Bullet train officials agree to take second look at sharing L.A.-Anaheim tracks

A high-speed rail configuration that backers say could save up to $2 billion and greatly reduce demolition of homes and business across the heart of Southern California was revived Thursday by project officials.

In the 6-1 voted at a meeting in San Jose, the California High-Speed Rail Authority agreed to revisit a plan, discarded in 2008, to share existing rail where feasible with commuter and freight services operating along a 34-mile route between Anaheim and downtown’s Union Station.
 
The action came in response to local officials’ concerns that hundreds of private properties would have to be condemned in Anaheim, Buena Park and other cities to accommodate the separate, exclusive tracks being envisioned for high-speed trains. Both alternatives will now be examined.

“It’s a very good sign,” said Richard Katz, a high-speed rail board member who also is a director of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

“It means we have an opportunity to make a change ... that is much more neighborhood-friendly, that is cheaper and that will improve rail services between L.A. and Anaheim.”

Opposing the move was board member Quentin Kopp, a former state lawmaker and longtime Bay area transportation leader. Kopp questioned the potential costs of changing course in design at this stage, agency officials said.

With a recent infusion of $2.25 billion in federal stimulus money, officials are racing to break ground by a 2012 deadline.

Previous reviews concluded that the existing Los Angeles-Orange County rail corridor could not accommodate Metrolink, Amtrak and freight service, as well as high-speed trains expected to run every few minutes.

Bullet train board Chairman Curt Pringle, who also is the mayor of Anaheim, supported reexamining the shared track option. He noted that federal officials who regulate and help finance high-speed rail projects have become more open to such track sharing arrangements in recent months, said Jeff Barker, the agency’s deputy executive director.

Project planners and Los Angeles and Orange County transportation officials will begin reviewing the design alternatives immediately. Among the issues likely to be examined are whether bullet trains can operate safely and how they can avoid delays on mixed-use track. A final recommendation could come in several months, Katz said.

The L.A.-to-Anaheim leg of the bullet train is projected to cost about $4.5 billion if separate tracks are laid. It is likely to be the first section constructed of a 500-mile initial phase extending to the Bay Area and carrying a price tag of nearly $45 billion.

-- Rich Connell

Comments

[My opinon means nothing]

Forget highspeed if your going to start sharing track.

[Albert E. Wedworth]

high-speed rail configuration that backers say could save up to $2 billion and greatly reduce demolition of homes and business across the heart of Southern California was revived Thursday by project officials.

In the 6-1 voted at a meeting in San Jose, the California High-Speed Rail Authority agreed to revisit a plan, discarded in 2008, to share existing rail where feasible with commuter and freight services operating along a 34-mile route between Anaheim and downtown’s Union Station.

The action came in response to local officials’ concerns that hundreds of private properties would have to be condemned in Anaheim, Buena Park and other cities to accommodate the separate, exclusive tracks being envisioned for high-speed trains. Both alternatives will now be examined.

Excuse Me! What are you smart collage guys thinking!
High speed rail should not ever mix with freight trains or cross city streets ever! Monorail is the only way to go! pre fab structures are built off suite put up in less time and way way cheaper! Monorail hi speed trains would never cross a road or mix with freight trans! It takes 3 to 4 miles to stop a freight train even longer for a hi speed train. I just can't believe these people and what is in there heads and where there coming from! I'll never get on a hi speed train if it even crosses just one road or share a track with a freight train ever. I will bet one day due to human error a huge wreck with a tragic death tole. Pull you heads out of the sky and wake up to reality.

[Dan]

Great.. so now riders can be diverted to sidings while cheap Chinese stereos slide by at 60mph.

[rallenr]

Oh good. Something else for Metrolink to run into.

[Mo]

I'm all for not condemning houses and not disrupting neighborhoods but high-speed rail must remain high-speed. If it doesn't hit it's speed targets, then the whole things is a waste of a whole lot of money. They designers of this system need to ensure that, while the most possible number of voices are heard, that is lives up to the vision laid out for it. Otherwise, it will be another reason to label state government in California as ineffective.

[Axel Vogt]

Wouldn't it be most cost effective to terminate the high speed rail at Los Angeles Union Station, with further lines radiating from there? See this for what it is, an attempt to terminate HSR in a parking lot in Anaheim, where developers will make a killing. That's all this is about.

[Rocker]

Sharing tracks...what could possibly go wrong?

[set]

What in the h*** is that mayor of Anaheim thinking...?? all trains on one track.
I bet you, he has never traveled outside of the USA (that does NOT include Mexico or Canada). If he has ever rode on one of the TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse, France), ICE (Inter City Express, Germany) etc... trains in Europe.. he would know for safety they should have their own track.

[J. K. Asder]

Why not just drill a tunnel and go under Orange County to San Diego County like it was mentioned years ago at a meeting in Tustin.

[Joseph E]

LATimes should give more background info in these stories.

Currently there are 8 tracks between LA Union Station and the LA river crossing, 3 or 4 tracks from the River to Fullerton, and 2 tracks from Fullerton to Anaheim. There is room to add 1 to 3 more tracks from Union Station to Fullerton, but only room for 1 more track south of Fullerton to Anaheim, due to a narrow section of right-of-way thru Anaheim. The freight trains use the tracks to Fullerton during the day, but there are no freight trains south of Fullerton to Anaheim (except at night).

Adding 2 tracks for high speed trains thru Anaheim would require buying parts of properties, including a half dozen houses and a dozen warehouse and commercial businesses. Or we could build a tunnel for a billion dollars (which is where the 4.5 billion dollar cost estimate came from; dumb idea).

Trains can easily run every 3 or 4 minutes each direction, on one track each way, if all trains are going the same speed. Since the high speed trains will be "only" going 110 mph in this section (a speed that Amtrak and Metrolink can achieve already), they can share tracks with the local trains.

Sharing tracks with freight trains is a problem currently. That's why we need to use the high speed train money to add tracks to be shared by Metrolink and Amtrak, between Union Station and Fullerton, and maybe 1 more track south to Anaheim.

Unfortunately, we need the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to change their rules about sharing tracks to make this possible. Hopefully, we can get reasonable rules for sharing, as done in Europe and Japan today, and avoid the extra cost and problems of separate tracks for high speed trains in this area.

[William Hepner]

This is good news. A high speed decicated service to Anaheim and not going on to San Diego is a folly. The present train can reach speeds up to 80mph, which it does presently between San Clemente and Oceanside. The OCTA and Metro-link are presently upgrading the grade crossings for safety. If Mr Pringle wants visitors to Disneyland to have better transportation from L.A. all they need to do is run some express trains and eliminate a few stops. At present there are 4 stops between L.A. and Anaheim. Anaheim has a concept of building a regional transportation center near the Present Anaheim Station. Anaheim also has a concept to build a monorail that would service the hotels and Disneyland to the center. With speeds of 80mph, L.A. to Anaheim would be at the most 45 minutes. One could only better that presently by driving a near empty 5. But as we know, a near empty 5 only exist during those special holidays when everyone stays home.