Interstate High Speed Rail Funding | Soul Of America

Interstate High-Speed Rail Funding

America has a great network of Highways & Airports but needs a magnitude larger Intercity Passenger Rail & Rapid Transit investment for a Complete Passenger Transportation System, a key to maintain economic leadership while reducing traffic congestion, smog & Global Warming impacts.
– Thomas Dorsey, High-Speed Rail Advocate & Travel Publisher

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Every advanced nation needs a balance of great Aviation, Intercity Passenger Rail, Highway, and Rapid Transit infrastructure. Intercity Passenger Rail consists of High-Speed Rail, Regional Rail, and Long-Distance Rail. Rapid Transit consists of Commuter Rail, Metro Heavy Rail, and Metro Light Rail (called “Trams” in Europe). More recently, nations are adding Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines to their arsenal of local buses and intercity buses for Complete Passenger Transportation Systems that give people the best range of options for commuting and travel.

Earnest pursuit of Complete Passenger Transportation Systems right-sizes each transportation mode and maximizes the public benefits of High-Speed Rail described in Part 2 of this series.

By 2035, China, Japan, and South Korea will have Complete Passenger Transportation Systems.

By 2040, Western Europe, Scandinavia and Turkey will have Complete Passenger Transportation Systems.

India, Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, Saudi Arabia, Canada, and Mexico are on pace for Complete Passenger Transportation Systems by 2050.

America’s failure to earnestly pursue a Complete Passenger Transportation System has a blame pie that spreads across both major political parties and generations. America lags behind other nations because we over-invest in Defense Weapons and Highway Widening, while starving Intercity Passenger Rail since 1951 and under-investing in Rapid Transit since 1964.

Congress and Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Reagan, Bush I, Bush II, and Trump stymied Intercity Passenger Rail and Rapid Transit funding. Congress and Presidents Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Clinton, Obama, and Biden underinvested too. President Kennedy never got to fulfill his Rapid Transit vision and likely would have initiated a High-Speed Rail project in 1965.

Though Western European nations have geographic, demographic, and political complexities that delay Intercity Passenger Rail and Rapid Transit projects and inflate costs, like America, they steadily build towards Complete Passenger Transportation Systems by not over-investing in Defense Weapons and Highway Widening.

Combining their best practices for Intercity Passenger Rail and Rapid Transit with our higher GDP & tax base, America can build a Nearly-Complete Passenger Transportation System by 2050 and a complete system by 2060.

We can build this 2050 American HSR Map by transportation scholar Alon Levy, which includes Canada’s HSR project connected to Detroit. A larger, updated map would include St. Louis-Kansas City HSR extension plus Regional Rail extensions to help connect our Top 50 metro areas on the continent by 2050.

Plan for Interstate HSR by Transportation guru Alon Levy

Alon Levy’s Plan for American HSR Map only lacks a St. Louis-Kansas City HSR line

Every advanced and emerging nation must also power its Passenger & Freight Transportation Systems with Sustainable Energy and/or Nuclear Energy by 2050 to halt Global Warming.

How American Transportation Infrastructure Is Funded

To avoid being misled by inaccurate news articles, soundbites, and videos about HSR in America, more voters first need to understand how politicians fund/underfund major transportation projects. That calls for a mild dive into our U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and each state’s Department of Transportation (state DOT) funding formulas.

Major parties in the House and Senate negotiate federal funding in annual bills annually or bills packaged over years. USDOT funding can be an independent congressional bill or part of a larger bill. Though Presidents often propose funding to Congress to signal a range they will agree to, Presidents either veto or sign-off on congressional bills to execute them into law and federal budget.

Operating within the President’s Transportation policy and budget, USDOT secretaries choose how much, where, and when to disburse grants & loans to states. Though USDOT has many categories and rules for allocating funds, the largest federal grants require a state match percentage. In all, state DOTs prefer to receive 1.5 to 9 dollars of USDOT grant for every dollar they match.

Major Highway, Airport, Intercity Passenger Rail, and Rapid Transit projects require expensive property, materials & labor over many years and thus, require many billions of federal, state and county dollars, and sometimes, city property.

Major Highways are Interstate Freeways, National Highways, State & County highways that function like freeways, and State & County tollways. Interstate Freeway and National Highway projects typically have 70-90% federal/30-10% state-county funding formulas. The federal percentage is high because they combine funds from the Federal Gas Tax and the General Fund, the latter known as “America’s Checkbook.”

States and counties co-fund highways from sources that include any combination of state DOT budgets, bond measures, revenue from special fees, and Rights-Of-Way (ROW) property acquisitions (grants, purchases, trades).

Tollway construction is typically funded by state bonds, state & county DOT funds, and state, county and/or city ROW property acquisitions. State or county DOTs collect tolls to repay construction bonds and maintain roadway. More recently, High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes in some freeways are managed by private companies that pay a hefty percentage of toll revenue to state or county DOTs.

Airport, Intercity Passenger Rail, and Rapid Transit projects typically begin with a 60% federal/40% state-county funding formula.

Major stations hosting Intercity Passenger Rail, Rapid Transit, and Intercity Buses attract private Transportation-Oriented Development (TOD) surrounding them. Cities often contribute to station projects by contributing property and applying special fees/taxes to TOD in those districts whose economic value is enhanced by new transportation infrastructure. When TOD and freight rail resources join in later, the funding formula may ultimately become 50-55% federal, 35-30% state-county-city, and 10-15% private.

Freight rail companies typically add Siding Track and ROW property grants when passenger rail projects also remove operational bottlenecks for freight trains. Amtrak Long-Distance trains primarily use freight company railway and receive USDOT subsidies to operate at breakeven.

Second, it’s important to understand that America has been the richest nation on Earth for a century. We can afford what we prioritize.

Third, since World War II ended in September 1945, the Military-Industrial Complex has conditioned Americans to be arm against every advanced/emerging nation that does not align with our defense, democratic & capitalist priorities. Since 1950, the Oil & Gas industry has used any means necessary to keep America addicted to oil & natural gas more than any other nation.

Bush II Ignored HSR & Regional Rail,

Clinton & Obama Shortchanged Them

Since Amtrak Northeast Corridor HSR only received about $4 billion from President Clinton’s USDOT, state-county-city and private sources only added about $2 billion more. As a result, Northeast Corridor HSR opened in 2000 with mediocre service for ridership that under-performs small population corridors in Western Europe.

Like his father, President Bush II was an Oil Man who only favored oil-powered transportation. Despite Amtrak Northeast Corridor HSR reaching profitability in 2006, President Bush II would not invest to replace/upgrade 75 to 125-year-old infrastructure used for electric-powered transportation.

America’s largest infrastructure project in its largest tax donor state exemplify another federal funding failure. In November 2008, California checked all the boxes for population (38 million), massive GDP (8th largest globally), nation’s largest tax base, Highway & Hub Airport congestion, growing passenger train & rapid transit ridership. Those factors led voters to pass a nearly $10 billion California HSR Bond Measure that also improves Amtrak California regional services.

Many of California’s state-county-city politicians hoped for $15 billion in federal grants to initiate a 60% federal/40% state funding formula for the HSR project. Despite congressional authorization to invest $831 billion ARRA funds to speed economic recovery and California committing ~$10 billion to HSR & Amtrak Regional projects, President Obama granted only $3.5 billion to California HSR Authority.

By summer 2010, U.S. unemployment was lower, but still high enough to anger many voters. In mid-term elections, like November 2010, political majority in the House of Representatives typically flips when most voters are angry. Even with the likely outcome of a 2011 Republican-majority House of Representatives, Obama naively believed they would co-fund his $53 billion/6-year HSR proposal, if only for job-creation in their districts.

In 2014, California’s first batch of HSR Bond and Cap & Trade funding for greenhouse gas reduction were allocated to California HSR Authority. In January 2015, California HSR construction broke ground.

Also in 2015, the National Association of Rail Passengers collated rail projects submitted by state DOTs and Amtrak to identify a pipeline of HSR & Regional Rail projects totaling $209 billion. Their equally worthy Commuter Rail & Regional Rail modernization projects merited federal funding.

In brutal Washington politics that defied better transportation infrastructure and more job creation over 2011-17, the Republican-majority Congress would not work with Obama and Congressional Democrats to pass a major Intercity Passenger Rail funding bill. If they did in 2011, large segments of California, Chicago-Kalamazoo-Detroit, Chicago-St. Louis, Washington-Richmond-Raleigh, and Philadelphia-Pittsburgh HSR routes would be open now.

Trump 45 Halts HSR & Most Rapid Transit Funding

In 2016, one of Trump 45’s campaign promises was to build HSR like other advanced nations. Affected states, counties, cities, freight rail companies and TOD companies to benefit from HSR funding would likely contribute a combined 44-46% of project costs. A few years after opening, most HSR projects operate profitably like Amtrak Northeast Corridor HSR.

Though Amtrak Regional routes typically cover 50-65% of operating costs via revenues, states cover their operating losses because they are considered a Public Service. Like Western Europe, however, Amtrak Regional routes need upgrades to Modernized Regional Rail to increase speeds, frequencies, limit ticket prices, multiply ridership, and boost transfers to HSR, Modernized Commuter Rail, Metro Heavy Rail & Metro Light Rail routes, while covering 65-70% of operating costs.

Since Amtrak Long-Distance routes require federal subsidy to operate, Trump 45 never liked them. Given President Obama funded some replacement trains and standard Amtrak budget could purchase more, Trump 45 never had to feign support for Amtrak Long-Distance routes.

If he chose to, Trump 45 could have secured bipartisan congressional support for a $75 billion/5-year HSR & Regional Rail federal funding bill in 2017 when infrastructure costs were lower. Affected states, counties, cities, freight rail companies and TOD companies would likely contribute $50-60 billion in funds & ROW property.

Hoping to inspire HSR investment by Trump 45 in 2017, California Governor Jerry Brown invited him to see early works for the nation’s largest infrastructure project — California HSR in the Central Valley. The reveal was, Trump 45 never visited the project.

Also that year, private-led Brightline West announced their HSR project in Las Vegas-Victor Valley corridor. With large enough federal grants, Brightline West HSR could extend from Victor Valley to Palmdale and Victor Valley to Rancho Cucamonga. Los Angeles Union Station in Downtown LA already had commuter rail lines to Palmdale and Rancho Cucamonga for ready-made transfers.

Via his close relationship with the Wynn Resorts owner, Trump could’ve convinced Brightline West to build Las Vegas HSR Station and TOD on Wynn’s vacant property adjacent to Trump Tower, a prime location on the Strip. That would have uncorked demand for a second Trump Hotel Las Vegas on his adjacent parking lot.

Yet Trump 45 reneged on his promise. He cut all Amtrak and Rapid Transit funding by half. He never leveraged federal funds to have Brightline West build a Las Vegas HSR station on the Wynn vacant property. In 2019, he withheld the remaining $929 million Obama grant to California HSR project to spite incoming California Governor Newsom.

That’s a shame because news media, websites and podcasters awakened most Americans to the benefits of HSR. Millions of Americans rode world-class European or Asian HSR and mediocre Northeast Corridor HSR. Polls still indicated that a majority of voters wanted big HSR and Regional Rail investment.

By rewinding to 1956 and noting that $25 billion ($295 billion value in 2025) federal investment jump-started the Interstate Highway System, we get a sense of scale of the HSR & Regional Rail federal investment needed to accelerate major milestones.

By 2020, U.S. politicians had spent about $2 trillion on Interstate & National Highways and $800 billion on Federal Aviation (Airports, Air Traffic Control, Security), proving that America can afford Big Infrastructure when its a priority.

Responding to public demand in May 2020, a Congressional Democrat introduced a $205 billion/5-year HSR & Regional Rail projects bill to accelerate progress towards an Interstate HSR System with Modernized Regional Rail appendages.

Despite his influence over the Republican Party and bipartisan opportunity to create HSR & Regional Rail infrastructure jobs before and during the pandemic recession, Trump 45 showed no interest. The Republican-majority Congress echoed his sentiment.

Biden Shortchanges HSR & Modernized Regional Rail

In Amtrak Joe’s 2020 presidential campaign, he promised major funding for Intercity Passenger Rail and Rapid Transit projects. In their wildest dreams, HSR advocates hoped that a Democratic-majority House, Senate and President would commit $205 billion/5 years for HSR & Modernized Regional Rail projects listed on Part 6 of this series.

There was similar demand for $200 billion federal investment for Rapid Transit projects like those on Part 5 of this series. Given HSR & Modernized Regional Rail’s symbiotic relationship to Modernized Commuter Rail, Metro Heavy Rail, Metro Light Rail & BRT increasing each other’s ridership, HSR & Regional Rail advocates also want major funding for Rapid Transit projects.

Decades of political football underfunding Federal Railroads Administration (FRA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) budgets tempered my optimism.

Even if Democrats won the Presidency, Senate and House, my “hoped-for” funding authorization was $125 billion/5 years to FRA and $125 billion/5 years to FTA. The former amount would provide sufficient federal funding to 8 difference-making HSR projects, 10 Regional Rail Modernization projects, plus Modernized Commuter Rail and Metro Rail expansions in about 25 metro areas.

The November 2020 election produced President Biden, a Democrat VP tie-breaker over a 50-50 Senate, and a Democratic-majority House of Representatives. To recover from the pandemic recession, voters wanted more infrastructure jobs faster … much faster.

In February 2021, Biden’s $2.5 trillion Infrastructure proposal could have included my “hoped-for” FRA and FTA funding. Things went sideways, however, when two fiscally conservative Democratic Senators from West Virginia and Arizona objected to Biden’s Infrastructure Proposal amount because they wanted some Republican Senators to approve. Both demanded a Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill far below $2.5 trillion.

To address those Senate concerns, Biden reduced to a $2 trillion Infrastructure proposal in March 2021 that included $80 billion for FRA and $110 billion to FTA projects. Before closely examining his FTA and FRA funding proposals, note that in June 2021, Biden released Obama’s $929 million grant to California HSR Authority that was stalled by Trump 45.

To fulfill high-priority chunks of Amtrak Joe’s Intercity Passenger Rail & Rapid Transit campaign proposals, FRA and FTA needed $110 billion/5 years each. Given his VP experience watching Obama’s mistake underinvesting in Intercity Passenger Rail, Biden should have known:

• Active Public HSR projects need the lion’s share of FRA funding
• Some Amtrak Regional routes need upgrades to HSR
• Amtrak Regional Rail modernization upgrades need the second most FRA funding
• Congresspersons in 46 states with Amtrak Long-Distance Rail routes demanded new trains
• Brightline West HSR project sought $3 billion in federal funds to leverage $9.5 billion in private funds

By October 2021, California HSR project had only received $3.5 billion in federal funding. California’s HSR Bond, another state transportation bond, and the Cap & Trade program (renamed “Cap & Invest”) were on pace to fund $23 billion by 2030. Considering the state’s large funding commitment, California HSR project merited $32 billion more federal funding over 2022-30.

In my opinion, Biden’s Secretary of Transportation Buttigieg needed to distribute 80% of FRA funding to HSR projects, 17% to Amtrak Regional Rail projects, and 3% to more Amtrak Long-Distance train replacements.

There were many good project scenarios based on $110 billion FRA and $110 billion FTA funding. I prefer this one. First, select states contributing 35-40% of project cost. Second, favor Amtrak or state DOTs staffing up on HSR & Regional Rail talent to minimize contractors. Third, emphasize HSR & Regional Rail projects that will deliver key construction milestones in over 2024 to 2028.

With $110 billion FRA funding, these six HSR + Regional Rail connectivity projects could have been funded, while leaving a $17 billion BIL FRA funding remainder:

$30 billion to Northeast Corridor HSR + Regional Rail connectivity
$32 billion to California HSR + Regional Rail connectivity
$10 billion to Chicago-Kalamazoo-Detroit HSR + Chicago Union Station upgrade
$ 9 billion to Milwaukee-Chicago-St. Louis HSR
$ 9 billion to Washington-Richmond-Raleigh HSR
$ 3 billion to Brightline West Las Vegas-Rancho Cucamonga HSR

With similar $110 billion FTA funding, Metro Heavy Rail and Metro Light Rail projects in 25 metro areas could have been funded, while leaving a $16 billion BIL FTA funding remainder.

Private-owned Freight Rail and state-DOT Commuter Rail routes shared with Amtrak Regional and Amtrak Long-Distance trains are eligible for the $16 billion FTA funding remainder and the $17 billion BIL FRA funding remainder. That $33 billion in federal funds could attract $20 billion from other states and ~$2 billion from private freight rail companies for $55 billion total in a ~58% federal/38% state/4% private funding formula. That’s enough to upgrade 12 other shared Freight Rail, Commuter Rail, Amtrak Regional & Amtrak Long-Distance routes.

Nothing close to that happened because the two reticent Democratic Senators pummeled Biden’s $2 trillion Infrastructure proposal.

In October 2021, Biden tried to save the skeleton of his infrastructure proposal when he dropped to $1.75 trillion. Even that amount could have enabled $110 billion for FRA and $110 billion for FTA projects.

After 10 months of stagnant negotiations, 5 Democrat Senators (including the 2 reticent Democrats) and 5 Republican Senators nudged towards the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) in November 2021. California, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan senators were NOT among the 10 senators.

Nine BIL Senators had little or no constituent demand for HSR, Regional Rail, and Rapid Transit projects. They did however, ensure that a difference-making $110 billion went to Federal Highway (FHWA) projects and that $25 billion to Federal Aviation (FAA) was never reduced. Under public pressure to deliver a large investment bill, Biden signed the $1.2 trillion/5-year BIL in late November 2021.

When you consider the tremendous support for better Transit in 2020 and ongoing demand for HSR & Modernized Regional Rail, its unclear why Amtrak Joe didn’t demand at least $100 billion FRA and $100 billion FTA funding in the BIL, rather than settle for $66 billion FRA and $39 billion FTA funding.

Amtrak Joe only needed $95 billion more in the BIL. If he flexed political muscle, it’s hard to imagine the reticent Democratic Senators failing to vote for a $1.3 trillion BIL. Both senators could still claim that amount is fiscally responsible to capture enough Republican Senate votes and deliver better Amtrak service in 46 states. The Arizona senator would have secured more funding to expand Phoenix Light Rail System and better meet her campaign promise.

Constrained to lower BIL FRA funding, however, Biden prioritized $30 billion/5 years to Northeast Region. That amount is attracting $15 billion from Northeast states for a combination of difference-making HSR & Regional Rail-connectivity projects. The lower BIL FRA funding also permitted a $3 billion grant to Brightline West (Las Vegas-Rancho Cucamonga) HSR to leverage $9.5 billion of private investment.

Like Obama’s USDOT, Biden’s USDOT thinly spread most remaining FRA funds to every congressional district that had mediocre 30-79 mph Amtrak Regional & Long-Distance service. That funding allocation eviscerated funding for other difference-making HSR & Regional Rail projects.

Despite California’s $23 billion HSR funding commitment out to 2030 and largest state tax-donor status, only $3.4 billion of Biden BIL FRA funds went to California HSR and $3.5 billion BIL FTA funds went to the Commuter Rail-HSR connectivity tunnel into downtown San Francisco.

Washington-Richmond-Raleigh HSR project received $2.1 billion/5 years — a sum only large enough for piecemeal upgrades to Regional Rail within Washington-Richmond segment.

Given Illinois, Michigan and Indiana would contribute HSR matching funds, Buttigieg’s grants of $94 million to Chicago Hub Improvement Program, $157 million to Amtrak Chicago-St. Louis route, and $126 million to Amtrak Chicago-Kalamazoo-Detroit route were shamefully low. The latter two routes, under-funded for Regional Rail modernization, should have received an order of magnitude larger funding to become HSR routes.

That’s why HSR advocates welcome Amtrak’s record 34.5 million ridership in FY 2025 but ignore its PR hype. We can celebrate when America passes 250 million annual ridership, like 12-million population Belgium.

Trump 47 – Incompetent Transportation & Energy Policies

Nothing in Trump 47 Transportation & Energy policies serves the long term best interests of America and we know why.

Big Oil & Gas has copiously funded the Heritage Foundation, Cato Institute, and Reason Foundation to “Flood the Zone” with damaging lies and half-truths about HSR, Regional Rail, Commuter Rail, Metro Rail, Wind & Solar Energy projects for half a century.

Trump 47 Administration heavily recruited from the Heritage Foundation, and to lesser extent from Cato Institute and Reason Foundation. Guided by the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, his Transportation and Energy policy have devastating consequences for America because they spit on Climate Science and castrate best practices for Complete Passenger Transportation Systems.

In Trump 47, the Heritage Foundation has a useful vessel to halt America’s Sustainable Transportation & Energy progress and 2050 Net Zero Goal. Instead of larger federal funding for HSR, Regional Rail, Commuter Rail, Metro Heavy Rail, Metro Light Rail, Wind & Solar Energy, and a Smart Electric Grid, Project 2025’s transportation and energy policies are a tangled mess of lies, half-truths, hypocritical contradictions, impracticalities and science-denialism.

Project 2025 prioritizes more oil-consumption for highways, aviation, and freight rail. By over-emphasizing oil & natural gas drilling, his administration denies the catastrophic impacts of Global Warming and the likelihood of another horrific 2011-like oil spill.

Though the private sector has an important role to play, Project 2025 Transportation policy (pages 619-639) misleads the public to think the private sector should lead ALL Intercity Passenger Rail projects. To lead HSR & Regional Rail projects they would have to initiate & cover 50+% of project costs.

The problem with that approach is private-led projects only choose easier HSR & Regional Rail projects whose timeframes are shorter (<6 years) to ROI . They rarely maximize ridership by tackling harder projects with 9-15 year timeframes to ROI will yield higher train speeds & frequencies that significantly mode-shift travelers from intercity highway drives & regional flights and ultimately, more train operating profit. Brightline Florida Regional Rail is a case in point.

Project 2025 Transportation policy also cancels most rail-based Rapid Transit funding.

On 20 January 2025, Trump 47 resumed his petty vengeance with Governor Newsom, bashing California HSR project, among many other things. To accommodate Aviation traffic growth, outgoing Secretary of Transportation Buttigieg recommended that the next Transportation Secretary fill the remaining Air Traffic Controller job reqs asap.

Consistent with his Project 2025 mindset, Trump hired Sean Duffy on 28 January 2025. Duffy was a Fox Business TV personality with no competent background for Secretary of Transportation. Duffy hired a Heritage Foundation ideologue as his Deputy Secretary along with other Heritage, Cato and Fox alumni.

On 29 January 2025, the tragic airplane-helicopter crash occurred approaching Reagan National Airport across from Washington, DC. Yet only 3 weeks after being sworn in, Secretary Duffy allowed Musk-DOGE to fire nearly 400 Federal Aviation probationary personnel, including radar, landing and navigational maintenance workers. To no surprise, there were subsequent reports of Air Traffic Controllers being further overstressed. Newark International Airport became unsafe to land or take-off.

Though Secretary Duffy had to re-hire a number of those employees, there was no public strategy to attract & train enough Air Traffic Controllers. There was no $50,000 Signing Bonus, like new ICE agents receive.

It’s been proven worldwide that HSR reduces congestion in the busy sub-500 mile flight corridors. Yet in April 2025, Duffy de-committed a $64 million grant from Amtrak to support Dallas-Houston HSR planning, just as the project was gaining momentum.

It’s not unusual to reduce 1-3% of workforce for greater efficiency. Nor would it be odd to cancel 5-6 low-ridership Long-Distance routes to transfer more resources to Amtrak Regional routes that have high ridership potential. But Duffy’s elimination of 10% of Amtrak management positions in May 2025 without a ridership boosting strategy raises more unsettling questions:

• Why such deep management cuts when Amtrak announced record high ridership in FY 2025 and projects will complete over 2026-28 that further boost ridership?
• Why doesn’t he help more public-led HSR projects complete sooner, so they can reach operating profit like Amtrak Northeast Corridor HSR?
• Why doesn’t he help 5-6 more Amtrak Regional Rail upgrades for ridership boosts that can cover 20-25% more operating costs?

Duffy’s bone-headed firings aligns with Project 2025 ideology to prolong high oil consumption by stalling HSR & Regional Rail projects. At the end of the day, Duffy falls well below America’s 21st century needs in a Secretary of Transportation.

Trump’s Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright, is the former CEO of oil & gas fracking company. Though he rarely makes the news, Wright’s policies support Trump 47 ideology denying oil & gas contribution to Global Warning.

In fairness to Wright, he competently represents oil & natural gas interests. Chris Wright would be the right Secretary of Energy for 1980s Reagan-Bush Era.

His ideology, however, is anathema to wind & solar energy growth and smart fossil fuel regulations to slow Global Warming. His policies will prolong America’s over-dependence on oil.

Nor has Trump 47 allowed him to allocate major funding towards Smart Electric Grid projects. They seem content with the limited $13 billion Smart Electric Grid investment by Biden.

Bigotry, Lies & Incompetence Crippling Next-gen Transportation

Racism, religious bigotry, and malignant narcissism lead people, communities, and governments to do insanely stupid things. They have powerful friends in Trump 47, his ill-suited Cabinet and Project 25 acolytes.

At the bidding of his racist boss, Secretary Duffy halted funding to the $16 billion Gateway project and $2 billion Second Avenue Subway project in NYC to strip DEI criteria from hiring and contracts. A malignant narcissist, Trump 47 added a requirement to rename Dulles Airport and NY Penn Station in his honor before releasing the Gateway Project funds. Fortunately, the halt was removed weeks later, but it reminds everyone that Trump 47 is an unreliable federal partner.

In other nations headed for Minority-Majority Status by 2045, sane & competent leadership would embrace Diversity, Equity & Inclusion practices that foster a culture where all qualified individuals have equitable access to opportunities. That’s particularly important because diverse populations are younger and will pay the lion’s share of taxes to keep an aging society functioning well.

As the Trump-appointed acting head of NASA, Duffy also embraced a screwball proposal to invest over $90 billion to put nuclear reactors on the moon by 2030. Duffy’s stated reason is, “We can’t let the China be the only nation to put nuclear reactors on the moon.”

Hypocritically, Duffy did not convince Trump 47 to invest that money in HSR & Regional Rail to prevent falling further behind Europe, Japan and China’s transportation productivity advantage on Earth.

At Trump 47’s behest, Secretary Duffy canceled $3.9 billion in California HSR-related grants until, as he states, “I figure out what’s going on.” He frequently repeats a misleading soundbite, “No track has been laid” and a completely false soundbite, “California HSR project is waste, fraud & abuse of taxpayer funds.”

Duffy never mentions 10 years of HSR funding delay by Congressional Republicans (2011-2016) and Trump 45 (2017-2020) when nonresidential building inflation averaged 3.7%. If Republicans passed Obama’s $53 billion HSR proposal in mid-2010, we could have avoided $20.6 billion in nonresidential building inflation. Expressed in 2026 dollar value, we could have built $74 billion of California, Chicago-Midwest, DC-Richmond-Raleigh HSR infrastructure.

He ignores that California HSR bond helped modernize 51 miles of Northern Bookend used by Commuter Rail today and HSR in the future. The Southern Bookend also received HSR bond funding to help upgrade Los Angeles Union Station, build a downtown Metro Rail tunnel to it, and build a major LA railroad overpass used by Amtrak, commuter rail & freight rail.

Duffy ignores the lengthy public input needed before Environmental Clearance, acquiring ROW property, relocating underground utilities, and building concrete superstructures before relatively easy installation of track, electrical & signaling systems. Nor does he mention that California HSR Central Valley segment is on pace to commence track, electrical & train control installment in 4Q 2026.

Duffy ignores that a a higher majority of the public supports California HSR project underway than voted for the 2008 California HSR Bond Measure.

Experienced highway DOTs commonly underestimate project costs. Yet, Secretary Duffy does not claim “Waste, fraud & abuse of taxpayer funds” for Interstate Highways or Hub Airports.

A nascent organization with barely 10 people on staff over 1996-2008, California HSR Authority did not have sufficient resources and experience to properly estimate project cost. CAHSRA needed to coordinate with 80 separate entities for approval, permitting or consultation (5 federal agencies, 8 state departments, 6 cities, 5 counties, 31 utility owners, 22 quasi-governmental agencies, and 3 freight railroads) before construction.

We should not be surprised that a “rookie” California HSR Authority underestimated project cost by a lot as it slowly staffed up for the nation’s largest mega-project. But there is NO proven case of HSR fraud. That is a major reason why California HSR keeps winning nuisance lawsuits.

Since 2009, California State Legislature has ordered many independent audits of California HSR project. In 2022, Ethan Elkind and his UC Berkeley colleagues published a detailed analysis of California HSR’s project cost and timeline issues. The state’s independent auditor released a report the day after Secretary Duffy’s press conference. Reports highlight these causes for project delay and cost inflation:

• Federal funding stoppage & uncertainty contributes to a lack of confidence that delays private investment
• Until 2025, no persistent annual state budget went to California HSR project
• At the behest of USDOT grant guidelines, California started construction before design was complete, leading to costly design changes
• Nascent California HSR Authority had to over-rely on consultants managing contracts and demanding costly change orders
• A higher than anticipated volume of nuisance lawsuits delayed ROW property acquisition
• Delays relocating public utilities in the ROW and getting 3rd party construction permits

Unlike Brightline West HSR project, the 496-mile California HSR Phase 1 is designed to be a world-class system with long tunnels & embankments through rugged terrain, and more ROW property acquisition for long viaducts that produce 185-220 mph speeds. It is also designed to enter downtown Los Angeles and downtown San Francisco.

In contrast, most of 218-mile Brightline West HSR uses I-15 highway median and a couple of short viaducts. It does not include tunnels & long embankments. Hence, $21 billion Brightline West HSR will have mostly 100-150 mph speeds, plus a sprinkle of 185 mph. Its northern terminus is 2 miles short of the Las Vegas Strip. Its southern terminus is a suburb 40 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.

Nevertheless, Americans should appreciate that private-owned Brightline West is investing $12 billion while seeking $9 billion in federal funds for a Public-Private Partnership that will help build the Southwest HSR System.

Since 2009, California HSR Authority has gained valuable experience overcoming unknowns and incorporating best practices. Today, its staff has grown past 500 people for enough in-house planners, engineers, contract managers, program managers, and project managers to self-certify for Environmental Clearance and accelerating construction milestone pace.

The impressive 2025 milestones list of structures completed in this 4-minute California HSR Progress explainer. California HSR project has also generated over 15,000 jobs since construction began, with most filled by Central Valley residents. The project has a long-term projection of 945,000 job-years throughout Phase 1. Given they pay taxes, that virtuous cycle delivers a fantastic ROI for the public.

Instead of boosting Interstate HSR momentum with larger investment, Trump directed Duffy to halt funding to HSR, Modernized Regional Rail, Modernized Commuter Rail, and Metro Rail projects by saboutaging Diversity, Equity & Inclusion that helped accelerate construction milestones. Moreover, he directed Duffy to illegally withhold Biden’s $3.9 billion BIL grant to California HSR and pressured Amtrak to cut 10% of its management workforce despite FY 2024 & FY 2025 ridership and revenue growth.

Since Trump 47 will not release Biden’s $3.9 billion grant, California HSR Authority released this damning statement in December 2025, “This action reflects the state’s assessment that the federal government is not a reliable, constructive, or trustworthy partner in advancing high-speed rail in California.”

Trump is an extreme narcissist. A competent Secretary of Transportation would have satiated Trump’s ego to redirect $90 billion from that screwball Nuclear Moonshot to the underfunded California, Chicago-Detroit, Milwaukee-Chicago-St. Louis, and Washington-Richmond-Raleigh HSR projects and legitimately attach his name for advancing them.

Given Trump 47 shows no interest in HSR & Regional Rail, we can anticipate more project cost inflation over 2025-28.

Newsom Ensures California HSR Spine Will Complete

The 2029 Congress and President have the opportunity energize all mega-regions towards a Complete Passenger Transportation System. They can simultaneously incentivize state-county-city politicians to adequately co-fund their Intercity Passenger Rail and Rapid Transit ambitions.

Despite California’s Cap & Invest funding success, HSR, Modernized Regional Rail and Modernized Commuter Rail projects need more victories to create a Complete Passenger Transportation System faster in America.

In FY 2025 alone, California is spending $39.9 billion on Transportation with only $3.5 billion from federal sources. On a per capita basis, over 90% of California, Nevada, Illinois, Virginia, Georgia and most other DOT budgets are spent on Highways and Aviation projects/services. Nearly all of Florida and Texas DOT budgets are spent on Highways and Aviation projects/services.

California, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Georgia and Virginia have already proven that 10+ lanes do NOT relieve traffic congestion., but will destroy more homes and businesses in metro areas.

If California halts further highway widening in 2026, it can free up an additional $2 billion/year from its state DOT budget to combine with $1 billion/year from Cap & Invest funds and a combined $1 billion/year from 9 county transportation budgets to fund railroad over/underpasses, electrification and raised station platforms in the largest metro areas. Other states with HSR-Regional Rail projects can do likewise, on a per capita basis.

Interstate HSR & Modernized Regional Rail is not a fringe movement. An expanding list of Blue Chip companies (below) backs Interstate HSR & Regional Rail construction.

Logos of Blue-chip companies backing the U.S. High Speed Rail Association’s goal

America Can Afford Big Transportation Infrastructure Projects

We desperately need comprehensive HSR, Modernized Regional Rail, Modernized Commuter Rail, Metro Heavy Rail, and Metro Light Rail (Trams) like our Global Economic Competitors. As American population grows from 330 million in 2020 to 388 million by 2050, public demand will continue growing, if only to buck traffic congestion.

A common refrain of Democrats, Independents, and Republicans is, “We can’t let China beat us in _______________.” A key to China becoming a Global Economic Superpower is their $500 billion per year investment on Transportation infrastructure. That’s about 5.6% of its GDP.

Japan, South Korea, France, Spain, Germany, and the United Kingdom can afford to invest only 0.7% to 1.3% of GDP on Transportation infrastructure because they began Intercity Passenger Rail and Rapid Transit investments decades earlier than China.

According to data organized by Visual Capitalist, America had the world’s largest economy in 2025 at $30 trillion GDP — that’s more than China & Japan combined, more than Western Europe.

Top 10 GDP Producing Countries or States in 2024; source Visual Capitalist

In my considered opinion, America’s Highway, Intercity Passenger Rail and Rapid Transit modes each need $75 billion/year. Aviation needs $30 billion/year. Sustainable Energy, including Smart Electric Grid upgrades, needs $60 billion/year.

When the BIL expires in October 2026, America doesn’t have to shake down couches or increase middle class taxes to find funding. We can afford 1.2% of GDP ($350 billion/year) for 21st-century Transportation & Energy Infrastructure.

As Scientific American explained in 2020, “The Pentagon has a track record of profligate spending. If it were a private corporation, gross mismanagement would have forced the Pentagon into bankruptcy years ago. Dysfunctional internal controls, abetted by years of lax congressional oversight, have enabled it to waste about $100 billion annually on a parade of overpriced, botched, and bungled projects.”

The next President and Congress should eliminate the $157 billion that Trump 47 granted above the Department of Defense’s request. They should also reduce ICE budget down to the 2024 Senate Bipartisan Agreement’s $20 billion level that Trump forced Congressional Republicans to squash.

The next President, Congress and governors should eliminate $20 billion/year in Oil & Natural Gas industry subsidies that Heritage Foundation, Reason Foundation, and Cato Institute defend with misinformation.

Our governors, county commissioners and mayors need to stop wasting billions on Highway Widening beyond 8 or 10 lanes.

The next Secretary of Transportation should hire transportation scholars from the Eno Institute, Brookings Institute, NYU Marron Institute, and Mineta Institute to help craft a sustainable Complete Passenger Transportation System policy.

If political priorities align in 1H 2029, USDOT budget should receive a large boost to counteract decades of Intercity Passenger Rail and Rapid Transit funding neglect. We’ll need to sustain large public & private funding for a high-performing Intercity Passenger Rail and Rapid Transit system by 2050 and more comprehensive interconnected systems by 2060.

Vision Map of an Interstate High-Speed Rail System that we need by 2060; source U.S. High Speed Rail Association

Mitigate Project Cost Inflation

No one likes taxpayer dollars wasted. Fortunately, there are many best practices to mitigate cost inflation.

Transportation scholars and advocates at the U.S. High Speed Rail Association, NYU Marron Institute, PedestrianObservations, TheTransportPolitic, Eno Center for Transportation, StreetsBlog, and HSR Alliance have studied successful HSR, Regional Rail, Electric Commuter Rail, Metro Rail & Tram projects for decades, particularly in Western Europe.

We need federal and state leaders to follow the Western Europe Cheat Code to maximize the public benefits from high Construction Cost Per Mile:

• Hire more Passenger Rail expertise in transportation agencies to reduce expensive contractors
• Converge more federal & state policies to shorten Environmental Reviews by 1 year
• Standardize construction elements for economies of scale that lower costs
• Build many HSR, Regional Rail, Rapid Transit, and station projects simultaneously
• Seek private funding for Transportation-Oriented Development (TOD) to pay for station upgrades
• Once HSR lines are fully built, license private high-speed train operators to compete with Amtrak

Will Generation Y & Z Save Us?

The United Nations says we are in a death race to prevent a 2° Celsius temperature rise by 2050 that threatens our way of life. To slow Global Warming, every advanced and emerging nation must accelerate Sustainable Infrastructure investment, plant and save more trees.

Why Can't I Chill on More High-Speed Trains?

When will America get serious about Intercity Passenger Rail & Rapid Transit funding; credit gilaxia

Since America delayed Sustainable Infrastructure investment for decades, Generation Y & Z born after 1979 will experience more negative impacts from Highway & Airport congestion, smog, and Global Warming in their lifetimes. They will also be the of majority voters in November 2026.

Instead of building modern infrastructure to mitigate impending calamities, Trump 47 is guided by truth-denial, autocratic villainy and self-dealing. His Transportation & Energy policies regress to the 20th century, rather than advance with 21st century solutions. With those ominous conditions in mind, I close with two epic questions.

Given the bigotry, incompetence, lies, and corruption in high places, will American democracy survive the 2026 election?

If it does survive, will Generation Y & Z solidarity pressure enough politicians to boost Sustainable Transportation & Energy funding after the 2028 Election?

~~~ HIGH-SPEED RAIL ARTICLES IN THIS SERIES ~~~