Category Archives: railways

3 States Where High Speed Rail Progresses. What you need to know:

California

  • cost: Los Angeles to San Francisco: $77 Billion
  • first service: 2028
  • first open line: Merced to Bakersfield

Florida

  • How did Florida project prove itself? In 2018, the private owners ran frequent service on a short route
  • Project name: Virgin Trains
  • Cost: $3.1 billion for the Miami-to-Orlando segment
  • Expected service for Miami to Orlando: 2022

Texas

  • Cost: $15 Billion
  • First service Dallas to Houston: 2024

Governing | Despite Missteps, High-Speed Rail Lines in 3 States Point to…

4 Lessons from a State Backed High Speed Rail Project

4 lessons for future high speed rail projects from California’s state high speed rail project:

  • Financing First. Work it out. Get it in Line. Finalize it. Then Start
  • Politics. Win or Neutralize the political game.
    • Let the technical experts be in charge of the project narrative
  • Clearly Establish why the High Speed Rail is NECESSARY

Construction Dive | What future high-speed rail developers can learn from the California bullet train

New Cost Overrun Projections. High Speed Rail in California.

A project estimate for a 119 mile spanof California’s high speed rail released this week included:

  • increase by $1.8 billion
    • the new cost increases relate to bridges, viaducts, trenches and roadbed costs
  • total cost estiamte of $12.4 billion
  • completetion projection: between 2026 and 2030

Governing | Costs for California’s High-Speed Rail Project May Rise by $1.8 Billion

Lege TREND. State Increases Transportation Revenue. Does not Raise Gas. Tax. Where. What. Why.

Where: Wisconsin

What: A transportation funding plan with no gas tax increase

Why: Why tax when you can impsoe fees?

  • increase the annual fee on all-electric vehicles from $75 to $200
  • new $100 surcharge on plug-in hybrid cars
  • Eliminates state funding for future light-rail train lines
  • Bars use of state highway funds for bike lanes
  • Prohibits testing of driverless vehicles in the state
  • New driving fines, like $100 for driving in the LEFT lane with a car behind you

Twin Cities Pioneer Press…

New Kid on the Block. Opposition to Texas High Speed Rail

The new kid on the block: ‘ReRoute the Route’

ReRoute the Route message:safer, smarter rail options in Texas

Who is in the coalition? land owners, elected officials and business leaders

What do they say the high speed rail route should look like?

  • endpoint closer to downtown Houston
  • follow established right-of-way such as the I-45 corridor
  • minimize eminent domain and private property concerns
  • minimize environmental impact concerns
  • alleviate safety concerns of the curved track design
  • foun…

4 Reasons an Energy Coalition Opposes High Speed Rail

The energy coalition: Power The Future, a national nonprofit organization that advocates for American energy jobs

High Speed Rail is a “myth” because:

  • it is included in the Green New Deal’s
  • our country is spread out, it is not an alternative to air
  • Rail loses money in the US
    • NYC subway annual deficit $244 million
    • DC annual deficit $290 million
    • California Gov. Gavin Newsom suspended high speed rail in California
    • Amtrack annual loss $168 million
  • it will take away energy jobs

REAL…

Regulatory TREND. High Speed Rail. Learning from tall HSR bridges in California

Where are these bridges on the HSR route? roads that cross the HSR path

What measurement stanadard was used? 27 feet clearance above the top of the rails

How tall is that? You could double stack Shinkansens trains beneath them

How does this compare to other HSR projects?

  • TEXAS
    • Center for Transportation Research at the University of Texas: “at least 19 feet of clearance.” 
  • FRANCE
    • operate with 21 feet of clearance

 

Slate | Why Did California Build Such Tall Bridges Over Its…