Passenger Trains > More rational CA HSR article

http://www.thecalifornian.com/article/20110531/OPINION04/105310309/Thomas-Elias-High-speed-rail-planner-wising-up?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Opinion

Carol Voss
Bakersfield, CA

I don't know about connecting non-stop BART express trains that were mentioned. The system wasn't designed for them. However, other than that, a some sensible suggestions.

>>BART running special non-stop fast trains into its existing San Francisco stations... <<

swsf Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Rational only if you agree with the author, who
> presents nothing original, only the same tired
> talking points from the playbook of the anti-HSR
> crowd. Just another kool-aid drinking pundit,
> IMHO.

The mention of Altamont Pass immediately made me want to wash my hands. If someone had said Altamont Pass proponents had "instigated" the Peninsula NIMBY's to block HSR, I would not be surprised, since politics is dirty business. Was it coincidence that not much noise was made from cities north of Redwood City where the Altamont Pass routing would not have been affected? FYI, Atherton, Menlo Park, and Palo Alto are cities just south of Redwood City, in that order, and would have put a perfect block against any routes coming from San Jose to San Francisco, and implicitly, kill Pacheco Pass.

And Altamont Pass routing going to San Francisco via the single track wide ROW Dumbarton Bridge via the environmentally sensitive Don Edwards Preserve marshlands is a big joke. Obviously, the Altamont Pass proponents don't care about San Francisco, unless riders are forced to use BART. It might even keep travel to SoCal by air via SFO option viable!

Is it also coincidence that Rod Diridon, who wanted San Jose to be part of HSR, and Quentin Kopp, who was one of the driving force behind Millbrae's BART/Caltrain station, are no longer part of the CA HSR board?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/31/11 20:14 by cchan006.

"YAWN!" Can't we see somethin' more interesting instead of this crap that shows up all the time and nothin' happens except for more news about this!