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More double track completed on California’s ‘Surf Line’
Single track may have been fine in the days of AT&SF’s San Diegans (which, luckily, I got to ride in 1969, before their demise), but not for today’s increased traffic. This is good news.
Given this is one of the busiest intercity and commuter passenger railways in the country. Double-tracking should allow not just increase capacity, but an increase in average speed, which today is pretty low, below 50-mph (sad!). The entire line should be doubled-tracked, which now may be difficult and very expensive given the residential development along the coast.
Its still better plan however than building an entirely new HSR line to San Diego. CHSRA should instead plan on acquiring doubled-ended cab diesel-electric locomotives to haul some HSR train-sets south of Anaheim, like Virgin Trains did for a while. I read that this solution might be cheaper than Britain’s new Dual-Mode IEP train-sets.
Keep in mind that there are several bottlenecks on the LOSSAN line. The double tracking referred to in the article sort of addressed one slow points, i.e. Rose Canyon to Sorrento Valley, a better (albeit way more expensive) would be a tunnel to shorten the route by a few miles.
The most serious bottleneck is the “Surf Line” through San Clemente, where there may be one or two places to put a short passing track. Further complications come from trains having to slow down due to pedestrians close to the track. It is common for ATK #582 to wait 10 to 15 minutes for the track to clear.
Single track sections exit between Sorrento and Del Mar, Del Mar and Solana Beach, Solana Beah to Cardiff/Encinitas, Encinitas to Ponto (south Carlsbad), Carlsbad to Oceanside. The next double tracking planned is extending the Ponto siding south about a mile.