Exclusive Electrified Passenger Tracks for Capitol Corridor?

[Blackwolf]

Random search tonight turned up this little gem of an article from earlier this month.

https://oaklandnorth.net/2016/10/04/transit-experts-gather-to-discuss-expansion-of-bay-area-rail-network/

To quote a few points:

Representatives from the Capital Corridor Joint Powers Authority, which operates the region’s passenger system, the Port of Oakland and an engineering firm gathered at an Oakland nonprofit to present the Capital Corridor’s hopes of building their own tracks for the San Jose to East Bay to Sacramento Amtrak route.

Whoa! A whole new, greenfield double-track passenger-only route starting from San Jose and extending at a minimum to Sacramento?

"The panelists said in their presentation that the new train line they would like to build would run from San Jose through the East Bay and then east to Sacramento and the Sierra Nevada foothills. The plan will come up for a vote on November 16 before the Capitol Corridor board, which is made up of representatives from numerous local transit agencies. (Emphasis is mine.)

For something a semi-local like me had no idea was even an actual proposal, no less a serious one, November 16th is not far away at all!

And then there is the "key part" of it all:

"A key part of the proposal involves electrifying the tracks."

So, electrification seems to be a central desire. Can't fault them, but I don't see the huge capital cost being justifiable for the number of trains proposed beyond the current scheduled runs. For example:

(The proposed electrified route) "can handle more than twice the number of passenger trains running the route per day—going from seven to 15."

Especially for the massive number of challenges needed to be navigated. If a rail enthusiast like me is just learning of this, just imagine the millions of people learning of this possible new corridor passing within a half mile of. I really would like to be enthusiastic, but this has NIMBY obstructionism bait written all over it. And that is before we get into costs, which per the article:

“It doesn’t have a capital ‘B’ in front of it, but it’s close,” said Wayne Short of engineering firm HDR Inc., alluding to the estimated budget for Oakland alone.

If Oakland alone would be projected at close to $1 Billion, and that is only a loose estimation off some guys head, I don't think it tame at all to say that this whole venture would tag out north of $25 Billion.

Which, unfortunately, is a non-starter for public funds in today's California.

Too bad. It would be nice, but I don't see traditional heavy passenger rail ever leaving UP's current route for the Capitol Corridor.

 

[CCC1007]

They don't need to double track the entire route, so that could help to lessen the costs.

 

[TiBike]

I'm having trouble believing this is real. I mean, I'm sure they're going to vote on it -- that board does some weird things -- but it's gotta be a financial pipedream.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I have heard of all sorts of serious proposals. I have a serious proposal I'm working on. It's sane, financially possible, and trust me I am serious. I even talked to some of the relevant people in the region, and I'm friends with one of the monied set in the area who has considered kicking in some of his own funds into the project (it would likely help one of his own pet projects and probably his own bottom line).

So is that serious? I'd say it is. But politics being what they are, the general fear on both sides of the aisle about the other side winning in this presidential election, general fear of a sluggish economy in the near future, and the increasing age and declining health of my friend... I doubt it's going to happen in the "soon" range.

Meaning serious doesn't mean likely.

 

[jis]

But a good serious proposal is way better than some of the utter horse puckey that people bat around all the time. Unfortunately you are right though, serious does not necessarily mean likely.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

It sounds like a large part of the proposal is buying up some portion of the UP ROW and having dedicated tracks. I can see the need for it, with the Caltrain Electrification and the eventual HSR, modernizing the rest of the local network would be important.

But there is a lack of detail in the article which seems to be a local student publication. It would be interesting to learn more.

 

[west point]

Some of the route might be part of CA HSR which will be electrified ?

 

[jis]

Some of the route might be part of CA HSR which will be electrified ?

None of the route described is part of the CA HSR, except for the short bit from San Jose Diridon to Santa Clara.

It sounds like arriving at some sort of accommodation with UP to use its ROW with electrification. it is not clear how they would acquire the necessary ROW otherwise between San Jose and Martinez, though conceivable between Richmond and Martinez they could conceivably indulge in some expensive bored tunneling and get avoid that twisty turny cowpath along the bay.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

Some of the route might be part of CA HSR which will be electrified ?

None of the route described is part of the CA HSR, except for the short bit from San Jose Diridon to Santa Clara.

It sounds like arriving at some sort of accommodation with UP to use its ROW with electrification. it is not clear how they would acquire the necessary ROW otherwise between San Jose and Martinez, though conceivable between Richmond and Martinez they could conceivably indulge in some expensive bored tunneling and get avoid that twisty turny cowpath along the bay.

From the article it sounds as if, kinda sounds like they are considering a tunnel under downtown/central Oakland, so certainly a possibility. As a regional service that could mean good station locating for users and local transit.

 

[Texan Eagle]

As a Bay Area resident, I come to you with a bucket of cold water to pour over this proposed plan. Not going to happen, there I said it.

Caltrain electrification is stuck in NIMBY protests. Dedicated HSR got stuck down by NIMBY. BART's San Jose extension is dragging along with no ETA in sight. A whole new railroad through Bay Area is NO WAY passing the NIMBYs

 

[Eric S]

I'd imagine this is the "vision" for the Capitol Corridor, the fiscally unconstrained future plan, not any sort of short to mid term plan for which funding is secured or likely to be secured.

 

[TiBike]

It sounds like arriving at some sort of accommodation with UP to use its ROW with electrification. it is not clear how they would acquire the necessary ROW otherwise between San Jose and Martinez, though conceivable between Richmond and Martinez they could conceivably indulge in some expensive bored tunneling and get avoid that twisty turny cowpath along the bay.

That "cowpath" is the best part of the ride. Never tire of sitting there with a drink and watching San Pablo Bay and the Carquinez Strait go by. Well, okay, I really don't ever get tired of just sitting with a drink, but even so

 

[MikefromCrete]

Before everybody starts jumping on this, it seems to be more of a conceptual plan than an actual bid to build anything. It's forward thinking, advance planning. It may develop into something 30 years from now, but nothing is going in happen in the immediate future. Since this is apparently the first mention of this proposal that anyone has heard of, I'd describe it as a planners' wishbook type of thinking. It is a great idea, though.

 

[cirdan]

Before everybody starts jumping on this, it seems to be more of a conceptual plan than an actual bid to build anything. It's forward thinking, advance planning. It may develop into something 30 years from now, but nothing is going in happen in the immediate future. Since this is apparently the first mention of this proposal that anyone has heard of, I'd describe it as a planners' wishbook type of thinking. It is a great idea, though.

This, exactly.

Some projects can take a very long time and only by talking about them time and time again do people gradually begin to take them seriously and partake in the debate. And somewhere somebody's got to start that process.

Many of the streetcars and light metros and things that have got built in the last 10 years or so were first actually conceptionally proposed in the 1970s or 1980s. That can be the timescale with this type of thing.