DesertXpress project takes another step forward
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18 November 2011
11:58 a.m.
A third federal government agency has given a stamp of approval for a high-speed rail project between Las Vegas and Victorville, Calif.
The Bureau of Land Management on Thursday issued a record of decision for the DesertXpress Enterprises LLC passenger rail line in Clark County and San Bernardino County, Calif.
The decision authorizes the use of right of way to build the line on public land administered by the BLM.
The DesertXpress project received similar approvals from the Surface Transportation Board in October and from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Railroad Administration in July.
The BLM determined that about 821 acres of public land would be needed for the permanent right of way. An additional 95 acres would be needed for temporary construction use. The project also includes about 2,800 acres of private land.
DesertXpress plans to begin engineering and construction next year on the 185-mile double track that would run along Interstate 15.
The company plans to operate trains traveling at 150 mph, with ticket costs averaging $50 per passenger one way.
The company is pursuing a $4.9 billion federal loan to build the $6.5 billion project.
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so we have to drive to victorville my wife and i pay 200 bucks to not drive from Victorville to Vegas. why not pocket the money and use it to boost the local economy ie: gamble it.
yes it would help on busy sunday nights. but wont the train be booked anyway. people like the freedom to drive.
you can get a flight from 175-250 and not have to drive 50 miles to meet the train. what if there is traffic and you miss the train.
am i missing something.
This is absolutely one of the dumbest ideas I can think of. Who's going to drive 90 minutes from LA to Victorville then park their car in Victorville and then hop on a train to Vegas. I see no way of this being successful, it's absolutely a huge waste of money. I really don't get it! Somebody please explain why this is a good idea.
And yesterday the Federal government dropped money for the Calif. High speed line which actually did make sense. What happened to the mag-lev train?
Hmmm...this makes Solyndra and The Monorail look like great ideas. Why a government loan?
I say the same thing..why a government loan? If its a viable project, let them find private financing. If the government wants to loan the money, they better damn be sure they get multiple independent studies gauging ridership. This has failure written all over it if you ask me. Didn't we learn anything from the monorail?
Make it LA to Las Vegas. That's the only way I can remotely support this project.
On top of all that you need to rent a car to get where you want to go, when you get their! These hi speed train folks have derailed thinking. They must be the same ones pushing the ca. HSR. More money than brains!!
$100 round trip for one person??? Plus gas to get to and from the Victorville Station??? Isn't it cheaper to just drive from LA to Vegas in the same amount of time??
I agree with what Tom said: IF the government wants to dish out this money, do some research first on WHO and HOW MANY would actually use this waste of money.
Where are the Republicans who are bitching about how the government is wasting money all the time??
If this train would just go on to LA it would be very useful. Instead of sitting at the airport for two hours for the 45 min flight with another 45 min at McCarren, you'd be in your room on the Strip. Of course you'd have to build a tunnel trough a mountain pass, which the Swiss and Austrian construction companies do on time and on budget.
If I come from LV do I have to rent a car to do something in LA?
Are tax dollars being used for all the research and development of this project? If private funding is not going to be used make sure the people have a voice this time and have the proposal on the ballot to make a decision once and for all. Our blood suckers, uh politicians have been going in the wrong direction and not listening to the people so it is time we were given a voice other than those who are in charge and think they know what is best...They do not!
60 Minutes just ran a story on how politicians use insider type information to their benefit. I strongly encourage the government and/or any other authorities to look into this project. Dirty Harry and his friends are up to something here. The other project is much more viable and over the years, less expensive. Harry switched his allegiance from the mag train to this one because of Sig. C'mon 60 Minutes, look into this...