High-speed train trip going nowhere

Sacramento Bee ^ | 5/11/11 | Dan Walters

[SmithL]

California's chronic inability to govern itself has made it an international laughingstock with a blistering article in the Economist, a highbrow British magazine, only the latest manifestation of that unfortunate status.

The state now has another opportunity to either cement its image as a civic buffoon or begin acting like an adult. It is the disaster-in-waiting known as the high-speed rail project.

On a whim, politicians and voters decided a few years ago that a bullet train connecting the northern and southern halves of the state would be a jim-dandy thing to have, even though nobody knew how much it would cost, whether it would generate enough riders to justify whatever the cost might be, or whether the money could be obtained.

The state High-Speed Rail Authority, made up of politicians and political appointees with side agendas, has supposedly been working on the details. But we still don't know how much it would cost, what the ridership would likely be or what would be the sources of construction money.

Even so, the rail authority authorized construction of a $5 billion initial line from nowhere to nowhere in the San Joaquin Valley because the federal government gave it some money and dictated that it be spent there.

Why? Probably to boost the 2010 re-election chances of a Fresno congressman, Democrat Jim Costa, who faced a tough challenge.

[Dutch Boy]

Just watch the Simpson’s rerun of the Springfield Monorail episode. That was applicable to Johnson’s Fast Ferry and high speed rail.

BTW - Guess who LOVES high speed rail...

[colorado tanker]

New Mexico’s rail link between Santa Fe and Albuquerque is bankrupting the state and soaking up all their transportation dollars. And that is not a high speed system and is much less ambitious.

[Elsie]

It is the disaster-in-waiting known as the high-speed rail project.

I guess they did NOT learn their lesson with BART!

http://www.bart.gov/about/history/index.aspx

[the anti-liberal]

[Elsie]

when will voters learn?

Oh; we've LEARNED all right; but the BASTARDS keep stealing our money anyway!

[NormsRevenge]

I hear ya..

Too bad a moratorium couldn’t be imposed in blowing dough we don’t have on equipment built and services provided by foreign companies.. but then , that wouldn’t be big gubamint runamuck which is pretty much par for the course these days.

We lack leadership and the resolve to do the intelligent thing and not the PC thing w/o regard for cost, near- and long-term, and sensibility.

[Elsie]

"Meanwhile, federal monies had begun flowing into the project at an increasing rate, making possible a wide range of improvements over the original system plan. BART's widely-known "linear park", for example, was constructed under the aerial right-of-way through Albany and El Cerrito to demonstrate how function could combine with aesthetics to enhance community environments. A $7.5 million program for systemwide landscaping and right-of-way beautification was partly funded by several of the largest federal grants ever made for this purpose. Of the $160 million base cost of BART's 450-car fleet, 64 percent was funded by federal grants." Our F***** taxes!!!

Federal Money: It just falls outta thin air for EVERYONE to enjoy!

[oh8eleven]

BTW - Guess who LOVES high speed rail...
Michler.
Maybe you could use it to get Antonio out of Roch - fast.

[oh8eleven]

Louise also neglects to mention how the high speed rail will go high speed
when the tracks between Buffalo and Albany look like this six months of the year ...

Feckin' idiots.

[NoLibZone]

We will need tens of thousands of Unionized rail track snow removers.

[oh8eleven]

Sadly, you are correct.