California governor signs landmark high-speed rail bill

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

http://news.yahoo.com/california-governor-signs-landmark-high-speed-rail-bill-175649618.html

By Mary Slosson | Reuters – 3 hrs ago

SACRAMENTO (Reuters) - California Governor Jerry Brown on Wednesday signed an initial funding bill for the state's ambitious high-speed rail project, clearing the way for construction of a 130-mile section of track through the state's agricultural heartland.

Brown signed the legislation in Los Angeles, one of the planned endpoints of the bullet train network. He was due in San Francisco later on Wednesday for another ceremony celebrating what is a substantial win for the Democratic governor.

Brown says a bullet train network will boost job creation and provide an alternative to car and plane travel in the country's most populous state.

Critics say the state can ill afford the $68 billion project that farmers unions regard as an "imminent threat" to some of the most agriculturally productive land in the United States.

"This legislation will help put thousands of people in California back to work," Brown said. "By improving regional transportation systems, we are investing in the future of our state and making California a better place to live and work."

The bullet train network, expected to take decades to complete, would eventually connect Sacramento and San Francisco to Los Angeles, with stops along the way.

The California Senate narrowly approved the measure earlier in July after a lengthy floor debate in which critics said the cash-strapped state lacked the financial means to undertake the project, the most ambitious public works endeavor to date in California.

The state and federal financing outlined in the bill includes the issuance of $2.6 billion in state bonds, which would in turn unlock $3.2 billion in federal funds for construction of track in the Central Valley that was expected to begin at the end of 2012 or the start of 2013.

The bill, which passed by a wider margin in the Democratic-controlled Assembly one day before the contentious Senate vote, also approves spending over $2 billion in federal, state and local funds on rail projects in urban areas to prepare to link them to a statewide system.

Construction on the bullet train line will start in the agriculturally rich Central Valley where trains could reach 220 mph over flat and more sparsely populated terrain.

"You can pave farmlands with new roads and blackout skies with airplanes but the air we breathe will be no better than a tailpipe," California state Senator Darrell Steinberg said in a statement welcoming the governor's signature. "This project brings an infusion of energy into rural areas of high unemployment and provides relief for urban traffic gridlock."

Edited July 18, 2012 by Bad_Daddy

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

You rock Governor Brown !!!

Let's do the math. $68 billion before inflation and cost over runs but Cali will have $2.6 billion in state bonds and $3.2 billion in federal funds.

So... $68 billion (low ball) minus $5.8 billion equals $62.2 billion dollars that Californians will have to pay.

I love California sometimes. I mean it's like that state can't commit financial suicide quick enough to make them happy.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Great. The first section is to be built in the Central Valley, where they can get the right-of-way cheap. Who is going to drive 2 and a hour hours from the LA Metropolitan area, park their car, hop on a train for an hour, get off the train, rent a car, and drive 4 and a half hours to the Bay Area, or take a six hour bus ride?

Edited July 18, 2012 by ☼

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Great. The first section is to be built in the Central Valley, where they can get the right-of-way cheap. Who is going to drive 2 and a hour hours from the LA Metropolitan area, park their car, hop on a train for an hour, get off the train, rent a car, and drive 4 and a half hours to the Bay Area, or take a six hour bus ride?

My take on it is this. It's going to create short term jobs (construction) which will give the California economy a slight boost which in turn will put more Dems in office. When the jobs run out though which they will then all California will have left to show for it is a tab that future generations of Californians will be paying for decades to come. When your over $15 billion in the red the last thing you need is to add another $60+ billion to that tab. In the meant time you know the California Dems are busting open the champagne bottles over this one and their money guru's are going to try to spin it so that on paper it looks like a good deal. Reality is though that the money has to come from somewhere and I do believe this could be the one that finally breaks the California bank in a big way.

Edited July 18, 2012 by Bad_Daddy

[Ban Hammer 13,404]

Great. The first section is to be built in the Central Valley, where they can get the right-of-way cheap. Who is going to drive 2 and a hour hours from the LA Metropolitan area, park their car, hop on a train for an hour, get off the train, rent a car, and drive 4 and a half hours to the Bay Area, or take a six hour bus ride?

prius owners, who are afraid to take them little shoeboxes on the highway

Edited July 18, 2012 by charles!

[Neonred 3,576]

Thankfully our governor axed the high speed train here in FL. After it would have been built the state would have been on the hook for maintaining the loser.

Again, who is going to drive the the station and park their car, then pay to take the train just to get dumped of at the other end without transportation? Just plain stupid.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Thankfully our governor axed the high speed train here in FL. After it would have been built the state would have been on the hook for maintaining the loser.

Again, who is going to drive the the station and park their car, then pay to take the train just to get dumped of at the other end without transportation? Just plain stupid.

The one they built in Seattle a few years back has been a total waste of money. It's pretty much just like you pointed out.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

All California has to do is stop paying for the red state leeches in fly-over country. They could build this train project out of pocket.

[JohnR! 5,495]

All California has to do is stop paying for the red state leeches in fly-over country. They could build this train project out of pocket.

Optionally, California should demand to receive all of its tax dollars back. As it stands, it is one of 17 states that receives less than it sends out.

Time to stop subsidizing the slacker states....

[Captain Oates 911]

I wonder how fast a US bullet train runs at ?

125mph ?

I know it won't be a word beater

Next month I am taking the train from the North of England down to London in the South

200 miles in 2 hours 20 minutes including stops

How long before the US can compete with little old England even when it comes to trains ?

Excellent punctuality too. In England there are daddy trains and mummy trains but no baby trains

That is because British Railways always pulls out on time

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I wonder how fast a US bullet train runs at ?

125mph ?

Folks already drive 85-90 mph on I-5. The big rigs push 70 mph.

[JohnR! 5,495]

I wonder how fast a US bullet train runs at ?

125mph ?

I know it won't be a word beater

Next month I am taking the train from the North of England down to London in the South

200 miles in 2 hours 20 minutes including stops

How long before the US can compete with little old England even when it comes to trains ?

Excellent punctuality too. In England there are daddy trains and mummy trains but no baby trains

That is because British Railways always pulls out on time

They are estimating the new Zephyr to cruise up to 220+ mph, which is pretty good.

It is a pity that Great Britain has forsaken its railways as you say. I see nothing much has changed, if it still takes that long to cross the main island,at speeds averaging 125km/h.

I have taken several trips on the EuroStar between London and Paris and it has always baffled me that it takes 90 minutes for the train to cover the 60 miles from Waterloo to the entrance of the Chunnel on the English side and it takes another 90 minutes to cover the remaining 300 miles to Gare du Nord.

[Ban Hammer 13,404]

All California has to do is stop paying for the red state leeches in fly-over country. They could build this train project out of pocket.

all flyover states have to do is raise the price of food.

and then we'll see who's laughing last.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

all flyover states have to do is raise the price of food.

and then we'll see who's laughing last.

California is the major US ag state.

http://stuffaboutstates.com/agriculture/index.html

[Ban Hammer 13,404]

California is the major US ag state.

http://stuffaboutstates.com/agriculture/index.html

is that even after the train runs through all those cali farms?