Gov. Jerry Brown unveils scaled-back high-speed rail plan

[alp227]

Source: San Jose Mercury News

Responding to an onslaught of disapproval over the record $100 billion price tag for California's bullet train, the Brown administration on Monday overhauled their plans and unveiled a scaled-back version of the controversial project.

By running service on an electrified Caltrain line between San Francisco and San Jose and existing rail corridors between Los Angeles and Anaheim, officials have lowered the total cost of the project to $68.4 billion to $79.7 billion. Though this is expected to produce far fewer riders and revenue because of less frequent and slower service, officials say it's the only way to build the project because the previous cost estimate was simply "too high."

The exact new cost estimate depends on the type of infrastructure that is ultimately used, such as tunnels vs. raised tracks. Regardless, the total price tag is double the $33 billion estimate voters were given but less than the $99 billion to $117 billion estimate from several months ago.

The main question, has it has been since planning began in 1996, continues to be whether the state can actually find the money to build the system. The new plan does not shed much light on this question, pushing the total estimated funding shortfall to at least $55 billion.

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/rss/ci_20308385

[slackmaster]

1. Scale model as demonstrated by actor John Astin

[Ian David]

2. I don't know which is scarier-- raised track or underground tunnel through earthquake territory. n/t

[KamaAina]

3. BART in the Bay Area has plenty of both

it did fine during Loma Prieta in '89, which is more than the Cypress Freeway can say.

Of course, the Berkeley Hills Tunnel runs directly through the dangerous Hayward fault.

[jeff47]

7. Including the tunnels under the bay. (nt)

[KamaAina]

9. They're tubes, actually

they lie on the floor of the bay, rather than being tunneled under it.

[mulsh]

11. true and Bart & both bores of that tunnel did fine during Loma Prieta.

Matter of fact so did the Posey tunnel connecting Oakland and Alameda, oh and tunnels under Howe Street in Oakland that Kaiser built when they expanded their facility. Even the Solano Ave tunnel in Berkley, built in the 20's for the Key system's trains did just fine in that earthquake.

[PoliticAverse]

4. Spend all you want, states can't declate bankruptcy... n/t

[tinrobot]

5. On existing rail, the train will run a lot slower.

Instead of a proper 200+ mph bullet train and a 2 hour LA - SF trip, we're talking 100+ mph fast rail and a 4+ hour trip.

Unless it's a lot cheaper than airfare and/or driving, this model is simply not going to compete.

[xtraxritical]

6. How much of the cost is covered by Federal stimulus money? eom

[NYC_SKP]

15. That's still faster and more pleasant than driving or flying...

But it will, as you suggest, not be as much an improvement as it needs to be to really throw off air travel.

Dammit.

[bananas]

16. It was only going to go 200+ mph through the desert anyway

Info from 2008:
http://transittalk.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=highspeed&action=display&thread=116&page=3
This map shows the maximum speeds that would be allowed on the system. (Disregard the Altamont segment.) Because the high-speed trains will be confined exclusively to the LOSSAN corridor between LA and Irvine with no new right-of-way, the high-speed trains will encounter all the curves that Metrolink and Amtrak trains encounter today. Amtrak and Metrolink trains will share the tracks and passing tracks would be provided for the high-speed trains at intermediate stations.

[pinto]

8. Money for the project, as always, has been a big factor. Plus political commitment and local buy-ins

Piecemeal may be the best that's doable at this time, unless something changes.

[NYC_SKP]

10. The political games add to the inherent citizen resistance to rail and public transportation.

I've got students working on posters and viral videos and things like this:

http://troll.me?p=322350

http://troll.me?p=322370

http://troll.me?p=322379

http://troll.me?p=322386

http://troll.me?p=322396

Which do you like most?

[pinto]

13. I like the first. Well known character, message is to the point.

All good one's, though.

[allan01]

12. re: Gov. Jerry Brown unveils scaled-back high-speed rail plan

all republican govs who had a chance of this mony to make hi speed rail work . turned it down. the repunks in the state capital(sacramento) didnt give the money to the hi speed rail athourity , but to caltrans . i hear lots of stoopid comments like in troll me . These people want to go backwards and live in a world that never existed ( the good ole days) meanwhile they( the repunks ) keep whining about traffic gridlock and sofourth. Our dream of the future has been killed by shortsighed men and women ( i dont want to pay my taxes , and or shop on the internet to avoid local sales taxes. id rather shop local at a real store and buy local as these taxes support local programs. sigh. I gues ppl would rahther be stuck in their stupid car for four hours going no where and on a train that takes me from modesto ca to losangles by bus ( 8 hours ) bleh. Id rather do 200 thanks. i dont drive and everything revolves around the car. This smacks like ncl (national car line and others in the great trolley scandal)(remember who framed roger rabbit . the premise of the story is true) a front comopnay and others set up by gm .chrysler , ford , harvey firestone , standard oil of ohio) bought the trolley lines so they could sell more cars.( and these were the same ones that george bush bailed out a few years ago giving sob stories that they were going broke)

[harmonicon]

14. These are the worst kinds of deals ever.

Hungry but can't afford a sandwich? Well, fuck that. For less money than a sandwich, I'll sell you something that you can't eat. Mmmm... delicious!!

[and-justice-for-all]

17. Its worth every damn penny!!

and should be scaled up, not back, it creates jobs