3 responses to “Elevated Concern”

1. jennifer

   October 26, 2012

   I agree. Once that structure is up, there is a real concern that it will stay up; look at Belmont- they don’t want their aerial alignment, but that is what they will be stuck with whether 2 or 4 tracks. There have been no assurances that this will remain a two track system on the Peninsula, and not grow to a 4 track one. It is all conjecture and empty promises.
   Since there is likely only enough funding for one grade separation of the least expensive sort in San Mateo County, wouldn’t it be ironic if the city of San Mateo, having agreed to passing tracks in exchange for grade separation, actually gets this funding, instead? Then we will be in quite a pickle, having shown our cards early, indicating deviation from Burlingame’s longstanding opposition to an aerial structure.

2. Poppy Guy

   October 30, 2012

   Also, I thought a problem with having above grade going to grade or below grade was difficult to do in such a short distance. In other words, a train going at over 100mph can’t easily track up and down elevation for grades above and below so quickly.
   The city’s acceptance of an above grade solution at Broadway seems like either a no-go from the start, or acceptance of more extensive raised option. I’ll gladly take the no-go scenario…

3. jennifer

   October 31, 2012

   In the very early days of this debacle (about 3 years ago) the consultants working for HSR were considerably more forthright with information (probably the loose lips was not seen as an asset by those who had hired them). When they didn’t know something, (which unfortunately was often) they said so. On occasion they’d get back to members of the public, though frequently did not, probably because there was so much that was unknown. As irritating as that was, with Caltrain joined at the hip with HSR, there is yet another layer to decipher. I do recall several instances at those first meetings, where HSR consultants said it was not possible for a high speed train (120 mph? 180 mph? not sure) to go up and down within short distances. I assume they said this because either it is not possible to engineer that way, or it is undesirable. Since the option to eventually run HSR through the Peninsula has not been (and likely, will not be) removed from the table, we should assume that they will be looking to design something that can also eventually accommodate higher speeds than Caltrain.
   Another mystery is that many of us saw huge drilling devices taking samples around the station, presumably for soil testing or the like, to find out how realistic it would be to dig a trench or construct a tunnel. These were probably pretty expensive undertakings, but I’m not sure what was discovered or where this information was recorded.