All Aboard! California High Speed Train

Here’s an interesting little story – California is going to build a high speed, bullet style train that will travel between San Fran and San Diego. The train is expected to take upwards of $40 billion to build, but you’ll be able to make a 600 mile trip in a tad under 4 hours for around $70. That’s probably half the time it would take by car. Given it isn’t expected until around 2020, the price is probably roughly what we can expect to pay per gallon of gas!


3 Replies to “All Aboard! California High Speed Train”

  1. Depressed CA taxpayer

    Several reasons why this is bad:

    How many fault lines will the train go over and what happens to a bullet train when there is an earthquake?

    A 4 hour trip by train isn’t as good as a 1 hour trip by plane. Also you’ll have to go through security to get onto the train.

    Is there enough traffic (people going to/from) from San Fran To San Diego to justify a $40 billion train that will likely be paid for with bond money and cost taxpayers a total of $80 billion (due to interest)? In a state with a $14-17 billion budget deficit this year?

    A fixed bullet train rail line makes an indefensible terrorist target where air traffic lanes are effectively out of the reach of terrorists (too high).

    If you want to save the planet, put more money into light rail because that is something that daily commuters will use and that is something that will actually get cars off the road.

  2. David

    First of all your concerns are already addressed! Our system would be similar to the one used in Japan wich gets as much or more Earthquakes than California does.

    The One hour of flight you talk about is ONLY the flight, not the actual driving to, arriving 1-2 hr’s early, baggage checks, runway taxiing, the flight, and then baggage retreival. Compared to trains wich has minimal security, you only need to arrive about 15 Min before departing, No baggage checks.

    The system is not designed to make a full impact when the first phase is complete, it is basically the “backbone” to a complete state system that will eventually benefit everyone who commutes or travels the state.

    The system is going to take passenger away from shorter in-state air travel wich is uneccessary, wastes fuel when it should be reserved for long distance (Across coutnry, International flights).

    Tracks, stations and trains will have video servaillance and will monitor for trespassers, vandalism, and terrorism.

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