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Post by Justin Walker on Apr 9, 2008 14:14:46 GMT -8
The Caltrans Division of Rail (aka Amtrak California) recently released its "San Joaquin Corridor Strategic Plan." We all wish the LA-Bakersfield bus ride could be shortened or eliminated all together. Caltrans' plans for expanding San Joaquin service, with all the recent talk of the "Tehachapi Starlight" detour, are especially interesting. It considers several alternatives: Alternative 1: Capacity and Service Enhancements to Existing San Joaquin Corridor Alternative 2: Overnight Service to Los Angeles Alternative 3: Service to Wheeler Ridge Alternative 3a: Pacific Surfliner or Metrolink Service Expansion to Newhall Alternative 4: Service Extension to Visalia Alternative 5: Service Extension to Porterville Note: Alternative 3 calls for shortening the Grapevine bus ride by extending train service on both sides (i.e. running San Joaquins to Wheeler Ridge on new ROW and running Surfliner trains up to Newhall.) Alternative 3a calls for simply running Metrolink or new Surfliner trains to Newhall without extending the San Joaquins from Bakersfield. Unfortunately, the report concludes, that "Alternative 1 focuses on improvements to the existing and established passenger corridor, which gives it the highest cost-effectiveness and greatest potential for increases in overall ridership. The remaining alternatives should be revisited as the population demand in the valley continues to increase over the next 25 years." At least this study is a step in the right direction. (sigh) View it here: 64.174.7.225/rail/dor/assets/File/Report_Files/DRAFT_Report_Template_011008.pdf
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Post by bobdavis on Apr 10, 2008 0:59:06 GMT -8
Much as I would like to see the percentage of rail miles on the SJ service increased, running SurfLiners to Newhall would have a drawback: people using Metro Red or Gold line service would be adding another change of vehicles. Alt. 3 would take 20 or 30 bus miles off the ride, but it would involve building a new rail line from scratch (there is a lightly used freight line south of Bakersfield, but I'm not sure how much of this right of way could be used for a line to Wheeler Ridge (it is a rather appealing thought to envision a rail terminal among the truck stops). Service extensions to Visalia and Porterville would involve upgrading lightly used or moribund rural branch lines; track serving these cities is rated at best for 20 mph, some of it is 10 mph.
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