Why California High Speed Rail is Struggling (Re-upload)
video description
By contrast CAs HSR proposal at 500+ miles (800+ km) is longer, requires crossing three major mountain ranges at huge expense, and when it exits its endpoint regions of the greater San Francisco Bay and greater Los Angeles area, it only has one major city and two minor ones to generate intermediate traffic. NONE of which has serious connections to robust local or regional transit systems. It creates a situation where the infrastructure costs are simply all out of proportion to the possible ridership to pay for it. The CA HSR authority brags that they imagine that more than 50, 000 passengers per day will ride this boondoggle (theyve likely overstated the ridership by 50%. which might sound impressive, if you didnt know that the ACTUAL average daily ridership of the Tokaido Shinkansen is over 450, 000 per day.
Date: 2023-12-14
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Comments and reviews: 29
-BrennanZeigler
I still truly believe this project will be completed. The problems that California high-speed rail is facing right now are almost identical to the problems that the first Japanese Shinkansen faced back in the late 50s and early 60s. When the plan was first introduced to the Japanese government, it was derided as ridiculous, and the government refused to help fund it. Even at that time the Japanese government was also starting to look more into cars as the future of transportation. Japan-s terrain is also not exactly flat, in fact, far from it, which normally would-ve made high speed rail nearly impossible. Eventually, the Japanese government gave in and started funding the project, however, more problems arose. Due to the fact that tunnels are expensive and pretty much the entire country is mountainous, several tunnels had to be built, which was one of the causes for the project to end up massively over budget. In addition, many in government were still criticizing the project as crazy. The criticism got so bad that the visionaries who came up with the idea of the Shinkansen, both resigned before the project even finished. However, the project ended up being completed, and the Shinkansen ended up paying for itself. This is exactly why I have hope that California high-speed rail will be a success once completed. It may take a while, but eventually I believe things will work out in the end.
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I still truly believe this project will be completed. The problems that California high-speed rail is facing right now are almost identical to the problems that the first Japanese Shinkansen faced back in the late 50s and early 60s. When the plan was first introduced to the Japanese government, it was derided as ridiculous, and the government refused to help fund it. Even at that time the Japanese government was also starting to look more into cars as the future of transportation. Japan-s terrain is also not exactly flat, in fact, far from it, which normally would-ve made high speed rail nearly impossible. Eventually, the Japanese government gave in and started funding the project, however, more problems arose. Due to the fact that tunnels are expensive and pretty much the entire country is mountainous, several tunnels had to be built, which was one of the causes for the project to end up massively over budget. In addition, many in government were still criticizing the project as crazy. The criticism got so bad that the visionaries who came up with the idea of the Shinkansen, both resigned before the project even finished. However, the project ended up being completed, and the Shinkansen ended up paying for itself. This is exactly why I have hope that California high-speed rail will be a success once completed. It may take a while, but eventually I believe things will work out in the end.
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-Siberius-
The U. S. could easily fund that shit. and the economic return from it would be super easily worth it (I would think, but either way it's a massive service to the public to have quality trains. Also when you think about climate change with all these cars and fossil fuels, the price just doesn't really matter at that point, when talking about the effects of climate change and the way the world is shifting away from fossil fuels.
Still glad this video was remade though.
Also I haven't flown before, but I hear flying is a MASSIVE hassle, even if it ended up being generally quicker overall (I hear plenty can go wrong though with delays and stuff. I think most people would rather just do a reliable high speed train with a whole lot less hassle involved.
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The U. S. could easily fund that shit. and the economic return from it would be super easily worth it (I would think, but either way it's a massive service to the public to have quality trains. Also when you think about climate change with all these cars and fossil fuels, the price just doesn't really matter at that point, when talking about the effects of climate change and the way the world is shifting away from fossil fuels.
Still glad this video was remade though.
Also I haven't flown before, but I hear flying is a MASSIVE hassle, even if it ended up being generally quicker overall (I hear plenty can go wrong though with delays and stuff. I think most people would rather just do a reliable high speed train with a whole lot less hassle involved.
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-TheRealTomahawk
5: 30 the San Joaquin valley is not that big because San Joaquin county is Stockton and Ripon, California. I live in Ceres next to Modesto and I-m telling you that San Joaquin county does not go all the way down to Bakersfield. you can-t say that if the San Joaquin valley is Stockton and Modesto but that it goes down in Bakersfield, come on. That-s the great valley and the greater Central Valley. Modesto and Stockton is the northern central valley. We-re basically Northern California. In Modesto where I was born is Stanislaus county. I-ve heard of this area and a little further down south called the Yosemite Valley because Yosemite is so close.
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5: 30 the San Joaquin valley is not that big because San Joaquin county is Stockton and Ripon, California. I live in Ceres next to Modesto and I-m telling you that San Joaquin county does not go all the way down to Bakersfield. you can-t say that if the San Joaquin valley is Stockton and Modesto but that it goes down in Bakersfield, come on. That-s the great valley and the greater Central Valley. Modesto and Stockton is the northern central valley. We-re basically Northern California. In Modesto where I was born is Stanislaus county. I-ve heard of this area and a little further down south called the Yosemite Valley because Yosemite is so close.
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-shriramvenu
one criticism i'd make is at 13: 03 you compare the cost of land acquisition between California and China. but in China, the government can just seize the land if they want to, and the consequences for defying the government are severe. That makes it a lot easier for governments to plan out their transit routes. They can just push out any people who are in the way.
I would add that california should have acquired all the land along the route before starting the project, to keep such costs down. but now they should use eminent domain to acquire the land and pay a reasonable rather than inflated compensation to the landowners
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one criticism i'd make is at 13: 03 you compare the cost of land acquisition between California and China. but in China, the government can just seize the land if they want to, and the consequences for defying the government are severe. That makes it a lot easier for governments to plan out their transit routes. They can just push out any people who are in the way.
I would add that california should have acquired all the land along the route before starting the project, to keep such costs down. but now they should use eminent domain to acquire the land and pay a reasonable rather than inflated compensation to the landowners
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-JonathanAllen0379
So why does everyone have a problem with the cost of this, when the same people never seem to bat an eyelash at what we spend on -defense- (imperialism and warmongering) every single year? -President Joe Biden has signed the Fiscal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act into law allotting $816. 7 billion to the Defense Department(Dec 23, 2022. -
So just a quick recap: $105 billion dollars total, versus an exponentially higher amount EVERY SINGLE YEAR to literally flush down the toilet? Because not nearly enough of that money goes to help our veterans, who are largely left to rot. -
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So why does everyone have a problem with the cost of this, when the same people never seem to bat an eyelash at what we spend on -defense- (imperialism and warmongering) every single year? -President Joe Biden has signed the Fiscal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act into law allotting $816. 7 billion to the Defense Department(Dec 23, 2022. -
So just a quick recap: $105 billion dollars total, versus an exponentially higher amount EVERY SINGLE YEAR to literally flush down the toilet? Because not nearly enough of that money goes to help our veterans, who are largely left to rot. -
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reallifelore
You are still getting a lot wrong. If you need to travel from LA to SF or vice versa you dont travel along the coast as your graphic shows. One would use the 5 fwy through the middle of the state. You cannot compare the CAHSR cost to the US highway system when most of the US highway system was built by the 80's, if not earlier. Also, compering the cost to build to that of China is misleading. The reason China's cost is low is due to low cost of labor and materials because it's China. Plus China has unscrupulous bud regulations. Overall this video is somewhat misleading and anti-rail.
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You are still getting a lot wrong. If you need to travel from LA to SF or vice versa you dont travel along the coast as your graphic shows. One would use the 5 fwy through the middle of the state. You cannot compare the CAHSR cost to the US highway system when most of the US highway system was built by the 80's, if not earlier. Also, compering the cost to build to that of China is misleading. The reason China's cost is low is due to low cost of labor and materials because it's China. Plus China has unscrupulous bud regulations. Overall this video is somewhat misleading and anti-rail.
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-Sweepout
This is why I don-t often watch videos about California High Speed Rail. It-s so depressing how little public support and funding projects in the US currently receive. Mostly because most commuter trains in the country are either too slow, too expensive or both. Which I feel further makes Americans not support rapid transit.
Indianapolis and their BRT is just the countries overall vibe. Indianapolis- BRT is awful it-s just a bus that you pay before you get on but then gets stuck in traffic and still slower than driving.
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This is why I don-t often watch videos about California High Speed Rail. It-s so depressing how little public support and funding projects in the US currently receive. Mostly because most commuter trains in the country are either too slow, too expensive or both. Which I feel further makes Americans not support rapid transit.
Indianapolis and their BRT is just the countries overall vibe. Indianapolis- BRT is awful it-s just a bus that you pay before you get on but then gets stuck in traffic and still slower than driving.
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-lucaspakele3038
This is a big improvement over the first video. What's interesting is that if we pull off Phase One, airline prices might actually decline as they attempt to compete with the rail and preserve their market share.
We don't have to set ticket prices at a level to ensure profit of the system. We don't profit off of roads or streets or freeways. They are free to drive on, financed by gas taxes. We could subsidize train fares with taxes on gas or intrastate airfare to make the system as competitive as possible.
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This is a big improvement over the first video. What's interesting is that if we pull off Phase One, airline prices might actually decline as they attempt to compete with the rail and preserve their market share.
We don't have to set ticket prices at a level to ensure profit of the system. We don't profit off of roads or streets or freeways. They are free to drive on, financed by gas taxes. We could subsidize train fares with taxes on gas or intrastate airfare to make the system as competitive as possible.
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reallifelore
Why do they need all those concrete structures? You would think they would build along side an already established rail line or along I 5. Either way, the job was botched from the beginning. Wouldn-t it be cheaper to build over or underpasses? Amtrak northeast corridor uses the original Pennsylvania up the coast. There is no grade crossings. In Bakersfield they build overpasses to separate the train tracks.
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Why do they need all those concrete structures? You would think they would build along side an already established rail line or along I 5. Either way, the job was botched from the beginning. Wouldn-t it be cheaper to build over or underpasses? Amtrak northeast corridor uses the original Pennsylvania up the coast. There is no grade crossings. In Bakersfield they build overpasses to separate the train tracks.
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reallifelore
Bloodthirsty property owners, moving preexisting utilities, maintaining grade separation will cost lots of $$$$! It's the cost of doing business in California. I grew up in Merced. We need this project. Our mountains are beautiful. They make this project (tunnels) really expensive, but who wants to live in Texas?
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Bloodthirsty property owners, moving preexisting utilities, maintaining grade separation will cost lots of $$$$! It's the cost of doing business in California. I grew up in Merced. We need this project. Our mountains are beautiful. They make this project (tunnels) really expensive, but who wants to live in Texas?
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-JordanHowellMusic
Dude, it-s Acela like;
aCELLah
Not ASSelah. You-re putting the emphasis in the wrong place. As a train nut this has just bothered me every time it-s said in this video, which is a lot. Lol
But thanks for the video! Not sure what was wrong in the first upload but, here-s one more thing to get to -
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Dude, it-s Acela like;
aCELLah
Not ASSelah. You-re putting the emphasis in the wrong place. As a train nut this has just bothered me every time it-s said in this video, which is a lot. Lol
But thanks for the video! Not sure what was wrong in the first upload but, here-s one more thing to get to -
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-michaellouque8054
I can tell You Why California High Speed Rail is Struggling. We, The Voters, Residents, Of The California San Joaquin Valley are against it. High Speed rail will hurt Our local Economy. We need Water, Farmers, Crops, Farm Workers, which will maintain Our local job force and food supply.
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I can tell You Why California High Speed Rail is Struggling. We, The Voters, Residents, Of The California San Joaquin Valley are against it. High Speed rail will hurt Our local Economy. We need Water, Farmers, Crops, Farm Workers, which will maintain Our local job force and food supply.
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-atreyustratula
No matter how you put it this rail is a huge waste of money. The commuting issue is actively being solved in other ways (such as remote work and companies gtfo of California altogether)- Fixed route transportation is laughably obsolete. And has never been able to pay for itself
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No matter how you put it this rail is a huge waste of money. The commuting issue is actively being solved in other ways (such as remote work and companies gtfo of California altogether)- Fixed route transportation is laughably obsolete. And has never been able to pay for itself
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-garywilson1688
So in 2008 the ticket cost was estimated at $50? Now (2023) it's estimated at something like $170. But the cost to the taxpayer for each of those passengers is over $900. Every single passenger will be subsidized by taxpayers to the tune of $750. Every single passenger.
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So in 2008 the ticket cost was estimated at $50? Now (2023) it's estimated at something like $170. But the cost to the taxpayer for each of those passengers is over $900. Every single passenger will be subsidized by taxpayers to the tune of $750. Every single passenger.
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-finned958
Isn-t it obvious that they should avoid tunneling and just build along existing highways from Merced and Bakersfield. That-s what they should have done in the first place along i-5. From Merced, use 99 to 120 to 205 to 580 to reach San Jose. From Bakersfield, use the 5.
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Isn-t it obvious that they should avoid tunneling and just build along existing highways from Merced and Bakersfield. That-s what they should have done in the first place along i-5. From Merced, use 99 to 120 to 205 to 580 to reach San Jose. From Bakersfield, use the 5.
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-craigthompson3739
HSR does not work anywhere but in Japan. Cost too much to build and maintain. You only have to do a little research to figure out this fact. Short commenter trains can work, but long-distance HSR doesn't because airplanes are faster and cheaper.
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HSR does not work anywhere but in Japan. Cost too much to build and maintain. You only have to do a little research to figure out this fact. Short commenter trains can work, but long-distance HSR doesn't because airplanes are faster and cheaper.
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-Utsu-P_Enjoyer
if someone from 10 years in the future came back and told me the project had been abandoned due to Californians increasingly burdonsome regulations, crime population exodus and budget deficits I wouldnt be the least bit suprised.
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if someone from 10 years in the future came back and told me the project had been abandoned due to Californians increasingly burdonsome regulations, crime population exodus and budget deficits I wouldnt be the least bit suprised.
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-ambhatti1538
So, given the flooding in the central valley at the moment, how much of this railway is affected? Perhaps a few million should be spent on keeping central valley communities protected from flooding.
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So, given the flooding in the central valley at the moment, how much of this railway is affected? Perhaps a few million should be spent on keeping central valley communities protected from flooding.
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-janebinkerd594
They USA spends money on endless WARS for the profit of the few. The rest of what we need does not matter to the politicians who only serve the ruling class. They do not care about you at all.
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They USA spends money on endless WARS for the profit of the few. The rest of what we need does not matter to the politicians who only serve the ruling class. They do not care about you at all.
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-evilfingers4302
Corrupt California Republican and Democrat Politicians and Ass Kissing Bureaucrats and Environmentalists are what's causing the problems with the construction of the High Speed Rail System.
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Corrupt California Republican and Democrat Politicians and Ass Kissing Bureaucrats and Environmentalists are what's causing the problems with the construction of the High Speed Rail System.
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-KOOPATWOOPAH
A good railway will keep people who don't want to drive off the streets and let those who need to/want to have more space to drive, and less chance of causing an accident!
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A good railway will keep people who don't want to drive off the streets and let those who need to/want to have more space to drive, and less chance of causing an accident!
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-shalomsanbi
Haha lol, I think Texas will be the first with an actually built and working Shinkansen. I think it was 2024 or 5 when the Texas bullet train is going to be finished.
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Haha lol, I think Texas will be the first with an actually built and working Shinkansen. I think it was 2024 or 5 when the Texas bullet train is going to be finished.
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-outofhere7623
If you-re going to use distances in your presentation for US subject matter, use miles instead of kilometers so Americans can relate. No t everyone uses kilometers.
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If you-re going to use distances in your presentation for US subject matter, use miles instead of kilometers so Americans can relate. No t everyone uses kilometers.
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-user-zu3md5qz8y
San Francisco is not a destination anymore, no longer relevant. Las Vegas Brightline is more relevant. Who want to gamble with theft and robber in city by the bay
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San Francisco is not a destination anymore, no longer relevant. Las Vegas Brightline is more relevant. Who want to gamble with theft and robber in city by the bay
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reallifelore
just bring china in for cut time and cost like we do in jakarta-bandung high spead rail
the jakarta high spead rail start 2015 and finish 2023 this month
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just bring china in for cut time and cost like we do in jakarta-bandung high spead rail
the jakarta high spead rail start 2015 and finish 2023 this month
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reallifelore
The sad truth is that the graft will cost twice as much as the project itself. Every grifter with the authority to issue a permit will have their hands out.
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The sad truth is that the graft will cost twice as much as the project itself. Every grifter with the authority to issue a permit will have their hands out.
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-Steelers-rk3ig
Never going to happen when people pay $1, 000 to $1, 500 a month for car payments and insurance. They would rather drive their big SUV and Tesla-s.
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Never going to happen when people pay $1, 000 to $1, 500 a month for car payments and insurance. They would rather drive their big SUV and Tesla-s.
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-SISKCERTWaJaVlogs
Idk man, they have built the viaducts and carved out much land. idk why they would let this go to waste consitering how theres no turning back
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Idk man, they have built the viaducts and carved out much land. idk why they would let this go to waste consitering how theres no turning back
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-helenestes5045
Will the train go thru the burned out Paradise city? Rumor has it the fire was deliberately set, so they would have a cleared path for the train.
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Will the train go thru the burned out Paradise city? Rumor has it the fire was deliberately set, so they would have a cleared path for the train.
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