Denver - Albuquerque - El Paso HSR?

Three-state push seeks Denver-to-El Paso rail - politicians from Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas are applying for $5m in Federal money for a study of a possible HSR route between Denver, Pueblo, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Las Cruces, and El Paso. The Rocky Mountain Rail Authority has already been studying part of that route, and also some routes west into the Rockies, with their notable ski slopes.

They hope that this route can be designated as the FRA's 11th HSR corridor, thus opening the possibility of more funding.

Wyoming rail study hangs on Colorado decisions - on a possible extension to Cheyenne, WY. However, Wyoming officials do not consider extension much further north to be very feasible; they have considered extension to Casper.

I've found populations and distances:

Cheyenne WY: 0.082m, Ft. Collins CO: 0.12m, Denver: 2.5m, Colorado Springs: 0.61m, Pueblo CO: 0.10m, Santa Fe NM: 0.18m, Albuquerque: 0.85m, Las Cruces: 0.20m, El Paso: 0.74m

Cheyenne - 100 mi - Denver - 451 mi - Albuquerque - 266 mi - El Paso

This strikes me as rather marginal; the distances are great and the populations low. But it may make good pork barrel for HSR, because it involves some additional moderately populous states.

There's a remaining possible HSR line that continues to get little official attention: from the Los Angeles area to Phoenix and Tucson, AZ. It'is arguably less marginal than this proposed route, it must be said.

They could use Raton because it has very little traffic these days. But it would need regrading for HSR because it is a tough pass.

grades are not really a problem for hsr . sharp curves are though .

David Benton wrote:grades are not really a problem for hsr . sharp curves are though .

Exactly, HSR trainsets typically have 9,000 to 16,000 hp, with axles loadings in the 17-20 ton range, so they have high power to weight ratio. But if you want to go fast, those curves have to be straightened out (or as they do in Japan- just tunnel through the mountains).

Well that was what I was infering since there are turns in Raton, so new tracks would need to be built in some spots.

lpetrich wrote:[url=http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_12806073]
I've found populations and distances:
El Paso: 0.74m

If one includes Cuidad Juarez across the border in Mexico, the greater El Paso - Juarez metropolitan area has a population of 2.05 million. How that would dealt with in a study could be politically touchy.

I agree, the distances between the population centers with long stretches of low population density makes this marginal for true HSR. However, a upgraded route with 79 and 90 mph speeds might be more affordable and viable as a (long) day trip between El Paso and Denver.