Crossrail[1] is currently projected to cost £15.4bn (~$19.8bn) for 73 miles of non-high-speed rail (~90mph). For the 520 miles California was proposing, you'd

Crossrail[1] is currently projected to cost £15.4bn (~$19.8bn) for 73 miles of non-high-speed rail (~90mph). For the 520 miles California was proposing, you'd be looking at £110bn (~$140bn) and that's ignoring the fact that London has no mountain ranges to contend with and that HSR requires much stricter paths. In that context, $77bn looks like an absolute bargain. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossrail https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossrail