The Power and the Money

Observatorio Argentino 8: Se disparó el tren bala

  Well, it's old news, but it looks like the tren bala is on hold.  Or at least so says Alstom, the lead contractor.

Under normal circumstances, I would say that this is not a bad thing, although Argentina probably needs all the fiscal stimulus that it can get.  Then again, I doubt the project was all that shovel-ready.

Below the fold is a not-safe-for-work profanity-laced rant about the project.  It's in Spanish, and had me chuckling, but seriously, every other word is a curse.  So listen at your own risk.  The weird thing, though, isn't the cursing, it's that El Gato Negro seems to be cursing in a Spanish accent.  Why is a Spaniard so upset about Argentine politicians?

¿Vale el tren bala?

Here is what an Argentine had to say about the reasons why Argentina's government seems to have decided to build an HST. 

(1) Job creation: the bulk is temporary so the benefits are reaped by the current administration.

(2) Federalism: not everything is about Buenos Aires, hey, we are connecting three cities whose provinces account for 62% of the total Argentine population.

(3) First-world feeling: let's celebrate 100 years since we were one of the richest countries in the world.

(4) Legacy: a very tangible historical marker.

Yet, I cannot really find sound reasons to pursue a project of this magnitude. I cannot envision any substantial shift to this means of transportation. If the fare setting is competitive (i.e. no manipulation from the government), the train line will set the price taking into account the direct competitor: air transportation. Take into consideration that to fly to Rosario or Cordoba takes only 100 minutes from Buenos Aires. Given that the “right” reasons do not seem to be the ones driving this project, I tend to look for more political-personal based explanations.

I vote for number (3).  Thoughts?