In the early days, the vision was clear. California was poised to revolutionize transportation with a high-speed rail system, echoing the success of France’s TGV. SNCF, the French national railroad company, was eager to lend its expertise. Yet, what began as a promising collaboration quickly unraveled into a tale of frustration and disillusionment.
Political and bureaucratic nightmares plagued the project from the start. Land acquisition became a battlefield, funding evaporated in a quagmire of red tape, and coordination among state and local agencies resembled a game of tug-of-war. Delays mounted, costs soared, and the dream of sleek, high-speed trains racing through the Californian landscape grew distant.
SNCF’s patience wore thin. The relentless political dysfunction and glacial progress in California became unbearable. In a bold move, SNCF withdrew from the project, leaving behind the chaos and broken promises.
Turning their gaze across the Atlantic, SNCF found new hope in North Africa. Here, the environment was ripe for innovation. Freed from the shackles of bureaucratic inertia, SNCF embarked on an ambitious high-speed rail project in Morocco.
The company trying to build high-speed rail in California gave up and moved to Africa, saying it was less politically dysfunctional.
Within 7 years it had built high-speed rail in Morocco. The California project was approved in 2008 and is projected to continue into the 2030s. pic.twitter.com/OfULba2fh7
— Richard Hanania (@RichardHanania) July 18, 2024
Sources:
www.newsweek.com/fact-check-has-california-spent-11-billion-high-speed-rail-stretch-1901106
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