Article

2012-05-31 Economy

Video: CA high-speed rail turning into boondoggle

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Posted by gorb 2012-05-31 03:26|| || Front Page|| [11129 views ] Top

#1 The voters agreed to $10B in bonding (backed by CA general rev). At the time the estimated cost was about $30B and the voters were told that the rail system would not require operating subsidies. The initial operating segment (about 120 mi from the vicinity of Bakersfield to the vicinity of Merced) is currently estimated to cost about $6B (about half US and half CA) and for construction to begin in Sept 2012 and be complete by about Sept 2017.

To some transportation folks, this is all nice because it will demonstrate, in obvious terms (low ridership, cost overruns, complaints about noise, etc.) the folly of the high speed rail vision in the US. In this reasoning, its better to let this proceed now than risk some 'big vision' leftist coming up with a $900B system commitment in the future.

Posted by Lord Garth 2012-05-31 09:17|| 2012-05-31 09:17|| Front Page Top

#2 You are, of course, assuming that Government learns from it's mistakes.

I haven't seen any evidence of it....

Posted by CrazyFool 2012-05-31 09:44|| 2012-05-31 09:44|| Front Page Top

#3 KFI's John and Ken call it a Browndoggle. Moonbeam stubbornly refuses to kill it even though it's already violating all the business plan promises (no subsidy, all high-speed, San Diego/LA to SF, cost as noted above, etc.). Kill it now.

Posted by Frank G 2012-05-31 09:49|| 2012-05-31 09:49|| Front Page Top

#4 Turning? I thought it was already a full blown BoonDoggle!

Posted by DarthVader 2012-05-31 11:35|| 2012-05-31 11:35|| Front Page Top

#5 "We're from the government and we're here to ~~help~~ run it in the ground and spend outrageous amounts of cash to accomplish nothing!"

Posted by AlmostAnonymous5839 2012-05-31 12:04|| 2012-05-31 12:04|| Front Page Top

#6 They want to build it to zip up and down in The San Joaquin Valley. Why? Because it's flat and easier to build a railroad there. The fact that there's no USE for it there is not to be discussed.

This is like the old joke where the drunk is looking for his lost car keys under the street lamp. He didn't lose them there -- it's just that the light is better, ya see.

Kill it now. One third of the nation's welfare recipients are depending on you.

Posted by Gabby Cussworth 2012-05-31 16:30|| 2012-05-31 16:30|| Front Page Top

#7 You might be on to something, Gabby. Cut off the welfare recipients so we can build a railroad.

Posted by Ebbang Uluque6305 2012-05-31 17:40|| 2012-05-31 17:40|| Front Page Top

#8 We can tell the welfare recipients to move to New York, or Texas, or Colorado, or...

Posted by Ebbang Uluque6305 2012-05-31 17:42|| 2012-05-31 17:42|| Front Page Top

#9 This article calls for the surprise meter pic.

Posted by charger 2012-05-31 19:52|| 2012-05-31 19:52|| Front Page Top

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