Calif High Speed Rail project derailed

[Vox]

I think this is the same as the rail from "Disneyland" to 'Las Vegas" that Reid got in the "stimulus bill" you're talking about.

Now I don't know how many parents with young children are going to take their kids to Disneyland and then end up in Sin City--but Obama and Harry Reid thought it would be a great idea.

nobody is planning to build the rail.
that is why the route is so ridiculous.

it is just a method to steal the taxpayer's money

 

[Political Junky]

Europe caught on to the time wasted in traveling between airports and downtown a long time ago.

 

[Vox]

Europe caught on to the time wasted in traveling between airports and downtown a long time ago.

Europe NEVER had a period without public transportation. NEVER.
so there was nothing to catch on - it's logical.
In this country the well developed public transportation was dismantled in hte 50s and 60s by the megalomaniac projects of that time - the highways. And the interests which were behind that - so if one wants seriously address the issue of reinstating the public transportation in this country one does not start with a megalomaniac projects of the high speed trains between the least possible needed connection points.
One makes sure the ones who were behind the ruin of existing public transportation in the US now will have an economic NEED to reinstate it again.

But all those "bullet trains" are not projected for the need of the people, just for the financial needs of the ones who are redistributing the taxpayer's money.

Solyndrization of the America.

 

[Trajan]

This has always been the White Elephant project of all White Elephant projects. A hundred billion dollars, spent to benefit a very few people, at a time when California already has adequate road and air transportation, and is under staggering debts with its liberal politicians pouring on more and more.

Not sure what Obama has to do with all this, aside from the fact that massive Federal funds were coming in to help pay for it, even though most of the country would never had ridden on the train.

Then, to everyone's surprise, a judge actually announced that California had to obey the law.

That brought everything to a screeching halt.

Hopefully the second sentence of the article is correct.

-------------------------------------

Obama's High-Speed Rail Plan Loses Big in California Court

Conn Carroll | Nov 26, 2013

California Gov. Jerry Brown can not spend state bond revenues on President Obama's signature transportation project until the state can identify how they will pay for the entire $68 billion project, a California court ruled Monday. The decision almost certainly spells death for the project.

This August, Superior Court Judge Michael Kenny ruled that the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) “abused its discretion by approving a funding plan that did not comply with the requirements of the law."

That law would be Proposition 1A (the “Safe, Reliable, High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century”), which required the CHSRA to identify “sources of all funds to be invested in the corridor” and complete “all necessary project level environmental clearances” before construction can begin.

At the time, Democrats sold Obama's high-speed rail plan as a $40 billion project. But that number quickly skyrocketed to more than $100 billion, after California voters approved it, of course.

thank god...seriously.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

That sucks. Even Iraq has high speed rail. Pretty embarrassing for a superpower.

Nothing says superpower more than wasteful, boondogle spending on rail that no one will use.

 

[Trajan]

That sucks. Even Iraq has high speed rail. Pretty embarrassing for a superpower.

look, its simple- the practicality in every measure stinks. market forces do count, it won't be cheap enough to get people out of their cars, it won't be fast enough to get people out of their cars , $$ wise, its , well, the starting point for construction costs and where they are now, are light years apart and, 2030 as a completion date? If thats what they say now, add , oh, 25%? 2037? I mean seriously?

 

[thereisnospoon]

This has always been the White Elephant project of all White Elephant projects. A hundred billion dollars, spent to benefit a very few people, at a time when California already has adequate road and air transportation, and is under staggering debts with its liberal politicians pouring on more and more.

Not sure what Obama has to do with all this, aside from the fact that massive Federal funds were coming in to help pay for it, even though most of the country would never had ridden on the train.

Then, to everyone's surprise, a judge actually announced that California had to obey the law.

That brought everything to a screeching halt.

Hopefully the second sentence of the article is correct.

-------------------------------------

Obama's High-Speed Rail Plan Loses Big in California Court

Conn Carroll | Nov 26, 2013

California Gov. Jerry Brown can not spend state bond revenues on President Obama's signature transportation project until the state can identify how they will pay for the entire $68 billion project, a California court ruled Monday. The decision almost certainly spells death for the project.

This August, Superior Court Judge Michael Kenny ruled that the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) “abused its discretion by approving a funding plan that did not comply with the requirements of the law."

That law would be Proposition 1A (the “Safe, Reliable, High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century”), which required the CHSRA to identify “sources of all funds to be invested in the corridor” and complete “all necessary project level environmental clearances” before construction can begin.

At the time, Democrats sold Obama's high-speed rail plan as a $40 billion project. But that number quickly skyrocketed to more than $100 billion, after California voters approved it, of course.

It was never a realistic project. The cost $100 billion( Double it) could never be made back in 5 lifetimes.

 

[ScienceRocks]

That sucks. Even Iraq has high speed rail. Pretty embarrassing for a superpower.

Nothing says superpower more than wasteful, boondogle spending on rail that no one will use.

America use to have the best infrastructure and educational system on earth. Yet fighting for that makes me a fail? Give me a fucking break.

[MENTION=29707]Toddsterpatriot[/MENTION]

 

[thereisnospoon]

This has always been the White Elephant project of all White Elephant projects. A hundred billion dollars, spent to benefit a very few people, at a time when California already has adequate road and air transportation, and is under staggering debts with its liberal politicians pouring on more and more.

Not sure what Obama has to do with all this, aside from the fact that massive Federal funds were coming in to help pay for it, even though most of the country would never had ridden on the train.

Then, to everyone's surprise, a judge actually announced that California had to obey the law.

That brought everything to a screeching halt.

Hopefully the second sentence of the article is correct.

-------------------------------------

Obama's High-Speed Rail Plan Loses Big in California Court

Conn Carroll | Nov 26, 2013

California Gov. Jerry Brown can not spend state bond revenues on President Obama's signature transportation project until the state can identify how they will pay for the entire $68 billion project, a California court ruled Monday. The decision almost certainly spells death for the project.

This August, Superior Court Judge Michael Kenny ruled that the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) “abused its discretion by approving a funding plan that did not comply with the requirements of the law."

That law would be Proposition 1A (the “Safe, Reliable, High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century”), which required the CHSRA to identify “sources of all funds to be invested in the corridor” and complete “all necessary project level environmental clearances” before construction can begin.

At the time, Democrats sold Obama's high-speed rail plan as a $40 billion project. But that number quickly skyrocketed to more than $100 billion, after California voters approved it, of course.

Yeah really....Who needs improved mass transportation in California. Keep the cars on the roads. The oil companies need the money and the air needs the smog.

Good government does not saddle it's citizens with crushing debt. Especially for projects which have no hope of ever coming close to returning the investment back to the taxpayers.
Instead of going to the people hat in hand to build this thing, figure out a way to fund it without adding debt so deep it can never be paid back.
Nuild high speed rail! BY all means yes.
But let the users pay for it. Don't screw automobile users and property owners because without the subsidies from additional taxes the fares would make the train unattractive.

 

[ScienceRocks]

How would you fix the traffic mess in southern California? Stop being the party of no and offer solutions.

 

[thereisnospoon]

This has always been the White Elephant project of all White Elephant projects. A hundred billion dollars, spent to benefit a very few people, at a time when California already has adequate road and air transportation, and is under staggering debts with its liberal politicians pouring on more and more.

Not sure what Obama has to do with all this, aside from the fact that massive Federal funds were coming in to help pay for it, even though most of the country would never had ridden on the train.

Then, to everyone's surprise, a judge actually announced that California had to obey the law.

That brought everything to a screeching halt.

Hopefully the second sentence of the article is correct.

-------------------------------------

Obama's High-Speed Rail Plan Loses Big in California Court

Conn Carroll | Nov 26, 2013

California Gov. Jerry Brown can not spend state bond revenues on President Obama's signature transportation project until the state can identify how they will pay for the entire $68 billion project, a California court ruled Monday. The decision almost certainly spells death for the project.

This August, Superior Court Judge Michael Kenny ruled that the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) “abused its discretion by approving a funding plan that did not comply with the requirements of the law."

That law would be Proposition 1A (the “Safe, Reliable, High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century”), which required the CHSRA to identify “sources of all funds to be invested in the corridor” and complete “all necessary project level environmental clearances” before construction can begin.

At the time, Democrats sold Obama's high-speed rail plan as a $40 billion project. But that number quickly skyrocketed to more than $100 billion, after California voters approved it, of course.

Yeah really....Who needs improved mass transportation in California. Keep the cars on the roads. The oil companies need the money and the air needs the smog.

If the conflicts in the Middle East blow up exponentially in our face, like it has done so far, it will be very difficult to keep cars on the road, because IMHO oil deliveries will become sporadic.

Academic. Because the economies of the entire planet are inexorably tied to the free flow of petroleum, nothing would matter much if such a thing ever did occur in the Middle East.
The currencies of most industrialized nations would collapse.
You make a gret point however, for an aggressive stance on developing US Domestic oil production with a goal towards energy independence.
In other words, have enough production and refining capacity so that we can tell the Middle East and the rest of OPEC that they are free to sell their oil elsewhere.
Oh, tell the Saudis they can no longer depend on US Military assistance. The bank is closed.

 

[thereisnospoon]

That sucks. Even Iraq has high speed rail. Pretty embarrassing for a superpower.

Oh? How so?
who is going to pay for it?
One thing you gleeful wide eyed people do not understand is the cost is not only in the building of the rails and the trains. There are also costs for land acquisition. Costs of permitting. Having to negotiate public land deals with every single town, city and county along the path of the rail lines. All it takes is a concerted NIMBY effort by one or a handful of communities and the project grinds to a halt. And any money spent on it goes down the drain.
Who do the taxpayers go and see about THAT?
None of you see these things. Your attitude is "just build it. Don't worry about it. Planning? Who needs planning? We just want the thing. Worry about the cost later. No one alive is paying for it anyway."

 

[thereisnospoon]

Anyone that thinks that the republican party doesn't hates science and infrastructure. Well, this is a hint of that.

I would go to Japan and buy one of their 300 mph trains

The GOP?
Matthew.....SHUT UP.....
Buy a train from Japan.....And do what with it?

 

[ScienceRocks]

How would you fix the traffic mess in southern California? Stop being the party of no and offer solutions.

This is what's important....SOLUTIONS.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

That sucks. Even Iraq has high speed rail. Pretty embarrassing for a superpower.

Nothing says superpower more than wasteful, boondogle spending on rail that no one will use.

America use to have the best infrastructure and educational system on earth. Yet fighting for that makes me a fail? Give me a fucking break.

[MENTION=29707]Toddsterpatriot[/MENTION]

Yes, wasting $100 billion on a project that will get minimal use makes you a fail.

If you want to build useful infrastructure, use the money to expand the roads.
Kill Davis-Bacon and you might even do it cost effectively.

 

[thereisnospoon]

Keystone Pipeline

How about protesting for money for fusion? Might be the best of all worlds.

To power our autos?

 

[ScienceRocks]

Keystone Pipeline

How about protesting for money for fusion? Might be the best of all worlds.

To power our autos?

The electric cars as of this moment are nothing less then coal and natural gas machines. Let's change that...

 

[thereisnospoon]

What I'd do is buy a few 200+ mph bullet trains from japan and have 5 stops throughout California from SD to Sf.

If you're going to do trains you do trains

You do realize these trains require highly specialized rails and rail beds?.
And the state will never be able to run a high speed rail line from SDO to SFO with 5 stops.
Every other town would demand a station or they would fight the routing through their town.
This is why interstates have interchanges every mile or two.

 

[thereisnospoon]

This has always been the White Elephant project of all White Elephant projects. A hundred billion dollars, spent to benefit a very few people, at a time when California already has adequate road and air transportation, and is under staggering debts with its liberal politicians pouring on more and more.

Not sure what Obama has to do with all this, aside from the fact that massive Federal funds were coming in to help pay for it, even though most of the country would never had ridden on the train.

Then, to everyone's surprise, a judge actually announced that California had to obey the law.

That brought everything to a screeching halt.

Hopefully the second sentence of the article is correct.

-------------------------------------

Obama's High-Speed Rail Plan Loses Big in California Court

Conn Carroll | Nov 26, 2013

California Gov. Jerry Brown can not spend state bond revenues on President Obama's signature transportation project until the state can identify how they will pay for the entire $68 billion project, a California court ruled Monday. The decision almost certainly spells death for the project.

This August, Superior Court Judge Michael Kenny ruled that the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) “abused its discretion by approving a funding plan that did not comply with the requirements of the law."

That law would be Proposition 1A (the “Safe, Reliable, High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century”), which required the CHSRA to identify “sources of all funds to be invested in the corridor” and complete “all necessary project level environmental clearances” before construction can begin.

At the time, Democrats sold Obama's high-speed rail plan as a $40 billion project. But that number quickly skyrocketed to more than $100 billion, after California voters approved it, of course.

I see you've never had to commute from SFO to LAX or driven from the Bay Area to the LA Basin. Adequate it ain't. Simply getting a rental car at LAX can take as long as the flight. Then one gets on the LA Freeway System which is more than adequate between 3 and 4 in the morning. Otherwise, forgetaboutit.

I suspect the State will appeal the ruling, time will tell if it stands.

The point of this is moot if there is no money to pay for it.

 

[thereisnospoon]

There is a large and demonstrable need for fast transit between SF and LA. Air travel is not going to be the full answer.

Doing nothing about that is a big mistake for the economy. And, blocking all progress (such as corridor acquisition) until all questions are answered is incredibly close to doing nothing.

Mas transit is a good idea. Only though if it can be funded at a reasonable cost to the users and to the taxpayers.
Don't forget the environmental aspects. For every mile of rail right of way, there will be an environmental study required. Then of course there will be the inevitable lawsuits by those opposed to anything remotely resembling progress.