This high-speed rail thing is kinda’ becoming a disaster for Jerry Brown

hotair ^ | JANUARY 7, 2014 | BY ERIKA JOHNSEN

[a fool in paradise]

The Obama Administration tried to strongarm Florida’s governor Rick Scott into building a high-speed rail project in this state a few years ago, to be funded by a state tax (which Florida doesn’t have)

They TRIED to ram a national high speed rail through that was center hubbed in Chicago (SUPRISE! SURPRISE! SURPRISE!). BILLIONS of dollars for friends of Obama.

Who knows how much money has already been spent on this or who got it.

[John O]

Thank you!

Brings back pleasant memories of talking trains with someone who was an apparently brain dead liberal :)

[pogo101]

All true. And travelling by Amtrak over long distances is expensive.

Want to go cross country? You are definitely going to need a sleeper car.

Costs a LOT.

You ain't kidding. I just checked out of curiosity. A sleeper car fare ONE WAY from LA to Seattle is $574. (In fairness, it would be the same price for two travelers sharing a 2-berth room. Also in fairness, meals are said to be included ... but what does that mean? The website doesn't explain "meals included.") Even that does NOT include one's own toilet or shower, which are "down the hall" and shared as in a boarding room. Remember "Midnight Run," "From Russia With Love" and "Silver Streak"? If memory serves, train rooms in those films were shown to include private bathrooms (tiny ones, sure), even on non-luxury trains. OK, Silver Streak was probably considered a first- or business-class train.

[fieldmarshaldj]

I have a fond memory of a discussion with ole Willie when he mentioned he took the train to Isle Royale National Park. As you may know, it’s an island in the middle of Lake Superior. I told him I never knew they built a train across Lake Superior...