LOS ANGELES — Commuter railroad Metrolink is proposing electrification of its route between Burbank and Anaheim for higher speed trains, a move it says would double ridership while decreasing pollution.
The Los Angeles Times reports the proposal is in a report Metrolink has submitted to the California High Speed Rail Authority, seeking reallocation of up to $5.5 billion in funds for the state’s troubled high speed rail project.
The Burbank-Anaheim route is part of the planned high speed rail system, so it would not take money away from the system. It would reallocate funds based on a proposal to complete construction of the right-of-way for the current 119-mile segment being built in Central California, but without electrification. Diesel trains would run on that segment, and the $5 to $6 billion needed for electrification would be spent elsewhere.
The Metrolink report was not made public, but the Times obtained a copy. It says trains on the Anaheim-Burbank route could reach speeds up to 125 mph, and would use 44 zero-emission trainsets costing $1.2 billion.
