EIR for the LA to SD segment. And it is no guarantee that it will select the alignment that goes to Ontario. If Metrolink won't electrify, maybe CAHSR will opt to build its own tracks like it is doing from Palmdale to Burbank.

[TowerDude]

I think CAHSR should be the one operating on the High Desert Corridor not Brightline West.

Or at the very least there should be an overlap on service with CAHSR trains terminating at Victor Valley and Brightline trains terminating at Palmdale.

The eventual system should be that all high speed train trips to Vegas from San Diego would go through Rancho Cucamonga, and all others would go through LA Union Station to Rancho and on to Vegas ... while all trips from Northern and Central California to Las Vegas would use the High Desert Corridor connector.

I also still think Amtrak should be beefing up their own LA to Vegas routes.