Your Opinion: True cost of long-distance rail travel

Bert Dirschell

Centertown

Dear Editor:

In 2008, California voters passed a measure authorizing the issue of $9.95 billion in general bonds for planning and constructing a high-speed rail system between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The 520-mile system was to be completed by 2029, at an estimated cost of $33.6 billion. By 2018, the estimated cost had increased to $77.3 billion, $28,000 per foot.

The new governor of California, Gavin Newsom, recently said the project is too expensive and he reduced the scope. The only part that will be completed is the 119-mile stretch from Madera (north of Fresno) to Shaftner (near Bakersfield). It takes two hours to drive between Fresno (population 500,000) and Bakersfield (pop 400,000). The estimated cost for this segment $10.6 billion. Massive taxpayer subsidies, from people who will never use this system, will be necessary to get this completed and allow it to operate.

President Barack Obama added $3.5 billion to the national debt and gave it to California (free stuff) so that they could build the first phase of this amusement park ride. The only reason the 119-mile segment is going to be completed is because if it isn’t, California would have to return the $3.5 billion to the federal government.

The federal government took over passenger rail service in 1971. Amtrak subsidies have added billions to the national debt since then. Just in 2018, Amtrak asked for $1.6 billion in federal subsidies.

For 2018, Amtrak forecast a 2018 average per-passenger loss of $125.85 on each of the 4.7 million long-distance passengers, $589 million in total. The Sunset Limited, which runs between New Orleans and Los Angeles, loses over $400 per passenger. The Southwest Chief, which runs between Chicago and Los Angeles, loses $183 per passenger. The Coast Starlight, from Seattle to Los Angeles, loses $128 per passenger. Will California politicians next move be to “give” the rail line to Amtrak?

Sunset Limited NO to LA – Amtrak fare $138, trip length 46 hours 35 minutes. Greyhound NO to LA – Fare $175, trip length 41 hours. American Airlines NO to LA – Fare $106, flight time 4 hours 35 minutes.

Is long-distance rail travel so critical to our nation that it justifies piling more debt on future generations? Or is it justified because more “free stuff” means more votes and campaign contributions?