Trump administration deals a big setback to Caltrain, pretty much killed hopes for high-speed rail coming to San Francisco

[SirLinksALot]

SOURCE: SFGATE

URL:

By Matier & Ross


In the first big hit to the Bay Area from the Trump administration, newly minted Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao has put the brakes on $647 million for Caltrain to go electric — and in the process pretty much killed hopes for high-speed rail coming to San Francisco anytime soon.

“It puts the (electrification) project in serious jeopardy,” Caltrain spokesman Seamus Murphy said Friday.

Caltrain carries about 60,000 riders a day between the South Bay and San Francisco, but its diesel-driven trains are both costly to operate and slow. Officials see electrification as a way both to increase ridership and save money on operating costs.

Going electric would also allow the Peninsula line to be the final link in the high-speed rail system that Gov. Jerry Brown wants to stretch from San Francisco to Los Angeles. The Obama administration embraced the idea, but California Republicans have long portrayed it as a boondoggle and sought to kill it.

In a Jan. 24 letter to Chao, all 14 Republicans in the state’s congressional delegation called for the Caltrain money to be put on hold until a full audit is done on high-speed rail. On Friday, Chao obliged — the Federal Transit Administration, which she oversees, said a decision on the $647 million federal grant needed to keep the project going would be delayed.

Matthew Welbes, the agency’s director, told Caltrain officials in a letter that the delay would allow the grant “to be considered in conjunction” with President Trump’s upcoming budget proposal for fiscal 2017-18.

The delay doesn’t kill the project by itself. But officials of the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, which runs Caltrain, say it all but derails electrification.

That’s because Caltrain has already selected contractors for the electrification project. “We have a March 1 deadline to start issuing contracts,” Murphy said.

After that, Caltrain will have to start the bidding process all over again — which could result in a much costlier set of contracts.
And of course, there’s the huge question of whether Trump will even put the Caltrain money in his budget.

“I never imagined that the electrification of a train would be subjected to such brutal, partisan politics,” Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, whose district includes several Caltrain stations, said in a statement. “This is not a Democratic project nor is it a Republican project. It is about the modernization of an outdated commuter system that is the spine of the transportation system of the Peninsula and the Silicon Valley region.”

Eshoo added that Caltrain electrification “is a shovel-ready project which would create thousands of jobs in the Bay Area and employ thousands in other states. It would be built by American workers and built with American products.”

In his letter, Welbes said federal officials were aware of Caltrain’s March 1 deadline, but that Washington needed “additional time to complete review of this significant commitment of federal resources.”

Caltrain has already spent $150 million on planning to go electric, but without the federal and matching funds, the overall $1.98 billion project will go into limbo.
As for high-speed rail, a $64 billion (and counting) endeavor that is still not fully funded, its viability would take a big hit if bullet trains went no farther north than the South Bay.

The state High Speed Rail Authority’s chairman, Dan Richard, had little to say about the federal action Friday beyond, “We are evaluating our options.”

San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross normally appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX TV morning and evening news

[kevindavis007]

Somewhere on the internet, Willie Green is crying..

[Applewood]

About time Governor Moonbeam and the rest of the socialist utopians realize that we taxpayers in other states are not going to pay for their wet dreams.  If they want these high speed electric trains, they should pay for them themselves.

[GtHawk]

About time Governor Moonbeam and the rest of the socialist utopians realize that we taxpayers in other states are not going to pay for their wet dreams.  If they want these high speed electric trains, they should pay for them themselves.

Look I'm happy moonbeam and his moonies aren't getting their way and I live here, just try and be fair, after all there are boondoggles or as we usually call them pork projects in every state that are subsidized by American taxpayers, especially transportation, California is not special.

[geronl]

good!

kill it dead

[Applewood]

Look I'm happy moonbeam and his moonies aren't getting their way and I live here, just try and be fair, after all there are boondoggles or as we usually call them pork projects in every state that are subsidized by American taxpayers, especially transportation, California is not special.

You're right that California is not alone with these federally funded pork projects.  Have seen several in Pennsylvania too.  And Pennsylvania has a Democrat governor.  Tax and spend Democrat governments love to plunder American taxpayers for their pie-in-the-sky schemes. 

What I'm hoping for is that if the tap is shut off for this California project, it will be shut off for other states too. 

[IsailedawayfromFR]

You're right that California is not alone with these federally funded pork projects.  Have seen several in Pennsylvania too.  And Pennsylvania has a Democrat governor.  Tax and spend Democrat governments love to plunder American taxpayers for their pie-in-the-sky schemes. 

What I'm hoping for is that if the tap is shut off for this California project, it will be shut off for other states too.

I think that California project was the largest of them all.  Just look at its title.

There is zero federal rationale for getting involved in this, which is almost exclusively an intra-state project.

Even if it took Sf types to gamble in Vegas, the two states could combine together and sort out doing it if it had any merit whatsoever.

[verga]

I(f it is such a great idea and such a money saver, let Califiornicationa pay for it by itself.

[Joe Wooten]

Electrification will not make those trains go faster. You also have to have the right tracks. On the right tracks diesel powered trains could go a lot faster, but American railroads are optimized for freight trains which do not need high speeds. High speed passenger tracks are very expensive to build and maintain. Without a government subsidy, they cannot compete with cheap air flight, especially in California where constant earth movements can unalign sections of track on a weekly basis.

[GtHawk]

I think that California project was the largest of them all.  Just look at its title.

There is zero federal rationale for getting involved in this, which is almost exclusively an intra-state project.

Even if it took Sf types to gamble in Vegas, the two states could combine together and sort out doing it if it had any merit whatsoever.

I hear what you are saying and have no desire for moonbeams boondoggle, but just how many states do you think there are with Federally subsidised transportation systems that are intrastate exclusively? And is it then your contention, following thru with your logic on California's bullet train project, that all of these systems have their federal subsidies eliminated since they are exclusively intrastate projects? Or, is it simply that California' project was the largest of them all, or just that it was California?
@IsailedawayfromFR

[Frank Cannon]

Somewhere on the internet, Willie Green is crying..

LOL. Funny funny funny.

BTW, this interested me....

In a Jan. 24 letter to Chao, all 14 Republicans in the state’s congressional delegation called for the Caltrain money to be put on hold until a full audit is done on high-speed rail.

So no big deal if the books are not cooked.....but they are acting like they know the party is over. Damn shame too. How are the rich going to float between LA and San Fran?

[txradioguy]

Correct me if I'm wrong...But wasn't it just a few short years ago that California was suffering rolling blackouts because power generation for the state was inadequate?

Now they want a massive electric train system?

[IsailedawayfromFR]

I hear what you are saying and have no desire for moonbeams boondoggle, but just how many states do you think there are with Federally subsidised transportation systems that are intrastate exclusively? And is it then your contention, following thru with your logic on California's bullet train project, that all of these systems have their federal subsidies eliminated since they are exclusively intrastate projects? Or, is it simply that California' project was the largest of them all, or just that it was California?
@IsailedawayfromFR

There is no justification for any intrastate project to be funded by the other 49 states.

We return to Constitutional intent when we examine the justifications for the federal govt  to extract revenues from those other states to pay for another state's benefits.

[GtHawk]

There is no justification for any intrastate project to be funded by the other 49 states.

We return to Constitutional intent when we examine the justifications for the federal govt  to extract revenues from those other states to pay for another state's benefits.

Thanks, I thought that was how you felt.

[Taxcontrol]

I(f it is such a great idea and such a money saver, let Califiornicationa pay for it by itself.

True wisdom is often presented by asking the right question.

[The_Reader_David]

Correct me if I'm wrong...But wasn't it just a few short years ago that California was suffering rolling blackouts because power generation for the state was inadequate?

Now they want a massive electric train system?

Actually, you are wrong.  The rolling blackouts of recent California history were a result of market manipulation by the late unlamented Enron, not an inherent problem with generating capacity or the grid.

[txradioguy]

Actually, you are wrong.  The rolling blackouts of recent California history were a result of market manipulation by the late unlamented Enron, not an inherent problem with generating capacity or the grid.

Thanks you kindly sir for that bit of clarification.

[Fishrrman]

The issue of "where's the money coming from" aside, it actually makes good sense to electrify rail commuter lines.

Electric locomotives will last at least twice as long as a diesel engine. Easier to maintain, fewer moving parts.
Or... go to self-powered "MU" (multiple-unit) cars, no engine needed.

Electric engines accelerate faster, and pack more horsepower-per-unit than a diesel.

The initial build costs are very high, however. Poles, substations, wire, new signaling (if the existing system isn't compatible), and of course the rolling stock. But electric traction pays off in the long run.

I ran these for more than 30 years:

(916 when newer -- my favorite)


(916 in later years)

30+ years old, and still could get it done with ease.
Not many passenger diesels (any?) that can do that!

BTW, I have no problems with Mrs. Chao's decision regarding funding.
But for commuter trains, nothing beats electric power.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Correct me if I'm wrong...But wasn't it just a few short years ago that California was suffering rolling blackouts because power generation for the state was inadequate?

Now they want a massive electric train system?

A couple of posts pertinent on this subject.

http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,251261.msg1248208.html#msg1248208

http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,251261.msg1241696.html#msg1241696

And rolling blackouts can occur when the power grid is overloaded, hence the need to import such a large amount from Arizona.

While Enron was certainly involved some in this, it is also certainly a scapegoat for a far bigger problem in CA.

[txradioguy]

A couple of posts pertinent on this subject.

http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,251261.msg1248208.html#msg1248208

http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,251261.msg1241696.html#msg1241696

And rolling blackouts can occur when the power grid is overloaded, hence the need to import such a large amount from Arizona.

While Enron was certainly involved some in this, it is also certainly a scapegoat for a far bigger problem in CA.

 

[mrclose]

How's that sanctuary city thing working out for you SF?

[Suppressed]

There is no justification for any intrastate project to be funded by the other 49 states.

We return to Constitutional intent when we examine the justifications for the federal govt  to extract revenues from those other states to pay for another state's benefits.

That would be great!

You have to feel for California, paying more into the system than they get back, then having this cut while they have to pay for all the poorer "conservative" states that get grants.

[jpsb]

Electrification will not make those trains go faster. You also have to have the right tracks. On the right tracks diesel powered trains could go a lot faster, but American railroads are optimized for freight trains which do not need high speeds. High speed passenger tracks are very expensive to build and maintain. Without a government subsidy, they cannot compete with cheap air flight, especially in California where constant earth movements can unalign sections of track on a weekly basis.

What I keep telling folks is that we do have high speed rail, it's called a 737.

[thackney]

Actually, you are wrong.  The rolling blackouts of recent California history were a result of market manipulation by the late unlamented Enron, not an inherent problem with generating capacity or the grid.

Only because they import vast amounts of power from other states.  California is incapable of meeting their own demand without imports.

http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,252076.html

[catfish1957]

Only because they import vast amounts of power from other states.  California is incapable of meeting their own demand without imports.

http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,252076.html

If CA wants to wear NIMBY "T' Shirts, let them take the consequences too.