Capitol Corridor-South Terminal Station Improvement
Capitol Corridor-YoloXover (Yolo West Crossover)
Capitol Corridor-Track Relocation
Pacific Surfliner -Railroad Crossover Program
Pacific Surfliner – Oceanside Stub Project 1
Pacific Surfliner Corridor-MOW Spurs
Los Angeles to Fullerton Triple Track
Pacific Surfliner Corridor-PE NEPA Ortega
Pacific Surfliner -Corridor Strategic Assessment
Rolling Stock-Locomotive Emissions Upgrade (including San Joaquins)
Rolling Stock-Cab Car Bicycle Storage

I am a staunch supporter of high speed rail in California, and all over the US for that matter.  I have wanted to see a high speed rail in our state since i was a little kid.  I remember absolutely HATING the fact that my mother, who refused to drive through Tehachapi, would make me and my sister join her in the 5 hour journey to San Bernardino to visit my grandparents (driving in a car vs. public transit is only 4 hours).  The trip was a 1 hour Amtrak train ride from Hanford to Bakersfield, followed by a 4 hour bus ride from Bakersfield to San Bernardino.  I get closterphobic just thinking about it.  This same trip on the proposed CAHSR would take approximately 2 hours from Fresno to Ontario or Riverside stations.

The California High Speed Rail Authority released its business plan in December, detailing things like cost projections.  The plan stated it would cost about $42 billion to create the entire system.  Yes, $2.25 isn’t a lot vis a vis $42 billion, but it definately jumps starts a project and allows the Authority to create a visible and tangible portion of the system to help the hesitators and nay-sayors come over to the greener side.  Keep in mind that $42 billion is less than 1/3 the cost to expand our highways to accomodate the same number of projected future travelers at $150 billion.  Not to mention that whole, environmentally friendly and creating about 450,000 permanent and 500,000 temp jobs in the process and stimulating the economy in a recession, thingy…

Who’s excited?  I’m excited!

I will also give a plug to the grassroots organization working to help bring high speed rail to California: Californian’s for High Speed Rail.  They are a new group but i beleive they represent a great opportunity to bring on the ground momentum and make Californians excited about the idea of high speed rail.