Long-time readers of this blog know . . .

. . . I have certain issues with highly-subsidized rail travel.

Here's more on my peculiar little hobby-horse. California--looking to spend $40 to $50 billion on a high-speed line--may be about to undertake the Mother of All Rail Boondoggles:

"Bullet train ridership numbers don't add up, watchdog says".

"California's high speed rail dream".

Comments

[john Henry]

If it is such a great idea, why does it need govt funding?

Why doesn't the private sector build it?

John Henrh
www.Changeover,com

[Mace]

So you get on the train in SF and once you get off at LA, what are you going to do, walk???

Prop 1A was the California ballot measure that passed that gave the initial funding for high speed rail. There was an extensive ad campaign ("will create thousands of jobs") in favor of Prop 1A, paid for by none other than the construction unions. It's not a high speed rail project, it's a special interest boondoggle.

The leaders of this state seem to think that if they spend enough and burden the taxpayers sufficiently, the resulting increase in taxes on higher income earners will force a massive redistribution of income, thereby creating the long-lusted-for Socialist Utopia. Yeah right.

This state is going to blow up. California really, really deserves it. America, you would be fools to bail us out.

[JorgXMcKie]

Given my most recent [past week] experience on the Amtrak "ride from hell" I'm surprised anyone wants rail travel.

[Stephen Karlson]

Shall we privatize the highways, and add toll booths with time-of-day pricing, and differential rates for trucks based on their weight that accurately reflect the road wear and safety risks they pose?

[Mace]

"Shall we privatize the highways, and add toll booths with time-of-day pricing, and differential rates for trucks based on their weight that accurately reflect the road wear and safety risks they pose?"

Yes. There are nothing inherent regarding highways that make them public goods (as per the economic definition), thereby necessitating government provision. The same can be said about railroad passenger service, despite the supposed "success" of Amtrak.