Why am I not shocked?
Posted on 05/21/2015 9:36:55 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Chinese state firms are poised to be strong contenders in the race to make high-speed trains that will sprint between Los Angeles and San Francisco, part of a $68 billion project to bring the service to the United States for the first time.
While "bullet train" manufacturers from Germany, Japan, South Korea, and France are expected to be among those jockeying for the estimated $1 billion train contract, China’s ability to offer low prices and hefty financing appear to make it the one to beat, say lobbyists and industry insiders.
Lacking experience in the technology, California must turn to foreign firms to build the trains – albeit domestically and with American workers - setting off a geopolitical race to grab a foothold in the nascent U.S. high-speed rail industry.
Germany's Siemens is expanding its rail factory in Sacramento to incorporate a “high-speed lot.” Japan has voiced its interest, boasting a record of no fatal accidents in over 50 years operating high-speed trains. France’s Alstom, which produces rail cars in upstate New York, is also a potential contender.
(Excerpt) Read more at ca.news.yahoo.com ...
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No chance any of them win unless Tutor Perini drags them into it..
I hope they use more of that high grade Chinese steel to build it with.. just like the new Bay Bridge..
I'm sure MoonBeam is on top of all those little details.
TooT TooT The MOONBEAM eXpress has left the station.. riding on hot air, not rails.
Still the train to nowhere.
If it ever gets built and the rolling stock is ever produced.
I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for it to happen any time soon.
Just what California needs - more debt.
Stealing our tax dollars and mortgaging our kids’ future while stimulating the Chinese economy on Brown’s boondoggle? Hope they bring their own water.
Chinese. Trains. CA.
I am pretty sure this was a great episode of KUNG FU with David Carradine.
Original estimate was 34 Billion, then 43 Billion. The Times article below puts it at 98.5B (and that was in 2011).
What does a flight from SF to LA take?
SF airport to downtown is not that far. How about LA airport to downtown?
How much does it cost?
The only Amtrack line on the east coast that makes money is the Boston to NYC to Philly to DC. Part of this is the fact that you end up in downtown NYC(Penn Station or Grand Central). So you can actually walk or take a 10 minute cab ride to your destination.
Gee. 68 billion dollars. Imagine what airlines serving those two cities will think about it. Targeted government funding that directly affects the business to which they’ve committed to serve - even with California’s added costs that might be involved?
If I was an airline corporate type I’d might be talking to them damn lawyers I have on staff to think about a lawsuit...you know...something about the Constitution and words like “equal protection [influence, preference, etc] under the law” and all that. Just a thought, you know.
Just a stab in the dark here, but if you asked a movie starlet whether she’d rather have a ride on a bullet train with the rabble to go get ‘recognized’ in SF versus a glamorous 1st Class plane ride and entourage accompanying, which one she’d rather have. I wonder.
While we’re at it I still come back to that 68 billion dollar price tag. Gee. I wonder how many desalinization plants could be built for that. How much potable water could be produced? Would it help out on California’s dire water situation?
It certainly is a conundrum...
And it’ll probably be twice that by the time it’s completed (if it ever is). And then the ongoing maintenance and operating costs. How many people will have to ride this thing to break even?
Who ever is willing to pay the politicians the biggest payback will be the winner.
Silly little people. That’s how it works.
Next question?
Can’t wait for those Chinese bullet trains to go over those Chinese bridges.
The payout from those liability lawsuits will add another $10 billion to the price tag.
China’s got to get someone to feed them.. Believe it or Not, even the Chinese know they have limits.. but like here ,, are ruled by ideologues.
I was amazed at the large numbers of empty complexes of high rises out in the middle of nowhere as we bussed into Beijing from our dock last fall..
I guess they had the same advisors as the CA HSR job crew.
or were movie buffs..
IF you build it , They will come. ;-)
Good question. Ran the numbers using their estimate of 68 Billion:
20 year payout on 68 billion capitol cost (no interest)
365 days per year requires 74,000 people per day at a revenue of $125.00 per person
It would be interesting to see how many people fly each day within the state between the cities proposed to be served by this train.
I doubt it if it is 74,000.
If it hurts the unions Im all for it....
How about building a bullet aquaduct instead?
China also has an edge in whom California elects to statewide office.
All we can hope for is another governor or a financial crisis or a continuation of the drought or a peoples uprising.
They tried to stop this in the courts, with an excellent case. What is being delivered is not what was voted for in 2008, by a long shot. Yet, no judge would interfere.
We are being ruled against.
Isn’t there a new earthquake movie coming out?
Hey, no fair asking sensible questions.
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