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Re: Serious new proposal for Altamont hsr route
Author: Michael Mahoney
Date: 05-05-2010 - 12:11
I think it's fair to guess that Caltrans will fight like tiger cats to keep a 200 mph train out of the median of I-5. The land values on that side of the valley are so much lower than in the 99 corridor that much money would be saved even if the train did not run in the median.
The interesting thing is that these guys are confronting the French problem. The French had a functioning passenger train system and simply laid the high speed portion on top. We do not have a passenger train system worthy of the name. These guys are trying to build it from underneath while also building the HSR system. Thus the attention to service to Stockton and Sacramento, which would be disregarded in a true HSR system between SF and LA.
The interesting thing is that these guys are confronting the French problem. The French had a functioning passenger train system and simply laid the high speed portion on top. We do not have a passenger train system worthy of the name. These guys are trying to build it from underneath while also building the HSR system. Thus the attention to service to Stockton and Sacramento, which would be disregarded in a true HSR system between SF and LA.
