Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

California's bullet train is hurtling toward a multibillion-dollar overrun, a confidential [tr]
Los Angeles Times ^ | January 13, 2017 2:45 PM | Ralph Vartabedian

Posted on 01/14/2017 6:33:36 AM PST by Olog-hai

California’s bullet train could cost taxpayers 50% more than estimated — as much as $3.6 billion more. And that’s just for the first 118 miles through the Central Valley, which was supposed to be the easiest part of the route between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

A confidential Federal Railroad Administration risk analysis, obtained by The Times, projects that building bridges, viaducts, trenches and track from Merced to Shafter, just north of Bakersfield, could cost $9.5 billion to $10 billion, compared with the original budget of $6.4 billion.

The federal document outlines far-reaching management problems: significant delays in environmental planning, lags in processing invoices for federal grants and continuing failures to acquire needed property.

The California High-Speed Rail Authority originally anticipated completing the Central Valley track by this year, but the federal risk analysis estimates that that won’t happen until 2024, placing the project seven years behind schedule. …

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Government; US: California
KEYWORDS: boondoggle; cahighspeedrail; california; hsr; lofan; rail; tenbillion
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-60 next last
Full title: California’s bullet train is hurtling toward a multibillion-dollar overrun, a confidential federal report warns

Jumps from $41 million per mile to $65 million. And this was most likely the cheapest segment.

1 posted on 01/14/2017 6:33:36 AM PST by Olog-hai
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai

California is broke.

The CalPERS cow has mastitis.


2 posted on 01/14/2017 6:35:39 AM PST by ptsal
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai

I doubt they’re going to get anything extra from the fed on this (if they get anything) once Trump takes office.


3 posted on 01/14/2017 6:35:47 AM PST by HarleyD
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai

Whod’a thought?

Where is the betting pool on which year that CA will go bankrupt?

And, as a subplot, will bankruptcy come before or after the big one?


4 posted on 01/14/2017 6:42:31 AM PST by Da Coyote
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai

Quelle surprise! Who could possibly have seen this coming?


5 posted on 01/14/2017 6:43:59 AM PST by Lonesome in Massachussets (Psephomancers for Hillary!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai
UNEXPECTED!
6 posted on 01/14/2017 6:44:04 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Da Coyote

States cannot use bankruptcy laws.

They always have money and land to confiscate, as needed, so they are protected, despite not having bankruptcy as an option.


7 posted on 01/14/2017 6:45:19 AM PST by ConservativeMind ("Humane" = "Don't pen up pets or eat meat, but allow infanticides, abortion, and euthanasia.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai

The “bullet train” is a wealth distribution scheme from the middle class to the ruling class. Of course it will have cost overruns, that is the whole point.

If the politicians in Sacramento really wanted to help the citizens they would build more dams and reservoirs.

After years of crying drought, the first heavy rains and they begin emptying the reservoirs causing flooding down streams. As soon as the rain stops they will begin crying drought again and pointing to the empty reservoirs as proof.

California is a one party state, and this is the madness you get with a one party state.


8 posted on 01/14/2017 6:46:17 AM PST by CIB-173RDABN (US out of the UN, UN out of the US)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: HarleyD
I doubt they’re going to get anything extra from the fed on this (if they get anything) once Trump takes office.

The funny thing is that Trump is willing to spend federal money on infrastructure, but California is not even trying to work with him.

I also suspect that he would like bigger and better versions of what we've got (highways, LAX), rather than a new train system that will be an ongoing drain and may or may not be well-used.
9 posted on 01/14/2017 6:47:37 AM PST by Dr. Sivana (There is no salvation in politics.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai

Is this because building passenger rail needs to be this expensive? Or is it because corruption and regulation is so out-of-control in CA that it’s inevitable that the cost of any project spins out of control?


10 posted on 01/14/2017 6:48:46 AM PST by grania
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai

Not only is my beeber stuned, but my flabber is gasted and my over is whelmed.


11 posted on 01/14/2017 6:48:47 AM PST by N. Theknow (Kennedys-Can't drive, can't ski, can't fly, can't skipper a boat-But they know what's best for you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai

ROTFLMAO! Couldn’t happen to a better state. My apologies or condolences to CA freepers. It truly is a beautiful state but it is currently occupied territory, LOL!


12 posted on 01/14/2017 6:51:22 AM PST by Tennessean4Bush (An optimist believes we live in the best of all possible worlds. A pessimist fears this is true.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai

I foresee some railroad tracks sitting in the middle of the California central valley.... and they are a dead end on both end. And never have trains on the rails.


13 posted on 01/14/2017 6:54:03 AM PST by Bryan24 (When in doubt, move to the right..........)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CIB-173RDABN

Absolutely! I have long said the problem in CA is not lack of water but it is: failure to plan for a lack of water.


14 posted on 01/14/2017 6:54:54 AM PST by Michael.SF. (Canceling classes because Trump won, is excatly why Trump won.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: HarleyD

From another item not too many items below, there seems to be a suggestion of what Donald Trump is likely to do.

He’d probably say look into trying to salvage what they can for slow transit, or else junk the boondoggle.


15 posted on 01/14/2017 6:55:35 AM PST by HiTech RedNeck (Embrace the Lion of Judah and He will roar for you and teach you to roar too. See my page.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai

How many desalination plants and water storage facilities could have been built for the cost of California’s bullet train?


16 posted on 01/14/2017 6:56:31 AM PST by stars & stripes forever (Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. Psalm 33:12)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: grania

As far as corruption and regulation, it’s not only CA, but the FRA on top of that. The feds have worked to make all forms of rail transportation, but especially passenger, too expensive for the private sector to run for many decades; they want a return to Woodrow Wilson’s USRA eventually (which is why there are now only five Class 1 freight railroads and absolutely no private passenger operations).


17 posted on 01/14/2017 6:57:01 AM PST by Olog-hai
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai
A confidential Federal Railroad Administration risk analysis....

The Federal Railroad Administration receives taxpayer money to survive, why is a report that is funded by taxpayer money and is reporting on the use of taxpayer money for a failed project confidential?

....could cost $9.5 billion to $10 billion, compared with the original budget of $6.4 billion.

Fake news hailing the benefits of this high speed rail line propped up the project with a fake budget.....

18 posted on 01/14/2017 6:58:05 AM PST by capydick (“Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Olog-hai
Ditch the train and build reservoirs.
19 posted on 01/14/2017 6:59:49 AM PST by JPG (TRUMP WINS!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: stars & stripes forever
Well, the Carlsbad desalination plant is costing $1 billion already to set up, so that would make ten such plants by California’s spending measure. And the left hates desalination plants, as that LA Times link makes plain.
20 posted on 01/14/2017 7:02:33 AM PST by Olog-hai
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-60 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson