Red State HSR : 10 Improbable High Speed Rail Projects

[@-Katastrophe]

Bass pro shop Sphinx HSR station, let's go!

[@LucidStew]

I wish I'd thought of that for the video. XD

[@elicarlson7682]

More like the Memphis Pyramid Bass Pro Shops

[@Db_traveler]

This episode added a lot to your future HSR network. Curious to see an overall map of the videos you’ve made to see what gaps remain.

[@wintermath3173]

He should do an annual recap video with a map!

[@alhollywood6486]

Renders keep getting better, great job Stew!👍

[@MetroChamp]

Can we do this instead of WW3?

[@gumbyshrimp2606]

bro we are closer to WW3 than we’ve been since the 80’s Trump is going to de-escalate.

[@thedapperdolphin1590]

@@gumbyshrimp2606”Deescalate” aka capitulate to Putin

[@tonyburzio4107]

Unfortunately, the United States doesn't get any input.

[@PuNicAdbo]

Approved by Germany

[@UncleSamFreedom]

​@@gumbyshrimp2606only thing he is going to do is make America Russian puppet. He himself is Putin's puppet already

[@gompye1834]

As a resident Lexington KY teenager, I would gladly pay 3k dollars for hsr. Thats what a year and a half of car insurance would cost me. Also there was a Lexington, Louisville, Cincinnati hsr feasibility study in 1999 which is rather interesting.

[@fischerfys0958]

We just have to appease the ego, call it the "trump train" and may actually get some momentum!

[@natehill8069]

The key to rail achieving high speed is minimizing the number of stops. The key to getting political approval is maximizing the number of stops.

[@LucidStew]

A sobering point and true just about everywhere in the U.S.

[@Crowsalesman]

Another red state high speed rail line is a Louisiana line between New Orleans and Shreveport via Baton Rouge.

[@LucidStew]

I was briefly looking at running Dallas-Little Rock through Shreveport. Kind of tough routing through there. At least between is mostly bottomland.

[@shere-khansmoot644]

Being from WV, I greatly appreciate hearing you take a crack at pronouncing Kanawha and Hurricane 😂 Thanks for trying your hand at getting HSR in the metro valley!

[@shere-khansmoot644]

For the curious, or uninitiated, Kanawha (Kuh-na-wuh) is the textbook pronunciation, but is pronounced “Kuh-nah”. Hurricane is actually “Hurr-i-kuhn”. Most other pronunciations make it obvious your not local 😅

[@seantroy3172]

@@shere-khansmoot644 so the second "a" is silent? lol

[@AmericanRailClub]

Loving this stuff, man! Presentation, renders, calculations, you got it down pat!

[@LucidStew]

Thank you! I'm trying to continue to push on quality and tech, so hopefully it will continue to improve further

[@PhilHug1]

I like the Idaho one. Seems like it would be very useful

[@TheMevGuyTV]

New Lucid Stew video dropped on my birthday, sweet!

[@LucidStew]

Happy Birthday!

[@WilliamCarterII]

I mean there are all good. We could do some kind of new deal thing again where we do massive infrastructure projects

[@adambubble73]

Red states are the antithesis of this though

[@WilliamCarterII]

@@adambubble73 We cannot act like blue States are good at this kind of thing. Lol. In La they canceled brt lines because Democrats didn't want buses passing through in dedicated lanes

[@de-fault_de-fault]

Did you include the cost of adding truck nuts to each American Pioneer 220 set?

[@LucidStew]

seems like a minimal expense, although we'd want them pretty big on our red state trains

[@timnewman1172]

The Lincoln to Omaha route would be great as conventional service, but terminate at Union Station downtown... Omaha-Council Bluffs IA is currently developing a streetcar line that would connect downtown.

[@mattisbadateverything]

Additionally thy could build a street car route from the millwork commons south on tenth street to the zoo and have a connection at Durham or Burlington station.

[@ericepperly9517]

I like Stews news. The cost is always more than projected because every little detail isn't accounted for. Lessons learned from CHSR be fully financed and be able to purchase all the properties, don't let contractors price gouge. Like brightline west supposed to cost $13 billion but I imagine it will be closer to $50 billion.

[@robertwalsh1724]

Thanks!

[@LucidStew]

Thank you! The first mission to Vegas is next week and UE5 crashed on me a dozen times making the last video due to lack of video memory, so I'm very much looking forward to a more capable, dedicated rendering computer.

[@MinecraftWarrior22]

Louisville Lexington HSR could work reasonably well as Lexington hosts University of Kentucky and Louisville has a large population. It could facilitate the transportation of students for holidays or weekends between the two cities. There are also a fair few sport venues in both destinations that could see an increase in ridership if last mile transit solutions are implemented.

[@ezekielcarsella]

Charleston, SC to Savannah would be such an upgrade on the current Silver Meteor/Palmetto 2 hour service currently! Combined with the currently being built Bus Rapid Transit alignment, Charleston could have a bright future!

[@LibertyTroopers]

Been waiting so long for the Lincoln to Omaha line as a Lincolnite, hope it's in my lifetime

[@TheWarrior1256]

Fantastic video, Stew!

[@kosboot]

Of all of them the Nebraska one seems the most economically sensible. I have a friend from Memphis. He considered Nashville too far to visit. So why doesn't your route start at Little Rock and go through Memphis to Nashville?

[@Daveomabegin]

Thank you for showing Omaha some love! 😍

[@LucidStew]

A certain viewer, who shall remain nameless, has been encouraging it for about 2 years now. I finally caved.

[@mukundhashok8486]

Honestly even if NC is a red state, I could see HSR or rail projects being built in the state, We have Dems on state offices but republicans in the legislature, and they've approved of the S-Line project between Richmond VA and Raleigh, NC so there's a bonus to that!

[@NoirMorter]

I was surprised to see the Nebraska one but as someone that lives their I can tell you this is much needed. Especially during game day. Fixing the last mile problem at both ends of your proposed line would be great! Extending the city's Light rail (being built now) to the station plus a dedicated line to Epley would wrap things up nicely. For the AK to TN one, there needs to be a dedicated freight line out of Little rock the traffic leaving is nothing but 18 wheelers! An HSR would make normal people visiting the city much better! Funny, most of the places in the video I've been to in the past decade. For the ND route there is a possibility of stopping at a reservation area that the residents there would be appreciative of.

[@RailMan102_Productions]

I feel like for the routes that have an average speed of around 125mph or below, such as Lincoln to Omaha and Louisville to Lexington. You could still use the Amtrak Siemen trains since there top speed is 125mph.

[@LucidStew]

Ultimately 200mph over 30-40 miles doesn't get you much, although some of these it doesn't save you much to kneecap it, either. 125mph electric would be cheaper to operate vs. 200... and the vast majority of these are more like regional rail anyway. However, there is an argument to be made for a 125mph secondary network linked to a high speed trunk network. HSR is sexier than Class 7 diesel-electric. A ton of money on dedicated class 7 lines for Amtrak seems like a tough sell. As it is, the train of the future is a compromise Class 6 that's going to average 75mph. Perhaps perspectives will change when CAHSR or Brightline West are running.

[@esspeetwentytwo]

17:07 how about a Pioneer HSR video that goes from Seattle to SLC via Yakima, Tri Cities, and Twin Falls?

[@LucidStew]

Sounds pretty involved. There might be Seattle-Spokane in an equivalent Blue State video as a consolation prize.

[@vincentgrinn2665]

great video as always its probably abit silly but id be really interested to see a video of a single route and see how much the geometry and cost change as you push it for a higher average speed so many of your routes slow down a lot to make tight turns, because thats the practical thing to do. but just how much does it take to increase the average speed higher, just how much bigger is the turning radius of trains at higher speeds

[@LucidStew]

minimum curve radius at 110mph is about 3.5 times less than 220mph. It depends on the space, but sometimes more than a mile may as well be a straight line.

[@gemini-007]

Yes, Cheyenne WY to Casper WY. We should do it. 100%

[@timnewman1172]

The North Dakota route works if you extend it to Winnipeg Manitoba...

[@jonathanwoods3136]

Give me the Louisville Lexington Cincinnati triangle and all should be very happy. With possible connections via Cincinnati to Dayton, Columbus, etc… or Indy via a Louisville Cincinnati triangle as well. Please please please let this happen.

[@wintermath3173]

Not all deep red, but I'd love to see your take on HSR from Martinsburg, West Virginia to Washington DC. There's rail there today, but peak direction only and quite slow. It could be extended southward to Winchester, VA or westward to connect more places in West Virginia with the opportunities to the east.

[@seantroy3172]

While some of these are indeed very improbable and not the best choices if we were serious about building out a true HSR network, just for some perspective about the costs, the combined total of all of these projects PLUS Texas Central and Charlotte to Atlanta is only $110B. For reference that is 13% of the *annual* budget we spend on the US military. We far and away have the resources to make these projects happen, especially considering you don't need to pay that $110B up front. If we assume the construction period of each of these projects is 5 years that's $22B annually. As some others have said, if it takes calling it the Trump Train to make it happen... all aboard!

[@RailMan102_Productions]

If Amtrak was running on it's own line I feel like it would make it much easier for excursion trains like NKP 765 and N&W 611 to be able to run on the Mainline. Then that policy that Amtrak put in I think in 2018 wouldn't be necessary anymore. Like this would be another reason why I want High-Speed Rail to be built.

[@thomasblyth7539]

surprised you didn’t go with the old Charleston Union Station site. CSX has a yard in the area so it’s very easy access with existing track. Interesting alternative could be the Charleston Visitor Center/Childrens Museum/Best Friend of Charleston Museum to take advantage of existing platforms and mostly uninterrupted right of way

[@nanashi1879]

Still think you should look into doing a video on Las Vegas to Salt Lake City, with stops in St. George & Mesquite. Look at it as if Brightline decided to build the route

[@judejohnson6336]

MEMPHIS AND EAST ARKANSAS MENTIONED!!!

[@rsd3719]

So you're saying there can be a huskers express? Will it serve Bush light and Runzas?

[@LucidStew]

Yes, and corn.

[@rsd3719]

@LucidStew we don't actually eat the corn, that for the cattle to eat. 🤣

[@LucidStew]

@@rsd3719 Why wouldn't you eat corn? Corn is delicious.

[@PuNicAdbo]

Does any of these cities have public transport on site?

[@gumbyshrimp2606]

Not many besides the south

[@LucidStew]

Bus and Amtrak is about it. Some might not have that much.

[@MrPriebster]

Sioux Falls to Omaha?

[@coltonallen6295]

Louisville -> Nashville -> Atlanta would pick up a lot of red. I also think it would be a great video! Also Memphis -> Nashville -> Knoxville to completely traverse Tennessee.

[@Lombwolf]

I love that this is basically making fun of red states for having horrible HSR corridors

[@stephenkeever6029]

I like your work here. Too bad none of this is going to happen once public transportation money gets redirected back to roads and highways.

[@realquadmoo]

How do you calculate cost estimates?

[@TheTimmynatoRex]

I'm surprised that South Dakota isn't listed on here, then again I couldn't think of any viable HSR connections between any two cities. (The most reasonable one I can think of is between Sioux Falls and Rapid City via Pierre.)

[@skurinski]

no South Dakota? Pretty sure its redder than Georgia or Nebraska

[@LucidStew]

One Dakota was enough of a stretch.

[@gumbyshrimp2606]

@@LucidStew time to reunite the dakotas

[@forrestihler504]

For a more cross state HSR in Idaho, I would love to see Boise connected to both Coeur d'Alene in the North, and then East through the “Idaho Smile” to Twin Falls, Pocatello, then Idaho Falls up to Rexburg.

[@JoyClinton-i8g]

Your video: Atlanta-Charlotte is 270 miles with a cost of $15 billion and isn't getting done. The Gateway tunnel is 2 miles at a cost of $16 billion and is getting done. Your use of the term "red state" summarizes it nicely -- improving transportation where people are moving to is zero priority in Washington DC (Amtrak's HQ) versus where they are leaving from.

[@bobsteve4812]

The issue is these states and their ppl, including their new comers, and viciously against this kind of stuff. The region tends to disproportionately attracts Republican northerners so they also don’t want public transit generally.

[@MateusChristopher]

I really do want texas to get its "bullet" train 😏

[@QuintonjChambers]

With all the talk of mass deportations a fast and efficient way to move equipment & personnel, as well as immigrants down to the southern border would be high speed rail! Me the ever optimist AZ resident hoping for anything good to come of the next 4 years

[@LucidStew]

Texas IS trying to get going with a train from Austin to Monterrey...

[@RVail623]

Birmingham to Montgomery might as well be extended further south to Mobile's new Amtrak station. Grand Forks - Fargo seems to have a history of floods from several decades ago, where the downtown water level was something like 5 feet above street level. Cheyenne to Casper could be extended further north to Billings, where it would intersect with a future revived Amtrak North Coast Hiawatha. Amtrak has also mentioned being interested in building a new north/south corridor train connecting Billings, Montana with El Paso, Texas (via Denver). I'm also interested in a Denver - Kansas City HSR, potentially re-using an old Chicago, Burlington & Quincy right-of-way located just north inside of Nebraska's southern border.

[@nolantherailfan5048]

Seriously a Trump high speed train would be awesome.

[@MegaChallanger]

Its foolish to think that we would ever get high speed rail in a red state

[@bjturon]

I like the moving freight train :D

[@LucidStew]

I had to leave out a lot of extras to get the 10 parts done, but I managed to squeeze a few in that I shouldn't have. :)

[@Unmannedperson]

Anchorage-Juneau HSR when?

[@LucidStew]

I actually looked at it for about 5 seconds. When I was taking suggestions for the video, someone thought Anchorage to Fairbanks was a good idea.

[@Unmannedperson]

@@LucidStew Couldn't be any worse than Cheyenne-Casper...

[@LucidStew]

@@Unmannedperson You sure about that? 😁

[@Unmannedperson]

@@LucidStew No!

[@peterbaldo9895]

The part of California served by California High Speed Rail - the San Joaquin Valley - is red. Two famous former Congress persons - Devin Nunes and Kevin McCarthy - are from there.

[@counterfit5]

Careful, Devin might sue you for that.

[@davidjackson7281]

Key word ... FORMER.

[@kayseek1248]

7:08 warning headphone users.

[@jplus1054]

For the Kentucky Route, if Louisville follows the CNU plan to turn the section of I-64 between the Clark Memorial Bridge and 22nd Street into a parkway and waterfront park, you might be able to eke out a station next to the Muhammad Ali Center or the industrial area right across 9th Street by worming through the Spaghetti Junction. It might even be possible to put it right next to the Louisville Slugger Stadium if the parkway is planned well enough.

[@jplus1054]

I've also heard of people complaining about how terrible the inside of the I-64 tunnels through Cherokee Park look, so you *might* be able to convince people to upgrade them and throw in a high speed rail tunnel (keyword being might, here - the likelihood of this happening at all is slim-to-none).

[@bilcal]

Since you were looking at Red State HSR, what about a dynamic duo of Missouri and Oklahoma for a St. Louis to Springfield to Tulsa HSR via I-44? That would connect to the Tulsa-OKC HSR you have already discussed. 🚅 I enjoy your discussions, especially including the cost per person in the affected regions. Keep up the good work! All the best! 👍

[@LucidStew]

I would think if Missouri were to build HSR, it would connect STL and KC.

[@lisanstan1]

@@LucidStewI agree. That stretch of 70 between STL-KC is miserable with trucks and rolling hills.

[@Billblom]

The problem with Charlotte to Atlanta... South Carolina will not provide $$$$. There was a thought ot Charlotte to Columbia over existing track, which SC said "No thanks. We're good" No interest in $$$$$ for required track upgrades (signals, siding extensions and so on.) The trip to Atlanta? Same NOPE heard loud and clear. "You want it, you pay for it"... NS has standard sized ROW there, so the entire distance would need land purchases and be a fun thing to build with the NIMBY opposition. Even the higher speed (like 90 mph) between Raleigh and Richmond is iffy at this point. I suspect money for that is about to evaporate.

[@gumbyshrimp2606]

3:07 I love you ❤️

[@LucidStew]

A route like that you just needed patience. :D

[@onetwothreeabc]

So much cheaper than Cal HSR. Build them all!

[@ETNLWM]

Would love to see the time on a Nashville to Atlanta route and the animated cost.

[@LucidStew]

Atlanta-Memphis via Nashville will happen eventually.

[@elicarlson7682]

7:45 Go Louisville FC!

[@davidjackson7281]

Kickball is Unamerican.

[@alexisdespland4939]

the louisville - frankfort- lexinington lone beiing thur the horse racing capital of the world should be called the thurobred line in shouls serbe both cchurchill downs and the course in lexington whose namei can't remeber. also must serve loiusvulle airport.

[@alexisdespland4939]

the cheyyenne hsr should start at the large airforcebase just west of cheyenne and maybego akl the way to laramie o for the university of wyoming.

[@alexisdespland4939]

why no huntington- lexington line.

[@OchNe926]

"Stuttgart 21", a massive new rail hub in southwestern metropolitan Germany becoming operational in Dec 2026 (enjoy with English subtitles enabled!): kzbin.info/www/bejne/g5S2mGZuh9V_l9k --> 56 km / 35 miles of tunnels, 42 bridges, a new siding yard, a new S-Bahn / metropolitan train station, a new station at Stuttgart Airport, and 100 km / 62 miles of new tracks, and a new underground train station right in the heart of Stuttgart City Center - for some €11 / $12 bn combined! Why are such projects in the USA so much more expensive? Greed, corruption?

[@davidjackson7281]

USA demands better than Euro crap.

[@OchNe926]

​@@davidjackson7281 Personally, I've ridden high speed trains in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Japan. There (and possibly in China) the quality of service is at least an order of magnitude better than in the USA - both in terms of rail and highways! So "crap" is what comes to mind about the USA!

[@johnlabus7359]

HSR within Wyoming? Seriously? It's not just improbable; it's a terrible idea.

[@LucidStew]

What made you come to that conclusion?

[@andyerwin3535]

We don’t want it, That’s for sure

[@andyerwin3535]

We don’t want it, that’s for sure

[@johnlabus7359]

@@LucidStew the money to build a HSR for a state with just several hundred thousand people is better spent where there's more need/demand. What problem would HSR be trying to solve here?

[@Chupabrah]

Does Maglev not work?

[@LucidStew]

Not sure you caught the gist of the video, but wheel-on-rail HSR is already overkill here in nearly every case.

[@tonyburzio4107]

Maglev works but humans riding on the train get a dialysis treatment. Not bad if you only ride once a year or so.

[@gumbyshrimp2606]

@@LucidStew what about teleportation?

[@LucidStew]

@@gumbyshrimp2606 that's game over for the channel. we don't talk about that. 😄

[@nyc6035a]

I've gotta say...this is hilarious. As someone below said - let's call it the Trump Train...and have Biden be the rail czar for the new administration. That unfortunately has about as much chance of happening as any of these routes - sadly.

[@mdnvn]

The pronunciation of kanawa and hurricane hurts my brain….. I think they’re boo boos for sure

[@davidjackson7281]

Like you have a decent sounding accent? Not!

[@twentysixbit]

I'd say avoid hashtags in full video titles. Almost thought this was a short

[@CasualScrub]

CHOO CHOO HERE COMES THE TRUMP TRAIN MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN 🦅🦅🦅🦅🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🦅🦅🦅

[@DoleStudios]

Sup

[@lukecarroll19]

Red state HSR? Vro, there aren't even any blue states that have a single HSR.

[@gumbyshrimp2606]

@@lukecarroll19 Brightline West will be 50% red state

[@lukecarroll19]

@@gumbyshrimp2606 True, but as of rn, the total number of HSR lines in this country is zero.

[@thatoneotherotherguy]

@@gumbyshrimp2606 it’s not like Nevada is reliably red. Complete teeter totter swing state

[@LucidStew]

Blue State HSR coming next month. Current projects will similarly be in the honorable mention, so I'll try to sum up CAHSR, BLW, and NEC status in 2-3 minutes.

[@alhollywood6486]

@@LucidStew Don't forget the Northeast Maglev😂😂

[@lassepeterson2740]

Probable has no point .

[@bernadmanny]

These routes are more preposterous than someone like say ... Donald Trump getting elected, oh wait.

[@LucidStew]

Me in 2016: "he's not a serious candidate" Me in 2020: "he's not a... ah man, he's been President." Me in 2024:

[@davidjackson7281]

@@LucidStew MAGA

[@jyw0000]

Can we do this instead of mass deportations? This would actually help.

[@gumbyshrimp2606]

@@jyw0000 both. Both is good!

[@jacobwalker6092]

Both would help significantly

[@counterfit5]

Weirdos in here thinking deporting millions of people is going to be a net positive for the country in any way

[@thetechnocrat4979]

Both is necessary.

[@andyerwin3535]

If it’s in a red state, it will get done on time and within budget, no bad leadership and corruption. California HSR is full of corruption, kickbacks and every other illegal things possible, it will never get done and the fares will be insanely expensive

[@CasualScrub]

Yes! Imagine how stupid California would look if a red state built high speed rail before them! It would be awesome! 😂😂

[@bobsteve4812]

Than why hasn’t it happened? Only blue states have even entertained the idea of building and supporting rail.

[@davidjackson7281]

@@CasualScrub Nevada will.

[@thebrownguy79]

None of these projects will never happen if it gets the green light. Most of the experienced workers have been sent back from which they came from. Vital building materials and parts to construct the trains would cost astronomically high from tariffs. lol @ “cross across” 😂

[@davidaldinger113]

I’m sorry to say this but the sad truth is that all passenger projects are unlikely with one party rule starting on January 20.

[@CrustyRotor76]

Current projects (Like Brightline West and California High Speed Rail) are not going away, but don’t expect any new projects to be put out by the federal government.

[@tonyburzio4107]

Trump bought 75 Charger locomotives and enough passenger cars to refit the entire single level fleet. The idea that this won't continue is unlikely. Of course, it will continue without Amtrak.

[@daleviker5884]

Nonsense. Worthy passenger projects will be funded, but indulgent wasteful vanity projects might need to pay their own way.

[@bobsteve4812]

@@daleviker5884What makes u think he would support passenger rail when he cancelled construction for the Gateway Project during his admin? Like every Republican president and politician, they are against public transit. Dems are horrible but they aren’t anywhere near as bad.

[@davidjackson7281]

Oh really?

[@plaguebomb2712]

Sure thing have fun with your project 2025 lol

[@bjturon]

Thanks!

[@LucidStew]

Thanks! Heading to Vegas on 12/2 to grab BLW and HDC footage. Wish I had the new computer for the renders, but some interesting things might be in store for similar trips next year. With the drone, I might be able to do an orbit of an area, recreate it in 3D with photogrammetry, then overlay Google Maps data for the background to create a super high-res foreground without all the gross artifacts in Google Maps data.