Comments on: bullets for high-speed rail

By: Capricious Commuter

Capricious Commuter — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 19:29:44 +0000

SBR, I’m a little confused as to what you’re trying to say about local rail transit, but HSR, should it ever exist, would certainly have a profound effect on area rail. My feeling is that Pacheco will put the impetus on other corridors, such as Altamont and I-80, to electrify and separate from freight. I’m not sure what it will do to Caltrain, but I would guess it would become a more local service, making more stops and eliminating the “baby bullet” express trains. On the other hand, we may all be hovering around like the Jetsons by the time all this comes to pass.

By: South Bay Resident

South Bay Resident — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 17:37:42 +0000

I wonder how much of the “environmentalist” resistance to the Pacheco route has to do with disrupting wetlands and the like and how much is due to perception that the Altamont pass alternative would have a much bigger impact on local bay area rail transit and that the Alternative would give better service to SF than San Jose, both of which are priorities for some in the environmental movement. As someone who lives near the proposed route of the Altamont alignment, I can confidently say that I prefer the Pacheco route.

By: Reedman

Reedman — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 01:11:23 +0000

If you believe some the comments posted about the San Francisco (home of the Sierra Club) Chronicle’s coverage of the Pacheco decision, the Pacheco decision killed HSR because the environmental community is prepared to sue, and keep suing, everyone involved with the Pacheco decision, including their spouses, pets, and the horse they rode in on, because Altamont is perceived as the alternative with less impact.

By: david vartanoff

david vartanoff — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 22:05:34 +0000

idiotic!!! just imagine if the US Congress had listened to similar BS and canceled the Transcontinental RR project.
HSR should be built.
Pacheco is probably dumb, but if the goal is LA-SF quick, get it built now! As to Altamont, a “nimbectomy” seems in order. Build the tracks ON not next to 580, so they have less space for obsolete autos.