the state has already spent about $15 billion on it over the last decade and a half, while the total cost projections for the full project have ballooned from the original $45 billion estimate presented to voters in 2008 to anywhere between $88 billion-$128 billion today.
a new state bill would limit public access to certain information about the project. AB 1608 would bar the inspector general from releasing what the bill describes as “project weaknesses,” including security risks, fraud controls and pending lawsuits.
The first phase, running from Kern County to Merced, is scheduled for completion in 2033.The California High-Speed Rail project is actively constructing a 171-mile, electrified "Initial Operating Segment" (IOS) connecting Merced, Fresno, and Bakersfield. As of early 2026, 119 miles are under construction with major progress on structures, and track laying is beginning. This segment aims to revolutionize Central Valley transit, with passenger service projected between 2030 and 2033.
https://hsr.ca.gov/project-overview/project-sections/central-valley/
Still don't getting why this is so complicated for them, there are multiple worldwide fast rail system, old, current and brand new that are far cheaper and in much shorter time build. It's just design problem, land problem, tech problem or old good incompetence?
ReplyDeletedamn, good question.
Delete1st, the reason the original railroads were able to do so much cheap, was free land. The govt gave them whatever they wanted, where ever they wanted it, no environmental studies, no delays about river beds and fish hatching areas, no nonsense about what coal to burn or how much pollution they were allowed.
NOW? every mile of the route is taking land away from someone else, and the environment (it's California ultra leftist liberal government remember) is going to be studied 3 times to see if they missed an insect or frog, and how that weed's habitat will be possibly affected, and does that mean they must re-route, and if the noise pollution (no one ever gave a damn about that before) or a train in proximity to a town will be a disruption to children's learning during school hours, and (just fill in every stupid thing you can imagine) and every time the locals could think of a delay, they did. Why? Money. THIS is the greatest money boondoggle of a generation, and the lawyers are getting filthy rich, and it's their last chance to grab some on every swindle farce they can come up with. How will the flowers and bees be affected? What about the seagulls? The Brown Pelicans?
Every bit of nonsense means more studies funded without question. Suddenly, being a study analyst is big business. The state has already spent about $15 billion on it over the last decade and a half. Hasn't got a train to show for it, nor a route complete.
Every over pass has to be engineered, for a high speed train, and that's new in this country.
It took 7 years to make on bridge https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2024/05/california-100-billion-boondoggle.html and there's no railway connected to it,
Oh, and every politician is out to get as much money for their jurisdiction, in every way possible, so the state or federal ones came up with the Made In the USA rule, and the trains have to be made here. No buying them from France or Japan.
They decided there will be 6 train sets https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-california-high-speed-rail-is.html
Nope, white sheet of paper starting point, engineered to the last bolt and nut, and I bet the contracts to do all that, and build the damn things, and create a parts supply for repairs and spares, must be lucrative.
So, then there is the track build, likely to be with new tech machinery for new processes to make a rail bed in a new way, and ultra flat, straight, etc.
Plus, the golden goose of funding has no limit. I believe this is as inevitable as the interstate highway system. It's going to happen, and everything to delay it will get funded until the issues are resolved.
The projected cost of the line from California to Las Vegas is already increased by 40%, I posted last October https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-projected-cost-of-high-speed.html
A year ago I touched on the funding boondoggle... if they can, they'll get funding approved to the "general fund" instead of strictly into the earmarked fund for the rail, so they can spend it on pet projects, then complain the money is all gone, and more will be provided.
https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2025/02/california-high-speed-rail-authority.html
Back in 2019 I posted a video that might answer this pretty well https://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2019/05/why-usa-is-only-nato-country-without.html