Amtrak

And annoying stuff like human rights

The US does? The black neighborhoods they destroyed to build highways would like to speak to you

California HSR is an entirely state funded project.

It gets worse, for the national HSR they've doubled down with a privatized high-end train line (think first class, private lobbies for premium etc) with a horrible "track" record in Florida.

Dubbed the deadliest train per mile in America by the Associated Press, Brightline has killed dozens of people (link)

New York-based Fortress Investment Group, which owns Brightline via its Florida East Coast Industries (FECI) unit, has pursued a strategy of mixing its infrastructure play with large-scale, real estate investments. Coral Gables-based FECI has developed multifamily and office buildings near Brightline stations and sold most of these projects to institutional investors at nine-figure prices. It also has a sizable portfolio of land and real estate holdings along the train line.... “I think Brightline was a real estate play. I think it always has been,” said Bradley Arendt (link)

So a deadly company that refuses safety precautions (forced the government to fund further safety regulations), and is managed and owned by huge financial companies that own the real estate making their own government funded mini-monopoly rail line and estates! Oh yeah, they're way over budget and losing money fast, but if they can just get that sweet "build back America" funding they can squeeze the company for a few more years before the high priced investors can cut ties and run with their profits.

I could go on for days probably talking about Brightline, might have to do a complete write up one of these days to show how nasty and deep all the crap goes with our politics and influences. Just make it a national service, this "private" sector for public utilities has got to be moved on from.

The man is a monster and his sycophantic followers are incapable of critical thought.

I wonder if that Musk fellow has a vested interest in car sales or something. Maybe he has ties to some sort of car company. 🤔

The California high speed rail project is still being built, legislators didn't shut it down. Check out the spring 2024 update.

Now it probably should be faster, but progress is being made.

Hyperloop was all about trying to get legislators to cancel plans for high-speed rail in California—even though he had no plans to build it.

Nah, I'm mad at Elon

You have to spend billions before laying track. That's true of any high speed rail. They've done a lot of groundwork and built a lot of structures, and they should be laying some track relatively soon.

"That's communism!"

No, really.

For example, Minnesota (and to a lesser extent Wisconsin) keeps planning light rail/high speed rail projects but they keep getting killed by Republicans who take office. Why do they kill it? Mostly i don't think they say, or make some vague claims about "budget" (while providing no actual explanation or justification). However, if you listen to their base it's because they believe trains are communist and communism is bad.

• Having to buy out private land owners who will take the government to court which can take years to decades to figure out
• Having to do environmental assessment of all the land that will be impacted by the high speed rail then having to re plan the route to avoid sensitive areas and wildlife which would take years if not decades to complete
• Having to raise taxes or shift infrastructure funding to build the rail line
• Contracting out the work to private companies that will inevitably raise costs dramatically because it's a government project
• Having to negotiate with state and local governments that will want (or not want) the rail line to go through their town, city and state.
• If the route is going through a mountainous region having to build massive tunnels (not unheard of just more money and longer build time)
• Contracting out companies to build the rail cars specifically and having them work closely and accurately with the companies building the rail lines.
• If the rail line is going through Texas and is going to use electricity then the government will have to negotiate with the Texas electrical grid, probably demand that they do a better job of keeping it online.
• Promoting the rail line enough so that it gets used more
• Dealing with oil, gas, automotive, and airline lobbies along with all the secondary and tertiary companies and industries that rely on those industries that will lobby to keep it from going through.

This is all just stuff that came off the top of my head. I don't know if it is all valid or not.

Don't get me wrong I would fucking love to have a extensive, reliable high speed rail in the US I just don't think it will happen without huge push from the voters and I'm skeptical that will happen.