$3 billion in funding secured for Brightline West high-speed rail from So Cal to Las Vegas. Funds come from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. By 2028! Hahhaahhahahhaaaaaaaaaaaahahhahhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahha (www.ktnv.com)

submitted 11 months ago by InevitableSwing@hexbear.net to c/urbanism@hexbear.net

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I just learned about this a few minutes ago.

Sen. Rosen also says the initial goal of opening by 2028 — just in time for the U.S. Summer Olympics in Los Angeles — is still on track.

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[-] impartial_fanboy@hexbear.net 6 points 11 months ago

which is why you're going to see a lot of Brightline trains flexing on and pixelating drivers in FL

They're already up to 100. Love when a company gets away with social murder, but I guess the PR is bad enough they're trying to fix the most egregious grade crossings. Fortunately Brightline West is fully grade-separated so it shouldn't be an issue.

But yeah especially if Amtrak or whoever started doing overnight sleeper trains for those upgraded 8-12 hour, 1000-1500 mile trips (even just to 120mph) I think they'd really be able to really put a dent into number of flights between the cities even though it's not 'traditionally' viable.

[-] spectre@hexbear.net 8 points 11 months ago

It's important to note that in the AP analysis "none of the deaths have been found to be Brightline’s fault," citing suicides, drivers going around crossing gates and pedestrians running across tracks.

Just like the other poster, I'm all for dunking on private companies, but calling it "social murder" to have a train line is a big stretch here. I don't take the AP at their word on a lot of things, but I don't even need their input to know that trains are extremely predictable, and easy to be safe around as long as the crossings are in working order. There's no evidence of dangerous crossings or faulty equipment in this article (happy to see it, if you have it).

[-] impartial_fanboy@hexbear.net 8 points 11 months ago

but calling it "social murder" to have a train line is a big stretch here.

Nah. They explicitly cheaped out on grade separating the line, only doing the absolute bare minimum. They have the highest per mile death rate of all 821 railroads in the country. What is that other than social murder?

[-] spectre@hexbear.net 4 points 11 months ago

I know "play stupid games, win stupid prizes" is chud shit, but Im not very sympathetic to people getting hit by a train in most circumstances. They're easy to be safe around if the crossing guards aren't faulty. If it were a bus I'd feel bad. If a driver gets passengers killed, I feel bad. Trying to run crossing gates and beat a train is idiocy. Suicide is a social problem and has little to do with the train.

[-] wtypstanaccount04@hexbear.net 4 points 11 months ago

I actually used to agree until I started looking at the crossings. FDOT is one of the worst DOTs in the states for safety and the railroad crossings are no exception. Here's an example of one of these railroad crossings.