In Arizona, High-Speed Solar Train Proposed
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A Tucson company has put together a proposal for a high-speed commuter train connecting Phoenix and Tucson that would run on solar power.
Right now it’s still on the drawing board, and with a $27 billion price tag for the first stage of development alone, it’s likely to remain just an idea—especially considering an Arizona-Tucson line isn’t on President Obama’s list of high-priority commuter rail lines at this point.
But I have to say, I like the way they’re thinking: use Arizona’s abundant sunshine for clean energy, green jobs, and a green transportation alternative that would be more, not less, convenient than traveling by car. It would be nice to have a high-speed commuter train infrastructure in the US that could compete with the best, snazziest, and most high-tech trains in the rest of the world. Dream big—hey, it’s a start.
From the Arizona Daily Star (with a tip of the hat to the Huffington Post):
A Tucson company wants to send you someday on a sun-fueled ride from one end of the state to the other.
The idea of a high-speed train that runs on solar power is still in its early stage, but the project’s creators are pitching the idea to area cities and potential investors.
The idea is to start a train system that connects Tucson and Phoenix in a first phase. In the future it would extend north to Grand Canyon and south to Nogales. The cost for the first phase alone is estimated at $27 billion.
It could start operating in 2018.
Retired civil engineer Bill Gaither and business partner Raymond Wright set up Solar Bullet LLC in Tucson in hopes of designing and building the 220 mph solar bullet train, which would run on four tracks.
The innermost two tracks would be reserved for nonstop travel from Tucson to Phoenix, going 116 miles in a half hour, said Gaither.
>The other tracks would serve six intermediate stations in Chandler, Maricopa, Casa Grande, Eloy, Red Rock and Marana, extending the Phoenix-Tucson travel time to approximately 60 minutes, according to the project outline.
The rail could open up new opportunities for economic development in those cities, said Gaither. The train would require 110 megawatts of electricity and would operate with solar power generated from overhead panels. It would have a dedicated right-of-way.
Solar train rendering by Raymond Wright, from the Arizona Daily Star.
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