As juice readers has expressed concerns regarding our potential $100 billion mass transit bullet train system I thought it best to share the text of Proposition 1A as found in Section 2704.09 of the Nov 4, 2008 CA General Election Ballot Book. It is worth stating that Orange County voters rejected this Bond Measure with 56.4 percent voting no and 43.6 percent casting a yes vote. Further, the majority of Riverside and San Diego County voters agreed with us and also voted no.
As you read the text of Proposition 1A think about your own business and personal travel and corresponding modes of transportation. Do not overlook how we are to get to these high speed stations from our homes or place of employment and the related connection time and associated costs.
i.e..(1) How often do you go to San Francisco (or Sacramento) from LA?
(2) How frequent will you be traveling from LA Union Station to Oakland?
(3) What about LA to San Diego?
One illustration found in the ballot measure is a high speed train from San Francisco to San Jose. Today, commuters in the San Jose area can take Caltrain #319 northbound from San Jose making stops at Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, Redwood City, San Mateo and Milbrae picking up other passengers on the route to San Francisco. That train departs the San Jose station at 7:03 a.m. and arrives in San Francisco at 8:02 a.m. The express bullet train illustrated in the ballot will only pick up passengers in San Jose which truly limits the passengers to (or from) San Francisco with their projected 30 minute ride. This is a great illustration of spinning the speed of the “empty” train versus real world proven daily ridership.
The following time targets are based on nonstop travel between destinations:
2704.09. The high speed train system to be constructed pursuant to this chapter shall be designed to achieve the following characteristics:
(a) Electric trains that are capable of sustained maximum revenue operating speeds of no less than 200 miles per hour
(b) Maximum nonstop service travel times for each corridor that shall not exceed the following:
(1) San Francisco–Los Angeles Union Station: 2 hours, 40 minutes
(2) Oakland–Los Angeles Union Station : 2 hours, 40 minutes
(3) San Francisco-San Jose: 30 minutes
(4) San Jose-Los Angeles: 2 hours, 10 minutes
(5) San Diego-Los Angeles: one hour , 20 minutes
(6) Inland Empire-Los Angeles: 30 minutes
(7) Sacramento -Los Angeles: two hours, 20 minutes
(c) Achievable operating headway (time between successive trains) shall be five minutes or less.
(d) The total number of stations to be served by high-speed trains for all the corridors described in subdivision (b) of section 2704.04 shall not exceed 24. There shall be no station between the Gilroy station and the Merced station
(e) Trains shall have the capacity to transition intermediate stations, or to bypass those stations, at mainline operating speed
(f) For each corridor described in subdivision (b) passengers shall have the capacity of traveling from any station on the corridor to any other station on that corridor without being required to change trains.
(g) In order to reduce impacts on communities and the environment, the alignment for the high-speed train system shall follow existing transportation or utility corridors to the extent feasible and shall be financially viable, as determined by the authority.
(h) Stations shall be located in areas with good access to local mass transit or other modes of transportation.
(i) The high-speed train system shall be planned and constructed in a manner that minimizes urban sprawl and impacts on the natural environment
(j) Preserving wildlife corridors and mitigating impacts to wildlife movement, where feasible as determined by the authority, in order to limit the extent to which the system may present an additional barrier to wildlife’s natural movement.
Gilbert comments. Although Prop 1A was passed by the voters it is still important for us to send a message to CHSRA that they have to meet the matching funding mandate as well as to “sell” us on the merits of this “special interest” train. I say “special interest” with respect to Anaheim mayor Curt Pringle who would love to make it easier to bring tourists to his city. However, Anaheim represents only 10 percent of the total population of Orange County. I have already pointed out that the voters included in the 3 million residents of Orange County rejected this transportation project last Nov.
His gain will turn into our loss as future statewide services will be diminished as we pay off the debt service of these Bonds for the next 40 years while tourists from the Bay area can get to Disneyland a few hours faster than driving.
I have not addressed commuters taking the high speed train from Anaheim to LA’s Union Station as that route is not mentioned anywhere in the Proposition 1 A text. However it would be interesting for us to see the projected ridership numbers and ticket pricing of that bullet train.
Lets look at the time savings:
1) San Francisco–Los Angeles Union Station: 2 hours, 40 minutes
If I were to drive from Laguna Niguel to San Juan and catch a train to LA, that will be about 1/2 hour giving myself time to park, etc.
I don’t know how long the train ride to LA is, but let’s say it is 1 hour.
I imagine I want to leave time for delays, so I get to LA 1/2 hour early.
The ride to SF is above.
So in the best of situation, it will take me 4.6 hours to get to San Francisco.
Or, I could drive myself in about 6 hours with a nice stop for a Chocolate Shake at that In-N-Out burger that is half way.
There is no way I will ride this thing.
I just don’t see it.
But please educate me.
Andy Favor
Candidate for State Controller
Brother Andy.
You miss the key link. Just as major airlines have hubs around the country this is no different. Anaheim will become the OC “hub” for all high speed transit heading east to Riverside county, north or south (to SD).
The trip from “Disneyland” to LA is 20 to 30 minutes. You can either take your car, Super Shuttle a bus or ride your carbon free footprint bicycle to Anaheim and wait for the bullet train.
While waiting for your train, at the new ARTIC transportation hub to be built by the Honda Center, you can buy a latte or a breakfast burrito to add to the sales tax base of Anaheim.
Don’t blame Curt. Blame those whose voted for this Measure while the state in close to bankruptcy.
Nice. While I probably won’t be around to pay off the $100 billion of Bonded Indebtedness our kids and grandkids will have that burden as they see funding for needed programs in CA be reduced.
CA Senator Tom McClintock once expressed this in relationship to our $80 billion redevelopment agency debt. The public really is not paying attention to that financial obligation as it does not appear on our VISA or Master Card bills to get our attention.
Folks. I’ve got some news for us. After you approve Bonds they must be paid off by someone.
Sorry, but I’ve been in Europe too much, and I couldn’t resist an opportunity to kick the fXXXX airlines in the teeth. That’s what it’s about.
Hcat, I have ridden train in Europe a lot too. But again, there too I would much rather have a car. I have had many pleasant conversations with people on the trains, but still, hauling my luggage up and down stairs at the stations is not the best experience. Granted, I view it as a weight loosing excercise, but my wife does not see it that way.
I rode the Chunnel thing. Not impressed. I rather liked the good old days riding the overnight ferries and saving a nights lodging. Lord I am cheap. I guess that is why you guys should vote for me for State Controller.
Andy Favor
Candidate for California State Controller.
Andy. Did you take notice of the Ballot Measure remark about eliminating urban sprawl?
Hello planners. For the most part what we have is what you see. This is not NYC with high rise apartment buildings. Having worked in the big apple I can speak from personal experience in riding their subways which is not the same as this proposed long distance train.
Larry,
I have a hunch that we will get more high rise apartments. They appear to work in San Diego. And I bet we will see them around the Staples Center. But that will happen regardless of high speed rail.
Anyhow, in one of those conversations on the train I alluded to earlier, I learned that thanks to Margaret Thatcher, the trains in the UK are PRIVATELY owned. If these high speed trains are so great, let private business take the risk.
Andy. Part of the Master Plan for this railroad is to have a P-3 arrangement. Public-private-partnership.
However, in the same breath, they speak of a $55 fare in 2030 which is outrageous when you look at the east coast bullet train which is subsidized.
The private sector should partner with the public sector but they also need to focus on a reasonable ROI based on their risky project investment. “Subsidies” and profits are like oil and water.