Why Can’t the Richest Nation Build A Bullet Train?

 Why Can’t the Richest Nation Build A Bullet Train?

By syndicated investigative reporter Michael Mick Webster

The United States is the wealthiest country in the world. California is its most populous and economically powerful state. So why, after more than 15 years and billions of dollars spent, has not a single mile of track been laid on California’s proposed 119-mile high-speed rail segment between Merced and Bakersfield?

Compare that to countries like France, Japan, and China — all of which have constructed thousands of miles of high-speed rail. The answer lies in a uniquely American cluster of engineering hurdles, safety issues, political dysfunction, legal obstacles, and an inflexible funding structure.

1. A Legal and Regulatory Maze

In countries like China, large-scale infrastructure projects are often fast-tracked by centralized government authority. In the U.S., the permitting process is lengthy and fragmented. Multiple agencies, environmental reviews, land acquisitions, and lawsuits have delayed construction. The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) has spent years just navigating lawsuits from landowners, safety issues and environmental groups.

2. Politics: The Never-Ending Tug-of-War

California’s bullet train is a political football. Originally approved by voters in 2008 as a $9 billion bond measure, the project has ballooned into a $130+ billion behemoth. Governors have come and gone, each reshaping or stalling the project based on partisan agendas. There’s no unified political will — unlike Japan, where national policy strongly supports rail investment.

3. Engineering and Safety Complexities

The terrain between the Central Valley and Southern California includes fault lines, mountains, and densely urbanized zones. Building high-speed rail in California involves tunneling through seismic zones — a monumental engineering feat requiring strict safety protocols. This has caused long delays and escalating costs.

4. Funding Problems and No Private Investment

Unlike China’s state-backed model or France’s public-private partnerships, California's project lacks sufficient federal and private funding. The initial $10 billion was a fraction of what’s needed. The rest was expected from uncertain sources — including cap-and-trade revenues and potential private investors, who remain hesitant due to the project’s instability.

Conclusion: A Train Going Nowhere?

Despite its economic strength and technological prowess, the U.S. — and California in particular — remains hamstrung by bureaucracy, legal red tape, political infighting, and poor project management. Until there’s sweeping reform in how America approaches large infrastructure, the dream of bullet trains speeding through California will remain stuck in the station.

Michael Mick Webster is a business consultant, safety and emergency management expert, investigative journalist, and former senior official in infrastructure oversight.