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Economy
California OKs funding for high-speed rail line
2012-07-07
Caliphornia politicians approved billions of dollars Friday in construction financing for the initial segment of the nation's first dedicated high-speed rail line connecting Los Angeles and San Francisco.

The move marked a major political victory for Democratic Gov. Jerry Governor Moonbeam Brown
... those who ignore history are bound to repeat it ...
 and the B.O. regime. Both have promoted bullet trains as job generators and clean transportation alternatives.
I'm going to go visit my brother in Florida later this month. I looked into taking the train. It cost about twice as much as flying. A bullet train won't be cheaper.
"No economy can grow faster than its transportation network allows," U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement applauding the legislative vote. "With highways between Caliphornia cities congested and airspace at a premium, Caliphornians desperately need an alternative."

The bill authorizes the state to begin selling $4.5 billion in voter-approved bonds that includes $2.6 billion to build an initial 130-mile stretch of the high-speed rail line in the Central Valley. That will allow the state to collect another $3.2 billion in federal funding that could have been rescinded if politicians failed to act Friday.

Brown pushed for the massive infrastructure project to accommodate expected growth in the nation's most populous state, which now has 37 million people. He said the project is sorely needed to create jobs in a region with higher-than-average unemployment.

Members of the state Senate voted 21-16 along party lines after intense lobbying by Brown, Democratic leaders and labor groups. The bill, which passed the state Assembly on Thursday, now heads to Brown for his signature.
Posted by:Fred

#21  So who is going to buy these bonds anyway????
Posted by: Alaska Paul    2012-07-07 23:35  

#20  I'm not even for bailing out California's current economic boondogle, let alone the a 68 billion dollar fisaco this could turn into.
Posted by: junkiron   2012-07-07 23:22  

#19  
Posted by: junkiron   2012-07-07 23:05  

#18  Taiwan bought rights to the previous generation of Japan's high speed rail and the current generation of the robots to build elevated grade high speed rail lines. To go from Taipei to the southern most city... about the same distance as from Chicago to St Louis takes about 2.5 hours and cost $35. The secret is not inventing it themselves, not building it with lots of workers and not buying equipment from overseas... rather just licensing good enough and building lots of robot builders.
Posted by: Water Modem   2012-07-07 21:32  

#17  MONORAIL!!!
Posted by: Eltoroverde    2012-07-07 20:15  

#16  But now, my state (Texas) is being flooded with Blue State refugees and some of them are from California.

The exact same thing happened in California back in the 1970s. The people came from New York, New Jersy, Michigan and, yes, even Texas. I know because I saw the out of state license plates. We were just that many years ahead of you. :)
Posted by: Abu Uluque   2012-07-07 18:08  

#15  And completely clueless as to what went wrong in the state they just abandoned. Not all of them, but most.

Exactly. They just don't seem to learn that you shouldn't $hit in the bathtub.
Posted by: gorb   2012-07-07 17:34  

#14  "No economy can grow faster than its transportation network allows,"

That may be true, but it does not mean the transportation network is the limiting factor in Cali's economy. Last I was there, they still had paved roads and were even connected to the interstate highway system.

This is just a Pacific island cargo cult writ large. Build it and prosperity will come! Pity they will need to borrow money to do it rather than simply using indigenous coconut shells and bamboo.
Posted by: SteveS   2012-07-07 14:58  

#13  SecretAsianMan, sorry, but no sympathy for you. California is almost nothing but people who invaded us from other states (and Mexico). This is just payback.

Whose fault was that? Speaking of no sympathy...right back at you. But now, my state (Texas) is being flooded with Blue State refugees and some of them are from California.

And completely clueless as to what went wrong in the state they just abandoned. Not all of them, but most.
Posted by: Secret Asian Man   2012-07-07 14:53  

#12  DC to Santa Rosa, 783, 1 stop

DC to El Segundo, 475, 1 stop - 534 no stop

But I suppose with one's own 747 $200 ain't much.
Posted by: swksvolFF   2012-07-07 14:52  

#11  ...said California would have lost billions of dollars in federal aid if the Senate fails to pass the bill before adjourning Friday for a monthlong recess.

Or as the ShamWow guy would say...Call now 'cause we can't do this all day.
Posted by: DepotGuy   2012-07-07 13:59  

#10  "If you have never jetted in from DC and needed to get to the vineyard, you just do not understand."

That is when you fly in to the Santa Rosa airport (Sonoma County Airport). Vinyards are right there.
Posted by: crosspatch   2012-07-07 13:49  

#9  Browndoggle...heh, heh. How he thinks we're gonna pay for it when the state is already broke is beyond me. I like trains but you can't keep spending money you don't have.

And AuburnTom, you are 100% correct.
Posted by: Abu Uluque   2012-07-07 13:29  

#8  If you have never jetted in from DC and needed to get to the vineyard, you just do not understand.
Posted by: swksvolFF   2012-07-07 10:42  

#7  SecretAsianMan, sorry, but no sympathy for you. California is almost nothing but people who invaded us from other states (and Mexico). This is just payback.
Posted by: AuburnTom   2012-07-07 10:17  

#6  These people [the ones who cannot escape] will one day be the source of a great deal of trouble.

And the ones that do escape are a source of great trouble right now.

Not all of them, but enough. They spread their contagion by fouling whatever new nest they land up in. We need to quarantine the whole state.
Posted by: Secret Asian Man   2012-07-07 09:40  

#5  John and Ken on KFI call it the "Browndoggle". It's a ridiculous expenditure that violates all the promises and restrictions on the bond that passed by the idiot voters. It will not work and needs to be taken to court
Posted by: Frank G   2012-07-07 08:12  

#4  These people [the ones who cannot escape] will one day be the source of a great deal of trouble.
Posted by: Besoeker   2012-07-07 08:06  

#3  Maybe they're building it under ground for the illegal aliens.
Posted by: junkiron   2012-07-07 06:02  

#2  This money buys no trains, only rail bed and stations. Billions spent and not a single train carrying a single passenger. If you are alive today, you will never see a train run from SF to LA. The lawfare in each town will take years to sort through. The first money for actual rolling stock isn't expected to be allocated until 10 years hence.
Posted by: crosspatch   2012-07-07 05:01  

#1  "No economy can grow faster than its transportation network allows,"

Stupid, stupid, stupid! Wishful thinking.

Given their economy, CA needs to shrink its rail system.

Perhaps they are planning on taking the money and declaring bankruptcy. Maybe this is how Obean is planning on staving off their looming bankruptcy.
Posted by: gorb   2012-07-07 04:10  

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