In a vote of confidence for electrified high-speed rail in the United States, the Federal Government has awarded roughly $6 billion in grants to two key projects: Brightline West, a new intercity passenger rail system that will connect Las Vegas with Rancho Cucamonga in Southern California; and California High-Speed Rail Authority’s continued work to advance construction in the state’s Central Valley, with the aim of ultimately supporting bullet train service from Los Angeles to San Francisco.
The grants — up to $3 billion toward Brightline West (in support of Nevada Department of Transportation’s oversight and infrastructure work associated with the project) and nearly $3.1 billion for the California High-Speed Rail Authority — are made possible by the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant Program, as authorized by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. They are part of a broader $8.2 billion in new funding earmarked for ten major passenger rail projects across the country, as announced on 8 December by the US Department of Transportation.
“Electric high-speed rail trains will take millions of cars off the roads and reduce emissions, further cementing intercity rail as an environmentally-friendly alternative to flying or driving and saving time for millions of Americans,” said the Biden-Harris Administration as it announced support for these high-speed rail projects.
Plucky private rail operator Brightline is already playing a key role in America’s rail revolution by connecting Central and South Florida. Brightline West aims to go somewhat further and significantly faster.
The planned 218-mile route from Las Vegas to Rancho Cucamonga, located east of downtown Los Angeles, will include a flagship station in Las Vegas, with additional stations in Victor Valley and Rancho Cucamonga. Traveling at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour — aligned within the median of the I-15 highway — the all-electric trains will zip passengers between the two cites in about two hours, which is “nearly twice as fast as driving”, noted the Biden-Harris Administration.
The entire Brightline West project is estimated to cost about $12 billion, and according to Brightline, is nearly ‘shovel-ready’ and expected to break ground in early 2024.
“This is a historic moment that will serve as a foundation for a new industry, and a remarkable project that will serve as the blueprint for how we can repeat this model throughout the country,” said Wes Edens, founder and chairman of Brightline, which in 2018 became the first private rail operator to inaugurate service in the US in a century when its trains started plying the Miami-West Palm Beach route. A new section of track up to Orlando now allows for an increased top speed of 125 mph, up from a top speed of 79 mph on the original stretch.
“We’re ready to get to work to bring our vision of American made, American built, world class, state-of-the-art high speed train travel to America,” added Edens.
The California High-Speed Rail Authority, meanwhile, refers to the near $3.1 billion grant it is receiving from the feds as “the single strongest show of federal support to date”.
The funds will “help deliver high-speed rail service in California’s Central Valley by designing and extending the rail line between Bakersfield and Merced, procuring new high-speed trainsets, and constructing the Fresno station, which will connect communities to urban centers in Northern and Southern California”, explained the Biden-Harris Administration. “This 171-mile rail corridor will support high-speed travel with speeds up to 220 mph.”
For decades, Californians have looked for high-speed rail to finally become a reality in the state. This grant will help the California High-Speed Rail Authority “make major progress”, noted Congressman Jim Costa, who serves California’s 21st congressional district.
He admitted, however: “We still have much more work to be done.”
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Featured image credited to Brightline West
