California high speed rail may change terminus location

[Thinker101]

Discussions are underway that could see the first stage of the California high speed railway, which is currently under construction, connect Bakersfield to Gilroy rather than Merced after a report concluded it would be more financially viable.

It's been years since I've heard much about California's high speed rail. Not sure I understand this move, Merced has a population of about 86,000, Gilroy has a population of about 58,000. How in the world is it more financially viable to do a Bakersfield to Gilroy line? Are there that many even going to Bakersfield?

MSN

 

[Mack The Finger]

I think Bakersfield is a hub.

 

[toobfreak]

It's been years since I've heard much about California's high speed rail. Not sure I understand this move, Merced has a population of about 86,000, Gilroy has a population of about 58,000. How in the world is it more financially viable to do a Bakersfield to Gilroy line? Are there that many even going to Bakersfield?

I don't know where Gilroy is but Merced is like a furnace in the summer.

 

[leftwinger]

Not much point in any of it. I lived and worked there many many years. Gilroy is South SJ, about 40 miles south of Silicon Valley.

By the time you drive to any station, park, find a train its 3-4 hours in. Might as well keep driving. With stops it ain't going to be High speed anyways.

They already have 45 min flights SJ to LA but takes hours to drive, find parking, park, pay $52 on exit or whatever? and TSA nonsense. SF to LA already exists. Getting to any Parking is slow.

CalTrain or Amtrack, light rail all exist. Trains to Giants games. As' games. Slower than walking almost. Many stops transfers. Busses? Lol! Forever! Stops, transfers, walk the last 2 m I les, no sidewalks, bums, cars etc.

 

[Thinker101]

I don't know where Gilroy is but Merced is like a furnace in the summer.

You don't know where Gilroy is? The garlic capitol of the world.
Parts of it are in a hilly section, further west, near Salinas. Merced or Bakersfield, can't imagine there being much change in the heat.

 

[Concerned American]

Discussions are underway that could see the first stage of the California high speed railway, which is currently under construction, connect Bakersfield to Gilroy rather than Merced after a report concluded it would be more financially viable.

It's been years since I've heard much about California's high speed rail. Not sure I understand this move, Merced has a population of about 86,000, Gilroy has a population of about 58,000. How in the world is it more financially viable to do a Bakersfield to Gilroy line? Are there that many even going to Bakersfield?

MSN

Sure--those farmers and ranchers near Bakersfield need a direct link to the garlic capital of the world. LOL. There's nothing in Merced either, but there are existing tracks and rights of way between Sacto and the bay though. That rail project is and always has been a democrat money machine.

 

[Polishprince]

The problem with all of these High Speed Rail schemes is that the skip so many possible stops.

In Ohio , 15 years or so ago, they scrapped a plan to have a HSR line go from Cleveland to Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati.

All of the other towns in between would be skipped. Those towns would have all the noise and headaches of the new rail line, but the train wouldn't stop for them. at all.

Its a 250 mile trip, they could easily have a stop every 5 miles along the way and I would think that it would have been a lot more viable.

 

[excalibur]

Billions more chasing billions already wasted

A true accounting is needed to find out where tens-of-billions-of-dollars have gone.

 

[Thinker101]

Sure--those farmers and ranchers near Bakersfield need a direct link to the garlic capital of the world. LOL. There's nothing in Merced either, but there are existing tracks and rights of way between Sacto and the bay though. That rail project is and always has been a democrat money machine.

Hey, that's where they filmed American Graffiti. Other than that, the whole area has got nothing.

 

[leftwinger]

Hey, that's where they filmed American Graffiti. Other than that, the whole area has got nothing.

Dwight yokam and Buck Owen's, had Oil and now Mexicans + Meth.

 

[Concerned American]

Hey, that's where they filmed American Graffiti. Other than that, the whole area has got nothing.

Modesto/Turlock area was the setting for American Graffiti. George Lucas attended high school at Thomas Downey High School in Modesto. I believe the filming was done in Petaluma, north of SF though. I don't think anything was filmed in Merced. Here is a picture of a statue in Modesto commemorating American Graffiti. They also host Graffiti Weekend on graduation weekend in Modesto every year.

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

Its a 250 mile trip, they could easily have a stop every 5 miles along the way and I would think that it would have been a lot more viable.

And how long would that take?

I've frequently traveled by rail in Europe. They don't stop of every five miles either.

 

[Thinker101]

Modesto/Turlock area was the setting for American Graffiti. George Lucas attended high school at Thomas Downey High School in Modesto. I believe the filming was done in Petaluma, north of SF though. I don't think anything was filmed in Merced. Here is a picture of a statue in Modesto commemorating American Graffiti. They also host Graffiti Weekend on graduation weekend in Modesto every year.

View attachment 1159113

My bad, thought I saw Merced somewhere online. Okay then, Merced has got nothing.

 

[Thinker101]

And how long would that take?

I've frequently traveled by rail in Europe. They don't stop of every five miles either.

Currently a train from So Cal to No Cal takes about 20 hours. If they do it in 10 I'm sure they'll claim it a success.

 

[Concerned American]

I don't know where Gilroy is but Merced is like a furnace in the summer.

Gilroy is south of San Jose (south SF bay) and north of Hollister and Monterey. Much more temperate, but it still gets plenty hot--just not as often or as hot. It would be very expensive to place tracks and purchase rights of way across Pacheco pass to Gilroy.

 

[Concerned American]

Currently a train from So Cal to No Cal takes about 20 hours. If they do it in 10 I'm sure they'll claim it a success.

Yeah, I think Amtrak has the Coast Starlight that runs along the coast from LA to SF, but currently I think they bus from LA to Bakersfield and then rail (slow Amtrak) north up the San Joaquin valley to Sacto. Never rode either one but I wouldn't be surprised if your times are on the money. I used to live about a minute from the Modesto Amtrak station in east Modesto.

 

[Thinker101]

Yeah, I think Amtrak has the Coast Starlight that runs along the coast from LA to SF, but currently I think they bus from LA to Bakersfield and then rail (slow Amtrak) north up the San Joaquin valley to Sacto. Never rode either one but I wouldn't be surprised if your times are on the money. I used to live about a minute from the Modesto Amtrak station in east Modesto.

I was thinking about taking a train up to the Redding area to get in some fly fishing...until I saw the 20 hours.

 

[Concerned American]

I was thinking about taking a train up to the Redding area to get in some fly fishing...until I saw the 20 hours.

It's a long way--about nine hours from LA by car up I-5.

 

[Thinker101]

It's a long way--about nine hours from LA by car up I-5.

Yep, but ONLY 9 hours.

 

[Seymour Flops]

Obviously California's "high speed rail" ongoing project is a boondoggle. Nothing but an excuse to pour tax dollars into the coffers of Democrat donors.