Brown still on loony, increasingly lonely bullet-train bandwagon
Cal Watchdog managing editor John Seiler and I were among the pundits who got a telephone budget briefing from Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday afternoon. I was disappointed but unsurprised to hear that the governor is still 1,000 percent on the bullet-train bandwagon.
In the aftermath of Sacramento Superior Court Judge Michael Kenny’s November ruling that the project did not have a legal business plan or adequate environmental reviews, California High Speed Rail Authority officials were bizarrely dismissive. But the governor said little.
That was in sharp contrast to what happened after Kenny’s preliminary ruling in August, when Brown loudly joined in the rail authority’s campaign of belittlement. That didn’t happen after Kenny’s final ruling.
But Jerry was back in spin mode Thursday. He told me the project’s finances were “on solid ground” — and that no “major hurdles” loomed.
Groan.
The bullet train is $25 billion short of a legal business plan. Jerry’s antidote: contributing $250 million a year of AB 32 pollution-credit auction funds.
$250,000,000 / $25,000,000,000 = 1.0 percent.
He is seriously arguing that giving the rail authority 1 percent of its funding shortfall next budget year addresses the project’s funding nightmare.
As John McEnroe would say, you cannot be serious. As Dick Enberg would say, oh, my. As Redd Foxx would say, bleep bleep BLEEPING bleep.
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It will be built. Major employment centers need more efficient alternative movement of goods. Diversity of transportation modes is essential. Rail is cheap and this train will move lots of Amazon and Staples LTL freight to urban centers quickly.
It would get built because Brown and his cast of political goons have lots of favors to return to their rich sugar daddies.
I just checked on-line. I could get a round trip airline ticket from LAX to SFO for $108. lol. Seats available on many flights. lol. The flight would take 1 hour 15 minutes. lol.
If the train to disaster was ever built it would take at least 4 hours (probably longer) to get from LA to San Francisco and a round trip fare would be at least $225. lol.
Who in their right mind would take a train instead an airplane to get from LA to SF??? Maybe if you have lots of time and money to waste! lol.
In a straight line it’s 347 miles from LA to San Francisco. But the bullet train would not travel in a straight line. It would travel in a roundabout way to stop at other cities to pick up more passengers.
But even if the train traveled in a straight line and averaged 150 MPH – not slowing down and not stopping to pick up more passengers – it would take about 2 hours 20 minutes. lol. So the entire trip to include stops and the longer route would take at least 4 hours. Minimum. lol.
Today it costs about $80 ONE-WAY by Amtrac to get from LA to SF and it takes about 11 hours. lol. Remember, I could buy an airline ticket today round trip from LAX to SFO for $108 and it would only take about 1 hour 15 minutes! lol.
If Amtrac charges $80 one-way LA to SF how much do you think the bullet train would cost you? lol. $140? At least.
So if Amtrac charges $80 one-way how much would the bullet train cost you? lol.
So if you were traveling to SF would you want to spend your valuable time on a train or at Fisherman’s Wharf sipping on a brewski paid for with money saved by flying and enjoying the view of the SF bay?
The answer is so simple it’s stupid.
The train wouldn’t benefit you. It’s benefits the oligarchs who heist your taxdollars to pay for it all!!! lol.
If Amtrac charges $80 one-way LA to SF how much do you think the bullet train would cost you? lol. $140? At least. So if Amtrac charges $80 one-way how much would the bullet train cost you?
The slow speed BB gun train makes NO financial sense whatsoever, it s complete “train wreck” from a business/financial/economic analysis.
That is why NO ONE in the real world will touch it with a 10,000 foot pole.
Tsk tsk…..name calling is so CWD.
I was disappointed but unsurprised to hear that the governor is still 1,000 percent on the bullet-train bandwagon. ..But Jerry was back in spin mode Thursday. He told me the project’s finances were “on solid ground” — and that no “major hurdles” loomed.
Clown is delusional if he REALLY thinks ANYONE believes him when he says anything about the slow speed BB gun train is on “solid ground”, not just on the financing, but ANYTHING.
I think he knows it is over, but is putting up a FRONT for the unions, to make them think he is in their corner.
Public opinion is nearly 100% against the BB gun train if you leave out all who have a pecuniary interest, which are the union.
HSR can’t go fast in the Bay Area peninsula unless the new tracks go underground or aboveground, which would be prohibitively expensive.
The project would support big labor and big banks, both of who would profit mightily from it. That’s who Brown wants to keep happy.