Posted on 09/23/2019 6:24:21 AM PDT by cutty
Blended route” for the way to San Jose—and beyond.
California’s ongoing bullet train project is late, over-budget, and politically assailed everywhere from Sacramento to the White House, but the nearly $80 billion venture still (pardon the term) chugs along, as the High Speed Rail Authority board voted Tuesday for routes that will eventually connect trains to the Bay Area.
Out of four route proposals, board members favored a Merced-to-San Jose connection designated Alternative Four, one that “blended configuration between San Jose and Gilroy in the existing Caltrain and Union Pacific Railroad corridors before continuing to a dedicated high-speed rail alignment through Pacheco Pass” through a tunnel.
...
“blended” means that future bullet trains will use a combination of existing rail infrastructure from regional transit agencies along with newly built trackways laid down specifically for high-speed rail,
...
The routes favored at Tuesday’s vote may change in the future. Actual construction remains years away
...
In May, a project update report found that the likely final cost now sat at $79.1 billion, almost double the $40 billion voters approved in 2008, with the route from Bakersfield to Merced now $1.8 billion pricier than previously calculated.
California is presently entrenched in litigation with the federal government over attempts to cancel nearly $1 billion in grants,
(Excerpt) Read more at sf.curbed.com ...
Just get Elon Musk to promise California a flying train. All problems solved. :)
Since this project is never going to happen, we might as well have some fun!:
http://www.subterraneanbases.com/californias-underground/
They should start with efficient regular-speed rail between LA and SF, and then go from there.
wow, finally something tangible, a really nice high ceiling homeless shelter!!
:)
I still have to admit, the utter folly of this high speed rail project still has the possibility of actually being useful.
YES!
The bridge in the photo could be tarped in for deluxe living quarts for illegals with rooftop parking for cars, RVs.. the river for recreation and sanitary needs(downstream)...
Once established, day labor recruiters would seek workers, taco benders to prepare delights from home, bail bondsman for the slow runners, a welfare office to hand out checks, tire repair services... Soon a fully functioning community.
Just needing a small bit of government funding to get it rolling.
Only the imaginary ones. The only high speed rail in the US as of now is the Acela. I believe bright line is planning a higher speed rail system in Texas and Florida.
And all but hinge to, no fancy track machines, spike machines etc.
The Japanese bullet trains offered to put a working bullet train in California on a good high density travel route for free ( to
Promote their systems for sake in North America). The corrupt California regulators went right “ to work” on it. They bled the company for millions of dollars in fees and then after making it clear they’d killed the project, they still rushed one more multi- week all expenses paid vacation in Japan supposedly looking at their trains there —but actually touring most of the time the tourist sites since most of the travelers knew nothing about Bullet trains electronics controls systems anyway. They then forced the free bullet train away - the Japanese weren’t stupid - it was plain as day the California regulators were milking them dry while also collecting millions of dollars in bribes from opposing special interests. Money talks, free bullet trains went home. And now Diane Feinstein’s family ( and other California pols and regulators) is reportedly bilking many millions more from this stupid new proposed bullet train route through 400
Miles of cow pastures and crop farms and ? Gimme a break! California politics and its utility regulation is filthy corrupt and everyone knows it there. But the crooks are really entrenched in California and have been for years.
There is a show on The History Channel about mysterious structures—abandoned bridges et al where nobody knows why they were built since they are in the middle of nowhere connecting nothing to nothing.
In a hundred years this bridge (and maybe another couple of them if they _ever_ get built) will be considered one of those mystery structures!
CIRCA 2016----NYP--PAGE SIX Senator’s husband stands to profit big from government deal / By Richard Johnson http://pagesix.com/2015/01/16/senators-husband-stands-to-profit-from-government-deal/?_ga=1.137700920.922370688.1421462337
Ever wonder how lowly paid lawmakers leave office filthy rich? Sen. Dianne Feinstein is showing how it’s done.
The US Postal Service plans to sell 56 buildings — so it can lease space more expensively — and the real estate company of the California senator’s husband, Richard Blum, is set to pocket about $1 billion in commissions.
Blum’s company, CBRE, was selected in March 2011 as the sole real estate agent on sales expected to fetch $19 billion. Most voters didn’t notice that Blum is a member of CBRE’s board and served as chairman from 2001 to 2014. This feat of federal spousal support was ignored by the media after Feinstein’s office said the senator, whose wealth is pegged at $70 million, had nothing to do with the USPS decisions.
When the national debt is $18 trillion (in 2016), a billion seems like small change.
Here in CT we just admit the truth—we have roads to nowhere!:
It's just like 'the revolution'.
They don't want to WIN the revolution. They don't want it to be over.
Thanks Robert A Cook PE.
From your link:
A year later, in September 2017, the bridge’s structure was largely complete, although track and electrical work remained for a future phase of construction.[11]
Sounds like they still have no rail over the bridge. Then again, they have no stations yet at either end of just the Central Valley section! Straight, flat, farm country, no faults zones to cross, no tidal pools or bays to cross.
Yeah—actual track seems to be the hard part. :-)
"Mongo only pawn in Game of Life!"
Was just thinking between that and the homeless setting up camp overnight in these trains.
The California white thugettes, DiFi and Pelosi and their super rich husbands will scam millions if not billions:
On any more money spent on the railroad from and to No Where!
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