This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
1/7/2025
California Gov. Gavin Newsom yesterday joined community leaders and workers near Bakersfield to mark the beginning of the track-laying phase and substantial completion of a key 22-mile stretch of the state's future high-speed rail system.
At a ceremony, Newsom joined California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO Ian Choudri and others to mark the start of construction of the railhead, which is the first step to laying the track. The railhead is a freight yard designed to receive materials and stage upcoming track-laying work.
“No state in America is closer to launching high-speed rail than California and ... we just took a massive step forward," Newsom said in a press release. "We’re moving into the track-laying phase, completing structures for key segments, and laying the groundwork for a high-speed rail network."
The work starts with a period of subgrade preparation, readying the site for the eventual laying of ballast ties and rail for the yard, effectively serving as a location to receive the materials required to build the high-speed rail track. The officials also observed the substantial completion of Construction Package 4 (CP4), which is the southernmost stretch of the initial operating line of high-speed rail.
CP4 is a 22-mile stretch of the high-speed rail project between Poplar Avenue in Wasco and about a mile south of the Kern/Tulare County line. The segment includes 11 civil structures including overpasses, underpasses, and viaducts built to take high-speed trains over roadways, waterways, and existing rail lines. All major civil works have been completed, and the segment is largely ready to lay track.