April 17, 2025
In 12 Years, This $40 Billion High-Speed Rail Line in Texas Has Not Laid a Single Foot of Track
The decade-plus battle to bring high-speed rail to Texas could soon be
over. On Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy delivered a blow to
the project, known as Texas Central Railway, by rescinding a $63.9 million federal grant. Duffy called the project "a waste of taxpayer funds".
On May 22, 2025 at 7:58:52 PM PDT, "Marmalade King" <x@y.com> wrote:
April 17, 2025
In 12 Years, This $40 Billion High-Speed Rail Line in Texas Has Not Laid a >> Single Foot of Track
The decade-plus battle to bring high-speed rail to Texas could soon be
over. On Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy delivered a blow to
the project, known as Texas Central Railway, by rescinding a $63.9 million >> federal grant. Duffy called the project "a waste of taxpayer funds".
Now he needs to come to California and do the same thing.
We're $20 billion in the hole on our (alleged) high-speed train and also have not one inch of track to show for it. And they're now saying the project, which was originally budgeted at $13 billion and supposed to go from Sacramento to San Diego will now cost $200 billion and only go from Bakersfield to Modesto-- from somewhere no one is, to somewhere no one wants to go. It's also not going to be high-speed anymore. Since they didn't want to
fight landowners over eminent domain, they decided to use existing track for large chunks of it, which isn't the right gauge to handle high speed. So it will be normal-speed rail for large portions of its route. Oh, and the tickets
to ride it (if it's ever actually built) will be at least as expensive as a plane ticket from L.A. to San Francisco.
Our train-to-nowhere is predicted to be the costliest waste of taxpayer money in the history of America. But rather than stopping this nonsense, our state assembly has gone all-in on the sunk cost fallacy. They've spent so much money
already that they can't bring themselves to stop and say it was all a waste, so they keep shoveling money at it knowing that they might as well be lighting
it on fire for all the good it will do.
We're at the point where some people need to go to prison over this.
BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com> wrote:
On May 22, 2025 at 7:58:52 PM PDT, "Marmalade King" <x@y.com> wrote:
April 17, 2025
In 12 Years, This $40 Billion High-Speed Rail Line in Texas Has Not Laid a >>> Single Foot of Track
The decade-plus battle to bring high-speed rail to Texas could soon be
over. On Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy delivered a blow to >>> the project, known as Texas Central Railway, by rescinding a $63.9 million >>> federal grant. Duffy called the project "a waste of taxpayer funds".
Now he needs to come to California and do the same thing.
We're $20 billion in the hole on our (alleged) high-speed train and also
have
not one inch of track to show for it. And they're now saying the project, >> which was originally budgeted at $13 billion and supposed to go from
Sacramento to San Diego will now cost $200 billion and only go from
Bakersfield to Modesto-- from somewhere no one is, to somewhere no one wants
to go. It's also not going to be high-speed anymore. Since they didn't want >> to
fight landowners over eminent domain, they decided to use existing track for
large chunks of it, which isn't the right gauge to handle high speed. So it >> will be normal-speed rail for large portions of its route. Oh, and the
tickets
to ride it (if it's ever actually built) will be at least as expensive as a >> plane ticket from L.A. to San Francisco.
Our train-to-nowhere is predicted to be the costliest waste of taxpayer
money
in the history of America. But rather than stopping this nonsense, our state
assembly has gone all-in on the sunk cost fallacy. They've spent so much
money
already that they can't bring themselves to stop and say it was all a waste,
so they keep shoveling money at it knowing that they might as well be
lighting
it on fire for all the good it will do.
We're at the point where some people need to go to prison over this.
Can’t you already take a regular speed drain from the Pueblo de Los Angeles to Frisco?
Spiel Chuck changed train to drain and I’m leaving it in because of how absolutely perfect it is
April 17, 2025
In 12 Years, This $40 Billion High-Speed Rail Line in Texas Has Not Laid a Single Foot of Track
The decade-plus battle to bring high-speed rail to Texas could soon be
over. On Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy delivered a blow to
the project, known as Texas Central Railway, by rescinding a $63.9 million federal grant. Duffy called the project "a waste of taxpayer funds. "
The Texas Central Railway was unveiled in 2013 as a fully privately funded high-speed rail project connecting Dallas and Houston. Originally estimated to cost $10 billion, the project would be able to shuttle passengers
between the state's two largest cities in 90 minutes (versus nearly four hours in a car).
Like other high-speed rail projects before it, Texas Central has run into project delays and cost overruns. By 2019, the project's investors updated their original cost estimates to $20 billion. In 2020, project estimates
were updated again to $30 billion. A 2023 analysis by Baruch Feigenbaum, senior managing director of transportation policy at Reason Foundation (the nonprofit that publishes Reason), estimates that the project's operating
and construction costs will be at least $41.6 billion.
In September 2024, the Biden administration awarded Amtrak a $64 million grant to move the project forward. Despite this federal support, Japanese investors backed out of the project after claiming to have lost $272
million.
Kleinheinz Capital Partners, an investment firm headed by Fort Worth businessman John Kleinheinz, "bought its Japanese investors out of the project in January, " reports The Texas Tribune, to become the rail line's controlling interest. Andy Jent, a representative of Texas Central, told
the Tribune that the project had acquired 25 percent of the land it needed
to build the route.
Despite Tuesday's announcement from the Transportation Department, which
also directed Amtrak to rescind project leadership, the project appears
ready to forge ahead. "We agree with Secretary Duffy that this project
should be led by the private sector, and we will be proud to take it
forward, " Kleinheinz Capital said in a statement.
"Our interpretation of what the Department of Transportation released a couple of days ago is that number one, they don't want Amtrak leading this project, " Jent told the Texas House of Representatives' Transportation Committee on Thursday. "We also don't believe that that's in the best interest of the state of Texas or in the best interest of this project. "
Despite the optimism, the project faces a long route to completion.
The rail line has yet to lay a single foot of track or acquire the
necessary permits to begin construction. In 2020, the Federal Railroad Administration issued a final environmental impact statement under the National Environmental Policy Act, which did "not grant any kind of construction approval or permit. Neither does this final rule, by itself, grant any permission or authority" for the company to operate. "The publication of this final rule is the beginning for [Texas Central
Railroad], not the end, of its continuous obligation to demonstrate compliance with the regulation. "
As of January 2024, the project had not received the necessary permits from the federal Surface Transportation Board to begin construction. The city of Houston has not approved a terminal site for the train, but Dallas has
spent $1.5 million on an economic feasibility study for the project, Dallas City Council member Omar Narvaez told KERA News.
The project has also faced opposition from the state government. In 2017, Texas lawmakers passed a law prohibiting the Texas legislature from appropriating funds "related to the planning, facility construction or maintenance, security, or operation of a high-speed rail project operated
by a private entity. "
In June 2022, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that Texas Central could use eminent domain for the rail line, which has been met with staunch
opposition from Texas landowners. This legislative session, state Rep.
Brian Harrison (RWaxahachie) introduced a bill that would prevent a private entity that operates high-speed rail from using eminent domain. Lawmakers
are also considering a bill sponsored by Rep. Cody Harris (RPalestine),
which would make it impossible for state funds to be used to pay for the alteration of roadway because of high-speed rail construction.
Jent told lawmakers on Thursday that he still considers the project alive, but Kleinheinz is not, at this time, "proposing construction of the
project. " Once the developers give the green light, Jent expects that it will take six months to finalize project planning. During that time, Texas Central would secure more financing and submit a final permit to the
Surface Transportation Board. Jent expects it would then take 8086 months
to complete construction of the project.
This estimation is a bit ambitious, Feigenbaum tells Reason. With the project's cost ballooning from $10 billion to over $40 billion, "I don't
see how they're going to come up with" the funding that's needed for the
rail line, he says. In his testimony to lawmakers, Jent said that he
expects the Japan Bank for International Cooperation to "provide some form
of financing" in the future (although the bank is not funding the project right now).
Feigenbaum says the project, which was essentially dormant before, will likely become dormant again.
In 12 Years, This $40 Billion High-Speed Rail Line in Texas Has Not Laid a >Single Foot of Track
On 5/22/2025 10:58 PM, Marmalade King wrote:
April 17, 2025
In 12 Years, This $40 Billion High-Speed Rail Line in Texas Has Not Laid a >> Single Foot of Track
The decade-plus battle to bring high-speed rail to Texas could soon be
over. On Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy delivered a blow to
the project, known as Texas Central Railway, by rescinding a $63.9 million >> federal grant. Duffy called the project "a waste of taxpayer funds. "
The Texas Central Railway was unveiled in 2013 as a fully privately funded >> high-speed rail project connecting Dallas and Houston. Originally estimated >> to cost $10 billion, the project would be able to shuttle passengers
between the state's two largest cities in 90 minutes (versus nearly four
hours in a car).
Like other high-speed rail projects before it, Texas Central has run into
project delays and cost overruns. By 2019, the project's investors updated >> their original cost estimates to $20 billion. In 2020, project estimates
were updated again to $30 billion. A 2023 analysis by Baruch Feigenbaum,
senior managing director of transportation policy at Reason Foundation (the >> nonprofit that publishes Reason), estimates that the project's operating
and construction costs will be at least $41.6 billion.
In September 2024, the Biden administration awarded Amtrak a $64 million
grant to move the project forward. Despite this federal support, Japanese
investors backed out of the project after claiming to have lost $272
million.
Kleinheinz Capital Partners, an investment firm headed by Fort Worth
businessman John Kleinheinz, "bought its Japanese investors out of the
project in January, " reports The Texas Tribune, to become the rail line's >> controlling interest. Andy Jent, a representative of Texas Central, told
the Tribune that the project had acquired 25 percent of the land it needed >> to build the route.
Despite Tuesday's announcement from the Transportation Department, which
also directed Amtrak to rescind project leadership, the project appears
ready to forge ahead. "We agree with Secretary Duffy that this project
should be led by the private sector, and we will be proud to take it
forward, " Kleinheinz Capital said in a statement.
"Our interpretation of what the Department of Transportation released a
couple of days ago is that number one, they don't want Amtrak leading this >> project, " Jent told the Texas House of Representatives' Transportation
Committee on Thursday. "We also don't believe that that's in the best
interest of the state of Texas or in the best interest of this project. "
Despite the optimism, the project faces a long route to completion.
The rail line has yet to lay a single foot of track or acquire the
necessary permits to begin construction. In 2020, the Federal Railroad
Administration issued a final environmental impact statement under the
National Environmental Policy Act, which did "not grant any kind of
construction approval or permit. Neither does this final rule, by itself,
grant any permission or authority" for the company to operate. "The
publication of this final rule is the beginning for [Texas Central
Railroad], not the end, of its continuous obligation to demonstrate
compliance with the regulation. "
As of January 2024, the project had not received the necessary permits from >> the federal Surface Transportation Board to begin construction. The city of >> Houston has not approved a terminal site for the train, but Dallas has
spent $1.5 million on an economic feasibility study for the project, Dallas >> City Council member Omar Narvaez told KERA News.
The project has also faced opposition from the state government. In 2017,
Texas lawmakers passed a law prohibiting the Texas legislature from
appropriating funds "related to the planning, facility construction or
maintenance, security, or operation of a high-speed rail project operated
by a private entity. "
In June 2022, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that Texas Central could use
eminent domain for the rail line, which has been met with staunch
opposition from Texas landowners. This legislative session, state Rep.
Brian Harrison (RWaxahachie) introduced a bill that would prevent a private >> entity that operates high-speed rail from using eminent domain. Lawmakers
are also considering a bill sponsored by Rep. Cody Harris (RPalestine),
which would make it impossible for state funds to be used to pay for the
alteration of roadway because of high-speed rail construction.
Jent told lawmakers on Thursday that he still considers the project alive, >> but Kleinheinz is not, at this time, "proposing construction of the
project. " Once the developers give the green light, Jent expects that it
will take six months to finalize project planning. During that time, Texas >> Central would secure more financing and submit a final permit to the
Surface Transportation Board. Jent expects it would then take 8086 months
to complete construction of the project.
This estimation is a bit ambitious, Feigenbaum tells Reason. With the
project's cost ballooning from $10 billion to over $40 billion, "I don't
see how they're going to come up with" the funding that's needed for the
rail line, he says. In his testimony to lawmakers, Jent said that he
expects the Japan Bank for International Cooperation to "provide some form >> of financing" in the future (although the bank is not funding the project
right now).
Feigenbaum says the project, which was essentially dormant before, will
likely become dormant again.
What's your point?
Radio Gnome wrote:
On 5/22/2025 10:58 PM, Marmalade King wrote:
April 17, 2025
In 12 Years, This $40 Billion High-Speed Rail Line in Texas Has Not
Laid a
Single Foot of Track
The decade-plus battle to bring high-speed rail to Texas could soon be
over. On Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy delivered a
blow to
the project, known as Texas Central Railway, by rescinding a $63.9
million
federal grant. Duffy called the project "a waste of taxpayer funds. "
The Texas Central Railway was unveiled in 2013 as a fully privately
funded
high-speed rail project connecting Dallas and Houston. Originally
estimated
to cost $10 billion, the project would be able to shuttle passengers
between the state's two largest cities in 90 minutes (versus nearly four >>> hours in a car).
Like other high-speed rail projects before it, Texas Central has run
into
project delays and cost overruns. By 2019, the project's investors
updated
their original cost estimates to $20 billion. In 2020, project estimates >>> were updated again to $30 billion. A 2023 analysis by Baruch Feigenbaum, >>> senior managing director of transportation policy at Reason
Foundation (the
nonprofit that publishes Reason), estimates that the project's operating >>> and construction costs will be at least $41.6 billion.
In September 2024, the Biden administration awarded Amtrak a $64 million >>> grant to move the project forward. Despite this federal support,
Japanese
investors backed out of the project after claiming to have lost $272
million.
Kleinheinz Capital Partners, an investment firm headed by Fort Worth
businessman John Kleinheinz, "bought its Japanese investors out of the
project in January, " reports The Texas Tribune, to become the rail
line's
controlling interest. Andy Jent, a representative of Texas Central, told >>> the Tribune that the project had acquired 25 percent of the land it
needed
to build the route.
Despite Tuesday's announcement from the Transportation Department, which >>> also directed Amtrak to rescind project leadership, the project appears
ready to forge ahead. "We agree with Secretary Duffy that this project
should be led by the private sector, and we will be proud to take it
forward, " Kleinheinz Capital said in a statement.
"Our interpretation of what the Department of Transportation released a
couple of days ago is that number one, they don't want Amtrak leading
this
project, " Jent told the Texas House of Representatives' Transportation
Committee on Thursday. "We also don't believe that that's in the best
interest of the state of Texas or in the best interest of this
project. "
Despite the optimism, the project faces a long route to completion.
The rail line has yet to lay a single foot of track or acquire the
necessary permits to begin construction. In 2020, the Federal Railroad
Administration issued a final environmental impact statement under the
National Environmental Policy Act, which did "not grant any kind of
construction approval or permit. Neither does this final rule, by
itself,
grant any permission or authority" for the company to operate. "The
publication of this final rule is the beginning for [Texas Central
Railroad], not the end, of its continuous obligation to demonstrate
compliance with the regulation. "
As of January 2024, the project had not received the necessary
permits from
the federal Surface Transportation Board to begin construction. The
city of
Houston has not approved a terminal site for the train, but Dallas has
spent $1.5 million on an economic feasibility study for the project,
Dallas
City Council member Omar Narvaez told KERA News.
The project has also faced opposition from the state government. In
2017,
Texas lawmakers passed a law prohibiting the Texas legislature from
appropriating funds "related to the planning, facility construction or
maintenance, security, or operation of a high-speed rail project
operated
by a private entity. "
In June 2022, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that Texas Central could use >>> eminent domain for the rail line, which has been met with staunch
opposition from Texas landowners. This legislative session, state Rep.
Brian Harrison (RWaxahachie) introduced a bill that would prevent a
private
entity that operates high-speed rail from using eminent domain.
Lawmakers
are also considering a bill sponsored by Rep. Cody Harris (RPalestine),
which would make it impossible for state funds to be used to pay for the >>> alteration of roadway because of high-speed rail construction.
Jent told lawmakers on Thursday that he still considers the project
alive,
but Kleinheinz is not, at this time, "proposing construction of the
project. " Once the developers give the green light, Jent expects
that it
will take six months to finalize project planning. During that time,
Texas
Central would secure more financing and submit a final permit to the
Surface Transportation Board. Jent expects it would then take 8086
months
to complete construction of the project.
This estimation is a bit ambitious, Feigenbaum tells Reason. With the
project's cost ballooning from $10 billion to over $40 billion, "I don't >>> see how they're going to come up with" the funding that's needed for the >>> rail line, he says. In his testimony to lawmakers, Jent said that he
expects the Japan Bank for International Cooperation to "provide some
form
of financing" in the future (although the bank is not funding the
project
right now).
Feigenbaum says the project, which was essentially dormant before, will
likely become dormant again.
What's your point?
A private-sector US taxpayer should be angry about government waste.
Obviously, Democrat pajama "workers" on the government dole would be in
favor of the waste.
On 5/29/2025 1:22 PM, Jim Andersen wrote:
Radio Gnome wrote:
On 5/22/2025 10:58 PM, Marmalade King wrote:
April 17, 2025
In 12 Years, This $40 Billion High-Speed Rail Line in Texas Has Not
Laid a
Single Foot of Track
The decade-plus battle to bring high-speed rail to Texas could soon be >>>> over. On Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy delivered a
blow to
the project, known as Texas Central Railway, by rescinding a $63.9
million
federal grant. Duffy called the project "a waste of taxpayer funds. "
The Texas Central Railway was unveiled in 2013 as a fully privately
funded
high-speed rail project connecting Dallas and Houston. Originally
estimated
to cost $10 billion, the project would be able to shuttle passengers
between the state's two largest cities in 90 minutes (versus nearly
four
hours in a car).
Like other high-speed rail projects before it, Texas Central has run
into
project delays and cost overruns. By 2019, the project's investors
updated
their original cost estimates to $20 billion. In 2020, project
estimates
were updated again to $30 billion. A 2023 analysis by Baruch
Feigenbaum,
senior managing director of transportation policy at Reason
Foundation (the
nonprofit that publishes Reason), estimates that the project's
operating
and construction costs will be at least $41.6 billion.
In September 2024, the Biden administration awarded Amtrak a $64
million
grant to move the project forward. Despite this federal support,
Japanese
investors backed out of the project after claiming to have lost $272
million.
Kleinheinz Capital Partners, an investment firm headed by Fort Worth
businessman John Kleinheinz, "bought its Japanese investors out of the >>>> project in January, " reports The Texas Tribune, to become the rail
line's
controlling interest. Andy Jent, a representative of Texas Central,
told
the Tribune that the project had acquired 25 percent of the land it
needed
to build the route.
Despite Tuesday's announcement from the Transportation Department,
which
also directed Amtrak to rescind project leadership, the project appears >>>> ready to forge ahead. "We agree with Secretary Duffy that this project >>>> should be led by the private sector, and we will be proud to take it
forward, " Kleinheinz Capital said in a statement.
"Our interpretation of what the Department of Transportation released a >>>> couple of days ago is that number one, they don't want Amtrak
leading this
project, " Jent told the Texas House of Representatives' Transportation >>>> Committee on Thursday. "We also don't believe that that's in the best
interest of the state of Texas or in the best interest of this
project. "
Despite the optimism, the project faces a long route to completion.
The rail line has yet to lay a single foot of track or acquire the
necessary permits to begin construction. In 2020, the Federal Railroad >>>> Administration issued a final environmental impact statement under the >>>> National Environmental Policy Act, which did "not grant any kind of
construction approval or permit. Neither does this final rule, by
itself,
grant any permission or authority" for the company to operate. "The
publication of this final rule is the beginning for [Texas Central
Railroad], not the end, of its continuous obligation to demonstrate
compliance with the regulation. "
As of January 2024, the project had not received the necessary
permits from
the federal Surface Transportation Board to begin construction. The
city of
Houston has not approved a terminal site for the train, but Dallas has >>>> spent $1.5 million on an economic feasibility study for the project,
Dallas
City Council member Omar Narvaez told KERA News.
The project has also faced opposition from the state government. In
2017,
Texas lawmakers passed a law prohibiting the Texas legislature from
appropriating funds "related to the planning, facility construction or >>>> maintenance, security, or operation of a high-speed rail project
operated
by a private entity. "
In June 2022, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that Texas Central could
use
eminent domain for the rail line, which has been met with staunch
opposition from Texas landowners. This legislative session, state Rep. >>>> Brian Harrison (RWaxahachie) introduced a bill that would prevent a
private
entity that operates high-speed rail from using eminent domain.
Lawmakers
are also considering a bill sponsored by Rep. Cody Harris (RPalestine), >>>> which would make it impossible for state funds to be used to pay for
the
alteration of roadway because of high-speed rail construction.
Jent told lawmakers on Thursday that he still considers the project
alive,
but Kleinheinz is not, at this time, "proposing construction of the
project. " Once the developers give the green light, Jent expects
that it
will take six months to finalize project planning. During that time,
Texas
Central would secure more financing and submit a final permit to the
Surface Transportation Board. Jent expects it would then take 8086
months
to complete construction of the project.
This estimation is a bit ambitious, Feigenbaum tells Reason. With the
project's cost ballooning from $10 billion to over $40 billion, "I
don't
see how they're going to come up with" the funding that's needed for
the
rail line, he says. In his testimony to lawmakers, Jent said that he
expects the Japan Bank for International Cooperation to "provide
some form
of financing" in the future (although the bank is not funding the
project
right now).
Feigenbaum says the project, which was essentially dormant before, will >>>> likely become dormant again.
What's your point?
A private-sector US taxpayer should be angry about government waste.
This is a private venture. No taxpayer funds involved.
This is a private venture. No taxpayer funds involved.
On Thu, 29 May 2025 07:53:26 -0400, Radio Gnome <gong@radiognome.com>
wrote:
What's your point?
Republicans wasting tens of bilions of dollars on a rail line - just
like California. The difference being, California has actually
constructed something.
On Sat, 31 May 2025 21:03:50 -0000 (UTC), BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com>
wrote:
On May 31, 2025 at 1:53:55 PM PDT, "Governor Swill"
<governor.swill@gmail.com>
wrote:
On Thu, 29 May 2025 07:53:26 -0400, Radio Gnome <gong@radiognome.com>
wrote:
What's your point?
Republicans wasting tens of bilions of dollars on a rail line - just
like California. The difference being, California has actually
constructed something.
Texas was supposed to be a private project but they fought
controversey until the money ran out. Amtrak showed an interest and
the project was revived with money from the Infrastructure Investment
and Jobs Act via Amtrak which was putting together a package of public
and private financing to fund the project.
Then Trump revoked the Texas plan.
That "something' does not include any actual railroad track.
Laying track is the last thing that will be done. The railbed,
viaducts and power and other infrastructures have to be built first.
When that is complete, track can be laid. Track laying is set begin
this year. Hundreds of miles of railbed have already been under
construction
"As of January 2025, 119 miles (192 km) of the 171 miles (275 km) were
under active construction. 22 miles (35 km) of contiguous guideway
were declared complete, making that section ready for
track-laying.[36] The remainder of the 119 miles (192 km) is expected
to complete their guideway by the end of 2026."
On Jun 1, 2025 at 12:53:46 AM PDT, "Governor Swill" <governor.swill@gmail.com>
wrote:
On Sat, 31 May 2025 21:03:50 -0000 (UTC), BTR1701 <atropos@mac.com>
wrote:
On May 31, 2025 at 1:53:55 PM PDT, "Governor Swill"
<governor.swill@gmail.com>
wrote:
On Thu, 29 May 2025 07:53:26 -0400, Radio Gnome <gong@radiognome.com> >>>> wrote:
What's your point?
Republicans wasting tens of bilions of dollars on a rail line - just
like California. The difference being, California has actually
constructed something.
Texas was supposed to be a private project but they fought
controversey until the money ran out. Amtrak showed an interest and
the project was revived with money from the Infrastructure Investment
and Jobs Act via Amtrak which was putting together a package of public
and private financing to fund the project.
Then Trump revoked the Texas plan.
That "something' does not include any actual railroad track.
Laying track is the last thing that will be done. The railbed,
viaducts and power and other infrastructures have to be built first.
When that is complete, track can be laid. Track laying is set begin
this year. Hundreds of miles of railbed have already been under
construction
"As of January 2025, 119 miles (192 km) of the 171 miles (275 km) were
under active construction. 22 miles (35 km) of contiguous guideway
were declared complete, making that section ready for
track-laying.[36] The remainder of the 119 miles (192 km) is expected
to complete their guideway by the end of 2026."
Gavin Newsom can have my first-born child the day this project is complete. That's how confident I am this will never be finished.
I reiterate:
We're $20 billion in the hole on our (alleged) high-speed train and also have not one inch of track to show for it. And they're now saying the project, which was originally budgeted at $13 billion and supposed to go from\ Sacramento to San Diego will now cost $200 billion and only go from Bakersfield (technically Wasco, a tiny town outside Bakersfield) to Merced-- from somewhere no one is, to somewhere no one wants to go. It's also not going
to be high-speed anymore. Since they didn't want to fight landowners over eminent domain, they decided to use existing track for large chunks of it, which isn't the right gauge to handle high speed. So it will be normal-speed rail for large portions of its route. Oh, and the tickets to ride it (if it's ever actually built) will be at least as expensive as a plane ticket from L.A.
to San Francisco.
Who the hell is going to drive from L.A. to Bakersfield to catch a train (that's not even high-speed) and pay the cost of an airline ticket to ride it,
then have to rent a car when it reaches Merced to finish the journey to San Francisco? By the time you get to Bakersfield, you're almost halfway to San Francisco anyway. Might as well just keep driving at that point.
Our train-to-nowhere is predicted to be the costliest waste of taxpayer money in the history of America. But rather than stopping this nonsense, our state assembly has gone all-in on the sunk cost fallacy. They've spent so much money
already that they can't bring themselves to stop and say it was all a waste, so they keep shoveling money at it knowing that they might as well be lighting
it on fire for all the good it will do.
We're at the point where some people need to go to prison over this.
April 17, 2025Laid a
In 12 Years, This $40 Billion High-Speed Rail Line in Texas Has Not
Single Foot of Trackmillion
The decade-plus battle to bring high-speed rail to Texas could soon be
over. On Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy delivered a blow to the project, known as Texas Central Railway, by rescinding a $63.9
federal grant. Duffy called the project "a waste of taxpayer funds. "
This estimation is a bit ambitious, Feigenbaum tells Reason. With the project's cost ballooning from $10 billion to over $40 billion, "I don'tform
see how they're going to come up with" the funding that's needed for the rail line, he says. In his testimony to lawmakers, Jent said that he
expects the Japan Bank for International Cooperation to "provide some
of financing" in the future (although the bank is not funding the project right now).
Feigenbaum says the project, which was essentially dormant before, will likely become dormant again.
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