California HSR Construction Package 4 Drone Flyover!
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- čas přidán 30. 10. 2021
- This is an overview of the southern portion of the under-construction high speed rail line in California. Construction began in 2016 and it is expected to be complete in 2022.
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This is quite possibly my first youtube comment in 8 years as I never comment but I wanted to say that I really appreciate you doing these videos. From what I can tell CAHSR has questionable outreach but your videos with your amazing footage and commentary make the progress tangible and give me strong faith that I (and everyone else!) will be able to ride true high speed rail in the US before too long.
Plus, I'm a strong believer that once the dream of SF to LA in 3 hours becomes reality, people will come and it will be successful and inspire more HSR projects in the US. Can't wait!
Thank you very much! I agree with your sentiments and I can’t wait to ride it myself!
@Zaydan Naufal For sure, I was going to mention that in my original comment but I liked the conciseness too much.
Looks like BART extension to Diridon is theoretically going to be completed at a similar time as CAHSR phase 1, Caltrain electrification before, and SF Muni central subway project perhaps next year, hopefully giving us a true ring around the bay. Not as familiar with LA area but my understanding (largely thanks to this channel!) is that they have lots of upgrades in the plans/works too (probably partly due to 2028 olympics.) So while CA public transport will probably remain mediocre by worldly standards even when CAHSR opens, it'll hopefully be a noticeable improvement compared to now.
Well, let's be realistic, what is currently being built is only 171 mile of single track between Merced and Bakersfield. This is not 3 hours SF to LA.
@@drscopeify I'm aware. They still need to get environmental clearance for much of the rest (and funding, lots of it).
@@drscopeify baby steps. They need to build this part anyways for SF to LA
Assessing the entire CAHSR system from LA to SF, the Central Valley portion, although the longest stretch, seams to be the simplest. Even though there are may be hundreds of grade separations, the land is open to making these adjustments relatively simple. However, the urban areas of SF/ SJ and the LA basin property is much more developed, expensive and legally competitive. As well, the two tunnels cuts of Pacheco Pass between Los Banos and Gilroy, along with the cut between Lancaster and San Fernando parallel to Highway 14 will be more technically difficult than laying track in the wide open Central Valley. Never the less looking forward to completion of this project so that I can enjoy the many recreational activities available in the SF Bay Area.
They should set up a donation system for people who care about the project to donate to keep it going. I don't even live in California but this project needs to succeed for the sake of HSRs future in the IS. Brightline is important too and I'm very excited about it but it is more of a half measure than the more full scale HSR in this project in California.
Lol I’m sure we’d get some donations but there’s a lot of foamers even that have been brainwashed into hating this project…smh
I personally think that donation systems to fund projects can work. Besides, even if CHSR has been going through a tough couple of months (or years) I believe it can still be built and finished. HSR is still a better solution than Hyperloop, which is something that Elon Musk won't ever understand. He says that trains are "too slow". Well, Shinkansen? Intercity Express? TGV? Hello? What will a tube with a 0% survival rate in case of a crash that can hold... What 6 people? Any better than a High Speed Train? Or any train?
Thank you for documenting and putting some tangible evidence of all the construction! The HSRA should be paying you for this. It's so well done. I can't imagine how many drone batteries you go through.
Will be really interesting to see how this footages ages as the project comes along.
Thank you for all your great work! About abandoned fields: Some fields have become unproductive due to salinization. On the West side of the San Joaquin valley, this is a more common problem and areas have been abandoned. The water used for irrigation carries some salts, which accumulate in the soil when the water evaporates in place rather than drains to the sea.
Another video! Love seeing the process on the ground from the tracks & from the drone!
Thanks a lot!
Love these videos!!! Can't wait to see what it'll look like in 2023.
Me too!
as always, CAHSR needs to hire you for public affairs. For real. Great content.
There's a lot of haters for this project ( and I get it, its expensive and its taking time). But its still farther along than any other True HSR project in the US. Texas Central is still in planning stages and they haven't done any Land buying or construction.
For sure lol. Thanks!
Dude you do such a great job on these videos thank you so much for your service to the train nerd community
Good luck with that. Texas Central Railroad will be running high speed Shinkansen trainsets between Dallas and Houston by 2026.
9:54 Just as he's describing closing 6th street for safety reasons, a cement truck rushes up to try to beat the train, and has the crossing gates close behind it. Nuf said.
Great video, thanks John.
Thanks!
Thank you for all of your hard work
Thanks! I'm glad you liked it!
Fantastic. Just fantastic update and video.
Thanks!
I guess the time in between the uploads is worth it for this awesome content.
also how did you get your cam on the viewliner?
@@breenseaturtlegaming9990 Due to BNSF axle requirements, 28 axles are needed to activate crossings, hence the Comaro in front of the California Cars
Another GREAT VIDEO! Thank you, and yes, please add your footage of the completed HSR projects from your train ride.
Thanks! I’ll definitely make it
Awesome job
Thank you!
Thanks for the video enjoyed it very much
I have a question: if they’re rebuilding a road in a grade separation road bridge, then why is the high-speed rail authority not billing Caltrans for the road work?
Inter-governmental funding issues are incredibly complex (and often fairly petty) so the simplest answer I can give is that if the HSR tracks weren’t being built, then Caltrains wouldn’t need a bridge there. Additionally, the vast majority of these grade separations are county roads, and counties (particularly Kings) have no interest in dumping millions of dollars into county roads that are barely paved for the same reason…
It’s the same around the world, whatever agency wants the change has to pay for all the work, and if there’s an opportunity to get someone to pay for extra then they try that too. Some of those grade separations will be for more lanes than exist etc. not a cent from cal trans and their potential future upgrade project is way cheaper.
And sometimes the funding things are extremely petty with different teams trying to shift cost onto some other teams budget. Recently there was a really basic cycleway project in my area. “Cycleway project” in big quotes, that redid all of the street drainage, repaved 4 car lanes, relaid every utility, changed the superelevation of the road etc. all for 200 meters of 2 m wide separated bike lanes.
Yes lol
Caltrans don't control the money. It is not even a state highway. So any improvement unless it is already a planned project will need to be funded by the agency that wanted it.
Thanks, great answers
thank you for the video
Are we going to ignore the cement truck that got stuck on the wrong side of the crossing barrier at 10:06? I know realistically its not in any danger but its still funny.
It is funny lol
The funny thing is that he was not stuck between the barriers but the train was driving forward before the gates went down and blocking it
Your CP4 video is great! I would appreciate more of the San Joaquin footage if you can find time to put it up.Just a note . Here in CP1where l live. The HSR right of way is built up about 5 feet above grade.Thanks . Keep up the good work.
Thanks a lot!
Any plans for an update on how construction is proceeding in the near future? Your videos and narrative are outstanding. Thank you
I would love to see the entire SJ video! Great job as always!
Will do, thanks!
Another great video. Please show a compass heading so we know, at a glance, which direction we are heading. Tule is pronounced, toolee. Tule fog is really a drag in the winter, especially after it rains. I grew up in Merced. There were some days, the tule fog was so thick, I literally could not see my hand in front of my face. Needless to say, there were often fatal accidents.
It is so important to make all roads cross at above, or below, grade, but never at grade. It is expensive, but this is because of the environment we choose to live in.
Have you considered presenting your longer videos at Premieres? Your audience can live chat with each other while watching the video for the first time. It is a very popular way to present the video : - )
That’s a good idea, I should definitely try it!
CHSR should pay you some of their PR budget
Great video as usual! I'm curious, why is cast in place used for so many of the structures on this project? I'd expect some cost savings could be achieved using pre-cast.
I’m guessing it all comes down to seismic regulations at the end of the day. All of the bridges that use precast girders seem to row at near perpendicular angles, which allows for a shorter span.
With cast-in-place you can create longer and/or thinner spans.
The Peach avenue viaduct deck is a single piece of concrete that took 14 hours to pour.
The deck is then post-tensioned with steel cables, making it strong but thin.
A thicker deck would require more costly, higher, longer, wider ramps which could also create more land acquisition costs or complications.
Precast girders are preferred when crossing BNSF because they can be put in place overnight during a short maintenance window.
As for seismic concerns, what does Japan do and is that less expensive? (If i understand Shinkansen history it too was headed way overbudget until a key person stepped in and demanded cost savings.)
Build California High Speed Rail from San Francisco to Los Angeles and Anaheim.
Shut up bot
Sorry
@@miles5600 rude
Salut, bravo pour tes posts
Please tell me there's a plan to keep these guys working past April lol. Makes no sense to lay them off when Shafter to Bakersfield still needs to be built.
Great to see the construction progress. I think that the track will be a success. Here in Germany, the Stuttgart - Ulm route will be our next high-speed railline. The entire length of the line is under construction. The 60 km long route is scheduled to be completed in December 2022. On this route, only 250 km/h are to be driven for the time being, but it is structurally designed for 320 km/h. How fast will you be driven?? Greetings from Berlin/ Germany. Sven
Awesome! At first the line will run at 300 km/h and will be upgraded as the line is built out beyond Merced and Bakersfield to 355 km/h.
@@TheFourFoot Thanks
Kern county local, really looking forward to having HSR near me. Sometimes I get nervous that it won't end up happening though. You seem to be one of the more confident CZcams train guys that believe that it will happen. Have you made a video about the specifics and all the numbers and building plans and all that laying out why this will go through?
Love the videos. How do you get video on top of a train??
Lot of those fallow fields next to the tracks could be handy for collocated solar generation... I wonder what the total power requirements for the system will be at capacity.
I love this video. It's great. Just have one criticism. It needs to have a good clear schematic map at the beginning and end, showing the whole project from LA the SF, and what specific part we are seeing.
Thanks a lot. Your uploads are so well done, video and narration. Are there any sections of the HSR that are close to land subsidence? (Sorry, no money) Nov. 2, 2021. St. Joseph, MO.
Sorry if this has been answered before, but why are new road overpasses built offset to their current alignment (causing a permanent curvature in the road)? Wouldn't it make more sense to curve the temporary road and then build the overpass in alignment with the current road?
Of course they just *had* to get a road-widening project in there 🙄
Whatever, this rail line will make up for it I guess.
Pretty much lol
How high are the intrusion barriers? Will tge view be obstructed bythe barrier?
I wonder why a lot of the grade crossings cannot be precast sections ?
5:57 except for those determined enough to walk 100 yards to their left or right to the nearest wildlife underpass
Sorry if you already answered this but where did they get all the dirt to build those embankments?
Will this only be single track? Also amazed that this will take another 7 or so years. Will there be anything operational before then?
That was interesting cab ride footage from the Amtrak train. I'm assuming that it was taken inside the train car with the camera directly on the window, correct? It was so clear that it looked like that camera was outside, but I'm sure that would be pretty hard to do and plus you'd have to ask for permission.
Yes that was looking out the front window of a superliner coach
I've got a question, cuz I cannot tell if this memory is a fever dream or something. I vaguely remember when the Obama admin released federal funds for the CAHSR that there was some stipulation that the construction starts in underinvested areas. Was that actually a thing or am I misremembering something
board meeting says CP-4 is near competition. will you take a new one when its done?
After watching your CP 2/3 video, I have to admit that it was a little depressing to see how slow work has been on that section. Now seeing CP4, I can say that there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel for the project as a whole. It is also interesting to see the different construction methods throughout the entire project, as the CAHSRA seems to be learning as they go in regards to how to design and build the line out.
I definitely feel you. I’m sure that the authority has learned an awful lot about building HSR indeed lol
I totally support HSR, but I have to ask, is it overbuilt? Compared to the freight ROW and the road ROW, could the right of ways be narrower? The viaducts shorter or simpler? Road overpasses seem too longand high. Underpasses instead of overpasses? What should it cost and why does it cost so much more? See also for comparison the CZcams videos on the Brightline construction in Florida.
Yeah, I know about Brightline, I made my own video on it lol. As far as the height of grade separations, the bridges have to be at least 27 feet high to clear the electrified catenary and due to American highway engineering standards, that means each grade separation is going to be large. Underpasses aren’t feasible in most locations because the valley is so flat that the underpasses will flood, meaning any underpasses that are built will have to be accompanied with sewer drains. It’s not really fair to directly compare this project to Brightline or most HSR systems around the world because it’s really an apples to oranges comparison. The US had taken its own approach to land use and road building and any transit/hsr line has to conform to it. Brightline on the other hand will travel at much lower speeds and it benefits from an incredibly straight freeway already existing in almost a direct path between the FEC and MCO. California HSR doesn’t have such a straight freeway connecting the Central Valley cities and the San Joaquin valley is much more built up compared to the area Brightline travels through.
@@TheFourFoot sad you didn’t make an “almonds to oranges” comparison
Any updates coming?
Are they going to let the San joaquin's use the right-of-way before the full electric trains are up and running?
How in the hell was it a better idea to build that huge pergola flyover than to raise the existing rail so the new one can pass underneath. Then they could have put pillars between the HSR tracks if needed and not needed so much formed structure?
The section may be completed in 2022, but there wont be any tracks or power systems. The trains are at least 3 years away.
Yes lol
I would like to see a video from the San Joaquins train.
Question: When does an inland sea become a lake, because I have heard that the south end of the valley had a large lake? East of the Sierra Nevada mountains is the basin and range where some of the basins contain lakes. I realize that you are not a geologist, I just never heard of the valley ever being an inland sea.
You are correct, I am definitely not a geologist, and honestly I just guessed by the shape and geology of the valley that it was once under water, but here’s what wikipedia has to say lol:
The San Joaquin Valley began to form about 66 million years ago during the early Paleocene era. Broad fluctuations in the sea level caused various areas of the valley to be flooded with ocean water for the next 60 million years. About 5 million years ago, the marine outlets began to close due to uplift of the coastal ranges and the deposition of sediment in the valley. Starting 2 million years ago, a series of glacial episodes periodically caused much of the valley to become a fresh water lake. Lake Corcoran was the last widespread lake to fill the valley about 700,000 years ago. At the beginning of the Holocene there were three major lakes remaining in the southern part of the Valley, Tulare Lake, Buena Vista Lake and Kern Lake. In the late 19th and in the 20th century, agricultural diversion of the Kern River eventually dried out these lakes. Today, only a fragment of Buena Vista Lake remains as two small lakes Lake Webb and Lake Evans in a portion of the former Buena Vista Lakebed.
7:55 will intermodal trains be able to fit under it?
Most definitely. BNSF runs a lot of intermodal trains on this line.
Overall, would you say in your opinion they’re on track or behind schedule?
State of California. Not the role model for punctuality and frugality.
Well I think it’s fair to say that getting trains running by 2029 is a stretch, and I’m worried that CP 2-3 may have some project not completed by the end of 2023, but more or less the project is on track to be ready for track/systems construction to begin in 2024. That’s of course if the CA legislature provides funding next year to expand the ROW construction to Merced and Bakersfield. So, it’s complicated lol…
If so much of the right-of-way is built up 10-15 feet, and it seems (relatively) simple to build a viaduct over roadways, why do they seem to go out of their way to build up certain roads to go over the HSR?
I think I mischaracterized the elevation of the ROW. I believe the majority of the ROW is elevated between 5 and 10 feet above grade, and automobile grade separations cost less to construct.
The HSR build standard is that top-of-rail should be 2 feet above the 100 year flood level, that is why the track is on a berm in flood-prone areas.
A road that crossed under the rail berm in a shallow trench would be susceptible to flooding.
The winning contractor for CP4 did replace 3 road over-crossings with under-crossings:
"While the preliminary design shows Garces Highway, Pond Road and
Peterson Road going over the HSR alignment, [ our alternative proposal ] raises the HSR alignment so that it passes over these three roadways using a U-section structure. This reverse stacking reduces the amount of earthwork by nearly one million cubic yards since fill needed for the HSR alignment to go over the roadways is considerably less than the alternative due to difference in the minimum vertical clearance requirements - 27 feet for roadways over the HSR versus 15 feet for the HSR over roadways"
You can see one of those innovative (for California) U-section bridges at 25:41 . The bridge deck is a thin slab supported by tall vertical side walls.
Yes.
What kind of train car are you on?
A superliner 1
@@TheFourFoot did you put the camera on the roof or something?
No, that’s looking out the window of the door on the end of the car. The car in front was a Horizon coach.
I should add that a Superliner is a two floor car, but a Horizon coach has only one floor. The inter-car doors do not align, so one cannot go between the two cars. The Superliner door rises above the Horizon coach roof and, as usual, the door has a window. The window is accessible to any passenger and the door is of course locked.
Build California High Speed Rail from San Francisco to Los Angeles.
Also San Diego and Sacramento!
Done by 2050? 2075?
Build California High Speed Rail from Sacramento to San Diego.
I hope that they wil make underpasses for animals since to stop a high speed train will take ..........
How come so little subscribers to this channel ??
Eh, passenger rail construction videos are pretty niche lol
This wonderful project should get funds from the newly passed Biden infrastructure bill. It will reduce car emissions and help the planet.
I just don't see the ridership from Fresno to Merced to justify the costs. Who is going to ride the HSR between the two cities? UC Merced or Fresno State folks? I have taken the maglev train in Shanghai, HSR in China, and the bullet train (aka Shinkansen) in Japan. They have the ridership in Asia and we don't. I am a huge train fan but the HSR in CA will never generate any positive revenue for the CA gov. On the other hand, WSP is probably making decent money with this project. I just hope the HSR will survive in a major earthquake and land subsidence in the Central Valley.
Nonetheless, thanks for the nice flyover video. It is easy to see the toe, the ROW take (and the lack of), and the alignment.
It's going to go between SF/Sacramento-LA/Anaheim
When you show bridges sometimes it looks like they're single-tracked
As far as I can tell, all of the structures are being built to support 2 tracks, even though there will be a significant amount of single track according to the current business plan.
@@TheFourFoot There will be single-track? That's very short-sighted I'd think :( where is the single-track planned?
For much of the line between Bakersfield and Merced. This is only an interim plan based on existing funding to launch day 1 service. If more money is allocated to the project, this will likely change.
@@TheFourFoot I assume much like in Florida on Brightline, all is built to accommodate a second track must there ever be demand for it in the future right?
You bet!
Nice video documenting the progress of Cali HSR. Looks like in spots that the right of way isn't wide enough for more than 1 track. all the ads show multiple tracks.
The CAHSR project was approved in 2008 and looks like the 380mile line might even be up and running by 2023 - Meanwhile in China 38,000km of World Class HSR has be constructed since 2008. China's HSR Network crosses into the Deserts of Xinjiang up to the foothills of the Himalaya Mountains and down to the Tropical Island of Hainan - HSR in the Peoples Republic connects 100's of Cities and is used by 100's of Millions of people. These massive infrastructure projects were completed on budget and in time.
How long till the USA catches up with China??
Never.
Construction started in 2015
And China doesn’t have to deal with lawsuit and land acquisition
@@darthmaul216 or eco-warriors/EPA ;)
Metric please.
The fencing is nice but does add unnecessary cost. Especially in the middle of fields. Also dividing towns by removing roads across the tracks sucks from an urbanism perspective.
Those towns were already pretty unwalkable “from an urbanism perspective.” Completely decentralized with large suburban yards. The only real transportation out there is cars, so if it’s walking from on side to the other that is your concern, it already was a pretty unappealing for of transportation in the first place. Not to mention the safety concerns with railroad crossings.
Hitting a deer a 220mph can do a lot of damage ( to the train ).
Deer are attracted to rail tracks looking for iron dust as a dietary supplement.
"this is much more on budget"......$450 to $639 million is a 40+% increase!!!
Much less than some of our bridge and highway increases, that's why the sigh of relief at is not being *SO* bad.
@@TohaBgood2 Please don't be ignorant. Why don't you listen to what the video publisher said at the 16 minute mark. I have never posted complaints about this project, although lots are warranted. I have always supported this project, but when government projects keep going WAY above and beyond the design-build contract, somethings is very wrong. People like you are why we have hyper inflation....just keep printing money and not holding anyone accountable so these types of things don't keep repeating themselves. Please take your head out of your rear end and do some actual research for once.
@@TohaBgood2 Stop talking for the sake of talking, because you just said a whole lot of nothing with regards to cost overruns on a design-build government contract. Typical response from an uninformed individual who responds to comments with questions, trying to make themselves sound like they know more than they do. The only one who needs to do more research it you, because providing the example of land acquisitions, or lack thereof, for the outrageous overruns is asinine. Why don't you go research Tuter-Perini design-build contract lawsuits with regards to change orders.
I know that they want to cut construction cost but high speed train shouldn't run on the grand level. Its easy to anyone to sabotage the operation. And if freight train derailed(which happens a lot in US), it will knock out concrete wall and it will be disaster. Too much rain fall will wash away dirt under the gravel. I just saying.