California's High-Speed Rail Draws $179 Million in Federal Aid as Cost Soars

[koalabear]

The Obama administration announced this week it's giving California $179 million to fill in portions of a high-speed rail that will travel from Los Angeles to San Francisco, but the project is increasingly being portrayed as a local transportation boondoggle, with the cost for building the first section billions more than originally estimated.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...n-in-federal-aid-as-cost-soars/#ixzz1UaQjvr9n

 

[unregistered]

 

[RightField]

Typical government program. If you like trains for waste, fraud and abuse, wait till you see Obamacare!

 

[Bert Notorius]

I can't wait for the first IL cow to be vaporized.

 

[Ishmael]

Several years ago then Gov. Bill Richardson (of Clinton administration infamy) got the money to build a "high speed rail" between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. It is now a millions of dollars/year albatross around the necks of the taxpayers of New Mexico ($800 million in bond payments over the next 16 years and it's losing money to boot). The overwhelming majority of whom will never see the damn train let alone ride on it.

The proponents of all of these rail schemes all talk about the immediate infusion of Federal dollars to the state, but when queried on the long term costs and financial viability turn into babbling used car salesmen.

Ishmael

 

[SuprSalor]

Problem with projects like these is all the Government regulations one has to comply with. Local, County, State and Federal laws all get in the way. $179 Million would probably all it would cost in total if you could 'just build the damn thing'. A Project like that probably would create thousands of jobs and actually serve a purpose. But no. Everybody wants to get their fingers in the pie. Millions have to be spent on consultants. Greasing the palms of every single councilman, assemblyman, congressman and Senator along the way. 5 Billion dollars later you wind up with the "Homermobile".

 

[SgtSpiderMan]

The proponents of all of these rail schemes all talk about the immediate infusion of Federal dollars to the state, but when queried on the long term costs and financial viability turn into babbling used car salesmen.

Ishmael

100% incorrect.

 

[Ohiorob]

Ohio and Wisconsin have both told Washington "thanks but no thanks".

In Ohio, federal money was about half of the actual construction cost. State had to make up difference. There was no "hi speed" .....it was to average 50-52 mph from Cleve to Cinci. It NEVER showed any chance of being self supporting (operating costs much higher than revenue) and the taxpayers of Ohio would have continually been on the hook for millions.

Passenger Rail has generally been a cash drain in America the last 40 yrs.

Another loosing deal from Obama.

 

[koalabear]

Ohio and Wisconsin have both told Washington "thanks but no thanks".

In Ohio, federal money was about half of the actual construction cost. State had to make up difference. There was no "hi speed" .....it was to average 50-52 mph from Cleve to Cinci. It NEVER showed any chance of being self supporting (operating costs much higher than revenue) and the taxpayers of Ohio would have continually been on the hook for millions.

Passenger Rail has generally been a cash drain in America the last 40 yrs.

Another loosing deal from Obama.

Another losing deal for all taxpayers.

 

[mercury14]

Ohio and Wisconsin have both told Washington "thanks but no thanks".

In Ohio, federal money was about half of the actual construction cost. State had to make up difference. There was no "hi speed" .....it was to average 50-52 mph from Cleve to Cinci. It NEVER showed any chance of being self supporting (operating costs much higher than revenue) and the taxpayers of Ohio would have continually been on the hook for millions.

Passenger Rail has generally been a cash drain in America the last 40 yrs.

Another loosing deal from Obama.

Yeap, our Ohio governor Kasich passed up $400+ million in free stimulus money that would have increased jobs, infrastructure, and resources in Ohio. Then he said to Obama "yeah but we can still getting that $400 million in cash... right?" Obama laughed at him.

So then the rail money went to California, Florida, New York, and Washington State's rail programs. Between Ohio and Wisconsin declining, these other states got an extra $1.2 billion dollars.

That being said, I'd be all for maglev or vactrain technology in Ohio, but unless it's free our red state leaders will never go for it.

http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2010/12/feds_to_ohio_your_high-speed_r.html

 

[mercury14]

Btw, turning away $400 million in funding for shovel-ready jobs in Ohio doesn't stop Ohioans from asking where the shovel-ready jobs are.