Mish Mosh of Why China Has Better High Speed Rail Than US

https://youtu.be/hs392e7z99Y

The most useful and relevant information about building railroads is towards the middle of this video.

China has standardized numerous parts and supplies for their railroad construction, such as tracks and embankments.  This speeds up the ordering of components for bridges and lowers costs. 

Most supplies are locally sourced along the new routes which help local industry. 

Temporary factories along the route reduce transportation costs of the building components.  Allegedly, no supplies need to be transported more than 8 kilometers (five miles).

Viaduct designs are limited.  Using numerous viaducts preserves farmland, cross rivers  reduces the number of at grade crossings, and eliminates interference with other roads and highways.  That grade seperation is what allows the trains to go high speed.

Bridge beems for viaducts are either 24 meters (78 feet) or 32 meters 104 feet) long.  No other choices are available.

Irrelevant or Obfuscatory Information:
High Speed Rail Costs
$33 million/mile in the US
$15 - $23 million/mile in the European Union
$10 - $12 million/mile in China

Why obfuscatory and irrelevant?  I find the statement that China or anywhere else has a major advantage because they have lower labor costs as ludicrous.  Their ability to get revenue as a result of their labor is also lower.  Labor costs are a significant portion of building costs everywhere.

If the US wants to knock down its labor costs by paying workers what they would earn in third world countries then what's the point of the construction?  How does that help Americans?

Similarly, demonizing American environmental regulations, public safety and worker safety rules puts us backwards rather than improving society. 

China's government can condemn people's property very quickly and easily.  Some people admire that. 

They admire the extraordinary effectiveness and efficiency of a ruthless dictatorship. 

As the people of Hong Kong know better than anyone, their new top leadership is always ready to respond to peaceful protestors coming home after a demonstration, at railway stations, with rod, steel bar, and umbrella wielding, masked, white shirt, thugs.
https://youtu.be/RtfZeC8ltfs


Most of the time American leadership doesn't openly recruit vigilante thugs. But with the Orangeman and his crew  unfortunately things are changing