Get on an 11 hour flight, and maybe it will happen? 🍾
05.03.2026 19:16
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Get on an 11 hour flight, and maybe it will happen? 🍾
Electrification of transportation is a national security and economic resilience strategy, which would work well for this exact scenario we are in right now.
100% - this is a key way we can fund green transit infrastructure, especially if we can divert the highway widening/expansion funds to transit.
There's precedent to redirect highway funds to transit funds - Shapiro did this in PA: penncapital-star.com/transportati...
You're right, there's a regulatory/safety barrier b/c of mixed traffic.
If they can figure it out, the only barrier to >110mph is grade seps for Metcalf-Gilroy.
Also, Diridon-Metcalf has grade-seps planned (not funded).
That would cost far less and net similar time savings as some tunnels!
While the tunnels would have the biggest impact, they cost the most, and the main constraint right now is funding.
So, for that reason, I think it's worth considering accelerating some cheaper, overlooked bookend investments and putting off the bigger-ticket items for later
Then, add in the various ongoing projects along the corridor, and that's about a 15-20 minute time savings for less than half of the Pacheco tunnels.
Do the same thing for Burbank-LAUS for ~5 min in savings...
Totally, but an investment of something like ~$2B over 5-10 years to grade-separate the line south of Metcalf/Santa Teresa to Gilroy for 150mph, if not 220mph, alongside electrification would cut about 10 minutes off the SF-LA trip. Half of these grade crossings can be closed now with minimal impact
Agreed, plus the HSR will have transfers at SFO, and maybe even Diridon-SJC if they build a short people mover.
I also think the HSR line shouldn't connect to smaller airports like BUR. LAX may be worth a look at in the future, but that's prob best off as a Metrolink line like you suggested
The best part about this plan:
1. Secures revenue service SF-LA earlier & cheaper
2. Builds political will for complex & $$$ parts, eg, all tunnels Palmdale-LA
3. Encourages other cheaper improvements, eg, SF-Gilroy can be sped up for cheaper than some tunnels yet net similar time savings
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Thanks for the info!
I concur on buying lines out from freight railroads. Definitely something that the state needs to do a better job of!!
3. They should future-proof in anticipation for electrification for Caltrain & HSR through-running to Oakland & Link21 also...
A few thoughts:
1. Why can't they build to 110-125mph pax speeds, 79mph freight? Would that significantly raise costs?
2. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that wide enough for 3 tracks, not 2? Could this be an attempt at 3 tracks or adding a siding?
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South Korea: Former President Yoon sentenced for life.
Brazil: Former President Bolsonaro serving a 27-year sentence.
USA: President Trump demands $10 billion payout from taxpayers.
IMO every gubernatorial candidate in California should have an answer to the question "what's your strategy if Trump tries to turn San Francisco into another Minneapolis next year," and if I were a state politics reporter I'd be calling them up to ask that very question.
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Hmm I’ll dig in! Biggest challenge is identifying what % of that pollution in these corridors can be ascribed to trucks vs rail. Thanks!
Specifically, we can see in this doc there’s a significant amount of diesel particulates, poor air quality, and ozone pollution along trucking routes & freight rail lines, esp from Long Beach/LA ports to Barstow which tells us that electrification would help here:
s3.amazonaws.com/og-productio...
And, if say, 10% of truck shipping in state was shifted to electric freight, how much would that benefit emission reduction?
Yeah, you’re right in that sense. I do know the LA basin and ports have issues with pollution, so electrifying the ports - Barstow should help in that area.
Has anyone done any analysis on how much reduction would happen if the mainlines in the state were electrified?
Gubmint money is a hell of a drug
Great response btw, just read it!
I see. Could you work through CARB or similar state level organizations to get an estimate of some kind? I wonder if an indirect estimate, even if rough, would be helpful. If there’s any academic sources that you can’t access on this topic lmk
If you can say that electrifying the mainline from the Port of LA to the Barstow intermodal site meets, say, 40% of CARB's annual goals, that's a very compelling argument to make.
Same w/ electrification of all California pax network = say, 20%....
Something to consider for a future analysis!
Wondering if it'd be worth doing some sort of analysis if you electrify X line, you get a certain amount of carbon/pollution reduction. It would be a decent argument to rebut the assumptions for electric semi trucks, & push for electrification, like this: (calelectricrail.org/wp-content/u...)