[moguldreamer]

Hope springs eternal.

I'm struggling to come up with a reason anyone would voluntarily be in Victorville in the first place so that they then could hop a train to Las Vegas.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by moguldreamer

Hope springs eternal.

I'm struggling to come up with a reason anyone would voluntarily be in Victorville in the first place so that they then could hop a train to Las Vegas.

I can't find good maps of what rail lines exist in the vicinity, but it looks like there is some sort of rail passenger service from Los Angeles to Rancho Cucamonga. If so, it's not out of the question to build a connector line between the there and Victorville. A number of schemes are being considered as the project progresses, as per this Wiki article. I'm a fan or rail transport thus I'm a cheerleader for all such projects.

[moguldreamer]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

I can't find good maps of what rail lines exist in the vicinity, but it looks like there is some sort of rail passenger service from Los Angeles to Rancho Cucamonga. If so, it's not out of the question to build a connector line between the there and Victorville. A number of schemes are being considered as the project progresses, as per this Wiki article. I'm a fan or rail transport thus I'm a cheerleader for all such projects.

I can imagine someone in LA having 3 choices: car, plane, or rail.

• Car: hop in car and about 3.5 hours later you're in Las Vegas.
• Air: Uber to the airport, and a couple hours later (taking in to account TSA lines and boarding together with the actual flight) you're in Las Vegas.
• Rail: Uber to a train station in LA. Take a commuter line to Rancho Cucamonga with all your luggage. Exit in the train station. If you're lucky, stay in the train station and wait for a train to Victorville. If you're not lucky, you Uber to some other location to pick up a train from Rancho Cucamonga to Victorville. When you arrive in Victorville, if you're lucky, stain in the train station and wait for a train to Las Vegas. If you're not lucky, you Uber to some other location to pick up a train to Las Vegas. Ultimately, you arrive in Las Vegas and you're ready for a very large cocktail.

Of course, I'm being a bit pessimistic above. Maybe it will all work out very well and be convenient.

[movin1]

I like trains better than driving and flying. I hope they do this right so it's a good way to get from Las Vegas to Los Angeles and back. Easy access to rental cars is essential IMO. I'd figure out how to get to the train from my house in Henderson and want a rental car in LA. Then again, the drive to LA isn't that bad depending on traffic.

[Willy702]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

I can't find good maps of what rail lines exist in the vicinity, but it looks like there is some sort of rail passenger service from Los Angeles to Rancho Cucamonga. If so, it's not out of the question to build a connector line between the there and Victorville. A number of schemes are being considered as the project progresses, as per this Wiki article. I'm a fan or rail transport thus I'm a cheerleader for all such projects.

IF built...

The train will go to Rancho Cucamonga and end at a big hub there that is connected to the commuter rail. It will also be close to Ontario airport. The thread title should be revised, it's no longer proposed as a train to Victorville only.

It's reasonable to have doubts about the viability of the train and if they could get enough riders. That's their business risk. What seems to get out of hand is the typical reaction of Vegas locals about things they don't expect to use. You could say so and so airline is beginning nonstop flights to Cleveland or Shanghai or wherever and of course 95% of people won't use that service. Elsewhere people just sigh, while the average Vegas local has to tell you about how that's the stupidest idea and it will never work. The same people who told me every casino on the Strip would never work.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by Willy702

IF built...

The train will go to Rancho Cucamonga and end at a big hub there that is connected to the commuter rail. It will also be close to Ontario airport. The thread title should be revised, it's no longer proposed as a train to Victorville only.

It's reasonable to have doubts about the viability of the train and if they could get enough riders. That's their business risk. What seems to get out of hand is the typical reaction of Vegas locals about things they don't expect to use. You could say so and so airline is beginning nonstop flights to Cleveland or Shanghai or wherever and of course 95% of people won't use that service. Elsewhere people just sigh, while the average Vegas local has to tell you about how that's the stupidest idea and it will never work. The same people who told me every casino on the Strip would never work.

Thank you. I've changed "Victorville" to "SOCAL" to allow for leeway in plans as time progresses.

They scoffed at Fulton's steamboat -- it only revolutionized the world.....

[moguldreamer]

Originally Posted by Willy702

IF built...

The train will go to Rancho Cucamonga and end at a big hub there that is connected to the commuter rail.

Regarding the bold above, I notice you didn't say it is the same station - in the sense that those of us who fly would go from, say, Gate D3 to Gate C6 at an airport. It is "... connected to..." and that is different. I don't actually know how it will work, but words matter, and it doesn't sound like it is as convenient as changing planes at an airport.

Originally Posted by Willy702

It will also be close to Ontario airport.

Rancho Cucamonga is about a 10 minute car drive from Ontario Airport.

There is an old saying: "close only counts in horse shoes & hand grenades." Too bad it isn't a five minute walk through an underground tunnel.

But at the end of the day, Rancho Cucamonga & Ontario are not Los Angeles, and they are not Orange County either. They are far away - which is the entire reason that airplanes can fly into Ontario, Burbank, Long Beach, LAX, and John Wayne (am I forgetting one?). Point-to-point travel from each of those locations to Las Vegas will always be more convenient than a hub-and-spoke system of moving people from the broad LA area to Rancho Cucamonga to take a train to Las Vegas.

Undoubtedly there will be those who will take the train, and that's fine. I would opt for convenience of airline travel, but that's just my personal preference.

[tijlover]

At 73, I'll do anything to avoid putting my hands on a steering wheel.

I've driven Las Vegas/L.A. too many times and I'd growl to no end if I ever had to drive that boring route again.

I'm sure there's others that share my views and would rather read a book during their trip from Victorville/Rancho Cucamonga, or play with their Smartphone, and now worries about my car breaking down on I-15.

I just wish, when arriving in Las Vegas, there'd be a light rail system to greet me. But with 9-10,000 taxi drivers, lobbying, it's never going to happen.

[Mike from back east]

Brightline train service between Orlando and Miami starts tomorrow, 22 Sept. Here's an article with pix and video. Sure looks nice, hope it happens for the service in the California - Las Vegas corridor.

[Willy702]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Brightline train service between Orlando and Miami starts tomorrow, 22 Sept. Here's an article with pix and video. Sure looks nice, hope it happens for the service in the California - Las Vegas corridor.

A lot of it doesn't make sense to me. Like why limit the speed so much in the city, isn't that where you need to be faster to build a competitive advantage? And why all the tourism focus? If you really want to get riders who will support the system, look to commuters and business travelers. If they can make the entire trip faster and seamlessly connect with local area transit then you can get plenty of riders on weekdays when tourism won't fill enough seats and then get the leisure business on weekends. Translating this to the LA-LV line, make it attractive enough for those who have relocated and need to make an occasional trip back for work. Get on the 5am train and be at your meetings by 9am, then go home late. Yeah its a long day but it further cements the remote worker's decision to move.