Work on (LA to Vegas) high-speed rail set to begin this year

[BTinSF]

Work on high-speed rail set to begin this year
By Richard N. Velotta (contact)
Thursday, March 25, 2010 | 6:03 p.m.

Environmental approvals for the proposed $4 billion DesertXpress high-speed rail project between Las Vegas and Southern California are taking longer than expected, but executives with the project said Thursday they expect construction to begin this year.

"It's all just process and working through the details," DesertXpress Enterprises President Tom Stone said in a media briefing on the project. "No environmental showstoppers have been identified."

Last year, developers of the 185-mile rail line that would link Las Vegas with Victorville, Calif., said they hoped they would get final environmental approvals by the end of the first quarter of 2010 and that they would be able to break ground by summer. But Stone said the process is running three to four months behind what they had hoped, although they still expect a groundbreaking before the end of the year.

Construction is expected to take four years, meaning that revenue service for the train could begin by late 2014.

The project includes the construction of two parallel grade-level tracks across the Mohave Desert, mostly along the I-15 corridor and the accompanying electrical catenary . . . .

When construction begins, Stone said he expects there would be multiple construction sites throughout the rail corridor at any one time. One of those sites would be a train station in Victorville. Three prospective sites are under consideration, all within close proximity of I-15.

A model of the Victorville station was unveiled at the briefing and Stone noted that it is being designed to allow trains to pass through the structure in anticipation of the line extending west to Palmdale, where it would connect with the proposed California high-speed rail line and a route between Sylmar and Bakersfield.

While work hasn't begun on the 50-mile line between Victorville and Palmdale, Stone said he has received assurances from transportation planners in Southern California that the link would be fast-tracked to enable a direct line between Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Because the California system and DesertXpress would be compatible, Stone said it would be possible for riders to board in Los Angeles and travel without changing trains all the way to Las Vegas. The trip would take between two and 2 1/2 hours, he said.

Ideally, Stone said, the environmental approvals would be completed as construction winds down on the Las Vegas-Victorville route so that workers could move to the next building phase.

But for now, the focus is on Victorville.

The model of the Victorville train station includes a 15,000-space parking area, some of it surface parking and some of it within a parking garage. It's 1 1/2 times larger than Disneyland's parking lot.


Victorville Station

Despite mountains of public criticism, Victorville was chosen as DesertXpress' southern terminus -- until the connection to the California line is completed -- because most Southern California highway traffic must pass through Victorville to get to Las Vegas . . . .

Stone and Mack have not wavered from earlier estimates that the average ticket cost for a trip from Victorville to Las Vegas would be between $50 and $55. The executives stressed that the figure is an average and that during peak operational periods the price could be higher. There also will be higher-priced first-class seating on the trains . . . .

Source: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010...et-begin-year/

[glowrock]

I had no idea that the HSR from Victorville to Vegas was set to begin construction this year! Awesome news for anyone who's been stuck in those infamous I-15 Mojave Desert friday evening and sunday afternoon traffic jams!

In all seriousness, it makes a lot of sense to make the southern terminus in Victorville right now, though. It's very difficult to get trains into the L.A. Basin without major headaches due to terrain, and for now, I think it's pretty easy to get to Victorville for most people in the L.A. Basin, except for perhaps the west side of town. Very easy from Riverside/San Bernardino though!

But damn, a 15,000 space parking facility? The backers of this project must expect absolutely massive ridership! Could they be overestimating to the point of major disappointment?

Aaron (Glowrock)

[OhioGuy]

Will this be an express line? Or will there be any stops in between Victorville and Vegas?

[electricron]

Originally Posted by OhioGuy

Will this be an express line? Or will there be any stops in between Victorville and Vegas?

Surf to the Desert Xpress web site. http://www.desertxpress.com/need.php
From what I've read, there will not be any stops between Victorville and Las Vegas.

Two passenger stations are proposed, one in Victorville located along the west side of I-15 between the North and South junctions with the Stoddard Wells Road interchanges on about 60 acres of land, plus parking, and the other station in Las Vegas at one of three possible locations designed to interface with proposed extensions of the Las Vegas Monorail™, with shuttles serving the resorts and the central business district.

[dktshb]

I guess I haven't been paying attention because I thought this was just one of those things that would never happen. I would definitely get out of my car in Victorville and take the train into Vegas if I ever felt the urge to go.

[bmfarley]

If environmental work is almost done, where is the EIR?

[ardecila]

Awesome! At least the US will now have one train station to compare to the ones in Europe.

[plinko]

I'm kind of curious how the Las Vegas terminus works (there's mention of 3 options on the website, but no information).

[JDRCRASH]

Here's the problem: They said it would break ground in March...if anyone remembers.

[JDRCRASH]

Originally Posted by glowrock

In all seriousness, it makes a lot of sense to make the southern terminus in Victorville right now, though. It's very difficult to get trains into the L.A. Basin without major headaches due to terrain, and for now, I think it's pretty easy to get to Victorville for most people in the L.A. Basin, except for perhaps the west side of town. Very easy from Riverside/San Bernardino though!

Aaron (Glowrock)

As the Inland Empire grows denser and less residents there commute to LA, there's inevitably going to be the demand for a Cajon Pass alignment.

[glowrock]

I'm generally very in favor of this HSR link, though I do admit I think a stop should be included at Primm/Stateline, given that it's become quite a large tourist destination in its own right, with three hotels/casinos, a large outlet shopping mall, etc... etc...

That's a minor quibble, though. Glad to see this is still scheduled to get going shortly!

Aaron (Glowrock)

[pesto]

Why does the picture show 1 guy wearing a suit and 1 reporter at the model. Is this supposed to be the media spectacular?

Does anyone think that either driving to Victorville and loading onto a train; or getting to Union Station and then stopping at Palmdale, Victorville and maybe Primm is gong to blow the airlines away? I suppose it would be kind of fun if you have some gambling, a topless bar and maybe some video cars.

[Gordo]

Originally Posted by pesto

Does anyone think that either driving to Victorville and loading onto a train; or getting to Union Station and then stopping at Palmdale, Victorville and maybe Primm is gong to blow the airlines away? I suppose it would be kind of fun if you have some gambling, a topless bar and maybe some video cars.

If/when the DX tracks are hooked up with the CHSRA tracks, why would trains leaving from Union Station need to stop in Palmdale, Victorville, or Primm unless it made business sense to do so?

[LAsam]

Originally Posted by OhioGuy

Will this be an express line? Or will there be any stops in between Victorville and Vegas?

FYI, there isn't anything between Victorville and Vegas but dust and cacti.

[ChrisLA]

Originally Posted by dktshb

I guess I haven't been paying attention because I thought this was just one of those things that would never happen. I would definitely get out of my car in Victorville and take the train into Vegas if I ever felt the urge to go.

Me too, there has been talk of this since I was a teenager which was many moons ago (lol), well not really. But I didn't expect it to happen at all, I'm shocked.

[Quixote]

Originally Posted by glowrock

I'm generally very in favor of this HSR link, though I do admit I think a stop should be included at Primm/Stateline, given that it's become quite a large tourist destination in its own right, with three hotels/casinos, a large outlet shopping mall, etc... etc...

That's a minor quibble, though. Glad to see this is still scheduled to get going shortly!

Aaron (Glowrock)

Primm is basically Las Vegas, so a stop there would be superfluous and would only add to the travel time. And you described Primm perfectly: three casinos and a large outlet shopping mall. There's nothing more there.

If there's a station to add, it would be at Barstow. Such would allow for quick trips to Los Angeles and Las Vegas for both work and leisure.

[Krases]

Originally Posted by glowrock

I'm generally very in favor of this HSR link, though I do admit I think a stop should be included at Primm/Stateline, given that it's become quite a large tourist destination in its own right, with three hotels/casinos, a large outlet shopping mall, etc... etc...

No etc. That is it. A good chunk of Primm's economy is from Las Vegas residents who want to get lottery tickets in California. The closest place that sells those tickets is right next to Primm, straddling the border with Cali.

The other huge chunk of Primm's economy is from people in California who simply don't want to drive all the way to Vegas due to some of the heavy traffic. They just want to gamble and may live only a hour or two from Primm as opposed to three or four hours (depending on traffic) from Vegas.

If the high speed rail went out of Victorville, then I think a lot of southern Californians who only drive to Primm just skip Primm on the HSR instead.

Primm will survive, but I think a lot of its business will shift to Las Vegas.

[mwadswor]

I had no idea this was anywhere close to groundbreaking, this is awesome! I'm still not convinced the line's going to do as well as predicted until it goes all the way into LA (driving to Victorville is a large percentage of the trip for any people), but it's still a great start.

Originally Posted by Gordo

If/when the DX tracks are hooked up with the CHSRA tracks, why would trains leaving from Union Station need to stop in Palmdale, Victorville, or Primm unless it made business sense to do so?

The 15,000 space parking lot would lead me to believe that the planners/designers see long term potential in the Victorville stop. Perhaps they think people from the IE would rather drive to Victorville than Union Station? Either way, hopefully there will be at least a couple express trains directly from LA to Vegas when that part of the line is completed.

[BTinSF]

Originally Posted by pesto

Why does the picture show 1 guy wearing a suit and 1 reporter at the model. Is this supposed to be the media spectacular?

Does anyone think that either driving to Victorville and loading onto a train; or getting to Union Station and then stopping at Palmdale, Victorville and maybe Primm is gong to blow the airlines away? I suppose it would be kind of fun if you have some gambling, a topless bar and maybe some video cars.

I would do almost anything to avoid LAX. I don't know if Burbank or John Wayne have flights to LV--that might be better. But I'd still rather take a train.

[BTinSF]

Originally Posted by LAsam

FYI, there isn't anything between Victorville and Vegas but dust and cacti.

There's Barstow.