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The fact that this costs 12billion sums up a lot of what’s wrong in the US. Let’s be honest the project will take longer than expected and end up costing more

The fact that this costs 12billion sums up a lot of what’s wrong in the US. Let’s be honest the project will take longer than expected and end up costing more than 12billion.

tzs 2y ago
$12 billion for 351 km is $34 million per km. France is planning a new 410 km high speed rail line between Paris and Lyon for €12 billion [1]. That's $11.2 billion at current exchange rates, giving $25 million per km. That seems to be a pretty normal price for high speed rail in Europe [2] for routes that don't need tunneling. So this US project is about 36% more expensive than a typical EU high speed rail project. Higher, but is it really enough higher to qualify for "what's wrong in the US"? [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-speed_rail_in_France#Under_Construction https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-speed_rail_in_France#Unde... [2] https://op.europa.eu/webpub/eca/special-reports/high-speed-rail-19-2018/en/ https://op.europa.eu/webpub/eca/special-reports/high-speed-r...
- karaterobot 2y ago
  It's also, according to the article, the "first true high-speed rail" in the U.S., so presumably there are fewer existing efficiencies to make use of. And, since it's a California project rather than a Federal project, I think that whatever happens would mostly reflect on California, rather than being proof of anything about the entire country one way or the other.
- roody15 2y ago
  Yes because you assume the final cost will be 12 billion and not 20 billion. Another real possibility is the project starts and gets engineering plans developed certified and on the shelf and 2 billion is spent getting things going… only to run into a snag and never get completed. (Google the high speed rail line from Iowa City to Chicago .. that was also fully funded .. and still 10 years later not a single mile of rail has been laid)

The fact that this costs 12billion sums up a lot of what’s wrong in the US. Let’s be honest the project will take longer than expected and end up costing more than 12billion.

tzs 2y ago

$12 billion for 351 km is $34 million per km. France is planning a new 410 km high speed rail line between Paris and Lyon for €12 billion [1]. That's $11.2 billion at current exchange rates, giving $25 million per km. That seems to be a pretty normal price for high speed rail in Europe [2] for routes that don't need tunneling. So this US project is about 36% more expensive than a typical EU high speed rail project. Higher, but is it really enough higher to qualify for "what's wrong in the US"? [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-speed_rail_in_France#Under_Construction https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-speed_rail_in_France#Unde... [2] https://op.europa.eu/webpub/eca/special-reports/high-speed-rail-19-2018/en/ https://op.europa.eu/webpub/eca/special-reports/high-speed-r...

karaterobot 2y ago
It's also, according to the article, the "first true high-speed rail" in the U.S., so presumably there are fewer existing efficiencies to make use of. And, since it's a California project rather than a Federal project, I think that whatever happens would mostly reflect on California, rather than being proof of anything about the entire country one way or the other.
roody15 2y ago
Yes because you assume the final cost will be 12 billion and not 20 billion. Another real possibility is the project starts and gets engineering plans developed certified and on the shelf and 2 billion is spent getting things going… only to run into a snag and never get completed. (Google the high speed rail line from Iowa City to Chicago .. that was also fully funded .. and still 10 years later not a single mile of rail has been laid)