More like, it will get value-engineered out and never built. It's one of the ways CAHSR demonstrates politics-oriented design rather than service-oriented design, or at least used to.
Same with the massively oversized station design.
Same with the massively oversized station design.
February 5, 2026 at 7:11 PM
More like, it will get value-engineered out and never built. It's one of the ways CAHSR demonstrates politics-oriented design rather than service-oriented design, or at least used to.
Same with the massively oversized station design.
Same with the massively oversized station design.
Having Merced end up on a spur is bad; it's why that portion is a net operating loss and why CAHSR has been trying to drop it. Merced would have been on the main line had the route been Altamont, but that ship sailed in 2008. Now it makes sense for Merced to go with the Sacramento branch in Phase 2.
The RFQ is out for CAHSR's new delivery plan. This builds on the August business case update, under which Bakersfield-Merced is out and Bakersfield-SF is in. This higher-revenue connection allows HSR to enter a P3 that will bring forward financing to allow them to complete the Pacheco Pass crossing.
February 5, 2026 at 8:58 PM
Having Merced end up on a spur is bad; it's why that portion is a net operating loss and why CAHSR has been trying to drop it. Merced would have been on the main line had the route been Altamont, but that ship sailed in 2008. Now it makes sense for Merced to go with the Sacramento branch in Phase 2.
Well right now the express Caltrain travel time is an hour, but it also has more stops than CAHSR will. CAHSR only has 3 stations on the Peninsula (STC, Millbrae, Diridon), 4 with 4th & Townsend. Just 1-2 intermediate stops vs 9. If each adds say 2 minutes, that’s 14-16 minutes faster for CAHSR.
February 2, 2026 at 9:52 PM
Well right now the express Caltrain travel time is an hour, but it also has more stops than CAHSR will. CAHSR only has 3 stations on the Peninsula (STC, Millbrae, Diridon), 4 with 4th & Townsend. Just 1-2 intermediate stops vs 9. If each adds say 2 minutes, that’s 14-16 minutes faster for CAHSR.
I’d imagine schedules will be coordinated to prioritize CAHSR trains. Not sure how that’s gonna work exactly but it may end up that some northbound CAHSR trains will terminate at San Jose.
February 2, 2026 at 10:21 PM
I’d imagine schedules will be coordinated to prioritize CAHSR trains. Not sure how that’s gonna work exactly but it may end up that some northbound CAHSR trains will terminate at San Jose.
It’s Caltrains track and so they get to set the priority. Some of the proposed schedules we’ve seen out of CAHSR require severely hampering Caltrain to make up for the lack of passing locations by bunching them together
February 2, 2026 at 10:24 PM
It’s Caltrains track and so they get to set the priority. Some of the proposed schedules we’ve seen out of CAHSR require severely hampering Caltrain to make up for the lack of passing locations by bunching them together
It seems Alto might be building huge tunnels to get into Toronto and Montreal, feels totally unnecessary and not the pragmatic way to actually get us high speed rail instead of creating another HS2 / CAHSR
January 21, 2026 at 6:28 PM
It seems Alto might be building huge tunnels to get into Toronto and Montreal, feels totally unnecessary and not the pragmatic way to actually get us high speed rail instead of creating another HS2 / CAHSR
3. CAHSR was not set up with many of the super powers that are necessary worldwide to deliver mega-projects such as 3rd party approvals and ROW acquisition streamlining. (Author's note: we should fix that) 4/
January 22, 2026 at 12:01 AM
3. CAHSR was not set up with many of the super powers that are necessary worldwide to deliver mega-projects such as 3rd party approvals and ROW acquisition streamlining. (Author's note: we should fix that) 4/
And in many cases our refusal to pay in dollars results in payment in time. CAHSR has never had even its initial unreal budget on hand. Other projects beg for scraps of competitive grant programs, adding years of delay as they scramble to cover the cost.
January 19, 2026 at 11:42 PM
And in many cases our refusal to pay in dollars results in payment in time. CAHSR has never had even its initial unreal budget on hand. Other projects beg for scraps of competitive grant programs, adding years of delay as they scramble to cover the cost.
All the community engagement CAHSR needed was that it won a referendum. Oppose it? Sorry, the majority of Californians say fuck off.
That should have exempted it from CEQA: The people voted that the project is worth the impacts.
It should have barred "environmentalist" ranchers access to our courts.
That should have exempted it from CEQA: The people voted that the project is worth the impacts.
It should have barred "environmentalist" ranchers access to our courts.
January 19, 2026 at 8:25 PM
All the community engagement CAHSR needed was that it won a referendum. Oppose it? Sorry, the majority of Californians say fuck off.
That should have exempted it from CEQA: The people voted that the project is worth the impacts.
It should have barred "environmentalist" ranchers access to our courts.
That should have exempted it from CEQA: The people voted that the project is worth the impacts.
It should have barred "environmentalist" ranchers access to our courts.
The use of the freeway right of way and the lack of tunneling of downtown cbd access make this a very different project from CAHSR.
January 18, 2026 at 5:18 PM
The use of the freeway right of way and the lack of tunneling of downtown cbd access make this a very different project from CAHSR.
On the one hand, if it opens as scheduled, huge new black eye for CAHSR. On the other hand, if Brightline collapses beforehand due to financial overextension, more fodder for rail doomerism. On the whole, I prefer the former
January 18, 2026 at 4:56 PM
On the one hand, if it opens as scheduled, huge new black eye for CAHSR. On the other hand, if Brightline collapses beforehand due to financial overextension, more fodder for rail doomerism. On the whole, I prefer the former
So they’ve said a 4 year construction+ testing timeline and given the amount of work ongoing I don’t see how they make that. That also assumes an overly aggressive testing schedule
2032 right in line with CAHSR is where I expect they’ll end up if they can find funding
2032 right in line with CAHSR is where I expect they’ll end up if they can find funding
January 18, 2026 at 5:27 PM
So they’ve said a 4 year construction+ testing timeline and given the amount of work ongoing I don’t see how they make that. That also assumes an overly aggressive testing schedule
2032 right in line with CAHSR is where I expect they’ll end up if they can find funding
2032 right in line with CAHSR is where I expect they’ll end up if they can find funding
Thanks to everyone who came today! We ran out of time to answer this great question from the webinar, so we'll answer it now: Why doesn't SoCal have plans for electrification and how can we change that?🧵
January 13, 2026 at 2:36 AM
Thanks to everyone who came today! We ran out of time to answer this great question from the webinar, so we'll answer it now: Why doesn't SoCal have plans for electrification and how can we change that?🧵
Or perhaps to the CAHSR North Station/Burbank Airport?
January 10, 2026 at 5:52 AM
Or perhaps to the CAHSR North Station/Burbank Airport?
Hopefully CAHSR moves that expensive station that requires a slow detour, though
January 10, 2026 at 6:52 AM
Hopefully CAHSR moves that expensive station that requires a slow detour, though
CAHSR has spent something like $6 billion on grade separation projects and none of them has a better bike lane than this one.
January 6, 2026 at 8:59 PM
CAHSR has spent something like $6 billion on grade separation projects and none of them has a better bike lane than this one.
With CAHSR perhaps repositioning itself away from reaching Merced with the Initial Operating Segment and stopping at Madera (which would require a change in state law), adjusting to move forward with construction from Madera to Gilroy could significantly change the perception of CAHSR's utility...
January 5, 2026 at 10:27 PM
With CAHSR perhaps repositioning itself away from reaching Merced with the Initial Operating Segment and stopping at Madera (which would require a change in state law), adjusting to move forward with construction from Madera to Gilroy could significantly change the perception of CAHSR's utility...
Whether it's the lack of sustained demand that prevented the emergence of such ecosystem or the lack thereof making it difficult to scale up railway projects like CAHSR or Alto, it's an egg & chicken problem.
What it's certain is that you need an industrial policy for it to thrive.
What it's certain is that you need an industrial policy for it to thrive.
December 31, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Whether it's the lack of sustained demand that prevented the emergence of such ecosystem or the lack thereof making it difficult to scale up railway projects like CAHSR or Alto, it's an egg & chicken problem.
What it's certain is that you need an industrial policy for it to thrive.
What it's certain is that you need an industrial policy for it to thrive.
If this is an argument for CAHSR or CalTrans to consolidate publicly owned or utilized ROW into a single body that can actually drive an upgrade agenda, you’ll hear no argument from me. CA’s addiction to Joint Powers boards operating assets owned/maintained by counties is worst of all worlds
December 29, 2025 at 3:17 AM
If this is an argument for CAHSR or CalTrans to consolidate publicly owned or utilized ROW into a single body that can actually drive an upgrade agenda, you’ll hear no argument from me. CA’s addiction to Joint Powers boards operating assets owned/maintained by counties is worst of all worlds
I think it’s pretty silly to act like CAHSR is powerless against the mighty forces of the peninsula joint powers board.
December 29, 2025 at 3:54 AM
I think it’s pretty silly to act like CAHSR is powerless against the mighty forces of the peninsula joint powers board.
YouTube sent an urgent push notification for new CaHSR conceptual renders of the ARTIC station. The recommendation models are getting better. youtu.be/ahDRxActj9g?...
ARTIC Station and Douglass Road Improvements
YouTube video by California High-Speed Rail Authority
youtu.be
December 27, 2025 at 11:45 PM
YouTube sent an urgent push notification for new CaHSR conceptual renders of the ARTIC station. The recommendation models are getting better. youtu.be/ahDRxActj9g?...
Interesting, CAHSR has dropped their suit over losing federal funding and seems to be signalling they want to make it s fully state project going forward.
www.trains.com/pro/passenge...
www.trains.com/pro/passenge...
California drops suit over cancellation of high-speed rail funding - Trains
SACRAMENTO — California has ended its lawsuit over $4 billion in grant funding cancelled by the Trump administration, Bloomberg reports, deciding it can on longer rely on help for the project from the...
www.trains.com
December 26, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Interesting, CAHSR has dropped their suit over losing federal funding and seems to be signalling they want to make it s fully state project going forward.
www.trains.com/pro/passenge...
www.trains.com/pro/passenge...
Awesome to see.
Has CHSRA along with SCRRA (Metrolink)/LACMTA ever explored the feasibility of electrifying the existing AV Line between Palmdale and LA as an interim route for CAHSR trains? That way they can begin direct SF-LA service by 2040, rather than rely on transfers.
Has CHSRA along with SCRRA (Metrolink)/LACMTA ever explored the feasibility of electrifying the existing AV Line between Palmdale and LA as an interim route for CAHSR trains? That way they can begin direct SF-LA service by 2040, rather than rely on transfers.
December 23, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Awesome to see.
Has CHSRA along with SCRRA (Metrolink)/LACMTA ever explored the feasibility of electrifying the existing AV Line between Palmdale and LA as an interim route for CAHSR trains? That way they can begin direct SF-LA service by 2040, rather than rely on transfers.
Has CHSRA along with SCRRA (Metrolink)/LACMTA ever explored the feasibility of electrifying the existing AV Line between Palmdale and LA as an interim route for CAHSR trains? That way they can begin direct SF-LA service by 2040, rather than rely on transfers.
I prefer to think of CAHSR as an extremely expensive high concept art project.
December 18, 2025 at 4:59 AM
I prefer to think of CAHSR as an extremely expensive high concept art project.
Love this channel's chill drone flyovers of CAHSR construction projects, lots of progress to be seen in this recent one, some viaducts nearing completion! (and thinking how cool it'd be to zoom through the Tule fog in the central valley)
youtu.be/3mCm9Lm3MXk?...
youtu.be/3mCm9Lm3MXk?...
California High-Speed Rail Round 6 Part 4 Drone Coverage from Waukena Ave to Hanford Viaduct
YouTube video by Jason Dronin Around
youtu.be
December 17, 2025 at 3:32 PM
Love this channel's chill drone flyovers of CAHSR construction projects, lots of progress to be seen in this recent one, some viaducts nearing completion! (and thinking how cool it'd be to zoom through the Tule fog in the central valley)
youtu.be/3mCm9Lm3MXk?...
youtu.be/3mCm9Lm3MXk?...