Thursday, January 25, 2024

A HIGH-SPEED RAIL PROGRAM THAT MAYBE MAKES SENSE

By Bob Walsh


Not yet seen in the US, the technology will grant the train the ability to traverse the notorious Nevada desert in just two hours - as opposed to the usual four or five



The Las Vegas to SoCal HSR train system just got permission to issue $2.5 billion in tax-exempt bonds to go with the $3 billion grant from the feds and hopes to be up and running for the L. A. Summer Olympics in 2028.

The Brightline West project, which also operates the only privately owned intercity passenger railroad in the U. S. (between Miami and Orland) will run the 218 mile, 185 mph train down the I-15 right-of-way.  They believe they can run efficiently and profitably between San Berdoo and Vegas in two hours, about half the current driving time

I wouldn't mind having a Burger King or similar franchise near that San Bernardino terminal.  Could be some bucks in that.

I am not holding my breath on this.  CA can, and very possibly will, piss in the corn flakes.  Just because they theoretically love electric choo choos they will not necessarily make it easy to actually build the thing.  That being said the people building it have a solid track record.  It seems like an idea worth pursuing.  IN any event that could not possibly do worse than CA has in their not-so-high-speed rail between North Buttrack and South Buttcrack in Kern County at a cost of $86 billion.      

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Knowing the traffic problems between Ca and LV, this may be a valid solution.