The incomplete and growing list of reasons to have a high-speed rail system in California, in no particular order of importance:

1. “Europe and Asia have them, and we should, too.” Remember when we tried to use that reasoning to go to a rock concert our folks had already said we couldn’t attend?

2. “They look neat and can go really fast” – when there isn’t a delay for some other reason. Same color scheme as the Navy flight demonstration team, the Blue Angels. Maybe the Navy can file suit to get the color changed.

3. The state of California wants to increase the financial burden of yet another underfunded liability. Now $400,000,000,000 and counting.

4. “They will decrease air pollution and carbon emissions and slow climate change” – except much of the electricity used will be generated by carbon-producing electrical plants.

5. “Riders of the California High-Speed Rail trains will not use the already overused highway systems.” Nice concept, but getting Californians off of the freeways might prove problematic in the extreme.

6. “Actual travel time between Los Angeles and San Francisco will be reduced.” Not counting travel times to stations, parking and waiting on the train, TSA and security checks, baggage checks at both ends of the line, procuring transportation at the destination and driving to your final destination. A plane might still be faster.

7. “A Democratic governor can complete the idea of a Republican governor” – someday in the future. Inexplicable. What is the difference between the two political parties? I don’t know. Maybe different folks get paid off when the other party is elected.

8. “Provides employment to graduates with the following majors: English Literature, Philosophy, Greco-Roman Art History and general studies.” They are in the sales and marketing office of the California High-Speed Rail Authority. This explains why you hear at the various CHSR community meetings the phrase, “Would you like fries with that?”

9. “Using train designs from the 1960s and before is somewhat historical, and the ‘retro look’ is really an ‘in’ thing right now.” As “cutting edge” as a ball peen hammer.

10. Provides hundreds of lawyers the opportunity to become rich from the lawsuits for and against the entire California High Speed Rail Boondoggle. Some lawyers are ambulance chasers. The current HSR lawyers may soon be called train chasers.

11. Provides employment to the spouses of various politicians – so upon the retirement from elected office, the ladies and gentlemen can continue to live in a lifestyle that we kept them in for so many years. Heaven forbid they would have to live like us middle class folks.

12. Reduce the productive use of farmland. This might save water so they can say the train is able to provide water to the whole state.

The sad fact is that the reasons I listed all have a grain of truth in them. I’ve been in those community meetings and found them wanting for real facts. So very sad that so many people actually think this is a good deal.

The few people I’ve encountered on this trip who support the California High-Speed Rail project do so because they think some of those reasons listed are good ideas. They may be. I’ve been on such trains in Europe. After the fast ride, I couldn’t figure out why I had spent so much money to watch France speed by my window at 200 mph. Had to rent a car and see what I went to see. Haven’t been on one since then.

Some folks said if it were built, they could ride it to work in Los Angeles and come home every night to the Central Valley. Only if they live minutes from a station and if they can afford such a commute.

You see, there is one other thing we still don’t have a clue about. We don’t know what the price of a ticket will be when that great day comes and we can ride the California High Speed Rail system.

I hope to save this so my great grandkids can read this when they are on the first high-speed trains from Los Angeles to San Francisco.

Will you still hear, “All aboard!” on that future trip? I hope so. I’m still a fan of Engineer Bill.

Darryl Manzer grew up in the Pico Canyon oil town of Mentryville in the 1960s and attended Hart High School. After a career in the U.S. Navy he returned to live in the Santa Clarita Valley. He can be reached at dmanzer@scvhistory.com. His older commentaries are archived at DManzer.com; his newer commentaries can be accessed [here]. Watch his walking tour of Mentryville [here].