California Governor Gavin Newsom faced criticism for appearing in front of a freight train to highlight advancements in his controversial high-speed rail initiative. However, the Central Valley segment remains years from transporting passengers, with an exorbitant cost of approximately $215 million per mile.
“He’s posing in front of a freight train claiming, ‘It’s coming,’ but in reality, it’s not,” remarked Assemblymember Alexandra Macedo, whose district includes parts of the Central Valley. “Your privilege train is just a money pit.”
On Tuesday, Newsom plans to visit Kern County to “celebrate” the completion of a railhead facility, which he describes as “a key phase in laying down the tracks.”
The high-speed rail undertaking has already consumed around $15 billion, resulting in scattered infrastructure like viaducts and overpasses across the Central Valley, as shown in recent images.
In a video, Newsom proudly claimed, “We’re starting to get back on track right now,” while gesturing towards the freight train in Wasco.
“You will see what you’re witnessing here: actual tracks, actual progress,” he added.
Critics on social media quickly ridiculed the use of an unrelated train in his video. Republican commentator Matt Whitlock pointed out, “It’s interesting that Gavin is using local trains as props. His high-speed rail has no trains or tracks.”
Senator Rick Scott from Florida chimed in, criticizing Newsom for standing in front of a stationary freight train after “10 years of wasting $135 billion of taxpayer money” while presenting a misleading picture of a successful rail project.
Initially approved by voters in 2008, the high-speed rail was projected to cost between $30 billion and $35 billion for a line linking Los Angeles and San Francisco. Since then, it has suffered numerous delays and budget hitches, with current estimates soaring to $135 billion.
The first segment, connecting Merced and Bakersfield, has an anticipated price tag of about $36 billion and is not expected to be operational for passengers until 2032, according to state officials. Last year, Newsom and the Legislature committed to investing $1 billion annually in high-speed rail initiatives through 2045, utilizing the cap-and-investment program.
Macedo expressed the frustration of rural constituents, highlighting that despite billions spent, fundamental issues like safe roads and clean drinking water remain unaddressed.
“What do we have to show for that $15 billion? Just some flashy videos and graphics trying to persuade us that this still makes sense as a project,” she said.
