Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy isn't holding back on California's long-troubled high-speed rail project. In a post on X Thursday, he took direct aim at Governor Gavin Newsom's recent project updates, calling the venture a "train to nowhere" and questioning what exactly California has to show for its spending.

A Lot of Money, Not Much Track

"Not a single high-speed track is installed for Gavin Newsom's TRAIN TO NOWHERE," Duffy wrote, dismissing the governor's "big reveal" as essentially nothing. Then came the financial critique: a "monstrous $135 BILLION price tag," with $16 billion of that already paid by federal taxpayers.

Duffy sarcastically wished Newsom luck but made clear that federal taxpayers won't be funding more of the project. "President Trump and I made sure of that," he added.

Newsom Pushes Back With Progress Reports

Newsom recently shared his own updates, stating that over 463 miles of the 494-mile Phase 1 route are now ready for construction. He also highlighted that the project has generated more than 16,400 jobs so far.

The high-speed rail project has been a flashpoint between Newsom and the Donald Trump administration. Trump previously canceled $4 billion in federal funding for the project and called it "disastrously overpriced." Newsom sued over the funding cut, but a court dismissed the lawsuit.

Rail Modernization Elsewhere

In other rail news, Union Pacific Corp. (UNP) and Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corp. (WAB) recently signed a $1.2 billion deal to modernize AC4400 locomotives, aiming to improve reliability and fuel efficiency.