Bakersfield, United States - July 18, 2025 07/18/2025 1:00 pm GMT-0700 WASCO, KERN COUNTY, Calif. – KNN video shows halted construction along California’s high-speed rail line at Highway 43 and Jackson Avenue in Wasco. The video highlights the stalled state of a project long plagued by delays and inconsistent funding. The footage comes as the Trump administration formally rescinded $4 billion in federal funding this week, further clouding the future of the embattled rail project. On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Transportation confirmed the revocation of federal support weeks after signaling the move. The high-speed rail which was intended to eventually connect San Francisco and Los Angeles has faced mounting criticism over its cost overruns, regulatory challenges, and missed deadlines. “The railroad we were promised still does not exist, and never will,” President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This project was severely overpriced, overregulated, and never delivered.” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy echoed those sentiments, calling the project “a train to nowhere.” Roughly 25% of the rail project’s total funding has come from the federal government with the remainder funded by the state through voter-approved bonds and California’s cap-and-trade program. In response to the federal cut, Governor Gavin Newsom’s office announced the state is suing to recover the funding. Saying the state will keep “all options on the table” to fight the revocation of federal funds. The California High-Speed Rail Authority has not issued new guidance on how the funding loss will impact construction in the Central Valley, where much of the current progress — including the Wasco segment is located. Drone footage featured here has been reviewed and verified by Key News Network LLC. This aerial UAV footage complies with and conforms to the FAA Part 107 guidelines. All operations were conducted by FAA-certified Part 107 UAS pilot(s). Related information can be provided upon request.