That’s not something people like myself who believed in the original vision of a Los Angeles to San Francisco via Fresno bullet train want to hear, but it’s the reality we must accept.

This December 6, 2017, file photo shows one of the elevated sections of the high-speed rail under construction in Fresno, ...

Of course, one can be as charitable toward the bullet train as possible and still recognize the thing is a flop. Yes, major projects often have cost overruns and delays. Yes, it’s a bold project.