Article

2025-02-21 Government Corruption

Federal Transportation Secretary Calls for Review of California's High-Speed Rail

[ToSD] The Federal Railroad Administration initiated a review of California’s 400-mile high-speed rail project aimed at connecting Los Angeles to San Francisco following concerns voiced by the Trump administration, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Thursday.

The review is expected to determine whether an estimated $4 billion in taxpayer money should remain committed to the proposed project to build a segment in the Central Valley between Merced and Bakersfield. The project was initially supposed to be completed by 2020 for a total of $33 billion; however, that timeline has grown as well as the cost.

"People were excited. They were thrilled to take people off the road, out of the air and put them on rail," Duffy said during a news conference at Union Station in downtown L.A.. "Where are we today? Well, today, we are severely — no pun intended — off track."

A recent estimate by the California High Speed Rail Authority of the Inspector General noted the Merced-to-Bakersfield segment has a funding gap of at least $6.5 billion — despite California being set to receive more than $4 billion from the Biden administration.

The segment is most likely to be completed by 2033, and the total estimate for the entire project is $106 billion, more than three times the original cost, according to the secretary.

"For too long, taxpayers have subsidized the massively over-budget and delayed California High Speed Rail project," Duffy said. "President (Donald) Trump is right that this project is in dire need of an investigation."

Duffy questioned whether the $4 billion promised by the Biden administration should be allocated to the transportation project.

"We’re going to look at whether California’s High Speed Rail has actually complied with agreements that they’ve signed with the federal government," Duffy said. "We can’t just say we’re going to give money and then not hold states accountable to how they spend that money."

Duffy said there are some high-speed rail projects they can support such as the Brightline West rail project, connecting Los Angeles to Las Vegas. But due to the slow progress and high overruns by the California High Speed Rail Authority, the 400-mile run requires a detailed review.

In a statement, CHSRA CEO Ian Choudri said, "We welcome this investigation and opportunity to work with our federal partners."

"With multiple independent federal and state audits completed, every dollar is accounted for, and we stand by the progress and impact of this project," Choudri added.

Update at 2:15 p.m. ET, courtesy of NoMoreBS:

[X] More California Incompetence:Hi-Speed Rail Fiasco-now 171 miles for $133 billion?

.@realDonaldTrump is investigating CA's high speed rail project. It is more than a decade behind schedule. To complete what was promised, would mean likely going $100 billion over budget.

Republican congressmembers @KevinKileyCA & @vfong told me they are working to stop all… pic.twitter.com/gD6JhCDvw1
— Elex Michaelson (@Elex_Michaelson) February 21, 2025

…they are working to stop all federal funds for what they call "an absolute & complete failure."

@SecDuffy
told me wants more details about $4 billion in additional federal funds allocated by
@JoeBiden
.

This event was interrupted by loud protestors, and the
@USDOT Secretary fired back at them.

Here's our
@FOXLA profile from Union Station, featuring the protestors, reactions from
@CaHSRA
,
@GavinNewsom
& more:

Posted by Frank G 2025-02-21 06:06|| || Front Page|| [11141 views ] Top
File under: Commies

#1 There are many Amtrak and State-funded passenger trains between San Diego, Stockton, Sacramento, and San Fran. Hair Gel could dumped $5-6 billion into upgrading those services, but wasn't glossy enough, and it would've involved working with freight railroads.

Could've been a model for public transportation. Instead, there is Brightline, Florida's privately funded fast trains from Miami to Canaveral and Mouse World - running now.

Posted by Bobby 2025-02-21 08:48|| 2025-02-21 08:48|| Front Page Top

#2 Hair Gel could dumped $5-6 billion into upgrading those services, but wasn't glossy enough, and it would've involved working with freight railroads.

Where's the graft in that?

Posted by Abu Uluque 2025-02-21 10:35|| 2025-02-21 10:35|| Front Page Top

#3 the HSR was first proposed by Gov. Moonbeam. Our current POS Gov doubled down

Posted by Frank G 2025-02-21 10:58|| 2025-02-21 10:58|| Front Page Top

#4 Townhall's take: Duffy Announces Review of California's High-Speed Rail Boondoggle

Posted by Frank G 2025-02-21 11:25|| 2025-02-21 11:25|| Front Page Top

#5 You guys are looking at this all wrong. From an engineering perspective, you design it and build it. At the end of the day, you have a train. Definitely a failure from that viewpoint.

Instead, think of the High-Speed Rail project as a giant center-pivot irrigation system designed to spread life-giving fluid (money) over a wide area to a huge number of thirsty entities (constituents/donors). This it does really well, to the tune of ten billion dollars or so.

The purpose of a system is what it does.

Posted by SteveS 2025-02-21 11:40|| 2025-02-21 11:40|| Front Page Top

#6 Governor Wilson (R) was instrumental in forming a commission to recommend a railline and Gov Schwarzenegger (R) was a proponent of the proposition that funded it.

So it's not all Democrats involved.

Posted by Lord Garth 2025-02-21 12:30|| 2025-02-21 12:30|| Front Page Top

#7 An honest (!) Ballot argument with realistic numbers and assumptions wouldn't have passed, I believe. It was all lies

Posted by Frank G 2025-02-21 12:39|| 2025-02-21 12:39|| Front Page Top

#8 Arnold 'Fuck your freedom' S.

The purpose of a system is what it does.

Funny, was talking secondary school with wife yesterday and school counselor pushing eldest to go to Prestige $chool. "It's her job to push students to go to the most expensive school possible, regardless of qualification, motivation, or financial readiness, because she gets the kudos whether the kid fails or not, so many kids go and fail or get a useless education for big buck$ and go into a debt spiral and right into the hands of the debt mongers. The collapse of education and the explosion of student debt isn't because the system is broken, but because the system is working."

Posted by swksvolFF 2025-02-21 15:02|| 2025-02-21 15:02|| Front Page Top

#9 Besides, even if it is too expensive to build (like Supercollider), there is still the engineering boodle.
[Retired Professional Civil Engineer Bobby]

Posted by Bobby 2025-02-21 18:36|| 2025-02-21 18:36|| Front Page Top

00:48 Besoeker
00:40 Frank G