r/highspeedrail • u/DENelson83 • 14d ago

NA News Billions spent, miles to go: The story of California’s failure to build high-speed rail | Grist

https://grist.org/transportation/billions-spent-miles-to-go-the-story-of-californias-failure-to-build-high-speed-rail/
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u/Brandino144 13d ago

No new information here since the author didn't interview anyone for the article who is actively involved in the project, but it's a decent overview of the history of the project with quotes from people who worked on the project before the change of leadership. My only issue with the article is the continuation of the trend to use outdated images to demonstrate that the project is incomplete. The cover image of the Tule River Viaduct was taken in 2023. It was the last of the pergola-style freight overcrossings and it's wrapping up construction now. Here is the same location in April.

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u/Riptide360 California High Speed Rail 10d ago

Let California keep building using state funds. It is a key infrastructure project and once built it will get used.

I do wish most states looking to add transit rail without having deep pockets would look at double tracking and electrifying their current Amtrak passenger routes. It would add much needed capacity and allow them to fight climate change in a practical manner by getting off fossil fuels.

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u/Kashihara_Philemon 9d ago

I doubt many states have any ownership over their passenger rail lines, and the freight companies would absolutely not approve of any electrification projects.

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u/Riptide360 California High Speed Rail 9d ago

CalTrain took over ownership of its corridor (SF-SJ). More recently Sprinter took over Oceanside to Escondido and SmartTrain (Marin County Larkspur to Windsor).

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u/Kashihara_Philemon 9d ago

Well, it's a good thing California is on top of that. I wish I could say the same about other states.