California high speed rail has become a sad joke

[ripcord]

https://californiaglobe.com/section-2/california-high-speed-rail-authority-faces-another-two-year-delay-in-construction/

A released letter from Spanish construction firm Dragados Monday found that the opening of the California high speed rail stretch between Bakersfield and Merced was likely to be delayed by another two years.

In a letter obtained by the Los Angeles Times, Dragados notified the California High-Speed Rail Authority of changing orders due to a lack of land to build on due to the California High-Speed Rail Authority not buying parcels fast enough. The firm also complained of a stop and go construction schedule to to land buying delays stopping progress until a new parcel could be bought.

Due to the cycle of hiring new workers when land becomes available to build on and laying them off when there is a buying delay, Dragados added that the higher risk due to the uncertainty of work among subcontractors and suppliers would be priced into bids.

“Therefore, the impact of providing a schedule which includes incorrect right of way dates will only exacerbate these impacts,” noted Dragados in the letter dated March 9th.

In Kings County alone, a 65-miles stretch of track originally planned to be completed by 2023 was revised for an April 2025 opening due to the slow rate of land acquisition. At the beginning of 2021, 264 more parcels were needed in Kings County. In January only 9 were bought, throwing off construction estimates due to the slow pace. State plans for larger openings later in the decade and into the 2030’s are also likely to be affected, as is the price for the rail network. A shortened route between Merced and Madera, recently jumping up in price from $12.4 billion to $13.8 billion to complete, will likely go up once again with a two year delay.


California voters were mislead and sold a bill of goods, this plan is nothing like the bill that was approved and it keeps getting worse. The cost and time overruns are totally unacceptable and show a lack of accountability at all levels. If the voters knew the actual facts instead of the BS they were fed in the ballot initiative the bill would never have passed.

[elleng]

1. Sorry to see it, but this provides examples of reasons why I don't raise my hand in support

of 'hi speed rail;' the country is TOO BIG, and there are TOO MANY DETAILS at issue.

[Blue_true]

5. China is slightly bigger and has done a decent job of it.

This is one situation where maybe Chinese companies should have been hired to do the work (using US labor and following our laws).

[hunter]

7. China doesn't have to deal with property owners who want to sabotage the project.

Anybody who gets in the way of a new rail route or dam is simply relocated. It is done lawfully, according to rules, they don't just throw everyone out onto the street, but in the end there is no resisting.

We only do that for things like sports stadiums, and most of the relocated people tend not to be wealthy or white, and renters have to fend for themselves.

It's interesting that in the 'fifties, 'sixties, and 'seventies California managed to build freeways everywhere. What's changed? The U.S.A. used to be a "can do" nation. Not anymore.

The heavily subsidized farmers in California want everyone to pay for dams and water projects that won't work when they are most needed and severely damage the environment, but for some reason high speed rail upsets them.

[Blue_true]

8. I am sure that in China, a resisting property owner gets "convinced" of

the need for their land to be taken for a project.

Rural officials and republican leaning people complain about being left behind, but they don’t want to make it possible for many educated, high earning people to live in their districts, because that would drive up housing prices and likely get the official voted out in favor of sane leaders. So they oppose progress, while whining about being left out.

[Downtown Hound]

2. So it takes two years longer. Big whoop.

Sometimes good things take time and you run into bumps along the way.

Press forward and develop this thing called perseverence. Steven Spielberg's Jaws went way overbudget and took way longer to shoot than it was supposed to. Everyone thought it would be the end of his career, including Spielberg himself. As it was, it turned out to be the highest grossing film ever at that point, and launched Spielberg into the most successful filmmaker ever.

It never would have happened if he'd just given up at the first bump in the road. The U.S. needs high speed rail. I'm willing to wait.

P.S. I'm one of those "misled" California voters that voted for the bill. Still want it, still support it, and willing to wait however long it takes.

[Quixote1818]

10. And once it is done it's done. The costs to keep it going will drop to a fraction of the initial

costs. It's badly needed and in 10 or so years it will pay off.

[Raine]

3. Yes exactly

I'm done with this thing, fooled but won't be fooled again. 👎

[kimbutgar]

4. Spain has one of the finest railway systems in the world and it's embarrassing they are discouraged

It would create jobs and help control climate change in the state. One could have driven their car onto a rail car, ride down to Los Angeles unload the car and drive around then either driving back or doing the train again.

I wouldn’t say sold a Bill of goods but opposition from the repuke controlled part of state who refuses to assist in getting this job done. Everything is friggin partisan now with those repukes they don’t care about their constituents who are brain washed in the mf45 cult. Even if it benefits them they’re too far gone.

[demosincebirth]

6. I was never for it from the start. I knew it would be a big money pit. Sad to say,but

It was jerry brown’s bad idea.

[Xolodno]

9. What is not mentioned, its not easy to just "buy the land".

This is a red part of the state and they want to kill this thing for:

1. On principal alone.

2. That train will bypass a lot of towns on Hwy 99, which means less economic activity in there "sneeze and you'll miss it" towns.

3. They want more water projects for their water intensive crops and adapting to drip irrigation, vs. flood, etc. isn't to their liking. And erroneously believe the train funds could be diverted for them.