I just learned about this a few minutes ago.
Sen. Rosen also says the initial goal of opening by 2028 — just in time for the U.S. Summer Olympics in Los Angeles — is still on track.
I just learned about this a few minutes ago.
Sen. Rosen also says the initial goal of opening by 2028 — just in time for the U.S. Summer Olympics in Los Angeles — is still on track.
This is a decidedly okay thing. Not the best option obviously but considering the state of other high speed rail projects, this is actually a very encouraging step.
So for everyone who thinks it's gonna be a boondoggle, this is just about the easiest build alignment for the potential ridership in the country. The single biggest difference between this and CAHSR is that Brightline doesn't need to dig a single tunnel, unlike the 60+ miles of tunnels required to get to LA and SF which is where the real expense is. They also aren't pushing the speed too hard, only 186mph top speed (CAHSR is 242mph) but they will be using the same signalling tech as CAHSR so they can interline whenever the LA section gets built so they can go to LA Union Station if Metrolink hasn't electrified by then.
It also will provide a very obvious example of just how much better trains are than driving or flying. It will literally zoom past everyone driving on the 15, showing up 20 minutes before is playing it safe--not 2 hours like the airport. And hopefully it will provide enough support to actually fund/finish the LA section of CAHSR since Bakersfield-Anaheim is almost half the total project cost.
As far as I see it CAHSR is at the stage where it's doing the typical thing the US government does when it develops something at great expense (yeah I know its not unique), then it gives it to private businesses for cheap/free. Obviously it's a nonideal situation but it gives (real) High Speed Rail a chance of actually becoming widespread in this shitty country (most of) us live in, barring a literal revolution.
I thought CAHSR's top speed was 220? Unless that's meant to be the average speed. I also thought the average speed of Brightline West was meant to be substantially lower, closer to 150 mph. But you're spot on about the alignment. It also helps that they're barely going through any metros where CAHSR is going through as many as possible on purpose (and that shit gets expensive FAST, it's more expensive per mile than tunnels IIRC). It's also helpful that they're on flat desert for the most part, and I also suspect that Nevada is much less aggressive about ecological impact surveys than CA. ALSO it helps that being in a lower speed category means that they're under less severe FRA regulations.
Gods, I hope you're wrong about CAHSR privatization, though. I might get bona fide fucking radicalized, like crushing Linen's femur to dust and snorting it, if they sold that shit off for beans to a private company that's obviously going to vulture capitalize it or do some other incredibly stupid shit like start sending freight on it.
So the top sustained speed for CAHSR will probably stay at 220mph, which it has to do a lot of due to the reduced speeds in SF and LA (I think they're limiting it to 110mph but it could go up to 125mph before having to get reclassed), but the trainsets are mandated to be able to go at least 242mph.
Brightline West will be quite a bit slower than CAHSR due to the lower top speed (186mph) and much steeper grades (up to 5%) but it will still be faster than the Acela which will top out at 160mph (currently 150mph). CAHSR average speed is pushing 200mph and Brightline West is pushing 150mph.
Well it depends on exactly where but part of the reason the tunnels are so expensive, aside from being insanely long, is that they have to tolerate the trains going at 220mph in them due to the Prop 1A requirement for LA-SF to be under 2 hours and 40 minutes.
I don't think they even had to do a full EIR since it's entirely in the median of the 15 except for the end stations. They're supposedly building 3 wildlife crossings at various points on the alignment but we'll see if they actually do.
I meant more just the technology and know-how of how to build it, not the actual tracks. I doubt they could sell them even if they wanted to but I'm fairly certain the Tier III tracks (220mph) legally forbid freight trains.