Why high-speed rail hasn't tracked in the U.S. | 60 Minutes
High-speed rail can be found around the world. Yet so far, the projects haven't tracked in the U.S., where both the public and private sectors have faced ballooning costs and delays.
Construction on California's high-speed rail project began without sufficient financing to complete it. By 2019, the costs had skyrocketed and the timeline was severely off track, prompting growing bipartisan pressure. When Governor Gavin Newsom took office, California shifted its focus to completing the initial Central Valley segment, despite the route being unpopular and unlikely to be heavily used.
High-speed rail projects in other countries, such as Germany, France, China, Turkey, Indonesia, and Egypt, have been successful, but the United States has struggled. One of the key issues is the high cost of building and maintaining high-speed rail, which far exceeds the revenue generated by the system. Private companies like Brightline West are attempting to build high-speed rail, but they are facing challenges, including slower-than-expected construction and concerns about the long-term financial viability of the business.
While the federal government has provided some funding to Brightline, the ultimate success of the project may require significant public investment.
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