Brightline high-speed rail could connect Vegas to San Francisco

Posted: January 6, 2025, 09:05 pm.

Last updated: January 6, 2025, 09:05 pm.

California on Monday announced plans to connect the Brightline high-speed rail line, currently under construction from Las Vegas to LA, to San Francisco via a new high-speed rail proposed in the Mojave Desert. but that's just it If The long-delayed bullet train from the City of Angels to the City by the Bay is underway — and it's a big deal If.

On Monday, California Governor Gavin Newsom drove a symbolic nail into the ground in Kern County, signaling the start of construction on the first segment of the California High-Speed ​​Rail Project (CAHSR). This publicly funded system, being developed by the California High-Speed ​​Rail Authority, will reduce ground transit time from LA to San Francisco from 6-7 hours to 3 hours.

Also on Monday, California officials said its train, which would terminate at L.A.'s Union Station, would stop in Palmdale. This is so that it can connect to the second high-speed rail line that it is planning to build. Called the High Desert Corridor, it would stop CAHSR riders 54 miles east at the privately funded Brightline West.

This connection is good news not only for Vegas visitors to San Francisco, but also for visitors to Downtown LA. Exiting Brightline at its High Desert Corridor station, then heading west to the CAHSR train can cut travel time to Union Station by up to an hour, as travel there would be slower via light rail from Rancho Cucamonga. is likely to.

train in Vain?

However, don't get too excited. Although Gov. Newsom says CAHSR is expected to accelerate by 2033, experience says otherwise.

Opposition to the 463-mile CAHSR delayed the project for decades and jeopardized it. And it is stronger now than ever since Republicans took control of Congress on January 3. In fact, on Monday, Republican Representative Kevin Kiley introduced legislation to block federal funding for the “failed” high-speed rail project. ,

In a news release promoting the bill, Kelly said, “California's high-speed rail project has failed due to political incompetence, and there is no possible scenario where the cost to federal or state taxpayers can be justified. “

Currently, CAHSR is expected to cost $128 billion (including the cost of the High Desert Corridor). he is almost quadruple A $33 billion price tag was promised when it was originally proposed in 2008.

However, according to San Francisco Chronicle, The new plan to connect three rail lines “will allow Newsom to leverage the infrastructure that California has built along with investments already made in other projects.”