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Bullet train construction postponed

August 12, 2013

high speed railThis state’s planned bullet train construction is being delayed… again. (Lodi News)

Officials originally said construction would begin early this year, but now it appears the huge construction project might not get under way until next year.

Among the problems plaguing the project are a lack of federal permits and a construction company to lead the $68 billion project.

“It is not as shovel-ready as they thought it was,” Bill Ibbs, a civil engineering professor at the University of California, Berkeley, told reporters.

Ibbs is a consultant on high-speed rail projects worldwide.  “The construction industry is starting to heat up, and, as it does, it is harder to get qualified people, and material costs increase,” he said.

The bullet train agency is badly understaffed, according to state watchdog agencies, and lack the resources to manage the complex undertaking.

Purchase of property rights-of-way have not yet been completed yet, and many landowners in the area have vowed to fight any effort to take their property.

Federal deadlines established will require builders to expend $3.75 million daily on the construction — one of the fastest rates of spending in U.S. history.


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People from S.F. can’t stand Los Angeles or those who live there. Who really wants to ride this thing? I here this P.O.S. will barely make the run in 31/2 hours so why is it called ‘bullet’? Is it because it could crash and kill people like so many other high speed trains we read about? Will it cost 10 times what they say it will? We can’t even fund education and prisons. What tree will we grow the dollars for this boondoggle? Let’s wait for Elan’s super tube transport. I can wait and be patient. So many questions, so little time, actually – most Californians will be to old to ride or dead before this ever gets completed. Your welcome children.


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“People from S.F. can’t stand Los Angeles or those who live there.” That’s a ridiculous statement. And even if it were true, there are plenty of surrounding communities that would use the service.


If you bothered reading the paper about Elon’s “super tube transport” (you can find it here: http://www.teslamotors.com/sites/default/files/blog_images/hyperloop-alpha.pdf ), you’d see that the corridor between San Francisco, California and Los Angeles, California is one of the most often traveled corridors in the American West.


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A bullet train delayed? that sounds impossible. AAAAhahahahahahahahahahahahah This will be Brown’s Big Dig. At least until the nation’s state run media blames Bush…


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If only it had been designed to go from Mexico to Sacramento, the ridership itself would have paid for it, and there would be no delays.


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but you must know taxpayers would be paying for all those riding “your” train since those riding would be paying nothing while getting their “free” ride, and yet they be calling for more free stuff


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Senator dianne feinstein’s husband ‘won’ the contract for this boondoggle. I predict it will take 3 times as long to build as was estimated. And it will cost 3 times as much as estimated. And still no one will ride it. But that isn’t the real purpose. The real purpose was to create high paying union jobs that the tax payers of CA will be paying for. Train to no-where. The leftists are trying to turn California into detroit.


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grab your socks


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Thanks for this info. I didn’t know–kinda shows that the Bullet Train is a political “get rich quick” fiasco, instead of a “looking to the future” Jerry Brown fiasco.


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Does this train go to Idaho? If not, why build it?


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Fastest way to get from LA to nowhere.


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Federal deadlines established will require builders to expend $3.75 million daily on the construction — one of the fastest rates of spending in U.S. history.


Any self respecting California bureaucrat should be able to burn through 3.75 Million easy. There are illegals in San Diego that need hotel rooms. there must be a wayto connect that to the train project. Gov Jerry is famous for “borrowing” from one “dedicated” fund to spend elsewhere.


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well, the Arnold did it, too, with the Gas Tax Swap. Public votes in a tax and change it when no one is looking. the good ‘ole general fund.


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before you vote me down, discuss how funds weren’t re-allocated


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I won’t vote you down. Arnold was no conservative by any stretch of the imagination.


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cheers


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I’ve got it! Just like the blacks built the south and the Chinese built the railroads, we take all those Mexicans sitting in hotels in Chula Vista and send them north to build the train to nowhere. Who am I kidding? If anyone is going to be paid for a failed project, it’s going to be unions. Sorry.


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Before the project ever leaves the station….delays. Delays= more $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

68 billion will quickly become 100 billion before we know it.


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Just call “O” and tell him to keep the presses rolling.


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WHY IS THIS NO SUPRISE????


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Why is your misspelling of “surprise” and typing with caps lock stuck on no surprise?


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the spelling missteak is partly because i’m French. and yes I was shouting. i also pump alot of water out to water my grapes. ;>)


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Will You please turn off all Your grape wattering for about 20 minutes…. I live in Paso and could use some of it for a shower ! Thanks in advance !


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i admit i was a little silly. my boat makes water and we all know what boat showers are about


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