Valley lawmakers head to Spain for closer look at high speed trains

FRESNO, Calif. -- Valley lawmakers will be heading to Spain this week to get a closer look at the country's high speed trains.

The Spanish rail line is considered a model for California's High Speed Rail system.

Fresno County Supervisor Henry Perea and his son, State Assembly Member Henry T. Perea, will lead the delegation.

"We are taking a team of elected officials, business officials, and labor officials, as well as the education community to take a look at their heavy maintenance facilities in terms of design and best practices as well as looking at the train station in Madrid." said supervisor Perea.

The second phase of the California High Speed Rail project through the Central Valley is being built by a Spanish company and firms from Europe and Asia are lining up to win future contracts for the California system.

"We will be meeting with local farmers local landowners, individuals who had similar concerns to what our folks do, our constituents do in the Central Valley. The idea is to learn what they did right and what they did wrong." said Henry T. Perea, State Assembly Member.

The trip to Spain is being paid for by the participants and no tax dollars are being spent.