BW is planning to break ground next week, apparently.
https://www.reviewjournal.com/local/local-las-vegas/brightline-west-to-break-ground-on-las-vegas-high-speed-rail-project-3037071/
An interesting report from Reuters:
https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/biden-kishida-likely-discuss-texas-bullet-train-project-sources-say-2024-04-09/?utm_source=reddit.com
Also in news regarding the South Shore Line, a few days ago it was announced that busing will end and full rail service resume on April 9th, with the new schedule taking advantage of the double-tracking starting on May 14th...
Not sure if this is the right place to put this, but this is probably of interest:
https://idot.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/idot/documents/transportation-system/fact-sheets/2023%20Illinois%20State%20Rail%20Plan%20Main%20Document.pdf
Always said I'll believe Brightline West is happening when it starts construction and not a moment before. Hopefully construction actually will begin soon.
The NYT reports that computer modelling is finally finished and testing of the trainsets on the NEC will begin:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/13/us/politics/acela-amtrak-avelia.html
Mike Christensen, Executive Director of the Utah RPA and involved in the study, says that instead of a revival of the Desert Wind or Pioneer what is likely to be proposed is a LA-Vegas-SLC-Boise-Portland-Seattle train.
Maybe there was some confusion with the 50Kv AC iron ore railway in South Africa, which does indeed have a much longer distance between substations than other AC lines? (Historically their solution to the problems caused by this was to run mixed electric/diesel consists, but that has apparently...