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California High Speed Rail And how to get the best rail for the best price! Fredrick Schermer Penta Publishing Production

California High Speed Rail What would aliens conclude when looking from outer space at the California high-speed rail system?

Aliens could conclude that California has central command, is living in a 19 th/20 th Century setting, and that Fresno is its Capital !

Aliens know that the fastest line is a straight line, and wonder about big bends. There no connections First are to notice are between the 5 terminals; an five terminals; indication that these locations some in close proximity. are not of most importance.

Aliens that the fastest Theyknow conclude that the linegeographical is a straight line, and situation wonder big result. bends. must about force the

What are the locations where the most important humans reside? This well connected location is This must be either more impor-locationtant than important so than: location too, but less in the south. This location must be important. More so than the two This location is important but ranks nearby un-connected below the other because it is not terminal locations. connected to the San Diego terminal.

FRESNO ! ! ! Fresno is connected to all terminals and to all important locations. No doubt about it! It’s the Capital.

California has central command over large population centers themselves not interconnected!

California must be in a 19 th/20 th C. time frame based on it not making optimal use of transit system knowledge of the 20 th/21 st Century (more about this later).

Let’s start from what we’ve got! Let’s first look at population distribution.

3, 000 people 7, 300, 000 people 15, 600, 000 people 3, 300, 000 people Source: Rand 2007

3, 000 people 7, 300, 000 people + 29, 200, 000 people 77. 5% of the entire California population 15, 600, 000 people More than 3 out of every 4 Californians 3, 300, 000 people

3, 000 people 7, 300, 000 people Medium Small but sized still cities with important growth cities forecasts 15, 600, 000 people 3, 300, 000 people Source: Rand 2007

Population 15, 600, 000 7, 300, 000 3, 000 7, 300, 000 800, 000 -------30, 000 3, 000 people Making side trips to smaller Theon next is toright cities thestep left and The two largest connect the high remaining diminishes the speed population centers must largest population product. receive prime position centers, while keeping and connect adirection straight a number close eye on The ofon stops needs to maximize speed to and toline be asspeed. few as possible and attraction the maximize speedfor and use. largest populations. Only one place lies close by enough to change this alignment without negative impact. 800, 000 people 15, 600, 000 people 3, 300, 000 people

This is the F 3 MA Population 15, 600, 000 7, 300, 000 3, 000 800, 000 -------30, 000 Fastest Maximum Money Making Alignment

Population 15, 600, 000 7, 300, 000 3, 000 800, 000 -------30, 000 550, 000 2, 850, 000 1, 700, 000 1, 900, 000 -------37, 000 98% Population Let’s look at the rail transit systems already in place, ‘easy’ to put in place, or easy to adjust, that could deliver further support for this alignment.

Having Areas local rail with transit local in rail place transit improves the number of people using High Speed Rail. Areas without it

Fewest Stops of F 3 MA High Speed Rail San Francisco Bay Station (Oakland) Sacramento Station San Jose Station Avenal Station Bakersfield Station Los Angeles Station Burbank Station Orange County Station San Diego Station

What the result be Areaswould with accelerated for California 2050? A: growth due toinversion

Version B shows a further concentration of Growth acceleration the existing urban areas; due to version B: as desired in the plans for California (SB 375).

Operational Differences San Francisco Bay Station San Diego Station

For the same operational level of service, one needs to go faster Either way is more expensive or lead to the or use more trains. Rail perform slower. California High-Speed SFB Station SD Station

Are others making the same decisions as California? Let’s view the High-Speed Rail decisions made in the Netherlands, where The Hague and Rotterdam are found along the best alignment. Yet having a stop in both cities diminishes the High-Speed Rail product. The Hague is where the decision makers reside; 12 miles away from Rotterdam.

High-Speed Rail Decisions in Holland Which city should have a station? Rotterdam? The Hague? The government decides and is seated in The Hague. Source: Mapping Netherlands B. V.

Amsterdam Source: GVB Rotterdam Source: High Speed Rail Netherlands Source: RET

In Europe all High-Speed Not linesonly did the decision makers decide against themselves are designed along in The Hague, not getting the best connection with the European Capital of Brussels straight lines from nor with Paris and London, important city to but the stations In Amsterdam and Rotterdam important city. are not perse in the hearts of the cities, but at the hearts of transit: the well-connected Central Stations. The High-Speed Rail alignment is a straight line from A to B, and the reason is simply, because not making the top performer in transit perform at its best, trickles down and diminishes all forms of transit hooking up with that High-Speed Rail. That would be a waste of money.

Version A Version B Faster Expensive to build Expensive to operate Less expensive to operate Politicians’ decision Product-based decision Future adjustments possible Future adjustments easier Urban California spreading less Politicians’ dream Users’ dream Requires more investing in regular infrastructure (roads) Requires less investing in regular infrastructure (roads)

Literature Review Ø Ø Ø Ø California High-Speed Rail Authority http: //www. cahighspeedrail. ca. gov/ Pushkarev, B. , J. Zupan Metropolitan Transportation Commission Ø Urban Rail in America, An http: //www. mtc. ca. gov/ Exploration of Criteria for Fixed. California Department of Transportation Guideway Transit (1982) Indiana http: //www. dot. ca. gov/ University Press, Bloomington San Francisco City Scape Vuchic, Vukan R. http: //www. sfcityscape. com/ Ø Urban Transportation Systems Bay Area Council and Technology (1982) Prenticehttp: //www. bayareacouncil. org/ Hall, Englewood Cliffs SPUR http: //www. spur. org California Light Rail http: //www. lightrail. com/usstates/california. htm

California High Speed Rail And how to get the best rail for the best price! Fredrick Schermer Penta Publishing Production Email: fredrick@pentapublishing. com