California High-Speed Rail

California High-Speed Rail
San Joaquin River Viaduct under construction in 2019.
San Joaquin River Viaduct under construction in 2019.
The same viaduct completed in April 2021. Adjacent are the SR 99 freeway and, between them, a single-track railroad line which is used for freight.
The same viaduct completed in April 2021. Adjacent are the SR 99 freeway and, between them, a single-track railroad line which is used for freight.
Overview
OwnerCalifornia High-Speed Rail Authority
an agency of the State of California
Area servedEarly Operating Segment/EOS (aka Interim Initial Operating Segment, or Interim IOS) now being developed in San Joaquin Valley (Merced to Bakersfield);
Planned Phase 1 extensions:
   north to San Francisco Bay Area
   south to Greater Los Angeles;
Future extensions for Phase 2:
   north to Sacramento, California
   south to San Diego, California
LocaleCalifornia, United States
Transit typeHigh-speed rail
Number of stations5 proposed in Interim IOS; up to 24 authorized in completed system
Chief executiveBrian P. Kelly
Website
Operation
Operation will start2030-2033 (Merced to Bakersfield segment)
Operator(s)DB E.C.O. North America Inc.
Technical
System length
  • 171 mi (275 km) in Interim IOS
  • 520 mi (840 km) in Phase 1
  • 800 mi (1,300 km) completed system
No. of tracks2 (plus 2 loading tracks in stations)
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification25 kV 60 Hz AC overhead line
Top speed220 mph (350 km/h) maximum;
110 mph (180 km/h) San Francisco–Gilroy & Burbank–Anaheim

California High-Speed Rail (also known as CAHSR or CHSR) is a publicly funded high-speed rail system being developed in the U.S. state of California by the California High-Speed Rail Authority. It was authorized by a statewide ballot proposal called Proposition 1A. It is intended to reduce travel times in the state, particularly between the major urban areas of the north (the San Francisco Bay Area) and the south (Greater Los Angeles). The system is also intended to reduce pollution and carbon emissions, ease highway and air traffic congestion, and boost the state's economy, particularly in the Central Valley region.

A 171-mile (275 km) initial operating segment (IOS) from Merced to Bakersfield is planned to open in the early 2030s. With a top speed of 220 mph (350 km/h), CAHSR trains running in the IOS would be the fastest in the Americas. However, the Authority has not identified sufficient funding to complete the rest of Phase 1, which would stretch a total of about 500 miles (800 km) from downtown San Francisco south to Anaheim. Phase 2, which was also authorized, would extend the system north to Sacramento and south to San Diego, for a total of 800 miles (1,300 km).

In 2023, Caltrans, the California state transportation agency, released a draft statewide rail modernization plan which lays out the justification and vision for CAHSR. This is the first comprehensive rail plan in the US, integrating HSR with other passenger rail services. It also includes the goal of statewide scheduling and ticketing across all passenger rail systems to improve passenger travel.

The HSR system will also use "blending", sharing the infrastructure of local rail systems in the Bay Area and Los Angeles areas, for reduced costs and improved efficiency. Currently, the electrification of Caltrain in the Bay Area is proceeding, and is due to be completed in late 2024 (although connection with CAHSR will not be done for years yet).

Various aspects of the project have drawn criticism, including its route, management inexperience and turnover, delays in land acquisition and construction, and costs greatly larger than initial projections. Construction began in the Central Valley in 2015, and currently 171 miles (275 km) of the route are at various stages of completion. As of late 2023 an average of 1,500 workers were employed on CAHSR construction sites each day, making it the largest construction project in the US.

The CAHSR Economic Impact Factsheet for 2023 shows that 6,980 job years were created last fiscal year in the Central Valley, which pumped $0.490 billion in direct labor income into the economy, which in turn multiplied into $1.310 billion in economic activity. For the project state-wide cumulatively (July 2006 – June 2023), the statewide totals are 83,960 job-years of employment, $7.010 billion in direct labor income, and $18.410 billion in economic output. Also, "During FY2022-23, 66% of project expenditure occurred in disadvantaged communities in California." And, "To date, the Authority has paid more than $1.47 billion to certified Small Businesses, Disadvantaged Business Enterprises and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises in California." Thus, the project is creating substantial economic benefits to areas and groups which particularly will benefit from it.

Although there are many remaining tasks identified in the project, as of January 2024 the projected funding through 2030 will only provide:

  • completion of the Merced-to-Bakersfield segment in the Central Valley,
  • the electrification and modernization of Caltrain in the Bay Area,
  • some other passenger rail improvements elsewhere in the state,
  • environmental clearance for the entire Phase 1 system, and
  • some planning and preparatory steps in the next priority segments.

History

Governor Jerry Brown initially proposed this project, but its first steps came in 1996, when the California State Legislature and Governor Pete Wilson established the California High-Speed Rail Authority to create a plan to present to the voters for approval. In 2008, voters approved Proposition 1A, which laid out a route connecting the state's major population centers, authorized bonds for initial funding, and established other requirements. Among these, it required nonstop trains travel between San Francisco and Los Angeles – about 350 miles (560 km) apart by air – in no more than 2 hours and 40 minutes.

Construction began in 2015 on the Interim Initial Operating Segment ("Interim IOS" or "Early Operating Segment"/EOS) in Phase 1, which is to run from Merced to Bakersfield in the San Joaquin Valley portion of California's Central Valley. Scheduled service is planned to begin at the end of 2030. Meanwhile, commuter rail systems in the major metropolitan areas of San Francisco Bay Area and Greater Los Angeles are being upgraded to allow CAHSR to use their tracks, power systems, train control systems, and stations in what is termed a "blended service". No significant funding has yet been secured for work connecting the Early Operating Segment with the northern or southern regions (although by 2026 it is planned to have preliminary planning and environmental clearances completed for all the segments in Phase 1 ).

While Proposition 1A did not specify the use of a "blended system" in the large metropolitan areas, cost (and other) considerations forced the Authority to adopt this approach in 2012. Blended HSR systems like this are common in Europe. Maximum train speeds will be about 220 miles per hour (350 km/h) in the dedicated HSR segments and about 110 miles per hour (180 km/h) in the blended segments. CAHSR will thus be the fastest trains operating in the US.

By 2022, amid concern about the slow pace of the project and its increasing costs, Governor Gavin Newsom pushed for the release of the last of the Proposition 1A bond funds in order to get an operating system working in the Central Valley. In concert with this, he signed SB 198 into law. It requires the California High-Speed Rail Authority to make the Interim IOS/EOS (Merced to Bakersfield) its top priority.

In March 2023, the California High-Speed Rail Peer Review Group (established by the California legislature to independently appraise the project) gave its concerns about the project's continued viability, writing:

Since its inception in 2008, the Group has issued 18 letters and members have testified before Legislative and Congressional committees 15 times. In reviewing past letters and testimony, a consistent theme emerges: 1) project costs, schedules, and ridership estimates are uncertain and subject to significant risk of deteriorating, a typical experience for mega-projects; 2) the project is underfunded, and its financing is unstable, raising costs and making effective management difficult if not impossible; 3) more legislative oversight is needed. This letter reinforces the message, but with a sense of urgency over the ever-higher stakes.

Despite these significant concerns, the federal government continues to support the CAHSR system. Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Administrator Amit Bose said, "This project is unparalleled, and the federal government will continue to partner with California to deliver passenger rail benefits that people want and deserve, The Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the workers and the cities of California to deliver this project."

Status and plans

Project status as of February 2024.

The Project Status map displays route segment and construction status as of February 2024.

  • IOS/EOS (Initial/Early Operating Segment, Merced to Bakersfield) target operational commencement date is the end of 2030. The P65 probability window extends this to 2033.
  • Current construction work is indicated (119-mile (192 km)) in the IOS. CP 4 is (as of February 2024) "substantially complete", except "The only remaining task to resolve is a land-rights dispute between third parties that affects just 400 feet of guideway." Track and Systems Installation will begin on it in 2024. CP 1 and CP 2–3 are anticipated to be substantially completed in 2026.
  • "Pre-construction" has preliminary planning and design work currently proceeding (52-mile (84 km)) in the IOS. Construction funding and land is also being acquired.
  • "Environmental review cleared" is awaiting funding for preliminary planning, land acquisition, design, and construction.
  • "Environmental review underway" EIRs are planned to be presented to the Board in 2024 for the Palmdale-Burbank segment, and 2025 for the Los Angeles Union Station to Anaheim segment (per Item #5 Presentation to the Board January 18, 2024).

In its 2023 Project Update Report, the Authority indicated the Interim IOS (aka "Early Operating Segment"/EOS in the Authority's documents) will go into service before December 31, 2030, with a 65% probability "risk factor" of three years (which runs until the end of 2033).

Although the top priority is the Merced to Bakersfield segment, this does not preclude doing some preliminary work on the next priority segment, from Merced across the valley floor and through the coastal range to Gilroy and up to San Jose. After completing the Interim IOS, the Authority plans to advance construction on the Merced to San Jose segment, thereby linking the Interim IOS in the Central Valley to the tracks of the Caltrain commuter rail system. This will allow HSR trains to run from San Francisco to Bakersfield. The Authority is aggressively seeking additional federal funding for construction of this segment, including the costly boring of two tunnels, one about 12-mile (19 km) long, through the mountains.

The California High-Speed Rail Peer Review Group has noted concerns about the progress of the project, including issues acquiring property in the Central Valley, delays due to lawsuits, an earlier lack of requisite management experience, cost overruns, and weak legislative oversight. Inflation has also become a major concern due to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

The project requires legislative action, so issues raised by the Peer Review Group and KPMG, the Authority's project consultant, will help the legislature select from the board's proposed plans or other alternatives. The California High-Speed Rail Peer Review Group is also recommending an independent review of the project, including the Authority's experience, and with an updated view of the economic environment and the potential of the project.

In March 2023, the California State Rail Modernization Plan (2023 Draft) was released for review. (The final report has not been released yet.) This explains how the state anticipates the HSR system will integrate with other passenger rail systems in the state. There is also a two-page California State Rail Modernization Plan Factsheet available.

On February 9, 2024 the draft of the 2024 Business Plan was released. (2024 Draft Business Plan). Public comment on the plan will be welcomed in February and March, and also presented to the Board. In April the final version of the plan will be adopted, and on May 1 it will be submitted to the legislature, per state law. These data give the latest project status and projections.

IOS/EOS completion timeline

On pages 8 to 9 of the 2023 Project Update Report, the current timeline for getting the IOS into operation is:

  • In mid-2024, commence track and systems installation when civil construction in CP 4 is completed; CP 1, and CP 2–3 are not expected to be ready for this until 2026
  • In mid-2025, commence Madera and Bakersfield extensions civil construction, with completion estimated to be in mid-2028
  • In mid-2026, commence station construction, with completion estimated to be in mid-2028
  • In mid-2028, first trainset expected to be delivered
  • In mid-2028, original 119-mile (192 km) segment to be ready to use
  • In mid-2029, full IOS 172-mile (277 km) segment to be ready to use
  • In mid-2029, static testing and dynamic testing to be completed, and operational testing to commence
  • In mid-2030, trial operational running to be completed
  • At end of 2030, passenger service to begin (however, note that the P65 probability envelope extends until the end of 2033).

At the January 18, 2024 Board meeting, Agenda Item #5 (Business Plan Update) says, "We are advancing the project consistent with the cost and schedule estimates in the 2023 PUR."

Forthcoming and Recent Board actions

CAHSR Authority Board meetings in 2024:
The next (3rd) Board meeting of 2024 is scheduled for Thursday, April 11, 2024.

The second public Board meeting of 2024 was held Thursday, February 29, 2024. The main action item for this meeting was the Notice to Proceed-2 for the Fresno to Bakersfield Locally Generated Alternative Project. In addition, the 2024 Business Plan was be presented. (The video of this meeting has not yet been posted.)

With this approval, the segment will advance to Stage 4 ("early works and right-of-way acquisition"). This includes:

  • Final design (100%) and construction ready documents
  • Construction staging plans and constructability reviews
  • Updated travel time enhancements
  • Updated project risk assessment, construction schedule, and cost estimates
  • Begin securing environmental permits from federal and state agencies
  • Third-party design submittals and Caltrans project reports
  • Environmental compliance report

(The following stages are: [5] Procurement, [6] Construction, and [7] Closeout).

The Board also had a closed session scheduled for February 13, 2024 to discuss confidential matters.

The first CAHSR Authority Board meeting in 2024 was scheduled for Thursday January 18, 2024. The agenda included three action items: (1) approving the December meeting minutes (was approved), (2) approving the updated total expenditure authorization request (was approved), and (3) approving the second Notice to Proceed (NTP2) for the Merced to Madera project section (was approved). In addition, CEO Kelly presented his project update report as well as information on the forthcoming 2024 business plan.

Prior CAHSR Authority Board meetings in 2023:
The last meeting of the year was held December 6, 2023 (rescheduled from December 21, 2023). The Meeting Minutes have been posted.

Per the June 2023 CEO Report to the Board, later in 2023 the Authority's board was expected to issue the following procurements:

  • Contract modifications for utility relocations for current construction ... a number of these were approved.
  • Installation of track and systems where civil construction works are completed ... this process was started.
  • Purchase of trains (i.e., rolling stock) for testing, commissioning, and in-service operations ... this process was started.

The board was also to implement an improved procurement strategy that incorporates broader procurement methods, smaller contracts, increased flexibility, and an emphasis on maximizing qualified bidder pools. In developing its plans, the Authority used its own expert staff, experienced consultants, and the experiences of other mega-projects around the world.

The Authority produced a board presentation titled Upcoming Procurements: Track, Systems, Trainsets, & Related Procurements for the August 24, 2023, board meeting. It discussed different procurement strategies in detail, laid out anticipated timelines for the different procurements, and discussed lessons learned and core principles to follow. While there has been some slippage since then, significant progress has also occurred. The anticipated packages and timings (updated for the November 2, 2023 Board Meeting) were:

Overview of packaging and anticipated dates (unchanged for February 29, 2024 Board Meeting)
Package Scope Description Indicative timing (bold=done, italic=missed)
Package 1 (two separate contracts) Track and Overhead Contact System (OCS) (Track Civil Works, Track Bed, Track, and OCS) Package 1A: Design (Architectural & Engineering contract) Package 1B: Construction Manager/General Contractor (CM/GC) (CM/GC contract)   1A RFQ: Q4 2023 1A RFP: Q1 2024 1B: Q1 2024
Package 2 Systems (Signaling, train control, core communications and traction power system, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition)  Package 2: Systems (Progressive Design-Build contract) Q1 2024
Package 3 (two separate steps) Trainsets Package 3: Trainsets RFQ (request for qualifications, prospective bidders) RFP (request for proposals) (Supply-Maintain contract) RFQ: Q3 2023 RFP: Q1 2024
Package 4 Depots/Facilities Package 4: Depots/Facilities (Packaging and scope of depots/facilities subject to ongoing discussion. The preparatory contract was let October 2022.) Design Q3 2023 Construction Q1 2026
Additional Contracts
(see NOTE below)
Program-wide support for Track and Systems
(engineering services)
  • Integration Support
  • Independent Safety Assessor (ISA)
  • Independent Cost Estimator (ICE)
  • Construction Manager

Q4 2023

NOTE: The December 6, 2023 Board Meeting scheduled a Rail Systems Engineering Services Consultant contract approval. This consultant contract will support all the separate tasks identified in the Additional Contracts category. On July 25 the Authority issued an RFQ, and two firm/consortiums responded. Their responses were studied, and interviews were conducted, and one firm/consortium has been selected. Specific tasks in this contract are:

  1. Provide a core group of rail engineers to support the Authority in a partner role with expertise in traction power/catenary, signal/train control and communications, network and general program integration, high-voltage, track, stations and station integration, rail equipment and operations to develop rail-related scope, engineering, and plans.
  2. Review all civil designs to ensure: compliance with the Authority's Design Criteria Manual (DCM), Track and Systems requirements are met, and that no elements would interfere with rail construction, rail maintenance, and/or rail operations.
  3. Respond to all special requests and technical evaluations that arise beyond construction and plan reviews, including environmental documents and preliminary design reviews.
  4. Support the Authority in the integration of elements of the rail system and in the management of these interfaces.
  5. Provide oversight support for civil, track and systems elements, trainsets, and stations.
  6. Manage risk register and system safety of all safety cases related to civil, track, systems, trainsets, and stations.

The major item for the November 2, 2023 Board Meeting was Package 1. This quarter saw the release of the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the Design portion of the work, with the actual design contract to be awarded in early 2024.

At the CHSR Authority Board Neeting of August 24, 2023, the Board approved the RFQ for the trainsets (NEWS RELEASE: California High-Speed Rail Authority Moves Closer to Buying First Trainsets), and the press release also discusses the process of acquisition in some detail. The actual draft of the 105 page RFQ can be found here. (Note that the actual train specifications will be found in the RFP when it is available in early 2024.)

Phased implementation plan as of November 2023

Per Proposition 1A, Phase 1 must be operational before Phase 2 is built. Phase 2 will extend the HSR system north to Sacramento and south to San Diego. These extensions are still in the preliminary planning stages.

Phase 1 runs from San Francisco to Los Angeles and Anaheim, and is being implemented in sections. In the Central Valley, there is construction underway and more is in preliminary processing. The Authority is currently constructing 119 miles (190 km) of guideway and structures. To make the Interim Initial Operating Segment ("Interim IOS") self-sustaining, additional length is in the process being added at each end to reach the cities of Merced (north) and Bakersfield (south) for a total length of about 171 miles (275 km). At each end, the Interim IOS will connect to other transit systems for passenger transfers. "Bookend" investments are also being made in the Bay Area and Southern California, upgrading existing infrastructure to improve local rail transit as well as support eventual HSR service.

Per the 2023 Project Update Report, "In consultation with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and in light of cost estimates, the Authority is proposing to construct [the] Merced and Bakersfield [extensions] in phases as federal funding is awarded." The August 24, 2024 Authority Board meeting documents also noted that there is a $194 million dollar Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail grant request for configuration design for the Merced to San Jose and Bakersfield to Palmdale segments, geotechnical studies in the Pacheco Pass and Tehachapi Mountains, and other pre-construction work.

The next implementation priority of the Authority -- after the EOS is put into operation in the 2030-33 timeframe -- is to provide an HSR link to Gilroy (to the west of Merced) and a "blended" system link to San Jose (to the north of Gilroy). This would enable a "blended" route from San Francisco to Gilroy and an HSR route from Gilroy to Bakersfield. This would allow HSR trains to provide a "one-seat ride" from San Francisco to Bakersfield. Also, note that it was estimated that six years will be required to bore the two tunnels on this segment, so getting this started early might need to be a priority. However, there is no funding as yet identified for this segment or for the following ones.

The last major construction element in Phase 1 is to complete the route from Bakersfield south to Anaheim (in the Greater Los Angeles area). The section from Palmdale to Burbank will require the most tunneling, over 40 miles of tunnel divided among 13 separate tunnels. Two of these tunnels will be among the longest in the world, at over 13 miles each. While future planning and funding to complete this segment are indeterminate, part of it already has had some "bookend" investments made in the metropolitan areas.

By the end of 2025, the Board will finalize the route between LA Union Station and Anaheim. A new alternative route is being evaluated, the location of a new Light Maintenance Facility is being selected, and the intermediate stations of Norwalk/Santa Fe Springs and Fullerton are to be selected or declined. This new route alternative, recommended by staff, will share track more with other passenger trains, resulting in some reduction of service (to two trains per hour) as well as a modest budget reduction.

Financial status and plans as of 2022–2023 and 2024

Fig. 3.3 from 2022 Business Plan (p. 59)
Exhibit 3.0: Currently Available, Authorized, and Future Funding, p. 53 of draft 2024 Business Plan
Exhibit 3.0: Currently Available, Authorized, and Future Funding, p. 53 of draft 2024 Business Plan

On February 9, 2024 a draft 2024 Business Plan was released. (2024 Draft Business Plan) This begins a 60-day public comment period that closes at 5 p.m. on April 9, 2024.

The CAHSR's financial projections are discussed in detail in its 2022 Proposition 1A Funding Plan (September 2022) and the 2023 Project Update Report (which is discussed at the end of this section as well as the two paragraphs before this section). The legislature also had both of these documents reviewed by an independent accounting agency, and no significant problems were noted.

Per CEO Brian Kelly's presentation for the January 2024 Board meeting, the recent $3.1 billion federal grant (announced in December 2023) will fund:

  • Six electric trains for testing and use
  • Design and construction of trainset facilities
  • Design and construction of the Fresno station
  • Final design and right-of-way acquisition for the Merced and Bakersfield extensions
  • Civil works, traction power, track, overhead catenary system (OCS), and systems for Bakersfield Interim Extension

As of January 2024, the Authority's plans indicated $27.0 billion in identified funding through 2030, with funds coming from Proposition 1A bonds, a number of federal grant program awards, and 25% of California's cap-and-trade auction proceeds. It is also anticipated (based on recent data) that some improvement in the Cap and Trade funding is likely, and that some further federal funding is also likely.

As of January 2024, there is a new baseline budget of $26.094 billion for Central Valley construction (about 119 miles (192 km)), design work for the Merced and Bakersfield extensions, the "bookend" projects now underway, completing the environmental clearances and design work needed for all of Phase 1, Fresno station construction, double-trackage, extension construction, and trainsets for the Interim IOS.: 52 

The 2024 Business Plan also gives an updated projection for the costs of the three different main segments of Phase 1.

San Francisco to Los Angeles/Anaheim (Phase 1) Capital Cost Estimates (Year of Expenditure $ in Millions)
Program Wide Scope Element Low Base High
Merced to Bakersfield 29,833 31,497 32,976
Northern California 21,180 27,865 35,514
Southern California 31,908 40,650 52,807
Program Wide 5,624 6,151 6,636
   Total for Phase 1 88,545 106,163 127,933

The 2024 Business Plan will be released in final form in April 2024, with the final document presented to the legislature on May 1, 2024. This will give the latest status and projections on the project. As the February 29, 2024 Board presentation says, The "Palmdale to Burbank [segment] is scheduled for a cost update in Summer 2024," and the "LA to Anaheim [segment] is scheduled for a cost update in December 2025. Both segments are expected to have cost updates above the baseline estimate." Note, however, that this table reflects estimates of total cost, including those monies already expended, so it does not indicate additional costs.

Power systems

Page 18 of the 2023 Project Update Report discusses the Authority's goal that the HSR system use only renewable energy. The Authority will also comply with SB 1020 (the Clean Energy, Jobs and Affordability Act of 2022) that commits the state to running its operations on clean, renewable energy resources by 2035, as well as SB 1203 that requires the state to achieve net-zero carbon emissions in the operations of all state agencies by 2035.

To achieve this, the Authority plans to install solar panels and battery systems at its traction power substations along its right of way. The railroad's system is to tie into the state's power grid, allowing them to share electricity. Unlike most other HSR systems, CAHSR is planning to use a three-phase electric power supply along with Static Frequency Converters (SFCs) so it can directly tie into the state's energy grid.

The Authority is now doing conceptual designs of the solar and battery power system, its connections with Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), and preliminary financial modeling. It had been coordinating with PG&E and the California Independent System Operator (ISO), which manages the state's power grid. The power procurement strategy is to be finalized in 2023.[needs update]

The Interim IOS will have a solar collection array and a battery backup system about every 30 miles. The units are being designed so that a minimum of six hours of "backup power" will be available even in winter. The Authority is continuing to investigate placement of the power units, and refine its model of energy production and consumption. In May 2023, the Authority applied for $53.7 million in U.S. Department of Energy Grid Resilience and Innovation Program (GRIP) grants.

Construction status and plans

San Joaquin Viaduct and Pergola, California Transportation Foundation's Structure of the Year 2020. The pergola (at the far end) is not shown here.

The groundbreaking ceremony for CAHSR was held on January 6, 2015, in Fresno, California.

Initial construction packages

In the Central Valley, major construction projects are underway. Three separate construction packages total 119 miles (192 km) of guideway and 93 structures. The 2024 draft Business Plan gives a summary of the status of the construction package construction as of the end of 2023. Exhibit 2.0 (from the draft 2024 Business Plan) gives 2023 percentages for each construction package, showing design completed, right-of-way delivered, utility relocation completed or in progress, structures completed or in progress, miles of guideway completed or in progress, and the overall contract status.


On November 22, 2023 the Fall 2023 Construction Update Video was released.

North and south extensions

Extensions of the line from the above central section north to Merced and south to Bakersfield, totaling about 52 additional miles (84 km), are also progressing through advanced design work, right-of-way mapping, and identification of utility relocation work. The Merced to Madera extension design contract ($41 million) was awarded to Stantec Consulting Services Inc., for approximately 33.9 miles (54.6 km) with 40 structures. The Shafter to Bakersfield (Locally Generated Alternative) extension design contract ($44.9 million) was awarded to HNTB for about 18.5 miles (29.8 km). with 31 structures. These design contracts are expected to last into 2024.

Following these steps, land acquisition, infrastructure construction, and track and systems installation will still need to be accomplished before the extensions can become part of the operable Interim IOS before the end of the decade.

Notice to Proceed-2 (NTP-2) for Merced to Madera. At the Board meeting on January 18, 2024, this approval to proceed will be considered. It provides for a not-to-exceed amount of $103.4 million for:

  1. Design Reports
  2. Final Design and Construction Ready Documents PS&E
  3. Construction Staging Plans and Constructability Reviews
  4. Updated Project Risk Assessment and Schedule
  5. Study Travel Time Enhancements
  6. Environmental Permits from Federal and State Agencies
  7. Survey Reports
  8. Technical Agreement Submittal List
  9. Third-party Design Submittals
  10. Caltrans Project Reports
  11. Final Design Submittals
  12. Design Variances
  13. Environmental Compliance Report

For the southern extension, on September 25, 2023 the Authority announced that it had received over $200 million in federal grants for six grade separations in Shafter, California. This will be the first construction in the Central Valley outside of the initial construction packages. Construction is expected to run from August 2025 to August 2028. These dates are consistent with the anticipated IOS completion schedule. Work designs still need to be finalized, and RFPs and contract awards still need to be issued.

Maintenance facilities

Only one Heavy Maintenance Facility (HMF) will be needed and it is proceeding through the planning and approval process. Its location has not been determined as yet, except it will be in the IOS segment. The Maintenance Facilities Factsheet provides an overview of the proposed maintenance facilities.

The 2023 Project Update Report says (on pages 19–20), "Building upon the previous environmental work, a project level environmental clearance process is underway to select a preferred alternative site for the heavy maintenance facility. This facility will be developed and built as part of the trains procurement. It could be used for final assembly of the trainset and will be designed and built by the manufacturer to assure efficient train maintenance. Through this environmental review process, the preferred alternative will be selected that best meets the Authority's operational requirements." (Emphasis added.)

The project will build three Light Maintenance Facilities—one in the Bay Area, one in the IOS, and one in the southern portion of the system—and five Maintenance of Way facilities for trackwork. Specific sites have yet to be determined.

Statewide connectivity ("bookend") projects

According to the Authority: "Connectivity or 'Bookend' Projects refer to the billions of dollars in infrastructure investment throughout the state that are part of the California High-Speed Rail system. These funds"—about $5 billion in total—"will strengthen and improve existing rail networks, while also connecting them with California's future high-speed rail system. Senate Bill (SB) 1029 passed by the California Legislature and signed by Governor Brown in July 2012, invests almost $2 billion from the Safe, Reliable, High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century (Proposition 1A) into transit, commuter, and intercity rail projects across the state..."

Major "bookend" investments are underway in the northern and southern metropolitan areas:

  • The Caltrain electrification "bookend" investment in the Bay Area (as well as grade separations, etc.) is proceeding, and is expected to be completed in late 2024. Route electrification from San Jose to Gilroy is a future project. The very first bookend project to open to the public was Caltrain grade separations (in 2021); work on these is still continuing. Existing Caltrain track can support train speeds up to 79 miles per hour (127 km/h) due to track curves, so since the HSR trains will be sharing track, in places the track will need to be redone in order to support the HSR 110 miles per hour (180 km/h) speeds.
  • A "bookend" investment in the "Link US" project (Phase A), converting Union Station (Los Angeles) from a "stub-ended track" station to a "run-through track" station, will shortly begin construction. Phase B still needs to be funded.

There are many other connectivity projects partly funded by the Authority. Particularly significant are those which implement Positive Train Control systems on the commuter rail systems which will be part of the final blended system.

Station updates

The February 29, 2024 Board Meeting has a presentation about the station design and construction schedule for the four stations directly under Authority control (Merced, Fresno, Kings/Tulare, and Bakersfield; the Madera station is under local control). Agenda-Item-5-Presentation-CVS-Concept-Design-2024

Grant applications for construction of the following stations:

  • The Fresno High-Speed Rail Station Historic Depot Renovation and Plaza Activation Project in June 2023 was awarded a $20 million grant from the US DOT Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program. This new station design will incorporate the historic preservation of the old Fresno train station.
  • The Merced Integrated Multimodal Station Project grant was submitted

Design and support services contract let:

  • Merced, Fresno, Kings/Tulare and Bakersfield. This is for preliminary design work, and is expected to take about 30 months. (The second phase will develop plans ready for construction.)

Conceptual design work is proceeding with other stakeholders on the following stations:

  • San Jose Diridon Station
  • Gilroy

Valley Rail and CAHSR

Valley Rail is an important component of statewide passenger rail in California which uses Union Pacific Railroad and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad tracks. "The Valley Rail Program consists of several project segments that together improve rail service on ACE and the San Joaquins for the San Joaquin Valley, Sacramento, and the Bay Area." When the IOS goes into service the San Joaquins service in the IOS (from Merced to Bakersfield) will be discontinued and replaced by CAHSR service. CAHSR passengers will connect to Valley Rail at the Merced Multi-Modal Transit Station (the northern terminus of the IOS). The remaining expanded Valley Rail service will remain in place, providing CAHSR rail passengers with continuing transportation north and west to the Bay Area and north towards/to Sacramento. Valley Rail will also provide connections to other transit services through its 16 stations.

Valley Rail is currently in implementation, and has an estimated completion date before 2028.

Route, stations, speed, & times

The project aims to connect California's major metropolitan areas together, and link to their local commuter systems. It will be built in two major phases. Phase 1 connects San Francisco and the Bay Area through the San Joaquin Valley (the southern part of the Central Valley) to Anaheim in the Greater Los Angeles area, a distance of about 500 miles (800 km). Phase 2 extends the north end of the Central Valley section up to Sacramento, and extends the Los Angeles section in the south through the Inland Empire down to San Diego at the southern edge of the state, for a total system length of about 800 miles (1,290 km).

The route going through the mountains at the north and south of the Central Valley pose significant challenges. In particular, two tunnels will be required at the north, and 12 will be needed at the south. Three tunnels will each be longer than 10 miles, making them longer than any existing train tunnels in North America.

The number of stations on the completed system was limited by Proposition 1A to 24. At the start of operations of the Interim Initial Operating Segment (Interim IOS, Merced to Bakersfield) there will be five stations. These stations are discussed in the 2023 Project Update Report on pages 12–15.

Route finalized from Central Valley to San Francisco

Although the Authority is focused on getting the Interim IOS in the Central Valley in operation by the end of the decade, it is also looking ahead to the next step (that is, connecting to San Francisco using the prepared Caltrain blended route). On April 28, 2022, it approved the final route in the San Jose to Merced section. This alignment (Alternative 4) uses the existing Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) alignment from San Jose to Gilroy as a blended section.

East of Gilroy the alignment becomes a pure HSR section with two tunnels, approximately 15 miles (24 km) in length, through the Pacheco Pass. Trains will be able to travel at 220 miles per hour (350 km/h) even through the tunnels. When tunnel field studies, early engineering, and design work are completed for this section, it will be ready for construction when funding is available. Tunnel construction is anticipated to take up to six years to complete once begun.

Route travel-time and speed requirements

Proposition 1A also set the maximum nonstop travel times between certain destinations on the system:

  1. San Francisco–San Jose: 30 minutes; this would require about 100 mph (160 km/h) on average
  2. San Jose–Los Angeles: 2 hours, 10 minutes; this would require about 200 mph (320 km/h) on average
  3. San Francisco–Los Angeles Union Station: 2 hours, 40 minutes
  4. San Diego–Los Angeles: 1 hour, 20 minutes
  5. Inland Empire–Los Angeles: 30 minutes
  6. Sacramento–Los Angeles: 2 hours, 20 minutes

In addition, the achievable operating headway between successive trains must be less than five minutes.

The Federal Railway Administration (FRA) has a new regulatory scheme governing high speed passenger rail traffic. In TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM, Interoperability of Tier III HSR Trainsets with Tier I Operations, TM 600.03, the FRA's Engineering Task Force defines a top speed of 125 mph (201 km/h) for Tier I railroads (where the track is shared with other passenger and commuter rail as well as freight and has specified grade-crossing protections), and a top speed of 220 mph (350 km/h) for Tier III (where the track is exclusive to high-speed passenger service and is fully grade-separated). The CAHSR trains will be the highest speed trains in the United States, and the system as planned is fully compliant with this scheme. Tier I extends from San Francisco to Gilroy, and from Burbank to Anaheim; Tier III extends from Gilroy to Burbank. So, the entire Interim IOS is in Tier III.

Tier III operations require a very strong safety environment. Per Rachel Kesting, CAHSR Southern California Information Officer, "[I]t takes a high-speed train traveling at top speed approximately or up to 8 miles to come to a stop." At top speed, each eight seconds the train would be traveling nearly half a mile. Thus, stopping in time for a visually-observed hazard on the tracks would be impossible.

Station platforms and new height standard

Because HSR trains use a train deck which is much higher than that used by commuter rail systems, no one station platform height will suffice. Caltrans, in cooperation with Caltrain, CAHSR, DB E.C.O. North America, and others, has developed a two-height standard to be used statewide. The lower platforms will be used by commuter trains, and the higher ones by CAHSR.

The floors of CAHSR trains will be 50.5 in (128 cm) above the rails, more than twice the 22 in (56 cm) height of the floors in Caltrain's commuter trainsets. Only a few Bay Area stations will have platform heights to serve both types of trainsets. Caltrain is buying new Stadler KISS EMUs that have doors at both heights, allowing them to use stations built for CAHSR, but most Bay Area stations will remain usable only by Caltrain.

Trains (rolling stock)

Artistic rendering of a CAHSR high-speed train running in the Central Valley. As the model of trainset to be acquired is not yet known, such renderings are purely illustrative.

Acquisition

In May 2022 a grant request was submitted to the Biden administration for funds to purchase six HSR trainsets. The 2023 Project Update Report projects the purchase of these to be made in 2024.

In August 2023 the process for trainset purchase was revealed, with a new request for qualifications (RFQ) and a new request for proposals (RFP) in development. The RFQ was issued.

On January 5, 2024 the Authority issued a press release revealing the two train manufacturers who have been deemed qualified to receive the train RFQ: Alstom Transportation Inc., and Siemens Mobility Inc. The RFQ will be sent to these firms early in 2024.

An early delivery of a trainset for testing purposes is anticipated for 2028, with delivery of the remaining ones by 2030. While a "Buy American" regulation is in force, there is an exception for the first two trainsets, so they can be manufactured outside of the United States. So, the remaining four trainsets would need to be manufactured in the US.

The 2023 Project Update Report states that for the entire Phase 1 system 66 trainsets will be needed.

Train design

A fact sheet discussing train design is available. The Fall 2023 Construction Update Video published in November 2023 contains brief images of train interiors (near the beginning, and near the end of the video). The Build HSR website also has a six-minute video ("White Mockup Tour") doing a narrated walk-through of the different components of the train interiors.

The Authority has created a 105 page draft train specification document (Sched_1PtA_Auth_TierIII_Trainsets_Spec_Rev0_013015_Industry_Working_Draft.pdf) which is not currently online. It may be requested from the Authority, however. Some of the train specifications are:

  • each trainset will have a sustained continuous speed of 220 mph (350 km/h);
  • a maximum testing speed of 242 mph (389 km/h);
  • a lifespan of at least 30 years;
  • a length no longer than about 680 feet (210 m);
  • the ability to operate two trainsets as a single "consist" (a long train);
  • have control cabs at both ends of each trainset and the ability to go equally well in either direction;
  • pass-by noise levels (82 feet (25 m) from track) not to exceed 88 dB at 155 mph (249 km/h) and 96 dB at 220 mph (350 km/h);
  • have at least 450 seats and carry eight bicycles;
  • have seating for first class and business class passengers as well as space for wheelchairs;
  • have food service similar to airplane-style serving;
  • allow for use of cellphones, broadband wireless internet access, and onboard entertainment services;
  • have a train communications network to notify passengers of travel / train / station / time information; and
  • have earthquake safety systems for safe stopping and exiting.

The following renderings of the train interior are shown on page 19 of the 2023 Project Update Report.

HSR passenger line operations

Request for qualifications

In April 2017, the CHSRA announced it had received five responses to its request for qualifications for the contract to assist with the development and management of the initial phase of the high-speed line and be the Interim IOS operator.

The above process was halted, and a new request for qualification (RFQ) was posted in early November 2023. After a review of responses, a new RFP will be sent to the selected respondents in early 2024.

Selected early train operator

In October 2017, the California High-Speed Rail Authority announced that DB ECO North America Inc (formerly known as DB Engineering & Consulting USA Inc.) had been chosen as the early train operator. This decision came after a request for qualifications was put out by the authority looking for well established groups able to provide operational guidance for the future system once opened.

Services provided by DB International US are:

  • Project management
  • Ridership and passenger revenue forecasts
  • Preferred revenue collection systems
  • Rolling stock fleet size and interior layout
  • Service planning and scheduling
  • Operations and maintenance cost forecasting
  • Station design & operations
  • Optimization of life cycle costs
  • Procurements
  • Fare integration and Interoperability
  • Safety and security
  • Operations control/dispatching responsibilities
  • Maximizing system revenues
  • Marketing and branding

Ridership estimates

DB ECO North America Inc. (the early train operator) had also done an analysis of likely ridership using updated data and a newer model. Based on their estimates per the 2023 Project Update Report, ridership from the service implementation date to 2040 would total about 11.49 million riders annually for the Silicon Valley to Bakersfield service, and 31.28 million riders annually for the entire Phase 1 system. This estimate used a new California Rail Ridership Model, updated assumptions and data (from 2022), revised service plan assumptions, a revised fare policy, and a new rider behavior model.

These ridership estimates show the CAHSR system will have higher projected ridership than all California Amtrak–supported services combined: 6.6 million vs 5.6 million riders. When Phase 1 is complete, CAHSR will also carry more than two-and-a-half times more riders annually than the 12.5 million riders reported on the Northeast Corridor high speed service.

Legal aspects

This project already has a long history. Topics included in the main History page (the link shown above) include the early history (before 2015), discussion of HSR alternatives, legislation, financing, construction, and legal challenges.

Legislation

In 1996, the California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) was established to begin formal planning in preparation for a ballot measure in 1998 or 2000.

In 2008, California voters approved Proposition 1A to construct the initial segment of the high-speed rail network, and issued $9 billion in bonds to begin its construction. The proposition also set certain requirements for the project:

  • Established the basic route linking the major population centers
  • Minimum 200 miles per hour (320 km/h) where conditions permit
  • Maximum of 24 stations on the system
  • Maximum travel times between certain points
  • Financially self-sustaining (operation and maintenance costs fully covered by revenue)

The proposition also authorized an additional $950 million for improvements on local commuter systems, which will serve as feeder systems to the high-speed rail system.

In June 2014, state legislators and Governor Jerry Brown agreed to apportion the state's annual cap and trade funds so that 25% goes to high-speed rail as an ongoing source of funds.

Lawsuits

In 2014, the CHSRA was challenged on its compliance with its statutory obligations under Proposition 1A (John Tos, Aaron Fukuda, and the Kings County Board of Supervisors v. California High-Speed Rail Authority). In November 2021 a circuit court ruled against the plaintiffs.

On December 15, 2014, the federal Surface Transportation Board determined that its approval of the HSR project in August "categorically preexempts" lawsuits filed under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). This determination was tested in a similar case, Friends of Eel River v. North Coast Railroad Authority. The Supreme Court of California determined on July 27, 2017, that CEQA is not exempted by federal law.

In February 2022, Hollywood Burbank Airport sued the authority over its approval of the draft EIR for that section of the high-speed railway. In November 2023, both parties reached a settlement that dismisses the lawsuit.


Economic costs/benefits and environmental impacts

At the January 2024 Board meeting, the Authority released a summary of the projected economic benefits of the project. Note that only the bottom (green) row is currently anticipated to be realized with projected project revenue.

In addition to the direct reduction in travel times the HSR project will produce, there are other anticipated benefits, economic and environmental, both generally to the state and to the regions the train will pass through, and also to the areas immediately around the train stations. Some of the items of note include:

  • In the Fall 2023 Construction Update Video the Authority announced that it had created over 11,500 construction jobs in total, and was currently employing over 1600 construction workers every day.
  • The Central Valley Training Center is a pre-apprenticeship job training program operated by CAHSR to help train local workers and get them jobs on the project. It has been operating since 2020; it has trained 151 people, assisted with their job placement, and received over 1000 student inquiries.
  • The Authority is also committed to helping small and disabled-staffed businesses, and as of September 2023 reports $497.5 million spent on 149 small businesses in CP 1, $393.3 million spent on 308 small businesses in CP 2–3, and $146.5 million spent on 308 small businesses in CP 4.
  • The Authority produces an annual Sustainability Report on its efforts to both build the HSR system in a sustainable way, but also its estimates on the effects of the HSR system. "Our whole project is focused on a better transportation future for California," said Authority Director of Planning and Sustainability Margaret Cederoth. "We are focused not just on a sustainability outcome, but specific, measurable ways that demonstrate sustainable construction, design and delivery. We use cleaner construction practices, helping move the industry toward carbon neutrality. Our goal is to deliver meaningful benefits now for communities, even as we are building transformative transportation options."
  • Where wildlife travel routes cross the tracks, provisions are being made to have under/overpasses or HSR route tunnels used.
  • The Authority also produces an annual cumulative report on the economic benefits of the HSR project. The Authority has a two-page fact sheet available for 2023, and a 39-page detailed report dated March 9, 2023.

Peer review, public opinion, and criticism

There are two types of review and criticism noted here: the legally established "peer review" process that the California legislature established for an independent check on the authority's planning and implementation efforts, and public criticisms by groups, media, individuals, public agencies, and elected officials.

At the February 2015 conference Bold Bets: California on the Move?, hosted by The Atlantic magazine and Siemens, Dan Richard, the then-chair of the CAHSR Authority, warned that not all issues facing the HSR system had been resolved.

California High-Speed Rail Peer Review Group

The California Legislature established the California High-Speed Rail Peer Review Group to provide independent analysis of the Authority's planning and implementation efforts. Their documents are submitted to the Legislature as needed.

The April 1, 2022, report noted a number of positive factors:

  • Improved prospects for federal funding with the Biden Administration
  • Disruptions and impacts caused by COVID-19, the war in Ukraine, and inflation are all noted but being dealt with
  • Significant progress has been made on the necessary environmental clearances
  • Greater attention is being given to local transit connectivity and local economic impacts
  • Major improvements have been made to project management and risk mitigation

However, there were also a number of significant concerns noted:

  • The total level of uncertainty has likely increased due to effects of COVID-19 and inflation.
  • Prior experience with cost increases and scheduling delays raises some uncertainties about future performance. Cost increases have been over 86%, average delays have been 118%, only 90% of ordinary real estate parcel needed have been acquired, only 63% of railroad parcels have been acquired, and only 65% of utility parcels have been acquired.
  • Some of the cost estimates presented were out of date, but expected to be updated in the 2023 Project Update Report.
  • Major components of the project (representing over half its cost) have no bidding or contract management experience. Thus, estimates for these are clearly suspect.
  • There are critical issues regarding management and legal issues with other agencies for the operation of the system which remain unresolved. (There are a number of these listed, as well as unknown long-term impacts of COVID-19 on ridership and inflation.)
  • Adequate legislative oversight is lacking.
  • Per the report, "[O]verall project funding remains inadequate and unstable making effective management extremely difficult. In addition, the Authority has no clear guidance from the Legislature on the next steps in the project."
  • "Even with a realistic share of new Federal funding, the project cannot get outside the Central Valley without added state or local funding from sources not yet identified."

Professional studies of blended systems

Study #1. Eric Eidlin, an employee of the Federal Transit Administration (Region 9, San Francisco), wrote a study in 2015 funded by the German Marshall Fund of the United States comparing the structural differences of two HSR European systems and their historical development with California's HSR system. He also focused on the issue of station siting, design, use, and impact on the surrounding community. From this, he developed ten recommendations for CAHSRA. Among these are:

  • Develop bold, long-term visions for the HSR corridors and stations.
  • Where possible, site HSR stations in central city locations.
  • In rural areas, emphasize train speed; in urban areas, emphasize transit connectivity.
  • Plan for and encourage the non-transit roles of the HSR stations.

Eidlin's study also notes that in California there has been debate on the disadvantages of the proposed blended service in the urban areas of San Francisco and Los Angeles, including reduced speeds, more operating restraints, and complicated track-sharing agreements. There are some inherent advantages in blended systems that have not received much attention: shorter transfer distances for passengers, and reduced impacts on the neighborhoods. Blended systems are in use in Europe.

Study #2. A 202-page study by A. Loukaitou-Sideris, D. Peters, and W. Wei of the Mineta Transportation Institute at San Jose State University in 2015 compared examples of "blended systems" in Spain and Germany where conventional and high-speed rail (HSR) services either used the same tracks over a portion of track or at a specific station. The study found that blended systems were cheaper to build, required less space, and provided easy transfers between different modes of transportation, but resulted in lower system capacity (due to greater separation distances required when combining HSR and conventional traffic), were often not possible to properly implement in urban areas due to the additional land area requirements for passing sidings, resulted in additional challenges in operations, and caused frequent delays.

Public opposition

Refer to CAHSR History article for historical criticism.

Proposals for alternative technologies

Elon Musk proposed what he termed Hyperloop as an alternative to CAHSR. He described this system in 2013, and he and his company SpaceX promoted it as both less costly to construct and significantly quicker than a conventional high-speed rail system, although these claims were unsubstantiated. Musk's proposal was to use a system of vacuum-sealed tubes to contain its cars, which would run at a higher speed than HSR. One reason why it would be cheaper was because its route would follow the shorter Interstate 5 corridor from the Los Angeles terminus to the San Francisco Bay Area terminus. Musk later admitted to his biographer that he had never planned to build a Hyperloop system in California, and primarily promoted it in order to prevent conventional HSR proposals from breaking ground. Musk's Hyperloop One never got out of the prototype stage and the company was shut down in December 2023.

In addition to Hyperloop, magnetic levitation (maglev) trains have been proposed. These technologies have been under discussion and development for decades, although actual realization has been lagging. These hold theoretical advantages, but would cost as much (or more) than conventional HSR technology to build. They would also have the same issues as CAHSR in acquiring right-of-way.

Public opinion

Public approval for CAHSR has remained steady over the years:

In April 2022, UC Berkeley's Institute of Government Studies released a survey of registered voters that found 56% supported continuing the high-speed rail project even if "its operations only extend from Bakersfield to Merced in the Central Valley by the year 2030 and to the Bay Area by the year 2033." Approval varies by political affiliation with 73% of Democrats backing the project versus 25% of Republicans.

An older statewide survey, in March 2016, by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) indicated that 52% of Californians support the project, while 63% of Californians think the project is either "very important" or "somewhat important" for California's economy and quality of life. Support varies by location (with the San Francisco Bay Area the highest at 63%, and lowest in Orange/San Diego at 47%), by race (Asians 66%, Latinos 58%, Whites 44%, and Blacks 42%), by age (declining sharply with increasing age), and by political orientation (Democrats 59%, independents 47%, and Republicans 29%). Dan Richard, then-chair of the authority, said in an interview with James Fallows that he believes approval levels will increase when people can start seeing progress, and trains start running.

In 2008, voters approved Proposition 1A with 52.6%.

Las Vegas HSR project (Brightline West)

Brightline West (formerly Desert Xpress and XpressWest) is a project that since 2007 has been planning to build a high-speed rail line between Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada, part of the "Southwest Rail Network" they hope to create. The rail line will begin in Las Vegas, cross the Mojave Desert (using the median of the I-15 freeway for most of the route) to a station 5 miles (8.0 km) outside of Victorville, California, and terminate in Rancho Cucamonga in the Inland Empire (where it will connect with Metrolink and eventually CAHSR when it gets built out to that point). This route will total about 230 miles (370 km). A second branch about 50 miles (80 km) long is also planned going westward from Victorville and terminate in Palmdale (located on the west side of the high desert) where it will connect with CAHSR as it passes through on its way north into the Central Valley.

Brightline West expects to break ground for construction in early 2024.

Further study (external links)

CAHSR Authority documents

All the January 2024 Board meeting materials are available online.

The Authority's latest financial projections and its current implementation strategy are discussed in detail in the 2023 Project Update Report.

The Authority's Business Plan describe the project's goals, financing, and development plans. This is updated every even year (since 2008), and must be submitted to the Legislature by May 1.

The Authority's Project Update Report gives a program-wide summary, as well as information for each project section, in order to clearly describe the project's status. This is produced every odd year (since 2015, except for 2021), and must be submitted to the Legislature by March 1.

The Authority's Newsroom provides frequent news releases concerning all aspects of the project.

The Authority's Info Center provides factsheets, regional newsletters, maps, and video simulations of route "fly-overs".

Independent reviews

The California Peer Review Group produces independent analysis of the project for the state legislature. Its documents are currently available on its website. The latest report by the PRG is the Letter to the Legislature (March 23, 2023).

The state legislature also has provided that independent financial review be conducted of the authority's plans. The firm Project Finance Advisory Limited (PFAL) was selected to do this beginning in November 2015. The September 2022 review is available at Independent Financial Advisor Report To California High-Speed Rail Authority Regarding: Proposition 1A Funding Plan.

Other documents

From 2014 to 2015, James Fallows wrote a series of 18 articles for The Atlantic about the HSR system. The series covered many aspects of the system, criticisms of it, and responses to those criticisms. See

  • The California High-Speed Rail Debate—Kicking Things Off
  • California High-Speed Rail—the Critics' Case
  • California High-Speed Rail No. 3: Let's Hear From the Chairman
  • 7 Ways in Which High-Speed Rail Would Help California, According to Its Chairman
  • California High-Speed Rail: 10 Readers With 10 Views
  • California High-Speed Rail: Some Views From the Valley
  • The Courts Speak Up for California High-Speed Rail
  • California High-Speed Rail—More Questions and Concerns
  • California High-Speed Rail No. 9—the Chairman's Turn Again
  • California High-Speed Rail No. 10: Palate Cleanser
  • California High-Speed Rail No. 11: Thinking in Time
  • All Aboard for the California High-Speed Rail Chronicles!
  • California High-Speed Rail Lucky No. 13: Let's Look at Maglev and Other Alternatives
  • Why You Shouldn't Get Your Hopes Up for the Self-Driving Car (California High-Speed Rail No. 14)
  • California High-Speed Rail: It's Happening
  • That Winning Bid for California's High-Speed Rail: Is It Suspiciously Low?
  • California High-Speed Rail: A Minor End, an Important Beginning
  • [summary] California High-Speed Rail: The Collector's Edition

The High Speed Rail Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting high speed rail systems in the United States. They have information nation-wide about current developments as well as plans and tutorials.

Videos

CNBC has a 15 minute video (from May 16, 2023) on the CAHSR project, Why California's High-Speed Rail Is Taking So Long [Youtube (Google)].

High Speed Rail Alliance links to this 73 minute video of a panel discussion by experts hosted by Streetsblog California (from summer 2023), Complete California High Speed Rail In Five Years?.

The CAHSR Authority has a video of CAHSR's 2023 significant accomplishments ("Making a List: 2023’s Top 10 Moments for California High-Speed Rail") available.


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