Posted on 12/15/2009 9:23:55 AM PST by NormsRevenge
Those hoping to ride the state's high-speed train next decade will have to dig much deeper into their wallets than officials originally thought, a harsh reality that will chase away millions of passengers, according to an updated business plan released Monday.
The average ticket on the bullet train from San Francisco to Los Angeles is now estimated to cost about $105, or 83 percent of comparable airfare. Last year, the state said prices would be set at 50 percent of comparable airfare and predicted a ticket from San Francisco to Los Angeles would cost $55.
As a result of the higher fares, state officials now think the service will attract 41 million annual riders by 2035, down from last year's prediction of 55 million passengers by 2030.
Finally, the cost of the project — recently pegged at $33.6 billion in 2008 dollars — is now estimated at $42.6 billion in time-of-construction dollars.
The gloomy forecasts are included in the California High-Speed Rail Authority's updated business plan, which the state Legislature required the authority to submit by today.
The authority last produced a business plan in 2008. State officials had used what turned out to be optimistic ridership and ticket price forecasts in presenting a $9.9 billion bond measure called Proposition 1A, which voters approved in November 2008.
Authority Deputy Director Jeff Barker said while the numbers have changed, the "spirit of what the people voted for" with Proposition 1A remains the same.
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
while the numbers have changed, the “spirit of what the people voted for” with Proposition 1A remains the same.
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Would those be pre- or post-stimulus voters?
You can sell anything to an uninformed, well-indoctrinated mass of doofs like California voters... and if you’re lucky, get them to pay top dollar for the excesses too.
No problem. They can just tack a special tax on airfare between SF and LA and take it for the trains.
That’s the way things are gonna work anymore...
....I guess they will have to count on a lot of foreign tourists for ridership. Between them, the poor and the very rich thats all that will be left in good ‘ol Kalifonia
The thing isn’t even built and the cost has gone up ~40%. Any bets that it won’t end up about 80 billion dollars before they are done?
“Those hoping to ride the state’s high-speed train next decade will have to dig much deeper into their wallets than officials originally thought”.....
Oh sure!.....dig all you want....all you’ll find is pocket lint.
I was thinking the same thing. Once (if) it it built, they will tax the airline competition.
Is that even legal, though?
Seems like the money could be better spent increasing capacity at the airports and fixing up I-5 in the Central Valley. There no way a family is going to shell out $400 or more to take the train say from No Cal to Disneyland.
Good luck with that boondoggle! L.O.L.!
Since when did that matter in Californistan?
I guess since flights from say SFO to LAX do not cross state boundaries The Feds have no say on the matter.
“Is that even legal, though?”
You’re kidding, right?
Like that matters.
Underestimated and underperforming? That NEVER happens with government programs!!
In one year costs have increased by 25%.
Wille Green is not amused.
Sac bee
The Buzz: California high-speed rail estimate jumps $9 billion
http://www.sacbee.com/capitolandcalifornia/story/2395807.html
Cost estimates for California’s high-speed rail line from San Francisco to Anaheim jumped from $33.6 billion to $42.6 billion .. new business plan released Monday. The main difference? .. inflation costs between 2012 and 2020, when .. construction would take place. .. relies on $17 billion to $19 billion in federal dollars over that period.
Willie Green is deeply saddened.
I wonder if this accounts for all those enviro-tards who are going to sue to stop the contruction of this railine because it will affect the habitat for an endangered weed or microbe.
Rail costs more than the politicians promised and will have fewer riders. Wow. What a surprise. Who didn't see that coming?
However, politically favored construction companies will get a lot more taxpayer plunder than predicted, and the effort will provide a lot more high paying state jobs at the taxpayers expense. Again who didn't see that coming?
What does make money...when Government runs it?
Besides the I.R.S.
Not when you can drive there in a compact car for 2 tanks of gas, $60 -$70 dollars.
Response: When are American citizens going to learn that every word out of the mouth of a governmental official, elected or appointed, is a lie. Not only a lie but a damn lie!
Wille Green is not amused.
Perfect. Yes, Willie, where are you?
Hah hah hah hah! That's a good one! States rights! Hah hah hah! But really, did anything on the plane come from outside the state? What about connecting flights and passengers? Oh well, time to invoke the all powerful interstate commerce clause! Feds win again!
When the airlines were regulated by the Feds the rules did not apply to in-state flights. Flights from LAX to SFO were not controlled by the Feds and those flights were much cheaper than comparable services across state lines, the Northeast shuttles. That was one of the pieces of evidence to support deregulation during the 1970s.
Legal? What’s that?
Anymore, it’s whatever they say it is.
Sad times indeed.
And the speed will be about half that predicted.
That was in the good ‘ol days when even Democrats had limits on their boldness. Now they’re willing to justify tossing you in jail, depriving you of your very freedom, simply for not buying a product that they mandate. And they are doing so on that magically potent argument that since they can regulate “interstate commerce” they can regulate everything. This current group has no respect for states rights. If they determine some political benefit in regulating intrastate flights, they’ll do it. Who’s going to stop them, the supreme court? Hah! They allowed restrictions on political speech and a massive expansion on how the government can use eminent domain to confiscate private property and that’s before Obama started appointing judges.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find only things evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelogus
What a bunch of total crap this guy is spewing forth!
Well, here it is Willie. Not even built yet, and already ticket prices are rising. By the time it’s done ticket prices will be at 150% of an airline ticket - and subsidized by the taxpayers to even achieve that rate !
Boondoggle !
Shinkansen in the west coast only has about a fifth of the pop density as Tokyo-Osaka.
Can anyone say “white elephant”?
What a surprise! Who knew?
Willie, where are you?
Helpful hint for clueless noobs: The odds of obtaining a response are greatly enhanced once you learn to put "Willie Green" in the "To:" box of the reply screen.
On FreeRepublic, this is what is known as a "ping".
Most FReepers don't mind being pinged. In fact, it is considered to be an obligatory courtesy when mentioning them on a thread on which they haven't yet participated.
The lone exception to this is Arthur McGowan.
Please do not ping Arthur unless absolutely necessary.
He has suffered enough and further torment on this topic is considered to be cruel.
As a result of the higher fares, state officials now think the service will attract 41 million annual riders by 2035, down from last year's prediction of 55 million passengers by 2030.
One more lump of coal in the voters Xmas stickings..
Better hold on to that coal, Normie.
By 2030~35, it'll be a precious commodity as Kalifornicators will be forced to squeeze it for every expensive drop of Oil they can get out of it.
THEN they will wish they had the foresight to build the high-speed rail system when they had the chance.
Willie, I have been hearing we will be out of oil crap since I was a kid..
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