Proposed DesertXpress high-speed rail line chugging along
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The DesertXpress high-speed rail project would travel 185 miles through federal lands, a national preserve and two states. A rendering of the train is seen here.
Wednesday
26 October 2011
7:21 p.m.
VEGAS INC Archives
A proposed high-speed rail line between Las Vegas and Southern California has received another federal government approval from a board that grants licenses to build new railroads.
The Surface Transportation Board last week approved an exemption from federal regulations permitting DesertXpress Enterprises LLC to build a 190-mile high-speed passenger rail line between Las Vegas and Victorville, Calif. The board action was published today in the Federal Register.
“I’m pleased that the DesertXpress project is getting the green light to proceed, which will not only put tens of thousands of Nevadans to work, but ultimately bring more tourists to boost Nevada’s economy,” Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said in a release applauding the approval.
“I look forward to Nevadans being back on the job and more visitors from California choosing Las Vegas because of this high-speed rail option,” Reid said.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration issued a record of decision — the final environmental review process — in July. The Surface Transportation Board exemption was another required administrative step toward beginning construction, probably next year.
Representatives of DesertXpress did not return calls seeking comments on additional details of its plans.
The Surface Transportation Board reviewed environmental implications of the project and the company’s financial and ridership analyses.
The company plans to operate trains traveling at 150 mph on dual tracks. The board decision lists the cost of the project at $6.5 billion, an increase from the $6 billion estimates previously given by DesertXpress.
The company is pursuing a $4.9 billion federal loan to build the line.
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Discussion 9 comments
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I love this town and I am for anything that will help it grow into the future but I personally do not believe this train to the middle of nowhere is going to be built.
If it went to downtown L.A. or San Diego maybe it would work but as planned this is going to be nothing more then a money pit.
They have already raised the cost another half billion and I am betting IF they do build it the cost ends up close to Ten Billion Dollars.
I am all for the jobs but not on a project that is going to go nowhere and end up losing.
DesertXpress
Solyndra
Fiskars
Harry Reid
This is great news! I love it, finally a future for the west side of the United States! People complain about it being to nowhere, but building neighboring towns/cities, all contribute to a healthy economy. If you don't believe then study some political science. Even here in Vegas the new express lanes buses are helping tourist spend money on their vaction to relax instead of just burning it up in a taxi fare/tip. If anyone wants business, they would support all forms of city growth and neighboring cities. Otherwise be stubborn and you get recessions. End of story.
There's nothing like taking a train to nowhere, and Victorville is nowhere in my book. This project shouldn't have made it past someone's sketchpad, much less into a serious financial proposal.
Let's be positive and go for it. I, for one, am in favor of having the Federal Government do somethin for Southern Nevada, and to boost our struggling tourism economy...the only industry we really have. Maybe this is step one in having the line continue on to other major metropolitan areas of California; it will and it must continue on. Sen. Reid might finally do something for us.
Much like Harry Reid, this train to nowhere is a fricken joke.
Go big, or go home! Build a maglev train to Disneyland, or don't build anything at all. Nobody, absolutely nobody will ride a train between Victorville and Las Vegas. DesertXpress will be just like the Monorail. A bust.
Chuggin along to the bankruptsy court
Can you say "boondoggle" and "cronyism"????
"Take the last train to Victorville and I'll meet you at the station".....er, why? It seems a lot of money to spend, unless there's a way to connect it to other lines running to L.A.?
Harry the Red must have a financial motive in backing this boondoggle. It has no chance of being financially viable under any circumstances let alone breaking even. Why is Harry the Red pushing this ready-made "White Elephant?" Has he friends, relatives, contributors or other cronies involved in this scheme? This is the most fishy project since Bob "Pig of the Hill" Broadbent's LV Monorail fiasco. Time for the FBI to investigate Harry the Red.
If the Train does not go to LA it will fail! If the LV Monorail went to the airport, it would not be in bankruptcy. I'm from Florida, and our Governor declined federal funding of a High Speed Rail line from Tampa to Orlando. It would have had the same ending that this one will have, BANKRUPTCY! If Harry Reid is involved in this, then something smells rotten!
I would hope that CA jumps on the bandwagon to let this train go to LA once the project really gets started.
it is one thing to talk about possibilities. once the train is real, than the ball is going to be in CA court to make this good for their citizens.
But heck, why encourage CA money to be spent in NV?
One of the stupidist ideas ever. Why spend money on 19th century, highly polluting technology - and to no where?!
If you have ever tried to drive from Las Vegas to Southern California on a Sunday and sat in traffic all the way there for ten hours then you would really appreciate being able to hop on a train and be there in a couple fo hours.
I don't live in Vegas or even on the West coast, but I consider Vegas my second home and sometime in the near future will likely make it my home. Like many of the other posters here, I think having a high-speed alternative to travel from LA to Vegas is a great idea. I've been following the DesertXpress nonsense for a while and I simply don't get how this idea has ever gotten anywhere. Why would anyone with an ounce of common-sense want to have an endpoint in Victorville? Someone explain to me a single benefit this provides to anyone living in LA or LV. Victorville would never be a destination for anyone in LV and it would only be a bigger hassle to get to where they really want to go which would be LA. And why would anyone in LA want to drive all the way to Victorville just to leave their car there and get on a train to Vegas? This project is a complete failure from its inception and yet the government keeps throwing more and more money its way. Complete stupidity.
Please make a note of my remark once again as I want to be able I told you so in a few years. This project, like many other in the past history of government corruption and deceit involving capital construction projects is rife with graft, cronyism and fraud. This nonsense should be killed asap. But there are powerful and greedy forces scrambling for the taxpayer funded treasury of money to "spread around" Harry Reid's and other Nevada and California politicians supporters and "friends". This is going to be one of the greatest financial boondoogles since the "Big Dig" in Boston!
I live in the Los Angeles area and I'm a frequent visitor to my favorite place to visit, Las Vegas. When I drive the 210 to the 15, I can be checked into my room on the strip in four hours. Driving is even easier than flying, with security, check in and delays. I can't understand why anybody would want to drive almost an hour from LA, get out of their car, get on a train, and then have to rent a car to get around. I love the idea of a high speed train, but I don't think this will work. The X party train is a better idea! It will ride on existing Union rails, and will leave from LA Union station carrying 700 people.
http://www.xtrainvegas.com/
Apparently, the powers that be are blatantly ignoring the general public that have shared their very clear opinion that they will not be using this. The Victorville stop is just no viable, nor practical.
Chunky says:
Waste of time!
Waste of money!
Waste of waste land!
Victorville.... really?
The percentage of Southern Californians who even use light rail to commute is minuscule.
"IF" the train could sustain 150 mph that's only going to save a little over an hour over car travel since most of the cars on I-15 are doing at least 75 mph. Security, baggage handling and parking will kill any time savings.
We could do so much more with $6B. For instance, you could give away about 12,000,000 one-way $49 fares on Southwest Airlines from LAX or BUR to Vegas. For $6B you could start a small airline and offer free trips to Vegas!
Giant boondoggle! Sadly, someone is wasting tax dollars already on feasibility studies and renderings.
That's what Chunky thinks!
Hep! Hep! Hurray! The train is coming... Tooooot! Tooooot! LOL.
Hard to believe that this is getting approval at so many levels. If the train went to Los Angeles, Orange County or San Diego, maybe I could see the worth. I seriously doubt that many Californians will drive as far as Victorville, or that many Nevadans will pay to be dumped off there.
This is just junk planning. The same old song & dance we've seen for the past 35 years of recklessness. Just rebuild the rail line from Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles (the Desert Express). Just make the stations into places people will go, even if people aren't going anywhere. Crate Village Square or District), that is where the actual money is and will ultimately pay for the railroad.
@Bob635, you make a valid point there needs to be cooperation from California as well to make sure there will be connections to other cities but the sad (usually unreported) part is that California has already cancelled its plans for high speed rail. There may be some ridership from Fort Irwin every once in a while but there aren't many "masses" out there in the desert.
If it were possible, I would like to file the appropriate documents to take my name off the list of taxpayers who support funding this project.