[Willie Green]

For the $2 trillion that it’ll cost to deploy high speed rail in the US, how do you recommend we finance the system?

I reject your outlandish $2 trillion figure.
Nobody has ever seriously proposed budgeting anywhere near that much.
As far as I'm concerned, that's just a bogus figure with no basis.

[PugetSoundSoldier]

The UK is building a new high speed rail line between London (Heathrow, outside the city limits) and Edinburgh. It's 300 miles or so. And it's $50 BILLION to do this line. That's $166 MILLION per mile for high speed rail, in a country that already has extensive rail.

Considering the plan is for 17,000 miles of high speed rail lines here in the US, well - do the math. That's close to $3 trillion, if we can keep the costs contained. I've been giving you the benefit of the doubt by estimating only $2 trillion.

Those are real world costs, Willie, costs based on actual go-forward plans by a nation with significant rail infrastructure, and a much less difficult geography as well. One that's not nearly as big and crazy as ours, where you have rails soaking in 125 degree heat and sun (desert SW) and rails in sub-zero freezes for months on end (upper Midwest/NE).

But never mind that, how much do you claim it will cost, Willie? Is it just unicorns and rainbows? What's the real cost estimate? Because you're awfully quiet when it comes to costs. Just claim everyone else is wrong and say nothing beyond.

So Willie, what is your number - how much will high speed rail cost? Because I'm using real-world costs, borne by projects in countries used to doing rail projects. What's your number, Willie, where did it come from? Did it come from Obama-on-high, delivered by a unicorn prancing down a rainbow? Is it just pennies a day?

What's the number Willie?