Passenger Trains > "High-speed rail continues to gobble up Fresno buildings"

Yes, they are really building HSR in California.  Dispite the draught, the State's economy is extremely strong.

Here is the article from the Fresno Bee:
http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/high-speed-rail/article32225841.html



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/25/15 11:38 by MartyBernard.

i wonder what more years of dismal snow packs in the sierra's and the continued decreasing of lake mead's water levels will do to california's economy...........

66

Hahahahaha.  California sits on the worlds largest pool of watch - we call it the Pacific Ocean.  Water is available - what cost - who knows.  We pay double for everything in California to live here - gladly.  I've tried living elsewhere - NO WAY!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/25/15 14:07 by iliketrains.

iliketrains Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hahahahaha.  California sits on the worlds
> largest pool of watch - we call it the Pacific
> Ocean.  Water is available - what cost - who
> knows.  We pay double for everything in
> California to live here - gladly.  I've tried
> living elsewhere - NO WAY!

hilarious!!!.........

66

Glad to see buildings being knocked down for HSR and not a Highway.

Indeed, there is unlimited water available from desalinization, with its cost being about twice the cost of conventional water; there are also some environmental impacts with disposal of the brine residue.

bluesboyst Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Glad to see buildings being knocked down for HSR
> and not a Highway.

Highways are the logical things to rip out though that would be politically impossible.

We recently drove through the San Joaquin Valley and saw lots of signs "HSR or Water?". Big political issue.

Scott Hightower

I remember back in 91 watching the news and they were taking about installing disaltation plants like they got in the middle East when the drought was very bad during the winter of 1990-1991 and that was eleminatied once the rains showed up that march and then a very wet 91-92 and 92-93!

1500fan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We recently drove through the San Joaquin Valley
> and saw lots of signs "HSR or Water?". Big
> political issue.
>
> Scott Hightower

What's the connection? Not being from Califorina I don't known what's going on in government but I thought the HSR was funded by bonds and Cap-in-trade funds.
Is it the typical playing to the ignorant person who thinks HSR is taking l water away?

Posted from iPhone

You nailed it, go after the ignorant. 


howeld Wrote:

> What's the connection? Not being from Califorina
> I don't known what's going on in government but I
> thought the HSR was funded by bonds and
> Cap-in-trade funds.
> Is it the typical playing to the ignorant person
> who thinks HSR is taking l water away?
>
> Posted from iPhone

howeld Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 1500fan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > We recently drove through the San Joaquin
> Valley
> > and saw lots of signs "HSR or Water?". Big
> > political issue.
> >
> > Scott Hightower
>
> What's the connection? Not being from Califorina
> I don't known what's going on in government but I
> thought the HSR was funded by bonds and
> Cap-in-trade funds.
> Is it the typical playing to the ignorant person
> who thinks HSR is taking l water away?
>
> Posted from iPhone

Handful of TO members, myself included mocked CA HSR's ridership projection based on population growth, when California is a naturally dry state. Can't support more people when there's a shortage of water. Desalination costs energy, so if CA takes that path, we can't call ourselves environmentally friendly anymore. :-)

HSR can thrive without population growth, but California's not taking that path right now in my opinion.

The water vs. HSR that's been referenced is a dumb political funding issue. The opponents of HSR want the money to help fund more water projects to help the farmers instead. In a society better managed, we should be able to do both, right? (or at least willing to go into debt for both projects) So there really isn't a connection if you think about it.

A little-known fact about California HSR is that the energy will be coming from unicorn farts. Water, schmater! El Nino is on the way! Yes life here is expensive. Go to the store and buy some of our eggs!
We have many laws and ideas that permeate their way into the cost-of-living for all consumers. When I travel to other states I am astounded at how much cheaper many things are. And yet, most of us stay.......

Tom Y

I'm sorry to say that the opponents are fighting a losing battle at this time with HSR moving forward but that doesn't mean they've lost the war. There has been several court cases in which the opponents of HSR have failed to derail (excuse the pun) the HSR project.  I would say when they get to overruns, which they haven't yet, this issue will raise its ugly head again. 

There's plenty of water for people, as urban uses account for very little water use....and most of that is for landscape irrigation.  It's the wasteful agricutural practices that need to be reigned in.

I've lived in the Central Valley for over 68 years and know first hand that most, not all, farmers and ranchers are more  knowlegeable and caring about water conservation than people know. They are no different than anyone else that has a business. They're going to do what it takes to keep costs down which translates into conserving water. Pumping water costs money.

reindeerflame Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There's plenty of water for people, as urban uses
> account for very little water use....and most of
> that is for landscape irrigation.  It's the
> wasteful agricutural practices that need to be
> reigned in.

Sounds like a pricing problem.

reindeerflame Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There's plenty of water for people, as urban uses
> account for very little water use....and most of
> that is for landscape irrigation.  It's the
> wasteful agricutural practices that need to be
> reigned in.

again, what IF the sierra snow packs remain minimal and lake mead's water level keeps decreasing?  

66 

goneon66 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> reindeerflame Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > There's plenty of water for people, as urban
> uses
> > account for very little water use....and most
> of
> > that is for landscape irrigation.  It's the
> > wasteful agricutural practices that need to be
> > reigned in.
>
> again, what IF the sierra snow packs remain
> minimal and lake mead's water level keeps
> decreasing?  
>
> 66 

Then you're gonna have a real battle between urban areas and big agriculture.  Will be interesting to watch.   Then there's the ticking time bomb of unfunded public pension liabilities.   Right now California is flying high due to the huge capital gains tax revenue coming to Sacramento.  Depending on the stock market in the near to medium term,  these could decrease dramatically,  which will cause budget problems big-time.  Time will tell.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/26/15 07:29 by masterphots.

bluesboyst Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Glad to see buildings being knocked down for HSR
> and not a Highway.

Sadly, from what I've seen, that won't be the case in Bakersfield, where a good chunk of Middle Class residential will be plowed under so the 58 Freeway can be extended to I-5.