May 29, 2007
California Bullet Train -- 'Steel Wheels' Only From Here To Disneyland?
We mentioned a few weeks ago that the funding for California's oft-proposed bullet train system is suspect. Things are looking up in a way, as the High Speed Rail Authority approved the project's first phase. However, the Fresno Bee recently reported another wrinkle: Since the management for San Diego (and its inferior burritos), the Southern California Association of Governments, is pushing for "magnetic levitation trains," rather than steel-wheeled ones, that city may get left on the boarding platform. As the plan stands, the train will initially go from San Francisco to Anaheim.
While we're all in favor of getting quick transportation from NoCal to SoCal, it makes little sense to do it in an non-comprehensive way. Sacramento and San Diego must be included in the plans for maximum benefit to the state, its businesses, and its citizens.
Of course, it looks like the various authorities have plenty of time to work out their differences as the Guv., legislature, Congress, private investors, and various subcommitees work out exactly where the necessary billions of dollars will come from.
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And here I thought ABAG* sounded bad, but here we have SCAG**. One is as descriptive as the other...
*Assn of Bay Area Governments
**Southern California Association of Governments
MagLev sounds silly to me. The TGV trains can run on conventional rail, so they don't need high speed track for the whole distance. We took a ride on the Korean KTX (same as TGV) a few weeks ago, and it runs on shared track through Seoul and South of Taegu. They're running the length of the country with high speed track only in the middle section.
One curious fact I noticed is that Caltrain is already rated to run at almost half the speed of the KTX (89 mph vs. 300 kph, or 186 mph).
San Diego and Sacramento are included in the CAHSR plan. All they're talking about--all they've been talking about for years--is phased construction.
To piggy back on Steve's comment, high-speed rail would be a major benefit for the state.
With the way funding is, the all-or-nothing approach Jeremy is taking is short-sighted. Making San Diego and Sacramento wait a few extra years in order to ensure that the project moves forward is a small sacrifice. They'll get added eventually, but to wait for funding for the entire length of the rail line may mean it'll never get done.
Steve is correct; the CHSRA plan has *always* included SD and Sacramento. I do believe that they should create a more clear and firm plan of when the additional phases to those destinations will be included - but it is worth noting that the 2002 legislation that adopted that CHSRA plan and scheduled a vote on the bonds mandated that the first route to open be one that links SF to LA.
I have no freaking clue what SCAG and SANDAG are thinking with their interest in maglev. It makes no sense whatsoever. They need to get on board with "steel wheels" and help bring the CHSRA plan to fruition.
Doesn't maglev sound like a great idea? Built a non-standard railway system used nowhere else in the country and little used elsewhere in the world. This way you guaranty it cannot be connected to any other nearby trackways, the entire system will need to be grade separated and best of all, the specialized components will not be readily available on the market making them more expensive or need to be specially made.
Have they heard of BART?