Taylor Yards Allignment

[Jason Saunders]

If one scrolls down to the bottom of this page www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/gallery.aspx and clicks "Taylor Yards" you will see a computer animation of possible Taylor Yard alignments for California High Speed Rail. Of the two options presented which do you like best? Do you perhaps have a better idea? What do you think of the development depicted on Taylor Yard property in relation to the possibility preserving this land as parkland adjacent to the L.A. River and the L.A. River's 25 year plan?

L.A. River Revitalization www.lariverrmp.org/

[spokker]

Going purely by visuals, I pick the San Fernando road alignment. It's straighter.

I'm always disappointed when a train is put in a trench and you don't have any scenery to look at, but with this project, I won't complain.

[whitmanlam]

I don't think the alignment needs to be very straight. From LA Union Station to Burbank, the HSR train will probably cruise at Metrolink speeds more or less. High Speed trains in urban areas usually don't go very fast until they reach the outer exurbs.

Therefore the alignment doesn't need to be very straight, just grade separated, and maybe trenched in residential areas.

[James Fujita]

I've got to agree with Whitman.

speed isn't really the issue here, especially as there is going to be a station at Burbank (although one would hope that not every train would stop there).

the real issue is which route would do less disruption to whatever plans you might have for the Taylor Yards area. having said that, ironically the better route might actually be the straight one, since it would not come between Taylor Yards and the L.A. River.

[JerardWright]

If I had to pick one, I would go with the LA River alignment because there's a greater potential to improve the San Fernando Road Street scape without the train trench there because whatever development will be fronted by the LA River, Park, and San Fernando Road.

Also considering that the area surrounding the river will be open parkland space at the River and the curve is easier to reach Union Station.

[bluelineshawn]

Straighter is better for train speed (obviously) and appears to be a shorter distance so construction should be cheaper. I don't see any compelling reason to follow the river.