tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post2052387289902501914..comments2023-10-30T09:03:07.163-07:00Comments on California High Speed Rail Blog: HSR Comes to MercedRobert Cruickshankhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06906581839066570472noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-24303705791094811732009-03-23T16:34:00.000-07:002009-03-23T16:34:00.000-07:00@Rafaelin response to you:As for prop 1A, my under...@Rafael<BR/><BR/>in response to you:<BR/><BR/><I><BR/>As for prop 1A, my understanding is that a 2/3 majority in both houses + the Governor's signature was needed to get it onto the ballot." </I><BR/><BR/>Yes AB-3034 needed the 2/3 votes. My point was without AB-3034 there would have still have been a Prop 1, the carry over from the legislation 2 years earlier, that delayed putting the measure on the ballot in 2006. It would have taken a 2/3 vote to remove that old ballot proposal, which never happened, but it was replaced by the passage of AB-3034.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-54206022260311802182009-03-23T11:41:00.000-07:002009-03-23T11:41:00.000-07:00@ Morris Brown -creeks - both above and below grou...@ Morris Brown -<BR/><BR/>creeks - both above and below ground - storm drains and any sewer mains already under the tracks would definitely be headaches in trench design and construction.<BR/><BR/>No insurance company would cover the cities for flood risks unless it was convinced the engineering solutions for re-routing the water above or below any trench for trains were adequate. Doable, but not trivial.<BR/><BR/>However, bored tunnels would also have to deal with the local hydrology. You don't want to trigger any subsidence events during construction.<BR/><BR/>As for prop 1A, my understanding is that a 2/3 majority in both houses + the Governor's signature was needed to get it onto the ballot. In theory, that could have been done through a motion separate from AB3034 but legislators preferred to put the proposition on a more solid legal footing.<BR/><BR/>And yes, I'm quite aware of the timely opposition to CHSRA plans by city officials Menlo Park and Atherton. My point related specifically to the absence of a red flag from Palo Alto, because some residents there are now claiming CHSRA pulled a fast one on them.Rafaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05471957286484454765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-43289741776721353902009-03-23T11:30:00.000-07:002009-03-23T11:30:00.000-07:00@ yeson1a -language please. No need for expletives...@ yeson1a -<BR/><BR/>language please. No need for expletives on this blog.Rafaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05471957286484454765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-85228087059837229262009-03-23T10:13:00.000-07:002009-03-23T10:13:00.000-07:00Why couldn't those smart people with those top not...Why couldn't those smart people with those top notch schools on palo alto find the map? I'm just a dumb lazy union guy with a high school education and I knew where the train was gonna go the whole time and I don't even live along the route. The map was all over the internet. Just shows how our of touch those folks are if you ask me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-4850994945465166852009-03-22T22:34:00.000-07:002009-03-22T22:34:00.000-07:00Another point:From the main page of the CAHSRA's w...Another point:<BR/><BR/>From the main page of the CAHSRA's web site you could have clicked on "Train Route Decisions" under FAQs (Internet colloquial for "Frequently Asked Questions").<BR/><BR/>The third paragraph includes, "The Pacheco Pass alternative serving San Francisco and San Jose termini has the least potential environmental impacts overall while providing direct high-speed train service to downtown San Francisco, SFO, and the San Francisco Peninsula (<B>Caltrain Corridor</B>)"<BR/><BR/>Emphasis mine. <BR/><BR/>Unfortunately I cannot check if this language existed before the election (I think it did), but the CHSRA has blocked the Internet Archive from archiving its web site. I think that makes them look bad even though I think they have nothing to hide.<BR/><BR/>Either way, this information could have come elsewhere, including those individuals who opposed the project before and leading up to the election. The seventh result for "California high speed rail" is:<BR/><BR/>"Why the California High-Speed Rail plan is fundamentally flawed ...<BR/> - 5 visits - Mar 7<BR/>Note from Eric Eldon: I wrote a rather positive article this week on the proposed $10 billion California High-Speed Rail ...<BR/>venturebeat.com/2008/04/11/why-the-california-high-speed-rail-plan-is-fundamentally-flawed/ - 85k - Cached - Similar pages -"<BR/><BR/>and I think it was in the same range before the election. This project was debated and debated. Apparently, even the opposition's charge that there was a lack of information didn't seem to bother voters.Spokkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03244298044953214810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-32882501895314486572009-03-22T22:28:00.000-07:002009-03-22T22:28:00.000-07:00"The map wasn't useful because how would the avera..."The map wasn't useful because how would the average person have known to go look for it in the first place?"<BR/><BR/>Upon reading Prop 1A in their voter information guide, a person's brain might say, "Hmmm, I need more information on this." If they were intelligent enough, they may think to search for "California High Speed Rail" on Google, a popular search engine on the Internet. The first result would be the California High Speed Rail Authority's official web site.<BR/><BR/>Now, what is the most important thing this person would want to know? They would want to know where the train is going to travel to. From there an intelligent person might click on "Routes". An interactive map will load. <BR/><BR/>If this person needs even more information they would click on "High-Speed Rail on Google Earth" and "Map And Route Resources" where they would discover even more information about the route. <BR/><BR/>Okay, let's say a person read the ballot measure for the first time and felt no need to acquire more detailed information and decided to vote yes. That implies that the person does not care about any potential impacts to neighborhoods and wants high speed trains anyway. That implies that the idea was so good to this person that they didn't become skeptical and voted yes anyway. <BR/><BR/>I'm sure there were many others who read the ballot measure for the first time and thought, "I don't need anymore information. I think high speed rail is a bad idea no matter what." <BR/><BR/>Either way, the state has spoken. <BR/><BR/>"How many clicks would they go through to get to that map?"<BR/><BR/>Two.<BR/><BR/>Even on the <A HREF="http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/map.htm" REL="nofollow">interactive map</A> it's pretty obvious the thing is going to be going up the peninsula. A Redwood City/Palo Alto stop is listed. <BR/><BR/>It should be noted that the current web site has not changed in any significant way since the election.<BR/><BR/>"My system pretty slow - you think that's pretty common?"<BR/><BR/>Libraries have free to use computers with ample horsepower to display Google Maps and Flash content. <BR/><BR/>"BTW, expecting people to be sophisticated enough to go research particulars online (on an English only website BTW), that ALONE brings up some pretty interest social justice issues."<BR/><BR/>Ask the state to fund the CHSRA to a level where they can translate their web site and all the environmental documents into eight languages then. <BR/><BR/>"Because otherwise why would everyone be so surprised?"<BR/><BR/>Everyone is not surprised, a vocal minority is. I would not be surprised if many in this minority is feigning ignorance now just because Prop 1A passed ("Have mercy on us! We didn't know!"). And the City Council is caving in to them. <BR/><BR/>"Now you still have Merced people talking about getting back the Los Banos station."<BR/><BR/>Just because they are asking for it doesn't mean they are going to get it.Spokkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03244298044953214810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-47283758441945921122009-03-22T21:22:00.000-07:002009-03-22T21:22:00.000-07:00@RafaelI take issue with your statement:"oh come o...@Rafael<BR/><BR/>I take issue with your statement:<BR/><I><BR/><BR/>"oh come on. The only reason Altamont was still in AB3034 at all is because it was the only way to secure enough Republican votes for the 2/3 majority in both houses required to even get it onto the ballot."</I><BR/><BR/>For one thing, Prop 1 would have been on the ballot in any case without AB-3034. That would have cost the Authority support from the Sierra club because of the Los Banos station, and from other groups for lots of other reasons dealing with oversight etc.<BR/><BR/>At one point the Authority was pushing (at least telling a few of us) that they were going to build both routes (Altamont and Pacheco).They were just doing whatever would grease the way for passage of the bond funds. We will make everybody happy.<BR/><BR/>Until Lowenthal's committee meeting last summer there was virtually no opposition to AB-3034. The opposition only took place when the legislature itself finally started to wake up and say something other than "we need this train", case closed.<BR/><BR/>Now you still have Merced people talking about getting back the Los Banos station. AD-3034 is a paper tiger it seems; already violated on so many fronts. <BR/><BR/>It to me is un-believable that Kopp will say, <I>" we don't need to go the the TBT.</I><BR/><BR/>Isn't that what is required in AB-3034?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-64776059810135743352009-03-22T20:56:00.000-07:002009-03-22T20:56:00.000-07:00@RafaelYou write"No need for conspiracy theories h...@Rafael<BR/><BR/>You write<BR/><BR/><I><BR/>"No need for conspiracy theories here, CHSRA's consultants picked that implementation option in order to keep the cost down. The real problem here is that city officials in Palo Alto did not respond to that information with a "No way, Jose" well before the election."<BR/></I><BR/><BR/>Well Menlo Park and Atherton certainly did speak up. I guess we weren't large enough to get their attention, in fact, they seemed to have lost MP's objection letter.<BR/><BR/>Actually Diridon did seem to be aware of opposition. In a local newspaper article when asked about local opposition he just replied <BR/><BR/><B> "They will be over ridden. </B><BR/><BR/>It is so interesting to see a completely different attitude from Morshed as expressed at the Senate hearing last week when he said<BR/><BR/><B> we have to get along with the locals -- otherwise the project will be torpedoed </B><BR/><BR/>The toxic plume mentioned by one of the speakers at the Palo Alto meeting last weekend was news to me, but the problem with underground waterways certainly was not.<BR/><BR/>Menlo Park paid out $1 million in damages to homeowners when San Francisquito creek overflowed its banks in 1998. The City was found liable (well the City decided not to take its chances in court) and paid the out the funds. <BR/><BR/> It was terribly embarrassing since due to an oversight, the City's liability insurance did not cover such an event, and the money came from our General fund. (was considered to be a 100 year event)(Palo Alto had the needed insurance).<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.watershed.org/pdf/WMC_2000Proceedings.pdf" REL="nofollow">The Saga of San Francisquito Creek</A><BR/><BR/>(page 129)<BR/><BR/>I would just say the Menlo Park is very very flood wary, even though most of the damage occurred in Palo Alto.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-11107477151140872662009-03-22T20:02:00.000-07:002009-03-22T20:02:00.000-07:00Below market rate housing along the tracks...http:...Below market rate housing along the tracks...<BR/><BR/>http://www.mv-voice.com/news/show_story.php?id=1291. <BR/><BR/><BR/>The map wasn't useful because how would the average person have known to go look for it in the first place? HOw would they have known it was there? And, I clicked in to it several times and never did get to a level that showed particulars for a region. My system pretty slow - you think that's pretty common? BTW, expecting people to be sophisticated enough to go research particulars online (on an English only website BTW), that ALONE brings up some pretty interest social justice issues.<BR/><BR/>You HANDED us a link - Average person that bothered to even try to do their own research, went to CHSR website saw a bunch of glossy market presentations about the 'benefits' and maybe took the time to watch a few animated videos (none of which even remotely relevent to Peninsula bts). How many clicks would they go through to get to that map? <BR/><BR/>And the question - is the map useful? Its a question that's already been answered! Apparentley is was not useful at all, huh? Because otherwise why would everyone be so surprised?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-47683605741868948382009-03-22T19:10:00.000-07:002009-03-22T19:10:00.000-07:00@ BAR -oh come on. The only reason Altamont was st...@ BAR -<BR/><BR/>oh come on. The only reason Altamont was still in AB3034 at all is because it was the only way to secure enough Republican votes for the 2/3 majority in both houses required to even get it onto the ballot.<BR/><BR/>You're acting as if CHSRA wrote prop 1A all by itself in a vacuum. It wasn't their choice to word the proposition vaguely, it was your elected officials'.<BR/><BR/>Stop blaming everyone but yourself for not knowing what you were voting on. Your city failed to do the research or hire an independent analyst to do it for you. There were people who vigorously opposed prop 1A, but a majority of voters decided to approve it anyhow.<BR/><BR/>As for the handful of new homes that <A HREF="http://www.habitatsiliconvalley.org/openrosters/ViewOrgPageLink.asp?LinkKey=22429&orgkey=1651" REL="nofollow">Habitat for Humanity</A> just completed in San Jose (and those planned): a 2-minute check with Google maps reveals that none of those for which an address is provided is within 500ft of the preferred route for HSR.<BR/><BR/>Your newfound concern for those less fortunate than yourself is touching. Enjoy the foie gras from your freshly cooked goose.Rafaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05471957286484454765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-61024972278782379242009-03-22T18:20:00.000-07:002009-03-22T18:20:00.000-07:00Spokker, I would ask if that map were available be...Spokker, I would ask if that map were available before the vote, then WHY the deliberate vagueness of prop 1A, which said something like, -we want to investigate all these options for high speed rail including ALTAMONT?- Why not just say, the plan is chosen here is the map oh and by the way if your town is GREEN OR PURPLE be prepared for major disruptions thanks very much. Why not just say that? Well because, simply if they had said that it wouldn't have passed, you see.<BR/>Notice Simitians tentative tone? This HSR goose is cooked.<BR/>Habitat for Humanity has recently rebuilt some homes near the tracks in San Jose too!Bay Area Residenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15807091317788242756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-46849377164361799142009-03-22T15:58:00.000-07:002009-03-22T15:58:00.000-07:00Would this map have been helpful? It existed befor...Would this <A HREF="http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/google-map/" REL="nofollow">map</A> have been helpful? It existed before the election.Spokkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03244298044953214810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-28961660780209609172009-03-22T15:14:00.000-07:002009-03-22T15:14:00.000-07:00@ Resident -the real issue here is that planning o...@ Resident -<BR/><BR/>the real issue here is that planning officials in Palo Alto didn't do the research that voters pay them to do. This is only the biggest ever infrastructure project in state history running right through your downtown.<BR/><BR/>I don't expect every resident to wade through reams of documentation, but I do expect local planning professionals to do just that. Worst case, they should have hired an independent consultant to spend a couple of weeks digging up the information that pertains specifically to that city. And don't even try to tell me Palo Alto couldn't afford that.<BR/><BR/>If officials didn't do the legwork, shame on them. The documentation was published and CHSRA available for consultations. If they were aware of the retained fill embankment concept and failed to speak up, even more shame on them. They have much better knowledge of what local residents will and will not accept than CHSRA can reasonably be expected to have. It's their job to raise a red flag if one needs to be raised.<BR/><BR/>Officials in Atherton and Menlo Park did speak up. Perhaps not forcefully enough, but at least they did their job. Don't blame CHSRA for the failures of elected officials in <I>your</I> city. The authority is a bunch of bureaucrats, not a for-profit corporation with a sophisticated marketing organization. It should come as no surprise that their material, however well intentioned, takes some effort to process.Rafaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05471957286484454765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-64391501484196452532009-03-22T14:03:00.000-07:002009-03-22T14:03:00.000-07:00"No need for conspiracy theories here, CHSRA's con..."No need for conspiracy theories here, CHSRA's consultants picked that implementation option in order to keep the cost down." <BR/><BR/>True enough. Never attribute to malice, that which can be adquately explained by stupidity. No one put their calculators aside long enough to say - gee we're talking about running through 50 miles of neighborhoods - some very expensive, some very depressed already, school yards, parks, medical centers, and several small city's econoimically crucial down town areas. We WON'T get away with this for cheap, no matter how CHEAP I can draw it up on paper. <BR/><BR/>Nor did they consider even vaguely that the scale of a 4track 125+ train running through backyards and school yards on elevated walls - gee that is FAR out of proportion for anything they currently have, and will not be acceptable. Not even for a second did they try to apply logic or good judgement, they only tried to see what they could sneak through the process.<BR/><BR/>"The real problem here is that city officials in Palo Alto did not respond to that information with a "No way, Jose" well before the election." Uhm, No, the REAL problem here is that CHSRA grossly miscalculated by burying the relevent information in appendecies to 1200 page documents and didn't bother to go engage forthecomingly and proactively the effected communities with the full picture. Instead they DECIDED, to just passively and quietly throw it over the fence, hoping against all logic, that the communities would kind of stay asleep until the first jack hammers came in. And now that the cat is out of the bag, they are paying for that miscalculation. THAT's the real problem here.<BR/><BR/>LIke maybe I'll just throw this dog poop, and this used motor oil, over my fence into my neighbors backyard in the middle of the night, and maybe (if i'm lucky) he won't find it. And if he doesn't and his kid steps in it, or his garden gets poisoned or whatever, well, that's his fault! <BR/><BR/>However, if he'd like to PAY ME not to throw the crap over his fence, then maybe I can come up with some alternatives that won't blight him. But you know, that's all going to cost him a pretty penny. Thats HIS problem, not mine.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-46716051930399283592009-03-22T12:57:00.000-07:002009-03-22T12:57:00.000-07:00@Ben exaclty.So I wonder how many jobs could b...@Ben exaclty.<BR/><BR/>So I wonder how many jobs could be created if they put this facility in Merced. A lot I'm sure, and they will be good paying union jobs. Something a place like merced could really use. I hope they get it. It's a nice little town and they could do a lot with this type of stimulus.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-34765456242296222732009-03-22T12:53:00.000-07:002009-03-22T12:53:00.000-07:00noise and impact the environment more than any tra...<I>noise and impact the environment more than any train with their foul language and their graffiti and their drunk driving</I><BR/><BR/>Get off my lawn you little rascals!!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03190793286616071552noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-50091504748024918112009-03-22T12:49:00.000-07:002009-03-22T12:49:00.000-07:00Heres another school on the tracks, Bellarmine in ...Heres another school on the tracks, Bellarmine in San Jose. Unfortunately G maps doesn't street view exactly where the tracks bifurcate the field on Bellarmine, so I can't post that. But here, you get the idea. Right next door.<BR/>http://maps.google.com/maps?q=718+w+hedding+street+san+jose+ca&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ie=UTF8&split=0&gl=us&ll=37.345648,-121.918309&spn=0.007131,0.021029&z=16&iwloc=addr&layer=c&cbll=37.344017,-121.918328&panoid=Nqch0jv-TmP7E9eB-OF59g&cbp=12,133.88700357770531,,0,5Bay Area Residenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15807091317788242756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-21547151981136125682009-03-22T12:35:00.000-07:002009-03-22T12:35:00.000-07:00They aren't "children for god's sake they're teena...They aren't "children for god's sake they're teenagers and they more noise and impact the environment more than any train with their foul language and their graffiti and their drunk driving, precious things indeed. I went to school on an air force base during vietnam and had b52s cs and supersonic jets flying low over the school all day long everyday, and it didn't affect my ability to learn. If you are going to argue against the train, at least be honest about not wanting it because you are too special, spoiled and stuck up to have in your neighborhood and quit using the lame "what about the children argument".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-64787100071575728292009-03-22T11:59:00.000-07:002009-03-22T11:59:00.000-07:00yeson1a,its just that a few loud mouths (all 3 of ...yeson1a,<BR/><I>its just that a few loud mouths (all 3 of them) have made it a media event.</I><BR/><BR/>Simitian has heard from thousands of people which is why his tone has changed. Don't kid yourself. And if Palo Alto changes the composition of HSR in some way, every other city from San Mateo to San Jose will demand the same considerations. Some areas like San Jose will fall under environmental justice legislation as legally requiring the same treatment Palo Alto gets. Simitian is backing away from this hot potato, that is obvious in his tone. Of course all of this was predictable from day one.Bay Area Residenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15807091317788242756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-53247822854393959222009-03-22T11:27:00.000-07:002009-03-22T11:27:00.000-07:00joke of the day- San Jose is now considering THREE...joke of the day- San Jose is now considering THREE TRACKS to go through the windy south of Diridon area because the only way to straighten the tracks within the ROW is to cut down the number of tracks. The other option, taking houses is problematic from an environmental justice perspective south of Diridon. What will 3 tracks in that area do to this system? Incredible. The other related proposal is trenching into Diridon, coming in from an elevated track above 280.Bay Area Residenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15807091317788242756noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-55040180794543016222009-03-22T11:19:00.000-07:002009-03-22T11:19:00.000-07:00@ Jim -the height of the wall is an aesthetic issu...@ Jim -<BR/><BR/>the height of the wall is an aesthetic issue, but the impact on the school would come from noise. Palo Altans pay for their schools themselves rather than letting the state do it.<BR/><BR/>That gives them control over how the schools are run. High academic achievement levels translate to desirable real estate in the schools' catchment area. In other words, Palo Alto schools - especially Paly High - add at least $100k to value of every house in the whole town. That makes them extremely high-value properties and any proposal that someone fears might have a negative impact on academic performance immediately raises red flags.<BR/><BR/>The reason we're between a rock and a hard place now is that Palo Alto city officials didn't pipe up when they were informed about the plan to implement HSR as a retained fill embankment right next to Paly High, well before the election.<BR/><BR/>That said:<BR/><BR/>It is of course the town's decision to reject state money and pay for the schools out of local property taxes.<BR/><BR/>It was also the town's decision to build the school right next to an active railroad with horn blaring and bells ringing at the nearby Churchill Ave grade crossing - in addition to noise from road traffic.<BR/><BR/>It was the town's decision to expose generations of students to toxic exhaust fumes from diesel locomotives and motor vehicles on busy El Camino Real and Embarcadero Road.<BR/><BR/>And it is also the town's decision to keep the school right there rather than relocate it well away from the train tracks. For the children, you see.<BR/><BR/>No, Palo Altans would rather hold the whole state to ransom by forcing CHSRA to study a four-bore tunnel alignment just so some local developers get a chance to cash in on the air rights above.Rafaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05471957286484454765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-80076546650656948002009-03-22T11:06:00.000-07:002009-03-22T11:06:00.000-07:00Its nice to see people eager and excited about the...Its nice to see people eager and excited about the start of HSR and I hope the main train base is built at Castle and the CAHSR choice of ROW is the BNSF. I know that there are many people looking forward to HSR in Palo and the other Midcities, its just that a few loud mouths (all 3 of them) have made it a media event.Look even here in this thread..and thats what they want.. keep it in the spotlight.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-17079137659704038862009-03-22T11:03:00.000-07:002009-03-22T11:03:00.000-07:00@ BruceMcF -the retained fill embankment was selec...@ BruceMcF -<BR/><BR/>the retained fill embankment was selected in spring of 2007 so CHSRA could get a cost estimate for the mid-peninsula section, in the context of getting one for the whole route.<BR/><BR/>No need for conspiracy theories here, CHSRA's consultants picked that implementation option in order to keep the cost down. The real problem here is that city officials in Palo Alto did not respond to that information with a "No way, Jose" well before the election.<BR/><BR/>See <A HREF="http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/library/Default.aspx?ItemID=7220" REL="nofollow">here</A> (2D: Plans and Profiles + Cross sections: 1: Caltrain).<BR/><BR/>Note that Japanese planners went even further, deliberately underestimating the cost of the first shinkansen line in the hope that the electorate would eat the cost escalations ("in for a penny, in for a pound") and eventually come to see the investment as very worthwhile in spite of that. And, lo and behold, the ruse worked for them.<BR/><BR/>Then again, Japan had and has a very different political culture than California. If the failure to speak up was a deliberate ploy, it was a high-risk gambit.Rafaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05471957286484454765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-74856035327996076862009-03-22T10:50:00.000-07:002009-03-22T10:50:00.000-07:00Actually I like this structure. why not leave ca...Actually I like this structure. why not leave caltrain alone and just put this next to it. Simple, clean, effective, doesnt take up room.<BR/><BR/>http://www.schillerinstitute.org/graphics/photos/eco_strategic/maglev.jpgAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4263762637946594105.post-25073273048853240962009-03-22T10:43:00.000-07:002009-03-22T10:43:00.000-07:00The county should have stopped at the horse and bu...The county should have stopped at the horse and buggy stage since everyone is so offended by progress. Would some one please explain to me how a wall next to a playing field or school affects a students ability to learn. Christ when I was kid they used to drive through town spraying DDT and we'd run through the fog it created and in the summer we swam in ag run off canals. But the kids in PA can't learn because there's a wall in the neighborhood? Its just such total BS.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com