SPAIN’S BULLET TRAIN: Here in California there is talk of a high-speed rail line connecting the LA Metro to the San Francisco Bay Area. I like the idea on the one hand, but the bazillion dollar price tab is daunting (well, at least before the bailout made astronomical sums commonplace). This Wall Street Journal article notes that, by the end of next year, Spain’s network of superfast bullet trains will give it greater high speed rail capacity than France or Japan. Impressive:
When Spain opened its first high-speed line, between Madrid and Seville, in 1992, critics said it would be a costly failure. But the AVE — which means “bird” in Spanish — was a popular and political success. Politicians now fight for stations in their districts. Under the latest plan, nine out of ten Spaniards will live within 31 miles of a station by 2020.