Vancouver-Seattle-Portland High-Speed Rail Study History and Amtrak Cascades Option

The history of high-speed rail studies relating to the Vancouver, Seattle, Portland corridor. It also discusses the existing option of the Amtrak Cascades train.
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[@eottoe2001]

I like the idea of the 250mph train but using existing tech to get everything from 125 to 150 like the Acela would work for me. With welded rails, concrete sleepers, over and underpasses, catenaries, upgraded signaling, etc. Yeah, I know it's high speed on the cheap, but it would be a great demonstration project to show what system-wide rail would look like for Amtrak. Let's keep in mind that a lot of European high-speed rail isn't going that much faster, i.e., 200kpm is only 125mph. ;-)

[@Highspeedrailcanada1]

Makes sense.

[@Ryanwright914]

High-speed hopes

[@davidjackson7281]

Obviously after 30 years of countless studies the fantasy of HSR will never happen in the PNW. Not enough population to support the necessary ridership. Best to hope for enough financing for a semi-high speed system to replace the super slow Cascades train.

[@Highspeedrailcanada1]

Makes sense, I hope the Cascade route can be sped up in some incremental way to reduce travel times.

[@daveholden782]

Have you driven the I-5 lately? I always hear naysayers saying that HSR won't work because of low population bases. I just experienced rush hour in Bellingham. This did not exist when they first studied HSR in the corridor. Imagine how congested we'll be in another 20 years as they think and think and think.People want reasonably priced, fast alternatives. They will use this. For once, we need to build for the future, not just the present, or the past. It's cheaper to build now than in the future if you incorporate inflation. But we'll talk and talk until the entire corridor is developed, then nothing. Progress in North America!

[@Highspeedrailcanada1]

​@@daveholden782 hopefully they will have short and long term plans.

[@davidjackson7281]

@@daveholden782Yes too much think and think and talk and talk with no constructive action. The few Amtrak Cascade daily trains from SEA to PDX take 3:25 averaging 55 mph on a 187 mile route. Yes, a Cascadia HSR would be great but l feel it's more than really needed. There are now about 2200 daily riders. There are now a lot of remote workers so demand is down. Cascadia at $40+ B and building on curving terrain may not be so feasible. They say a one hour trip but with station stops it would be 1:30. An alternative approach would be to upgrade the tracks where possible to 125 mph speeds at a much lower cost. Hour headways for 125 mph diesel trains could average 75 mph for a speedy 2:30 ride. Faster than cars and better than planes.

[@PaulLangan]

@@davidjackson7281 thanks for your comments.