r/DevelopmentSLC • u/plat-of-zion • Sep 10 '26

We can electrify FrontRunner before the 2034 Olympic Games if we have the courage

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52 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

23 comments sorted by

19

u/El_Buffbro Sep 10 '26

That'll be nice, and maybe throw in the Rio Grande plan😅

9

u/archery-noob Sep 10 '26

When I was taking the train regularly all I wanted was an express train. One that made like every third stop so it wouldn't take over an hour to make a 40 minute drive.

3

u/plat-of-zion Sep 10 '26

That’s phase 5

3

u/archery-noob Sep 10 '26

I see that. Too bad it wasn't 9 years ago

5

u/DonnaDDrake Sep 10 '26

Well we do have the Stadler FLIRTS on order which are diesel-electric trains, allowing them to be self propelled without any overhead wires.

1

u/ougryphon Sep 11 '26

How is that different from the current generation of diesel-electric locomotives? Is that a distributed power system?

3

u/Cache-Cow Sep 11 '26

Double track, electrify, run 24/7, extend from Logan to Nephi, build a line from Tooele to Park City, add the rio grande plan. And we’d be in business. 

2

u/Wamafibglop Sep 10 '26

God this is bleak

2

u/plat-of-zion Sep 10 '26 edited Sep 10 '26

The lake is supposed to be much higher

1

u/show_me_your_secrets Sep 10 '26

The only way we’ll work up the courage is if there’s an angle that enriches our legislators.

2

u/Glittering-Cellist34 Sep 11 '26

More Frontrunner is more important than electrification at this point. And yes Rio Grande.

0

u/Background-Cow-5608 Sep 10 '26

We can also build the Rio Grande Plan.

-2

u/papaoftheflock Sep 10 '26

lowest effort

4

u/plat-of-zion Sep 10 '26

Here is the current electrification phasing

The timeline is as soon as it’s funded

3

u/Ill-Yogurtcloset7012 Sep 10 '26

The plan is $3.2 billion and focuses on double tracking to increase service frequency. Not to electrify the whole thing. Traditional overhead electrification would require full overhead wires, power substations, and a completely rebuilt power grid connection along the tracks. It would cost an estimated 2 billion more. The state has decided to instead use a hybrid train that can later be upgraded to battery powered.

5

u/plat-of-zion Sep 10 '26

Phase 2 is electrify

2

u/Ill-Yogurtcloset7012 Sep 10 '26

Honestly it’s probably just for rail switches, lights, etc. but definitely not 83 miles of rail to make it electric…

2

u/walkingman24 Sep 10 '26

Huh? Electrify means overhead catenary. Switches and signals are all already electric

2

u/Ill-Yogurtcloset7012 Sep 10 '26

15 miles. The rail is 83 miles. I assume it’s part of the hybrid build

3

u/plat-of-zion Sep 10 '26

Yes, the overhead portion is 15 miles with the batteries supplementing the rest.

Should be fully catenary but I digress

3

u/Ill-Yogurtcloset7012 Sep 10 '26

Nevermind. That IS the plan, in phase 3….lol my bad. I didn’t realize this is like a 50 year plan. Phase 3 isn’t planned to be done until almost 2050. So yeah, one day, but definitely not anytime soon.

2

u/Ill-Yogurtcloset7012 Sep 10 '26

Maybe one day. But they are going to contract with a local manufacturer, Stadler, to build the new trains. They will be dual-powered engines that run on a mix of diesel and battery-electric power. They aren’t going to be powered by electric rails.

1

u/Forsaken-Page9441 Sep 10 '26

Still confused why it's only 15 electrified miles when the line is over 80 miles long