LOS ANGELES — The California High-Speed Rail Authority is proposing changes for the Los Angeles-Anaheim portion of its route, introducing a plan that would build a fourth track in that segment to help handle freight traffic.
KTLA-TV reports the revision reflects opposition to an earlier plan which would have seen a new freight facility built in Colton; that facility was designed to move freight trains off the route that would be shared with high-speed rail, Metrolink, and Amtrak trains. Colton residents objected to gaining increased emissions and road traffic while not seeing any benefits from the high-speed project, High-Speed Rail Authority spokesman Jim Patrick told the TV station, leading to the revision.
The new plan would see a four-line route — one more than was originally planned — with two electrified tracks. While earlier plans called for some tracks to be passenger only, the new plan would allow BNSF freight traffic to move on any of the four tracks. It might also require a reduction in high-speed rail operations, from four trains per hour to two in each direction.
The plan also calls for a new light maintenance facility for the high speed rail equipment at one of two sites — adjacent to Amtrak’s 8th Street Yard, or next to BNSF’s Hobard Yard. Either facility would cover 40 or more acres, include six shop tracks, and be able to handle at least 20 trainsets.
The Authority also announced it will consider having one or no intermediate stops between Los Angeles and Anaheim. Previously, the project had proposed stations in both Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs and Fullerton, but its presentation on the potential changes indicates uncertain support for the stations in both cities, design and parking constraints in both locations, and cost savings as well as reduced scheduling impacts.
A full presentation on the changes is available here.
Maybe the Gov. went to China to see if could drum up some financial support for the project and his run for president in the future.
Finally, the California High Speed Rail Authority apparently learned from Brightline to offer upgrade of infrastructure for private freight railways to accommodate both passenger and freight trains. Additional tracks would minimise disruptions while dedicated freight and passenger tracks would eliminate disruptions. Amtrak and Via Rail Canada can learn and be inspired by this lesson.
Clueless people running this outfit and wasting millions of dollars on a plan that won’t work or bring the desired results that it is intended to do. How many changes and design makeovers have been made with no results or timetable when we might actually see a train run which is years down the track. Us model railroaders do a far better job of planning and designing our layouts and a track plan to fit in our garages or spare rooms to operate our model trains in than these geniuses trying to design and build a high speed rail line in one of the most car centric and car friendly areas of the nation. Our European and Asian ccounterparts who are true rail and transportation professionals and experienced high speed rail builders and operators must be laughing at us and our feeble attempts to build hi speed rail systems which already are costing billions in terms of studies being made that go no where and countless changes in designs with no rsults and we haven’t even gotten to what type or design of the trains themselves are going to be used and operate on this “mythical” line. Folks have high expectations and lofty goals for high speed rail and assume that that it is the solution for getting people back to riding the trains and a resurgence in passenger rail travel not necessarly so ! The investment and expense in such systems are extremely high and must make a profit for it to be sucessful. And for us Americans who have no experience or know how in high speed rail operation it is and will be a disaster with billions of dollars of public funding wasted on something that will or might never turn out with rosy results. Also notice that no private company or corporation or investors are putting their money into such ventures as high speed rail. All the high speed rail systems in Europe and Asia are entirely operated and funded by the governments of those countries and a nation like China who is now boasting of high speed trains that will reach 300 miles is only doing it for propaganda reasons and for their own selfish purpose and hidden agenda , not for the benefit of their citizens. And recently there was an article where Indonesia is building a high speed rail line and how they are just taking land and property away form its citizens to build this line.Indonesia is controlled by an authorarian government where the people have no say in the matter or allowed to voice any oppostion or dissent. Like China, Indonisian citizens have to bend and go along with the will and whim of their rulers and the government. Most of these nations where high speed rail is built or being built, the government controls what is being done and the people have no say or choice in the matter. High speed rail comes at a high cost to all.
Joseph C. Markfelder
Nomore federal money …. and rrpay the federal money already spend for a train going nowhere except the Central Valley.
Here, here, Charles. I second that.