Nick Shirley Exposes California High-Speed Rail Delays

Nick Shirley went looking for California’s high-speed rail line.

Eighteen years after voters approved it, no passenger train is running.

In a new video, the independent journalist and fraud buster traveled along the project’s route, confronting lawmakers and highlighting the staggering gap between what California promised in 2008 and what taxpayers have received so far.

Shirley says roughly $15 billion has already been spent without connecting a single city by high-speed rail.

Current reporting supports Shirley’s findings.

According to the Wall Street Journal, voters approved the project in 2008 with an estimated price tag of about $33 billion and a goal of connecting San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Today, roughly $15 billion has been spent, no passenger service is operating, and the latest estimates put the full Phase 1 system at roughly $126 billion — with higher-end projections reaching about $231 billion.

Watch the clip below:

🚨 Welcome to the $15 billion California High Speed Rail to nowhere:
Since 2008 California has spent $15 billion and has not connected a single city or laid a single track. It is now projected to cost more than $200 billion to finish despite being proved nearly impossible to… pic.twitter.com/lz7BSZnx7x

— Nick shirley (@nickshirleyy) September 15, 2026