California can’t afford bullet trains

High-speed rail is nothing but a gold-plated fantasy, and “it’s still not too late to hit the brakes,” said Charles Lane at The Washington Post.

Charles Lane

The Washington Post

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In 2008, California voters approved a high-speed rail system stretching from San Diego to Sacramento on the premise that it would cost $33 billion. But the projected cost has since soared to $98 billion. The market for high-speed rail, meanwhile, seems more dubious than ever. Flying between Los Angeles and San Francisco takes but an hour and is relatively cheap, and good luck getting Californians out of their cars. High-speed rail is nothing but a gold-plated fantasy, and “it’s still not too late to hit the brakes.”

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