As a consumer-advocate columnist working for station KTLA in Los Angeles, David Lazarus, one would think, has his finger on the pulse. And, more than likely, he does. However, with respect to his Feb. 21, 2025 Op-Ed on California high-speed rail, in my opinion, I somewhat beg to differ.
Why do I say this?
First of all, Lazarus suggests that the idea of California high-speed rail was first floated two decades ago. It was actually then California Governor Jerry Brown who introduced the idea to Californians in 1979(i) when he was in office. By my calculations that would make such declaration now nearly five decades old. A two-decades-old idea? I don’t think so!
Moving right along, and in essence what the consumer advocate believes is that it was a mistake to begin high-speed rail construction in the state’s midsection — the San Joaquin Valley between Bakersfield and Merced — on a portion that he feels makes no sense economically. His preference it seems is in first building what Lazarus refers to as a “proof-of-concept” bullet-train project connecting Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Yup, you heard right: Vegas.
Here’s my one question to Lazarus: “Don’t you think it’s a bit late for that?”
I honestly don’t understand where this guy is coming from — on this. It’s not like California’s high-speed-train project is the world’s first ever to be built. Japan built its first — and the world’s first — bullet-train system — the Shinkansen train — in the mid-20th century. It opened to the public to ride on, on Oct. 1, 1964. China, meanwhile, currently has 25,000 miles of high-speed-train track in active service. More than any other nation on Earth. Yet, somehow even with a six-decades-plus-long proven track record a “proof-of-concept” line is still needed? Seriously?!
(i) Wikipedia, California High-Speed Rail, “Background,” Legislative context https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_High-Speed_Rail
