This would compete directly with the proposal for a maglev route from Anaheim (Disneyland) to Las Vegas. It would also ever so slightly damage the business case for building the ARTIC station in Anaheim, as a high speed rail route to Las Vegas is part of that long term station plan. http://www.octa.net/artic.aspx
As for DesertXpress, I'm not at all convinced that the thing would work if the prerequesite to riding would be to drive out to Victorville. You'd still be fighting freeway traffic through those first 60 miles just trying to get to the station. If you made it to Victorville in one piece, why not just keep driving across the desert to your hotel/casino? http://www.desertxpress.com/Posts: 56 | From: Orange County, CA | Registered: Jun 2007
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I don't see maglev ever getting built in the US, it takes too much energy and resources to get past the environmentalists, and way too much money to get past the bean counters. Personally I wouldn't trust something made out of concrete with objects traveling at 300 miles per hour over it after seeing our crumbling interstate highways. I would say that the current rail technology that can go 250 mph safely and comfortably should be the focus, and for long distance rural routes like this DMUs make perfect sense for now.
Being privately funded will help as it won't take 15 years for them to add an extension. Even though its only to Victorville, I hear thats where the interstate drops from 6 lane to 4 lane or something like that, so it becomes a bottleneck. If enough drivers just decide to take the exit and fly by all the stranded motorists stuck in traffic on the express route to vegas, it might just be a big success. Also, if your traveling to a destination city, would you want to just drive half way and park your car in a safer town (I have never been there and am assuming this) and enjoy the ride on a fast train the rest of the way?
Posts: 13 | From: Glenwood Springs, CO | Registered: Mar 2008
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