First off, a High-Speed Rail fact sheet.
Next, a map:
“We will NOT use UP or Burlington Northern/Santa Fe (BNSF) Right-of-Way (ROW) unless agreed upon by purchase or easement,” says Ben Tripousis, the CHSRA’s Northern California regional director. ”It is private property. The authorizing legislation requires we follow existing transportation corridors so we can parallel the railroads, but we can’t build in their ROW. We will have to build our own tracks in our own ROW. We aim to put as much at-grade as possible for two reasons: it is cheaper and it is more acceptable to most communities. That said, we are not allowed to cross streets or highways at-grade so all crossings will have to be grade-separated.”
What that means: bullet train’s tracks may duck underground, run at street level and rise overground as it passes through Stockton.
Next, why building such a system makes fiscal sense.
More on the economic benefits.
The latest news: Amtrack teams up with high-speed rail.
