NEWS RELEASE: ‘Building the Future’ Display Featuring California High-Speed Rail Unveiled at Landmark LA Restaurant

September 8, 2023

LOS ANGELES -The California High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) – in partnership with Caltrans and the Los Angeles Railroad Heritage Foundation – has installed a new display telling the story of rail travel’s past, present and future in California. The installation is located at Philippe The Original, the landmark Los Angeles restaurant founded in 1908.

Click here to see a virtual version of the display. Make sure to zoom in.

The display was installed in anticipation of Los Angeles Union Station’s Train Festival, which runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Philippe is located a short walk down Alameda Street from Union Station. The public is invited to visit the free Train Festival and make the short trip to Philippe to see the display.

“The future of downtown Los Angeles is bright as Union Station will one day welcome high-speed trains, transforming how passengers get around by rail in Southern California,” said Authority Regional Director LaDonna DiCamillo. “This display at Philippe is a fitting tribute to what got us to this moment.”

“The combination of California’s amazing rail history, a landmark restaurant, and an iconic transportation hub is a perfect fit for a city rich in art and diversity,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. “California’s transportation future – especially high-speed rail – will eventually run through this city and be an example to the rest of the country to what is possible.”

The Authority teamed up with Caltrans to provide the public with a detailed look at rail travel in the state. The Los Angeles Railroad Heritage Foundation, which runs the display, coordinated the effort. Philippe The Original is located at 1001 N. Alameda St. The iconic Union Station is a major downtown Los Angeles transportation center and located at 800 N. Alameda St.

Learn more about high-speed rail’s investment in Southern California projects here.

Since the start of construction, the Authority has created more than 11,000 construction jobs, a majority going to residents from the Central Valley. The Authority has begun to extend the 119 miles under construction to 171 miles of future electrified high-speed rail from Merced to Bakersfield. There are more than 25 active construction sites in California’s Central Valley, with the Authority having environmentally cleared 422 miles of the high-speed rail program from the Bay Area to the Los Angeles Basin. Visit www.buildhsr.com for the latest construction information.

The following link contains the above as well as other recent videos, animations, photography, press center resources, and latest renderings: https://hsra.app.box.com/s/vyvjv9hckwl1dk603ju15u07fdfir2q8

These files are all available for free use, courtesy of the California High-Speed Rail Authority.