OK so since everyone is talking high-speed trains (Obama, Arnold the Governator, East Coast state govs, etc. etc) for various parts of the US, I guess Indonesia also wants a high-speed train. Which is fine, as long as the risks & gains are clear and understood by everyone.

Here are the details that I obtained from the reference above:

• Links Jakarta, Bandung, and Cirebon (220 mile length)
• Cost is  $3 Billion (private money)
• Proposed technology is “Hydrogen Hi-Speed Rail Super Highway” (H2RSH)
• Proponents says it can achieve $400 million annual profit & create 6 million jobs.

The above posting claims that the H2RSH solution using electric maglev vehicle is an untested technology.

Aside from the separate matter of the technology being untested (about which I’m unqualified to comment), I think there are some other issues and projects that merit prior consideration:

• Upgrading existing inter-city and interstate rail system.
• Develop metro rail system (inner city)  for the major cities in Indonesia.
• Cost to the public (aka public “bail-out money” if the project sinks)
• Geological instability of many parts of Java (i.e. earthquakes and floods).

Bear in mind that Indonesia did try its hand at developing an aeroplane industry (Nurtanio) in the 1980s and 1990s under Minister Habibie. Perhaps the younger bloggers and twitts today have not heard of Nurtanio….