Brightline West (XpressWest, DesertXpress) Las Vegas - Victorville - Rancho Cucamanga - LA Proposal

[Arlington]

If electrifying, on a flat, straight, new, passenger, desert ROW, why only 150? 186 ~ 220 can be had with standard equipment.

[Bob Roberts]

I thought California was in deep financial problems ... where are they going to get the money to pay such a credit?

The state has been running big budget surpluses since 2013. They have a carbon tax which is intended to support projects just like this one. There is also a huge groundswell of public support for public investments that will lower carbon outputs that get other people’s cars off the roads (no Californian really wants to give up their own car, but they hope everyone else will get off the roads).

[gokeefe]

I took another look. I'm sold. It's going to be electric.

[David Benton]

No diesel or turbine has done more than 130 mph in service anywhere in the world, to my knowledge.

[gokeefe]

UK HST 140 MPH per Google.

That being said ... It's irrelevant. Looks like they're going electric.

[David Benton]

The HST was said to be capable of 140 MPH , and achieved it in the early running days . Service speed is 125 mph , and schedules based on that. A truly magnificent accomplishment. While another 10 mph may not seem much , it takes power to the square at least to achieve it( i.e double the speed requires 4 times the power). Aerodynamics become more important than weight at this speed. I guess in theory 150 mph is possible with diesel , I doubt its practical .
The trains that are scheduled at 140 mph are conventional electrics, on HS1 , and on the ECMT. Several more modern Dmu's hit 125mph.

[Backshophoss]

Remember,CaHSR is dead in the water,funding was clawed back,will not reach Victorville.
This will likely follow the UP main back to Lost Wages,and those 2 solar arrays along I-40 will not be enough to
power the catenary.

[David Benton]

CAHSR is far from dead in the water, the changes made may actually benefit Virgin , as it is more likely now that money will be spent on existing lines first . I.e a faster exit out of LA, as far as Palmdale anyway .

[electricron]

Isn't a new tunnel needed to lay more tracks to increase train frequencies to Palmdale from LA?
Tunnels are not cheap, ask Amtrak, NY, and NJ how expensive tunnels can be.
Please take the time to watch this video, at least scan through it quickly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pwh9WLHqHgk
The video from 2004 is old enough to not even have the Palmdale Station on it, but it does reflect the grade and curvature of this rail corridor. I'm finding it very difficult believing anyone wishing to take a HSR train to LV over it, or using Metrolink to catch a Virgin train in Palmdale. Lancaster to Los Angeles in one hour and 43 minutes, over a distance of 76.6 miles, is only averaging 45 mph. Today trains are scheduled to take over 2 hours and 7 minutes to make the same trip, averaging 36 mph today.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antelope_Valley_Line
Some quick math:
76.6 miles / 103 minutes x 60 minutes / hour = 44.6 mph
76.6 miles / 127 minutes x 60 minutes / hour = 36.2 mph
Ever wonder why Amtrak refuses to run trains on this corridor as is?
FYI, Los Angeles elevation is 285 feet, Lancaster elevation is 2359 feet. That's an elevation difference of 2074 feet. only two building in the world stand as tall or taller; Burj Khalifa at 2,717 feet and Shanghai Tower at 2,073 feet.

[David Benton]

A tunnel is planned for all 3 route options been considered for the Pass between Santa Clarita and Palmdale. I don't think they had settled on a exact route yet.
What I am saying is, given the absence of federal funding till 2021, they may look at undertaking work on the existing sections first, and that would speed the trip up/ allow more frequency. It may still remain a relatively slow section for the foreseeable future. ( By the way , Thanks to Google Earth, I have been over all possible routes for the CaHSR several times).

[BandA]

A two-seat ride is preferable if it saves many billions of dollars. Just make sure the transfer is as painless as possible and is it possible to synchronize the schedules? (I haven't fully read up on these CA projects).

[Backshophoss]

While snow is rare on Cajon Pass,Virgin should try for San Berdoo as a start point,or from LAUS
The objection is the trip up the hill from the LA basin
Remember CaSHR is DEAD riddled with cost overruns and the feds clawed back their $$$$$$$$
What sections that are useable will get regular train service under Amtrak-Ca
Victorville is in the reach of Metrolink,but cannot/will not ask for slot space on Cajon from BNSF!

Virgin needs to come down the hill.or Metrolink goes up Cajon to Victorville.

[korax]

Its gonna be fully electric train sets.

https://news3lv.com/news/local/virgin-t ... ct-in-2020

[lensovet]

Remember,CaHSR is dead in the water,funding was clawed back,will not reach Victorville.
This will likely follow the UP main back to Lost Wages,and those 2 solar arrays along I-40 will not be enough to
power the catenary.

CAHSR was never supposed or planned to reach Victorville, so I'm not sure what you're going on about.

[Arlington]

^ if/when CAHSR got to Palmdale, the idea was a straight flat run to Victorville, creating a fast circuitous HSR route from Xpress to LAUS