Newsletter 11/14/25: New Investments for High-Speed Rail in California?

New Investments for High-Speed Rail in California?

The head of the California High-Speed Rail Authority says the state’s $20 billion guarantee could secure the agency a first-ever partnership with private investors by mid-2026.

Read More:

2026 Could Be the Year Everything Changes for California High-Speed Rail

Private Partnership for High-Speed Rail in California? CEO Says It’s Coming Next Year (Fresno Bee)

We will share more about this story next week!

An Ariel view of the California high speed line "flying over" the BNSF.
The new station in Moline, IL.

Illinois Commits Funding to Bring Trains to Quad Cities

The transit legislation that the Illinois General Assembly passed on Halloween calls for a one-time appropriation for “intercity passenger rail capital startup” of $300 million. Almost all of that will go toward establishing rail service between Chicago and Moline. The remainder will go to study and plan the embryonic Chicago-to-Peoria route.

Continue Reading

Train Advocates in Cascadia Dish on How They Notched a Big Win-and How You Can, Too

In April, a coalition of train advocates pushed the Washington state legislature to pass a law that mandates big increases in the speed, reliability, and frequency of Amtrak’s Cascades line by 2035. Three principles guided their work.

Continue Reading

A Cascades transit is getting ready to leave the factory.
A man in a construction vest and hard helmet stands before a viaduct under construction

Lessons Drawn from California High-Speed Rail

When: Friday, December 12 at 12pm CT

Speaker: Boris Lipkin, vice president of program development at STV

Boris Lipkin has a unique perspective to offer to those who want to see American high-speed rail built: he’s actually helped build it. Between 2018 and 2025, he served as the Northern California regional director at the California High-Speed Rail Authority, where he led the development of 160 miles of the system between San Francisco and Merced Counties.

In this discussion, Boris shares his personal insight into what makes such mega-infrastructure projects successful—and the challenges they can face. 

The Latest from HSRA

Our Latest Blog Posts

Check out the latest news, updates, and high speed rail insights from our blog!

View All Posts

You Really Expect Me to Drive to Louisville?

You Really Expect Me to Drive to Louisville?

This essay by Theo Anderson is part of the “Why I Fight series,” which offers personal reflections on train advocacy by Alliance staff, members, and friends. Go here for a related rant by Anderson, “Why Can’t I Take the Train to Indy,” and go here for executive...