There’s been big debate about the projected cost ($68B to $99B) and the inability of projected revenues to cover interest on the capital let alone operating costs. The project is beginning with a 130 mile segment in the central valley to make use of federal funds. This could be a “rail to nowhere” connecting no big towns and with no trains on it. By 2028 they plan to finally connect SF and LA.

via Can high speed rail compete with self-driven cars, improved airlines and all the technology of the future? – Forbes.

The HSR focus on a competitive downtown-to-downtime time ignores the fact that only a tiny fraction of passengers will want that precise trip.

Problems with HSR include: money cost, time cost, necessity of infrastructure changes, inflexibility of origin-destimations

Symbiotic relationship between HSR and autonomous cars with airports is an interesting idea.

HT Chenxia