While President Donald Trump has threatened to block federal funding from California’s troubled high-speed rail project, his administration has singled out the privately led Brightline West project for praise. That differing approach has further bolstered the prospects for Brightline, which is expected to break ground soon on its line from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, while the proposed state-run train has faced mounting delays and cost overruns.

Brightline West, owned by billionaire Wes Edens’ Fortress Investment Group, has also faced its own set of delays, and the company’s Florida line has failed to turn a profit. Still, some critics of government spending see it as a model for constructing large-scale transportation infrastructure without excessive amounts of federal subsidies, Brian Kahn and Eliyahu Kamisher report. Today on CityLab: Trump’s Funding Threats Build a Case for Private High-Speed Rail

— Rthvika Suvarna

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