Posted on 12/26/2008 11:18:29 AM PST by goldstategop
Bay Area officials are rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of tens of billions of dollars in tax subsidies for a high-speed rail line from Oakland to Los Angeles. This is so wrong on so many levels. Can anyone say “High-Speed Rail to Nowhere?”
With the economy in recession, California’s plan to ask the federal government for billions of dollars to help build the nation’s first high-speed rail system might seem like wishful thinking rather than a feasible financial strategy.
But transportation officials say that California’s high-speed rail project seems to be on a fast track to a hefty federal contribution - perhaps as much as $15 billion to $20 billion.
That optimism in the face of a dire economic outlook is the product of the priorities of President-elect Barack Obama’s administration; the likelihood of a big federal infrastructure investment; growing concern over climate change; the volatility of gas prices; Californians’ backing of the $10 billion high-speed rail bond measure and strong support for the project from the state’s potent congressional delegation, including Sen. Dianne Feinstein and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
“It seems like the stars are aligned,” said Rod Diridon of San Jose, a member of the High Speed Rail Authority.
Building the San Francisco-to-Los Angeles and Anaheim line that will be the spine of the system will cost between $32.8 billion and $33.6 billion, according to the High Speed Rail Authority’s business report. Extensions built later would cost another $12 billion. In addition to the $10 billion from state bond sales, the authority is counting on $12 billion to $16 billion in federal funds plus $6.5 billion to $7.5 billion in private investment and $2 billion to $3 billion in local contributions.
(link to SFgate article)
Okay, where to begin? It currently costs $49 one-way to fly Southwest from Oakland to Los Angeles. That flight takes about an hour and fifteen minutes. How much ya think it’ll cost to ride the high-speed line from O-town to L.A.? For comparison’s sake, government-funded Amtrak trips from Washington to New York’s Penn Station cost about $133 one-way on the Joe Biden-endorsed Acela (if they’re running). That trip takes about two hours and 45 minutes.
More data for you: It’ll take you about six-seven hours to drive from Oakland to Los Angeles on the I-5– and at current gas prices, it’ll cost you a mere $25 (with a few more bucks if you stop by In-N-Out!)
Bottom line: Who in their right mind would take this high-speed rail line? And why should people in Des Moines and Miami and Chicago pay for California commuters to ride it?
The bureaucrats say it’ll cost $30 billion, plus $12 billion for every extension — which means you should triple the asking price. There’s no need to guess whether this thing will be a money pit. Just look at the Los Angeles MTA black hole.
One last point: Who will get all the vaunted jobs the high-speed rail line boondoggle promises to deliver? Bloated unions.
The more things change…
***
Reader Terry adds: “I don’t know just how much you know about California topography, but the High Speed Train will be doing about 30 mph when it is going over the mountains outside Bakersfield. Someone should do a story on this issue by itself. It is a joke without a punchline.”
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Who in their right mind wants to go to Oakland?
Yeah it’s too bad we’re getting stuck with it. :(
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
—look out for the LA to Vegas high-speed train, too—
I know that In-N-Out! One of the busiest fast food resturaunts I've ever seen.
What a TURKEY.... way overpriced compared to the airline competition, takes too long to ride, who would do it except a few people with a pathological fear of flying?
btw, is it going to be earthquake-proof or will taxpayers be out our $30-90 billions for a non-functioning mess, the moment there is one serious earthquake anywhere in Calif.???
Ping
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
LA to Vegas would make more sense. But you would be required to purchase a round trip ticket on the LA to Vegas leg of the trip. Once your money was gone Vegas thugs would round you up and make sure you were on the next Hi-Speed train out of town. /s
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
May I suggest the PERFECT right-of-way would be the
SAN ANDREAS FAULT!
The images of the the fault swallowing a train and tracks would serve as a perfect metaphor for the feds swallowing up more dough for yet another useless project.
Yeah, let’s all get behind this one — especially you folks in SF. I hear your EXPERTS at that sort of thing.
Well Michelle the people at Amtrack that operate and work on the Acela might take issue with your statement.
Actually, driving would cost over $100.00. The cost of gasoline is only a fraction of the total operating costs.
Using such a bogus comparison weakens the rest of the article. The cost of the airline ticket is all-inclusive (although it ignores the cost of getting to and from airports). The total operating cost for an automobile should have been used for comparison.
Please note, I'm not saying that the project isn't an expensive boondoggle (that will probably cost several billions more than the current estimates). I'm just saying that basing an argument on cherry-picked data only weakens your case.
NJ has a major rail station near nothing but highways with no parking lot. I think it’s appropriatyely named the Lautenberg station. No one uses it, no one can.
OAKLAND TO WATTS!
Anyways the winners are....
Lawyers.....
Unions.....
Contractors.....
Finance.....
It might be stupid to us, but it's going to make a whole bunch of people rich and happy! And, their needs are more important than your needs. OK?
Where are they going to get the money? CA bonds are almost junk, regardless of what they voted for.
True — Japan has at least 4x the population of CA in a corridor like that.
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