About CHSR Cascadia High Speed Rail                                            Company

Our Mission

Cascadia High Speed Rail Company’s mission is to design, organize, and develop a new high-speed intercity, commuter, and parcel freight rail corridor (CHSR) in the Pacific Northwest.  The well-planned 413-mile CHSR corridor between Eugene, Oregon and Vancouver, British Columbia is planned as a viable transportation system with station hubs connected to buses, light rail, streetcars, water taxis, autos, bikeways, and pedestrians. In addition, this dynamic, livable corridor acts as a catalyst for significant mixed-use transit-oriented development surrounding all stations along the corridor.

Private-Public Partnership

Cascadia High Speed Rail Company is a private limited liability company in the Pacific Northwest.  Since 2006 our corridor design team has emphasized using the I-5 right-of-way because it is publicly owned property.  CHSR, LLC and other private sector companies, in partnership with the public sector, plan to complete an Environmental Impact Statement study to secure a Record of Decision from the FRA to begin corridor acquisition and development.  It is essential that the private sector, with the technical knowledge to design and build this new HSR transportation system, takes the lead in this endeavor and not the public sector who do not develop new transportation systems.

Energy Efficient System

The fully electrified CHSR system will use renewable sources from regional facilities that capture sun, wind, and hydropower energy.  The CHSR regenerative braking system will feed electrical power back into the power lines, thus reducing its overall energy consumption and costs.  This very advanced technical transportation system makes a tremendous impact in reducing CO2 emissions.

 

Encourage Dense Community Growth

New transportation systems have been catalysts for new development and investment throughout history. In 1973, Oregon Governor Tom McCall and legislative leaders passed Senate Bill 100 which stopped suburban sprawl and encouraged dense community growth in Oregon. Planned CHSR station areas connected to inter-city high-speed and commuter rail service will create town center growth at station areas is an example of what Senate Bill 100 was meant to accomplish.  This transportation model is for other cities in America to emulate, which will significantly reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, reduce traffic congestion, increase job opportunities and significantly increase tax revenue.

Our Vision

Our vision sets high standards for a state-of-the-art, dedicated double-track corridor with onboard communication, elegant multi-modal train stations, and top-of-the-line 250 mph electrically powered trains to connect major cities. On the same high-capacity inter-city corridor, there will be 110 mph commuter trains connecting suburbs and towns. The CHSR rail corridor will be grade-separated (no CHSR track level crossings) and fenced to guarantee no accidents or delays. The computerized Central Traffic Control System and Positive Train Control System will manage trains in an exclusive CHSR corridor for the safest travel condition compared to all other transportation systems. 

The CHSR rail corridor will be grade-separated (no CHSR track level crossings) and fenced to guarantee no accidents or delays.  The CHSR Company aims to emulate Japan’s Shinkansen high-speed rail system, which has been improved to the highest standard since 1964.  Its exclusive HSR corridors have allowed its transportation system to move billions of passengers on time without a single fatality. Unfortunately, in the American rail system, over 40,000 deaths occur yearly due to vehicle accidents in America.

 

Our Current Team

Cascadia High-Speed Rail, LLC is led by a team of professionals experienced in design, planning, engineering, and real estate. Our purpose is to design, promote, and develop new corridors and station locations to advance high-speed rail in the Northwest of the United States.

Brad Perkins | President

Brad Perkins: CHSR Company President, United States High-Speed Rail Board Member.

Bradley C. Perkins has owned and operated Perkins Realty, a residential and commercial real estate company, since 2004. Perkins Realty has amassed multiple properties, such as the Hollywood Library, New Seasons Headquarters, and Madrona Studios in Portland.

Perkins, President of Cascadia High Speed Rail, LLC, has supervised the corridor design and station locations of this new and exciting transportation system since 2006.  He has worked closely with technical rail planning expert, Rudy Niederer, to develop a high-speed intercity and commuter rail system between Vancouver, BC, and Eugene, Oregon. In addition, Brad has spent considerable time influencing the direction of the newly designed high-speed rail corridor with local, state, and national leaders.

Perkins has a long career owning or restoring more than 30 historic properties. He was a catalyst in saving significant buildings such as the Springfield Depot in Springfield, Oregon, the C.W. Calkins House in Eugene, Oregon, the United Presbyterian Church in Shedd, Oregon, the Simon Benson House, and the William S. Ladd House in Portland.

Brad has a record of outstanding community and civic involvement.  He founded the Hollywood District Development Corporation, the Sullivan’s Gulch Trail Committee, the Peace Memorial Park Foundation, the Irvington Farmers Markets, and World Trade Center Market.

Perkins graduated from the University of Oregon School of Architecture with a B.A. in 1975.  He was born in Portland in 1951 and has lived in Eugene and Portland ever since.  He has traveled the world extensively, studying diverse urban planning, architecture, and transportation systems.

Rudy Niederer Corridor Planner and Designer

Rudy Niederer completed the concept plan for the Cascadia High Speed Rails commuter and inter-city rail corridor system and station locations between Vancouver, BC, and Eugene, Oregon.  Niederer has planned the 413-mile corridor, underpasses, flyovers, and tunnels to avoid all grade crossings and effectively connect CHSR with all other transportation systems at the station and platform stops. He is currently designing an extending HSR corridor from Eugene to Sacramento and a corridor from Auburn to Spokane.

Niederer also designed the light-rail concept plan for Honolulu, HI, known as Honolulu Area Rapid Transit (HART), connecting downtown to the airport.  While in Hawaii, Niederer also owned and managed a health food store. In addition, Niederer worked 18 years for Custodis Cottrell Company, an industrial chimney company based in Chicago, IL.  He acted as crew supervisor, traveling throughout the United States to troubleshoot, construct and rehabilitate massive industrial chimneys.  Born and educated in Switzerland, Niederer moved to the United States in 1964 to gain US citizenship.  In retirement, Niederer continues innovating, inventing, and designing solutions to complicated engineering and construction challenges.

Ankrom Moisan Architects

Ankrom Moisan Architects (AMA) creates places where people and communities thrive, particularly enhancing livability in the urban environment.  Much of their work is mixed-use, mid-, and high-rise residential projects with street-level retail. In addition, they work closely with clients to foster easy access to bus and rail stops whenever possible.

Because of AMA’s involvement in Portland’s urban renaissance, they have the opportunity to complete many projects in other cities in the US as well as make international connections with architects, educators, planners, developers, and senior living entities in China, England, Mexico, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, and Germany.  Their success includes the design of North American headquarters for both Vestas ad Daimler corporations. They are enthusiastically supportive of the Cascadia High Speed Rail initiative.  They believe CHSR could greatly benefit sustainability initiatives, urban revitalization, and connections between cities and people.  Michael Great has designed the Portland Rose Quarter Transportation Hub and Development Plan.

Transportation Economics & Management Systems, Inc.

Transportation Economics & Management Systems, Inc. (TEMS) has existed since 1989 and is widely accepted as one of North America's foremost ground transportation planning firms.  TEMS provides specialized management, planning, market research, economic, and systems technology consulting services for the transportation industry.  TEMS’ economists, systems analysts, engineers, and professional managers have extensive experience with projects of all scopes and sizes throughout North America and abroad.  One of TEMS’ strengths is its ability to provide clients with consultants with excellent theoretical knowledge and practical, hands-on experience in operational environments.  TEMS’ clients include federal, state, and local government agencies, railroad companies, international development organizations, investment banks, and industrial and commercial companies.

The practice is built around four areas of transportation consultation:

  • Demand and Revenue Forecasting
  • Operations and Capacity Analysis
  • Economic Impact Assessment
  • Financial Analysis and Business Plan Development

TEMS’ critical areas expertise include:

  • High-speed, passenger, and freight rail, hyperloop, ferry, airport, and highway demand and revenue forecasting studies
  • Transit and transportation policy review and assessment studies, including fast ferry technologies
  • Operations and maintenance systems management
  • Passenger carrier and port studies
  • Transportation operations and communications systems and software design
  • Cost and resource allocation studies
  • Management information and planning systems development

TEMS has:

  • Conducted more than 50 passenger and freight rail feasibility studies
  • Gained extensive experience with rail system operations, with ridership forecasts validated by actual ridership achieved
  • Introduced the application of stated preference survey techniques in North America
  • Created financial and economic evaluation models used for business planning and for selecting multi-modal strategies
  • Created the RightTrack™ Business Case Planning software for high-speed ground transportation system analysis.