Bill Ackman’s comparison spotlights how the California high-speed rail effort, launched before SpaceX existed, has drawn billions in public money yet delivered no operational high-speed track, while SpaceX used roughly $12 billion in private rounds to reach 10,000 satellites and a June 2026 IPO targeting a multi-trillion valuation.
Worth also adding that only 13 countries even have satellite launch capabilities—however limited in capacity, including NASA—whereas there are two dozen countries with over 50,000 miles of high speed rail and more being added all the time.
http://x.com/i/article/2068344153411297281
The 2026 draft plan lists a $231 billion Phase 1 figure alongside a lower $126 billion scenario; analysts still flag shortfalls even for the initial Central Valley segment despite extended cap-and-trade revenue.
Twelve to thirteen countries plus the ESA have proven independent launch capability, underscoring the technical bar that private capital at SpaceX cleared while public rail projects elsewhere have scaled more widely.
Positive users praised comparisons of California's rail failure to SpaceX successes as eye-opening, while negative users condemned state leaders for corruption and wasting billions on useless infrastructure.
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@WallStreetApes America built the Hoover Dam in five years, in the depths of the Depression.
Millions of cubic yards of concrete, and a turbine hall like a cathedral.
The Newsoms of the world will be forgotten, as they can build NOTHING.
@WallStreetApes
Since 2008, $15B taxpayer dollars have been invested in California High Speed Rail. There is no working track and zero passengers so far.
In the same time frame $12B in private funds were invested in SpaceX pre IPO.
SpaceX has 10,000 Starlink satellites serving 10 million customers and has taken 74 passengers into orbit.
Politicians tell you they’ll do better with Elon’s money than he does. California shows the truth.
@WallStreetApes I think the state of California should hire Elon to build the High Speed railway. He could pay for it with his own money and it would be competed in just a couple of years.
@WallStreetApes
This is capitalism vs. socialism in action.
Capitalism: Private ownership, competition, and profit motive drive innovation and efficiency.
Socialism: Government bureaucracy, central planning, and taxpayer money create waste and delays.
One delivers results. The other delivers excuses and graft. Private enterprise wins every time. 🚀 vs. 🐢
@WallStreetApes
Yo de presupuestos ni de ingeniería entiendo casi nada, pero ver estas cifras te deja loco. ¿Cómo puede ser que hacer una vía de tren en el suelo cueste esa millonada y lleve tanto tiempo sin que funcione nada, mientras que una empresa ya manda gente al espacio? No hay que ser ningún experto para darse cuenta de que el gobierno se está gastando el dinero en papeleos y burocracia en vez de avanzar.
@WR4NYGov Elon proposed a Hyperloop in 2013 as far faster (780mph) and cheaper alternative at 1/10 the cost between SF and LA.
Note that Musk doesn't pay kickbacks to politicians to win contracts. Somehow California was never interested in a fast working system. Just a coincidence. 😂
@WallStreetApes And Newsom and California’s entire legislature must be fired.
Yes, but you need to remember that Elon Musk's stated goal is to get to Mars whereas the California train is nothing but graftmaxing. Newsom, et al, want the rail to take as long as possible so the price can go up. They know it will eventually collapse, but that will be long after they are out of office.
@WallStreetApes Very True. A good experiment would be to put Musk in total charge of a city. @elonmusk has his 'Starbase' city now; maybe he should turn it into an 'Eureka' type of city, full of innovations and massive growth.
@WallStreetApes Ask pelosi about the property she bought that is on land that the railroad tracks will pass over .. ask her how much money she made on the deal reselling it to the state of california
@WallStreetApes This is the dumbest comparison I’ve seen today.
Public transit isn't a tech startup.
@WallStreetApes You can be for sure somebody has that money in their pocket
And people still complain about Musk that brought massive value to the US and the world and didnt steal a dollar - on the other hand made a simple workers millionaires
@WallStreetApes I guess nobody else will tell you so I'm going to have to. There will never be a high-speed rail in California. There was never any intention of there being one to begin with. It was all just one big money pit so that Democrats and their buddies could get rich on it. Sorry, man.
@WallStreetApes How about the grift of contracts for nothing, pure corruption and kickbacks to campaigns!!
@WallStreetApes The fact that Gavin Newsom is still able to do anything as a representative of the American people is insane.
@Whitehorse6619 @WallStreetApes He proposed a hyperloop for a fraction of the cost (and time), but CA rejected the proposal.
@WallStreetApes Now do the price and time comparison to Artemis! It will blow your mind!
