A high-speed rail from L.A. to Las Vegas? China says it's partnering with U.S. to build (Anaheim: real estate, 2015)

[SHABAZZ310]

It looks like we might be about to get the high speed rail to Vegas many people want. And partially funded/managed by China...

A long-discussed high-speed rail project linking Southern California and Las Vegas will be built by a U.S.-China joint venture, Chinese officials said Thursday, though many details about the agreement remained hazy.

Announcement of cooperation on the XpressWest project adjacent to the 15 Freeway comes days ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to the United States. Financial terms of the agreement, and the cost of the project, were not immediately clear.

A high-speed rail from L.A. to Las Vegas? China says it's partnering with U.S. to build - LA Times

[genjy]

China, and Eastern Asian countries in general, has a lot and a lot of experience building trains and stations. No real issue here other than money and politics.

A HSR to Las Vegas is a great idea, but not crazy about that Victorville terminus. It should go down the hill (high-speed or not) all the way to at least Pomona (Metrolink connection) if not DTLA.

[kettlepot]

Originally Posted by genjy

China, and Eastern Asian countries in general, has a lot and a lot of experience building trains and stations. No real issue here other than money and politics.

Yes, they do have a lot of experience laying track and building stations, but what they don't have experience with is following with the strictest environmental, permitting, and land development laws on the planet. The lawyers will stop this dead in its tracks... har ... har, (pun not intended until I realized I had punned you all).

[Jimrob1]

I just read that article also. I'll believe it when I see it, as far as this train being built. Notice how it says LA to Vegas, but the train is only going to Victorville. I think its obvious most people driving to Vegas, would not stop in Victorville to take this train. I would though, but I don't even live there.

I do hope it is built though. Anything to get people out of their cars, in this country is fine with me. The Chinese or any High Speed Rail company, can criss cross the entire USA with trains. I would be their greatest advocate. I truly hate being forced to drive in so much of the USA. Or having to take a flight on routes, that a High Speed Rail line could compete with. If anyone has been to Europe or Asia and traveled several hundred miles between cities, you will know what I mean. The train is fast, efficient and a lot less hassle than flying.

A LA Vegas train really should have been built decades ago. There is a real need for it. The majority of the people going to Vegas from the LA area, are only going to the strip. They don't even need a car once they arrive. A train to get them there would be perfect.

[HockeyMac18]

Originally Posted by genjy

China, and Eastern Asian countries in general, has a lot and a lot of experience building trains and stations. No real issue here other than money and politics.

A HSR to Las Vegas is a great idea, but not crazy about that Victorville terminus. It should go down the hill (high-speed or not) all the way to at least Pomona (Metrolink connection) if not DTLA.

Ideally it would connect to CA's high-speed rail system.

[kttam186290]

Near Barstow, the rail would begin to curve southwest toward Palmdale, which already has Metrolink service and a Metrolink station. This has been previously discussed.

[Robsteel17]

Ending it in Victorville would be a fatal flaw. It needs to make it to somewhere in LA Metro to be viable. Perhaps the ARTIC in Anaheim?

[DriveNotCommute]

Any Vegas-bound HSR stations are likely to see a local real estate boom for retirees. They wouldn't need to give up the comforts of California to also have the benefits of Vegas' entertainment.

It would also make tourism packages combining southern California with Vegas much easier to sell. Let's face it, TSA checkpoints at airports make flying unpleasant by their very nature.

Having it link up to a Metro or Metrolink station would be pretty great. Except for the people in counties where off-peak Metrolink service is spotty or nonexistant. I guess Amtrak is supposed to pick up the slack for those times but they don't offer very many arrivals/departures either.

[nslander]

Originally Posted by DriveNotCommute

Any Vegas-bound HSR stations are likely to see a local real estate boom for retirees. They wouldn't need to give up the comforts of California to also have the benefits of Vegas' entertainment.

Some are convinced this is a prime example why CAHSR is routed through Lancaster, rather than up the 5.

[corydon]

Originally Posted by DriveNotCommute

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It would also make tourism packages combining southern California with Vegas much easier to sell. Let's face it, TSA checkpoints at airports make flying unpleasant by their very nature.

.

TSA has never been problematic to me....
But maybe your memory is worse than mine... Plaind did get kidnapped, and just a few weeks ago two marines stopped a terrorist on a high speed train.

Cross country on a high speed train is going to last a day, that is if it doesn't stop. And last but not least, most people do not live near a train station, and between the cities it aint busy on the roads.