I am a resident deeply affected by the lack of a rail corridor following Interstate 10 between Phoenix and Los Angeles. This absence not only impacts me but also countless others who could benefit from such an infrastructure development. The construction of an intercity rail corridor from Phoenix, Arizona to Los Angeles, California would significantly improve transportation efficiency and accessibility in those metropolitan areas.

I also have a personal connection to this issue. As someone who has seen the importance of Edwards Air Force Base, it is disheartening to see that Amtrak and the state of California have overlooked its need for better transportation links. We are calling for the establishment of a high speed rail corridor between Barstow and Mojave in neighboring Kern County, CA. with a future phase to Bakersfield at the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley 

This isn't just about convenience; it's about accessibility and economic growth. The lack of a direct rail link hampers not only those working at Edwards Air Force Base but also residents in these cities who could benefit from improved transportation options. According to data from the U.S Census Bureau, Kern County is home to over 900,000 people (source: U.S Census Bureau). Imagine how many lives could be positively impacted by this development.

Moreover, such a project would stimulate economic growth by creating jobs during construction and operation stages while also increasing tourism potential for both cities. 

the Arizona and California Railroad (reporting mark ARZC) is a class III short line railroad that was a subdivision of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (ATSF). The ARZC began operations on May 9, 1991, when David Parkinson of the ParkSierra RailGroup purchased the line from the Santa Fe Railway. ParkSierra Railgroup was purchased in January 2002 by shortline railroad holding company RailAmerica. The Genesee & Wyoming shortline railroad holding company purchased RailAmerica in December 2012. ARZC's main commodities are petroleum gas, steel, and lumber; the railroad hauls around 12,000 carloads per year.

According to the U.S Census Bureau, Phoenix and Los Angeles are among the top ten most populous cities in America with populations of 1.7 million and 4 million respectively (U.S Census Bureau). With such large populations, it is important that we have effective transportation systems in place because many Americans do not have access to a car, forcing them to use airlines or public transit services between those cities

the high speed line between Phoenix and Mojave, which at the city of Cadiz, California, the railroad begins in the interchange with the BNSF Railway and continues southeast across the Mojave Desert to Rice, then east to cross the Colorado River and then entering the city of Parker, Arizona. The railroad continues southeast to Hope, Arizona near Vicksburg then northeast to Matthie (near Wickenburg, Arizona). At Matthie, ARZC has trackage rights over the north-south BNSF line that connects Phoenix to BNSF's mainline at Williams. It also had a branch that runs from Rice south through Blythe, terminating at Ripley.

Arizona & California Railroad operates over 262 miles (422 km) of track, consisting of the following segments:

191-mile (307 km) mainline between Cadiz, CA (BNSF interchange) and Matthie, AZ (BNSF interchange).

4-mile (6.4 km) spur at Rice, CA for railcar storage, formerly part of the abandoned 50-mile (80 km) Rice-Ripley branch.

2.5-mile (4.0 km) loop at Utting, AZ for Rose Acre Farms' Lone Cactus Egg Farm.

57 miles (92 km) of trackage rights over the BNSF Railway between Matthie, AZ and Phoenix, AZ (UP interchange).

The Mojave Subdivision refers to a series of railway lines in California. The primary route crosses the Tehachapi Pass and features the Tehachapi Loop, connecting Bakersfield to the Mojave Desert. East of Mojave, the line splits with the Union Pacific Railroad portion continuing south to Palmdale and Colton over the Cajon Pass and the BNSF Railway owned segment running east to Barstow. Both companies generally share trackage rights across the lines.

The route over the Tehachapi Pass was constructed by the Southern Pacific Railroad as their main line south to the Colorado River. As part of their charter, the company was steadily building south in the San Joaquin Valley after having abandoned plans to do so via the coastal route. Built simultaneously to the Fresno Subdivision, the rail head reached Goshen in August 1872, Delano on July 14, 1873, Caliente on April 26, 1875, and Mojave on August 9, 1876.

The completion of the line through the Soledad Canyon in 1876 provided the first link between Los Angeles and San Francisco via rail.

Union Pacific gained trackage rights over the Cajon Pass in 1905.

 The Victorville Cutoff was opened in 1967 under Southern Pacific.

The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway had purchased the San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railroad in 1898, but the valley was isolated from their mainline which ran from Needles to Los Angeles and San Diego. After the Valley Division was opened in 1900, they negotiated with Southern Pacific for the right to run trains over the Tehachapi. This trackage rights arrangement persists to the era of the railroads' successors: Union Pacific and BNSF.

Both the Union Pacific and BNSF operate trains between Barstow and Bakersfield. As of 2003 the line between Mojave and Bakersfield sees 39 freight trains daily, with 28 operating between Mojave and Barstow.[6]

When Amtrak restarted passenger train service in the San Joaquin valley in 1974, Southern Pacific protested having trains run between Bakersfield and Los Angeles; the railway over the Tehachapi was among the busiest single-track railway lines in the world at the time.

 The Coast Starlight and the Southwest Chief occasionally utilizes the route when there is planned maintenance along the Coast Line and Surf Line. Metrolink trains on the Antelope Valley Line between Palmdale and Lancaster operate on the parallel Valley Subdivision, owned by the Southern California Regional Rail Authority.

A high speed train line like this would not only provide a more efficient means of travel for residents like myself but also reduce traffic congestion on Interstate 10 which is notorious for its heavy traffic flow. According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Interstate 10 is one of the busiest highways in America with over two hundred thousand vehicles traveling on it daily (FHWA).

The construction of this rail corridor would also have environmental benefits as trains emit less greenhouse gases compared to cars or airplanes  according to a report commissioned by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

Therefore, we urge our local representatives and transportation authorities to consider this proposal seriously. Please sign this petition if you support the construction of an intercity rail corridor from Phoenix, Arizona to Los Angeles, California 

sign the petition today!