The full story is here.VICTORVILLE — Southern Californians could park their cars in Victorville and be in Vegas in little more than an hour, if a privately funded high-speed train gains momentum.
California-Las Vegas HSR Route Planned
#1
Posted 04 June 2006 - 10:37 PM
New York, NY/Philadelphia, PA
#2
Posted 06 June 2006 - 02:05 PM
At 125 max, running time would be about 1h 45m, then there is check-in, loading, then debarking - all of which comes to 2h 30m, about 30m less than optimum driving time. Now I'll admit that I have no concept of traffic on I-15.From the Victorville, CA Daily Press, 6/4/06:
VICTORVILLE — Southern Californians could park their cars in Victorville and be in Vegas in little more than an hour........
I just find it difficult to believe that anyone could fund such a huge startup cost.
#3
Posted 28 July 2006 - 09:34 PM
Train service between Southern California and Las Vegas, a dream some tourism leaders have had since Amtrak discontinued its Desert Wind service in May 1997, would get a fresh start under a proposal aired this week by a Las Vegas company.
Thomas Stone, president of DesertXpress Enterprises Inc., outlined plans for a $3 billion high-speed train proposal to link Las Vegas with Victorville, Calif.
We should note that in this article, nothing is mentioned about who would pay for this project.
#4
Posted 29 July 2006 - 04:30 AM
#5
Posted 29 July 2006 - 12:01 PM
At 125 max, running time would be about 1h 45m, then there is check-in, loading, then debarking - all of which comes to 2h 30m, about 30m less than optimum driving time. Now I'll admit that I have no concept of traffic on I-15.
From the Victorville, CA Daily Press, 6/4/06:
VICTORVILLE — Southern Californians could park their cars in Victorville and be in Vegas in little more than an hour........
While I'm hardly an expert on So Cal, it would seem to me that this proposal misses the mark. Based upon my recent experience driving on I-15 last month, one encounters the worst traffic delays south of Victorville. While I understand the geographic issues involved, failure to reach at least the San Berndardino/Ontario area, could well be the difference between sucess and failure on any such project.
As formidable as the San Gabriel Mountains are, IMHO they must get beyond them and into the LA Basin area to make this a truly viable and useful service to the residents of So Cal.
It's too much to hope for, but I do hope this works out. IF Federal, State and Local groups sign off, I wonder, would UNION PACIFIC be the last obstacle before the geographical barriers are encountered?
Since at least based upon the article, they plan to lay their own new tracks, UP may not have much to say about it. And as long as the operators don't try to start running frieght on their new tracks, I think that UP will have a very hard time convincing the politicians to oppose this idea.
Take care and take trains!
#6
Posted 29 July 2006 - 04:28 PM
#7
Posted 04 August 2006 - 10:02 PM
Since the Desert Wind disappeared, other proposals have surfaced to bring train service back to Las Vegas.
The most recent plan, put forth by DesertXpress Enterprises Inc. last month, may have the most realistic chance at success.
The $3 billion proposal is offering something earlier plans didn't have — its own dedicated track. That alone should give the DesertXpress a better chance to make it than an Amtrak proposal that sputtered in the early 2000s.
#8
Posted 05 August 2006 - 12:20 AM
#9
Posted 10 August 2006 - 12:50 AM
The author goes through the numbers at the bottom of the article from the Las Vegas, NV, Las Vegas Business Press.Great dreams never seem to die, and the building of railroads is one such dream.
For as long as there has been a Las Vegas, there has been a railroad. Only in the late 1990s did Amtrak finally stop passenger service to the city and make those who must ride the rails catch the bus to Needles, Calif., to do so.
They aren't pretty.
#10
Posted 10 August 2006 - 12:56 AM
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