Anyone know when the Las Vegas Limited (Los Angeles to Las Vegas) is suppose to start? They said late 2000, but seems like they are way behind schedule. Any info. would be greatly appreciated, thanks
Posted by reggierail (Member # 26) on :
Last I heard they were doing an environmental study involving the train & the desert turtle whose habitat would be disturbed by the train. Although not as long on hold as the service to portland, Maine, it may be. Totally ridiculous, I worked the train from LA to Salt Lake City back in '92, where was the turtle then? The route's the same. Reggie
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Posted by MPALMER (Member # 125) on :
The turtle (tortoise) in question would be impacted by the construction of a parallel 2nd track on the UP on Cima Hill in California. This is between Barstow and the California/Nevada state line. The UP is mostly single track with several sidings, but the large quantity of freight trains would result in delays to the Amtrak train without construction of this second track. I keep hearing about this tortoise (now with military training exercises, where they have hired a "tortoise spotter") so evidently there is some truth to it.