Tunnel could boost high-speed rail cost ( California )

Cal Watchdog ^ | August 9, 2014 | Wayne Lusvardi

[Mike Darancette]

Long tunnels in earthquake country; what could possibly go wrong?

[publius911]

The cost of the high-speed rail project might be going above the current estimate of $68 billion.
Tunnel crew...you can figure union rates at $30 an hour. Toss in some accidents and a simple two-year project can turn into a six-year project. You could milk this till the cows come home.

Pretty crummy reporting, specially for an article "critical" of the boondoggle.

Somewhere in the introduction, the soaring costs should be contrasted to the "estimated cost" when the ridiculous plan was sold to the California taxpayer. What was that? Well, you better not ask. because no normal human being could possibly understand the Bullshit*.

(in year-of-expenditure dollars)
Try to figure THAT one out.

2013 Updated Calif High Speed Rail Due Diligence Report

* Princeton University Press, 2005

[publius911]

Tunnel crew...you can figure union rates at $30 an hour.

I neglected to add this...

I haven't seen $30 an hour union rates for laborers that low since the '60s...

Today, and for the next 15 years, that wouldn't even cover cost the union membership dues! (aka Union Fatcats political slush fund)

[itsahoot]

The cost of the high-speed rail project might be going above the current estimate of $68 billion.

I personally, am Shocked
Who could have predicted this?

[Vinnie]

Yeah, a tunnel in earthquake country sounds like a great idea to me.

My first thought also.
Dumb idea

[az_gila]

Right through the blue area on this map -

[Organic Panic]

We could shuttle people to the booming metropolis of Fresno to the other booming megalopolis of Bakersfield in RECORD TIME for only 1.22 billion dollar per mile. What a deal.

[Brad from Tennessee]

[A similar situation exists for the millions of acres of BLM land out west. If it wasn’t profitable to possess, they’d sell or otherwise liquidate it back into the private sector.]

It's also a land bank that politicians can manipulate to favor their moneyed cronies at the expense of the public.

[HKMk23]

“Tunnel crew...you can figure union rates at $30 an hour.”

$30 an hour?? This isn’t 1965.

Try more like $130 an hour, all told; and “Welcome” to the 21st Century.

[PLMerite]

“You could milk this till the cows come home.”

That could be a really long time if they have to take the train.

Hey, it was funny when I started typing it.

[Pelham]

The whole idea is to spend as much money as possible. This is a construction union full employment program, a payoff by the California Democrats to one of their pet constituencies.

[reg45]

Tell them that it’s a tunnel to blow up the largest synagogue in Los Angeles and they could probably get the Saudis to pay for the whole thing.