California high-speed train

[HONDO74]

California governor scales back high-speed train
https://news.yahoo.com/california-gover ... 57130.html

Newsom, delivering his first State of the State address, said he'd shift his focus to completing just a 171-mile segment of the line already under construction in the state's Central Valley.

A high-speed rail line linking Los Angeles to San Francisco was the goal when voters approved a ballot measure in 2008. The roughly 520-mile line initially was estimated to cost $33 billion and was pegged for completion in 2020. Officials eventually hoped to connect the line to San Diego and Sacramento.

Subsequent estimates more than doubled the cost to $77 billion and pushed the timeline to 2033.

"Let's be real," Newsom said. "The project, as currently planned, would cost too much and take too long . . . Right now, there simply isn't a path to get from Sacramento to San Diego, let alone from San Francisco to L.A. I wish there were."

[MartyE]

Back in the day you could build a highway or put up a bridge in a year. I'm not surprised by this.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

I'm amazed that we can get a lightbulb changed in this country anymore.

After living through the Woodrow Wilson Bridge replacement here as part of the DC Beltway, this comes as no surprise.

Now they are talking about replacing the Legion Bridge - over 300k cars cross that daily. I remember when they added a lane to it and that was a total frelling mess. Going to be orders of magnitude worse on replacement. Sadly, it's long overdue but will take forever and cost some astronomical amount.

[Roy]

It's ironic that stops that should never have been put on the original high-speed L.A. to San Francisco line are the only ones that will be built.

I'm fine without a so-called high-speed line to San Francisco that stops in Bakersfield, Merced, Timbuktu, Ulaanbaatar, and Miami.

[v8vega]

The whole idea was ridiculous
They were adding stops after the initial route. there are several airlines that fly there now faster and cheaper than this train would be. Plus they seemed to almost ignore the huge mountains it would have to go over or under. Many later estimates were over 100 billion. And it would have to be taxpayer subsidised, there just isn't that many people who would use it.
Thank God my taxes won't be squandered on this cruel joke anymore.

[NJPiney]

I've come to believe our government is incurably broken. It can no longer fix anything but spends endless amounts of our money trying. It's just a cancer that feeds on itself, and ultimately, on us.

[HONDO74]

It looks like this is going to throw a kink in AOCs plans to build high speed railroads across this country. If California can't build 200 miles of high speed in 20 years, what chance do you think anyone has at doing it across this country.

China has built high speed rail across China. But they wont let anything stand in their way to get it done. No environmental impact studies and no lawyers with not in my backyard lawsuits to stop them.

And Calif needs the billions of dollars to build homes for all the homeless and provide free health care for all the illegals.

[Roy]

In addition to pinging across the state to Bakersfield and Merced, some of the track near L.A. would be shared with Union Pacific freight trains. This is insane. If you want true high-speed service, it needs to be entirely grade separated, and run on as straight a line route as possible.

[robert.]

Is there a need for it?
Are you a fan of black flag rufus?

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Are you a fan of black flag rufus?

Not really; Rollins however has......"interesting" thoughts.

[Roy]

Is there a need for it?

There was a time everyone swore they'd never get on another airplane. It may be that folks are getting used to the additional airport rigmarole.

[HONDO74]

Is there a need for it?

There was a time everyone swore they'd never get on another airplane. It may be that folks are getting used to the additional airport rigmarole.

Back in the 70s when I lived in Calif PSA had planes leaving LAX for San Diego and Frisco on the hour. Didn't need a reservation. Just go to the airport, buy your ticket and get on the plane. PSA had so much traffic that they bought 2 L1011s.

They used the downstairs baggage are for a bar and lounge. I was working for Airearch at the time and we built the upstairs and downstairs pubs as they were called for them. They had some damage occur to one of the units and they wanted us to repair the damage. I took 2 guys with me and we flew down to San Diego.

I had a window seat and I traded with one of the guys as I wanted to watch the LEGS walk up and down the isle way. When I got back home the wife asked me what I saw. I told her all I saw was LEGS.

No way in hell I would give up a window seat today top watch anything walk up and down the isles.

[robert.]

Here is my window view.

2C38F9FC-CAC9-4D06-89E5-6149F48C4E32.jpeg

[NJPiney]

You can fix anything with duct tape!

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Is there a need for it?

There was a time everyone swore they'd never get on another airplane. It may be that folks are getting used to the additional airport rigmarole.

May be? Every flight is full and probably over booked as well and that's been the case for many years now.