The California Express Should Only Run Down the Middle of I-5

The Advantage of Using the BART Model (Bay Area Rapid Transit)

For CalExpressBART rail gauge sizes are a model for these high speed

trains to use to run from San Francisco to LA.

They would just run at normal speed while in the San Francisco Bay Area and then once they get

past Tracy and enter the I-5 corridor, they could open it up to FULL SPEED to reduce travel time.

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Trains should run every hour on the hour 24 hours a day,

seven days a week. Webcams

should be mounted on the front and backs of trains

for continuous visual monitoring of the condition on the railway

as well as the status of the CaliforniaExpress.The CalExpress will only have three stops serving the

central valley. Access to the train from extreme Northern California will be via connections from

Sacramento using Amtrak. Extreme Southern California will have access from Los Angeles using

Two lanes of rail should run in the wide median of I-5

One side heading Northbound and the other going Southbound

This plan uses land that may already be available

At sustained speeds of 250 miles per hour, the train should reach LA in less than 2 hours.

This includes slowing for curves and climbing up hills.

There is one grade of 2% as the CalExpress climbs the Tehachapi Mountains from

Bakersfield to Palmdale. A 10 mile tunnel is also needed to connect the 2,200 foot entry

to the 3,200 foot exit (see maps).

This plan uses land that may already be available

At sustained speeds of 250 miles per hour, the train should reach LA in less than 2 hours.

This includes slowing for curves and climbing up hills.

There is one grade of 2% as the CalExpress climbs the Tehachapi Mountains from

Bakersfield to Palmdale. A 10 mile tunnel is also needed to connect the 2,200 foot entry

to the 3,200 foot exit (see maps).

Two lanes of rail should run in the wide median of I-5

One side heading Northbound and the other going Southbound

Earthquakes are a major concern in California!

The train will be running when the big one hits California.Would you like to be on a train at 250+ mph when it hits?

Proposed Safety Solutions:

I propose digging a trench for both tracks Northbound and Southbound.

This would allow the train to bump against the sides of the trench and come to a halt.

How deep would this trench be? If modified BART passenger cars are used

the trench would only be about five to eight feet deep. The top of the trench would

extend to just below the window level. Located below the window level on each car

would be three sets of train rails parallel and above and below the middle one. These

rails would be slightly bent back at angles between cars so they would make

adequate slip contact with the sides of the ditch during derailment until it stops.

The clearance from side rails to trench wall will be roughly two feet to allow for the

natural sway of the train at high speeds. The windows would be above ground level.

The sides of the trench would be sprayed with a concrete mixture to coat the earth wall

and to make sure that no erosion takes place. However, this material will be soft enough

as to control the absorption of energy as it disintegrates upon train impact on side rails

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When the train passes under an overpass it first enters a domed half-pipe shell

which has been secured over the trench. This is needed so that no one will throw

anything off the over passes onto the speeding trains. These tubes would extend

100 feet or more out on either side of the overpass.

The purpose of

is to provide a fast and safe

alternative to driving I-5For more information, contact Peter Zacharoff,

PhD Learner, University of Phoenix Online

peterzacharoff@yahoo.com