Mercury-News: It's official: Caltrain, high-speed rail tie rail knot

[marmar]

It's official: Caltrain, high-speed rail tie rail knot

By Mike Rosenberg
Daily News Staff Writer


In forming what they called a "monumental" alliance, Caltrain officials Thursday signed an agreement with the California High Speed Rail Authority that outlines how the two agencies will one day share the Caltrain corridor on the Peninsula.

The agreement joins Caltrain and the rail authority as official partners and for the first time formally gives the Peninsula a local voice in the massive state transportation project.

Caltrain owns the railroad that the state's high-speed bullet trains will share.

The joint venture also paves the way for Caltrain to use bullet train technology to electrify its own trains, an upgrade seen as the only way for the agency to expand local service. It also should allow for Caltrain to install safety improvements and for cities to receive long-awaited grade separations, where the tracks pass either under or over streets.

"High-speed rail could enhance our community or it could destroy it," said Caltrain Board Member Jim Hartnett, a Redwood City council member. "If we're not a partner in this, it could destroy it."

The Caltrain board, which represents the counties of Santa Clara, San Mateo and San Francisco, unanimously approved the deal Thursday after the rail authority did so in March. .......(more)

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