PS

‎"High-speed-rail cost escalation has reached these shores. Even before the first shovel has been turned, California’s high-speed-rail costs have risen at least 50 percent, inflation adjusted. The cost estimates for the first approved section of the Los Angeles–to–San Francisco line, a “train to nowhere” from Corcoran to Borden, indicate escalation beyond $45 billion."

"Boosters also claim that high-speed rail will provide substantial environmental benefits, reduce highway-traffic congestion, and ease air-traffic congestion. Yet, as Joseph Vranich and I showed in the Reason Foundation’s “Due Diligence” report on California’s high-speed-rail proposal, the cost per ton of greenhouse gas removed would be from $1,900 to $10,000. This is 40 to 250 times what the International Panel on Climate Change research indicates greenhouse-gas removal should cost ($50 per ton)."

"Even the rosy reports produced by boosters show that high-speed rail would remove only a small percentage of cars from the roads." Since Amtrak now serves 1 passenger-mile in 600, o'Bama's HSR plan might, at best serve 1%. In all likelihood, money will be wasted on starts that are never completed and which will never reduce gasoline consumption by even that much.

American HSR is propelled by conventional ignorance and traditional kickbacks, err, campaign contributions.