Everything is not a conspiracy theory, it's been documented California originally consulted with Japan and European bullet train makers. They came in and made recommendations on route and construction processes. They were all ignored, California made their own plan and all the foreign companies pulled out realizing early this would turn into a shit show.

I'm for the bullet train but being lied to and having all this money squandered is not the way to go. The current plan is to have a train from Merced to Bakersfield that no one will ride and it's not high speed anymore, I think the max speed is 110mph in a small section somewhere and the ticket is supposed to cost over 100 per person per direction.