Caltrain, rail agency accede to Palo Alto protest

You gotta be kidding me; bifurcation, what a joke. East v. West; Train already separates town(s), [portion removed; offensive language]. What does 101 or the 5 or the 405 do all over this state; or for that matter, many other freeways/state highways do; or for that matter, the El Camino Real; aka the King's Highway. What a crappy argument and what a joke you are for making such an argument. Get Real and find a real reason to oppose this idea!

How about this for a reason...every single HSR around the world is subsidized by its government. Some at 100%.

why is it that everybody that posts here from out of state claims that caltrain **already** splits these cities in half, while all of the residents claim the opposite? Hey bifurcation BS, why don't you drive your car up from LA where you live and visit here and watch the Caltrain go by once every 2 hours on weekends at 35mph though the towns here. THEN try to tell people with an honest face that Caltrain already splits cities.

BTW I am posting as being from another community but I am from Palo Alto, so I know of what I speak, unlike you out of towners. The key point here is that you, Diridon and everybody else who would listen was told REPEATEDLY that the Caltrain would not work for long range high speed rail and you ignored it thinking the residents wouldn't notice. The caltrain corridor is 50 miles of angry residents and business owners.

Truth,

Please give examples of the HSR around the world being almost or fully subsidized? You can't because most make a profit. The contries may have contributed to the initial building costs, but the operators are paying those loans back and making money of their own.

Here is an article from 2007 for the TGV:

Web Link

The Korea Train eXpress (KTX):

Web Link

Besides, let them change the wording. It doesn't change the fact that there will be 4 tracks on the peninsula anyway. Get this thing built!

An observer,

You are wrong. A lot of us are happy that this HSR project is finally going to happen. It will be mean grade crossing will be gone and saftey will improve. Palo Alto residents (the ones complaining anyway) must realize that people do want this to be built and that there is not 50 miles of angry people.

By the way, we all knew the Caltrain tracks were there when we moved on to the peninsula. Don't play dumb for one minute thinking that you didn't. And for the people who bought homes close to the right-of-way, that is your own fault. You had to sign papers with your explicit acknowlegement of the trains. You just wanted cheaper property.

Facts, you are nothing but a distortion waiting to happen. Read if you can...

Web Link

1/3 subsidized in Japan, and experts tell you exactly why this train should be buried or redirected. You guys need to stop this obvious PR campaign stuff.

@truth

There is an important distinction between operating costs and construction costs which you seem to be dismissing, purposefully or not. Nobody is arguing that constructing high speed rail lines is any more profitable than building an airport or a freeway (it's not: that's why governments do it, not private for-profit companies). However, like an airline or a trucking company, it is possible to make a profit in operating high speed trains.

Thanks for helping to clarify my point, Clem.

I think my final say here on this site will be that although I don't necessarily like the litigious route taken, I can respect the position this council is in. I think it unfair for Kopp and his group to villify town councils. This is what they are supposed to do, and I am worried about those who have passed on the responsiblity.

I think between the local agencies, the towns, the private sector and our state and fed gov. we should be able to see a track system that can go undergound. We would be fools to short change the long-term because we think we are short of change for that option.

Don't you agree, Clem? Aren't there parallels here with the TGV and others who have tunnelled in areas where the residential collided?

@An Observer

I suggest drive north yourself and see how the tracks have segregated San Mateo, where I live, or San Carlos, Belmont, etc.