It costs so much money because the land is so expensive. The land is so expensive because 40 years ago many people like yourself said bullet trains won't work in America.

Is it really that hard to be convinced that traveling 220mph on a train between cities 200-500 miles apart is a good thing?

California isn't getting the ideal system now but if it builds the first one, lots of people will use it, and the next generation will have an easier time building the 300-350 mph maglev.