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by outside1234 2568 days ago
It is too obviously a great strategy to put in rail between San Jose Diridon, Los Gatos, and Santa Cruz, so let's build rail in the middle of nowhere instead.

There is even an abandoned tunnel under the mountain that did this in the early 1900s!
2 comments
mc32 2568 days ago
Thanks for reminding me of that. I thought there had been but wasn't sure if it went all along HWY 17. Apparently there was one running till the 40s.[1] But the highway killed it (not mudslides as is often attributed). There were a total of 8 tunnels most of them condemned and dynamited. But apparently the right of way exists and could be rebuilt! So there is hope if people and businesses push hard enough for it.

Commuters would rejoice, SCZ would enjoy revitalization and integration into the Bay Area economy and holidaymakers would enjoy a nice leisurely trip to the beach by train --what a treat that would be!

[1]https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/01/05/abandoned-railroad-tu...

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imagetic 2568 days ago
I don't think anyone in Santa Cruz wants that. As a long-time Santa Cruz resident, the only people I know who want it to be more are tech people who have been pushed down here cause of shortages over the hill or just like to surf.
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lebca 2568 days ago
My understanding was that apart from GM killing it on a more general statewide level, the SC dirt is really soft and the tunnels collapsed a lot more often than expected, taking deaths with them during collapses and rebuilds.
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sjg007 2568 days ago
Maybe a hyper loop..
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riku_iki 2568 days ago
Santa Cruz probably doesn't have enough area for expansion to justify rail line.
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mc32 2568 days ago
Santa Cruz is very suburban and not dense (it could get denser) and there is land all the way down the coast to Watsonville, so it could serve as a catchment for a whole new population of commuters.

In any event, it would make way more sense than the Central Valley HSR which serves very little purpose. HWY 17 is not going to get wider, but there is pressure for more cars. I think this would serve the Coast very well. It would bring a lot more commerce there in the Summer months as well.

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