Thread: Getting @GoBrightline from Victorville to LA
Smart to cultivate to paths to the LA Basin. Let's start with Palmdale/High Desert: before/if CAHSR gets to Palmdale, Brightline could run down @Metrolink's Antelope Valley Line & still offer 3.5 hour LA-Vegas trips. Maths ->

*Brightline's projected Vegas-Victorville time: 84 min (130 mph avg) +
*~50 miles Victorville-Palmdale @ 130mph = 23 min +
*actual pre-COVID Metrolink AV Line express trip: 107 min
= 214 min (3.56 hrs)

This all assumes a one-seat ride is the objective, which may be challenging since Brightline plans electrified service at up to 150 mph; don't believe existing DEMUs can get much past 150 mph. Alternatively, it's less convenient cross-platform transfers to Metrolink at Palmdale.

They could also do an all-Siemens set of a ACS-64 at one end, [N] Venture coaches and a Charger at the other. Or, run electric to Palmdale the couple a diesel to haul down to LAUPT.

OK, on to the Rancho Cucamonga route: Just before the Virgin Trains partnership fell apart, Brightline discussed a route paralleling I-15 from Victorville to connect with Metrolink's San Bernardino line. This route is just about 5 miles shorter than the High Desert Corridor.

No express trips are run on the San Bernardino Line, with trip time from Rancho Cucamong to Union Station at an hour & 12 minutes. But, the route covers a far more populated area than the AV Line from Palmdale and at higher average speeds.

The difference between the routes is High Desert has far more planning & engineering work behind it already and travels a far simpler alignment to acquire and construct a high(er) speed railroad through. We assume both routes would be built for 130 mph avg speeds & electrified.

Additionally, Metrolink (technically the Southern California Regional Rail Authority) owns the majority of both routes, so securing slots wouldn't battle with freight, but capacity may be an issue with single track segments on both and through the Union Station throat.

Clarification on DEMUs referenced above: most can't operate above *125 mph,* not 150 mph, and some are rated only up to 110 mph.

Several reasons to prioritize High Desert over Rancho Cucomonga:
*easier geography/better geometry & land acquisition
*more environmental work done
*long-term connection to HSR
-It's a push on rolling stock/operability for both
*Rancho is a shorter run time on the existing route