The liberals $43 billion train to no where...

[JSt0rm]

High speed trains aren't infrastructure, the are black holes.

Build some freeways if you want economic benefit.

Shut. the. fuck. up.

 

[CanOWorms]

It isn't about whether to build the bridge. It was about how bad they government is with estimates.

This $43 billion project will hit $100 billion before they are done. At that cost it will take a billion fucking people to ride it at $100 each just to pay for it!!!!

Hell even at 43 billion it will take 430 million riders at $100 each just to cover the cost of building the damn thing.

You're assuming that the expenses are only for the train. There can be expenses related to multiple projects. For example, maybe the high speed train connects to another local metro station and that station will incidentally also be upgraded. Perhaps roads will also be upgraded.

Moreover, they can earn money from more sources than just ticket prices.

 

[JSt0rm]

You're assuming that the expenses are only for the train. There can be expenses related to multiple projects. For example, maybe the high speed train connects to another local metro station and that station will incidentally also be upgraded. Perhaps roads will also be upgraded.

Moreover, they can earn money from more sources than just ticket prices.

Like economic activity around the stations...

 

[jackstar7]

Like economic activity around the stations...

It's commie-talk to suggest that businesses and transportation availability are somehow linked.

And PJ's solution is more roads... because what CA lacks is fucking traffic. Great suggestion, dumbnuts.

 

[nonameo]

It's commie-talk to suggest that businesses and transportation availability are somehow linked.

And PJ's solution is more roads... because what CA lacks is fucking traffic. Great suggestion, dumbnuts.

Haven't you ever played SimCity?

more roads reduces traffic.

reticulating splines

 

[Infohawk]

Hell even at 43 billion it will take 430 million riders at $100 each just to cover the cost of building the damn thing.

And this is a very long term project. LA and SF aren't going anywhere. There are plenty of business people and students who would love to take a train from downtown LA to downtown SF and vice-versa. The area airports are going to be saturated and should be saved for long-distance flights across the country.

Nobody likes government waste but this is a good project.

 

[HendrixFan]

It isn't about whether to build the bridge. It was about how bad they government is with estimates.

This $43 billion project will hit $100 billion before they are done. At that cost it will take a billion fucking people to ride it at $100 each just to pay for it!!!!

Hell even at 43 billion it will take 430 million riders at $100 each just to cover the cost of building the damn thing.

Where do you think the $43B goes?

 

[JSt0rm]

What pj doesnt want you to know is that the northeast corridor (wdc, nyc, boston) has 10.4 million passengers a year. He decided to ONLY show the numbers for 1 line.

 

[ProfJohn]

More facts for the liberals...

"In fiscal 2010, Amtrak reports, Acela trains carried more than 3.2 million passengers and earned $440 million in ticket revenue. "

That is a train system that runs from Washington DC to Baltimore to Philadelphia to New York City to Boston.

That is an area with a population of 44.5 million!

Do the math 44.5 million divided by 3.2 million passengers... 7% of the total population took the train one time...

California's TOTAL population is 37 million so they can expect 2.5 million people a year??

The Northeast Regional (which adds Richmond and Hampton Roads area) has 7 million people a year.

So let's be generous and assume that the Cali rail will have as many passengers as Acela AND Northeast combined. That is 10 million a year.

10 million people riding the train per year for say 20 years for a total of 200 million passengers... we only need to charge them $215 each just to pay for building the damn thing...

 

[Budmantom]

Investments worth it if it makes a profit.

It will make money just like all the other government "investments".

 

[Infohawk]

10 million people riding the train per year for say 20 years for a total of 200 million passengers... we only need to charge them $215 each just to pay for building the damn thing...

Think even further out than 20 years. I don't think we'll have invented teleportation.

 

[ProfJohn]

What pj doesnt want you to know is that the northeast corridor (wdc, nyc, boston) has 10.4 million passengers a year. He decided to ONLY show the numbers for 1 line.

I showed the numbers....

$43 billion to build.
$100 buck to ride.
430 million passengers to break even (assuming NO operating costs)
10 million people per year riding the thing.
43 years to cover the cost of building it...

 

[CanOWorms]

More facts for the liberals...

"In fiscal 2010, Amtrak reports, Acela trains carried more than 3.2 million passengers and earned $440 million in ticket revenue. "

That is a train system that runs from Washington DC to Baltimore to Philadelphia to New York City to Boston.

That is an area with a population of 44.5 million!

Do the math 44.5 million divided by 3.2 million passengers... 7% of the total population took the train one time...

California's TOTAL population is 37 million so they can expect 2.5 million people a year??

I'm sure that tourists will use it. It's quite common for tourists to travel from Northern to Southern California.

The Northeast Regional (which adds Richmond and Hampton Roads area) has 7 million people a year.

So let's be generous and assume that the Cali rail will have as many passengers as Acela AND Northeast combined. That is 10 million a year.

10 million people riding the train per year for say 20 years for a total of 200 million passengers... we only need to charge them $215 each just to pay for building the damn thing...

You're not being generous.

 

[HendrixFan]

I showed the numbers....

$43 billion to build.
$100 buck to ride.
430 million passengers to break even (assuming NO operating costs)
10 million people per year riding the thing.
43 years to cover the cost of building it...

What do you think happens after 43 years?

Where do you think the $43B goes?

 

[DesiPower]

It could have helped the undocumented aliens move further faster... such a loss to the society as a whole...

 

[JSt0rm]

It will make money just like all the other government "investments".

Like that stupid highway system...

 

[glenn1]

Fine with me to tax the liberal high earners in SF and LA to fund a railroad nowhere near them and they'll never use, that connects two inland towns filled with Republicans that probably hates the guts of the progressive coast city folks. Goes right along with their urges to tax themselves to send the money to red states.

 

[BarneyFife]

Wow this guy is such a tool.

 

[ch33kym0use]

I specialize in computer things, not really a finance dude although I know enough about finance to be appropriate about it.

 

[Budmantom]

Like that stupid highway system...

Obarry made a great investment making those great signs + all of those shovel ready jobs...

 

[ProfJohn]

BTW Acela Express makes a profit $41 per passenger. (2008 figures)

So....

$43 billion (assuming NO cost overruns) at $41 profit per passenger...

Great! We only need a billion people to ride it before it breaks even!!! Good luck guys...

 

[BarneyFife]

BTW Acela Express makes a profit $41 per passenger. (2008 figures)

So....

$43 billion (assuming NO cost overruns) at $41 profit per passenger...

Great! We only need a billion people to ride it before it breaks even!!! Good luck guys...

How much money does the road in front of your house make?

Good luck answering that one.

 

[ProfJohn]

I'm sure that tourists will use it. It's quite common for tourists to travel from Northern to Southern California.

So true....

And I assume that a train running from Boston to NYC to Phily to DC might get a few tourists... not like four of the greatest and most important cities in the country get many visitors...

 

[JSt0rm]

Obarry made a great investment making those great signs + all of those shovel ready jobs...

idiot.

 

[ProfJohn]

How much money does the road in front of your house make?

Good luck answering that one.

Don't know. But I paid for it since it was a privately built road in a new subdivision...