Maglev, diesel-electric trains vie for support in US desert

Although the mention of a magnetically levitating train outside of US borders won't grab too much attention, saying that phrase here most definitely perks up ears. Sure enough, a maglev project that would shuttle folks from Disneyland to Las Vegas at up to 300 miles-per-hour is now jousting with a cheaper diesel-electric alternative (dubbed DesertXpress) for support. Reportedly, the latter would cost "just" $3- to $5 billion to construct -- compared to $12 billion for the former -- but rather than escorting folks from Anaheim or even Los Angeles, its origin would be planted in Victorville, California. Still, the trip from there to Vegas would only take three to four hours including the 1.5 hour drive to Victorville, but that still doesn't sound nearly as nice as "well under two hours" for the maglev. As it stands, there's quite a bit of red tape to wade through before either option goes forward, but kicking back on a whizzing train sounds an awful lot better than staring at pavement and blasting the air conditioner for five or so hours.

[Via Gadling]

[bethel03 @ Feb 27th 2008 6:25PM]

Its already a 3 1/2-4 hour drive from LA to Vegas. Sure you wouldn't have to pay for gas, but if it doesn't save any time (or adds to it) Los Angelinos will not use it.

[TrueDis @ Feb 27th 2008 6:27PM]

How many ways can I say "not gonna happen"?

[Dave @ Feb 27th 2008 6:34PM]

If you've gone as far as Victorville, you might as well keep on driving. Gotta have your Alien Fresh Jerky, you know.

[decypher44 @ Feb 27th 2008 6:40PM]

Some of the best jerky around. Plus, I always need to stop at the Mad Greek in Baker!

Please, oh please, have something from Anaheim to Vegas. Anaheim is about 10 minutes from my house. I would love to not have to drive to Vegas one of these days.

[rob @ Feb 27th 2008 7:26PM]

You can already "not drive" to vegas. There's this thing called the air plane. just kidding.

but seriously, the idea of having to drive to victorville, leave my car there, then jump on a train that takes 2x as long as continuing in my car, then get off at some random spot probably not that near the strip, then jump in a cab or shuttle just doesn't sound that great.

[Rob @ Feb 27th 2008 6:34PM]

Damn it. All these fucking politicians always messing things for everybody. Countries in Europe and Asia have been using these magnetically levitating trains and the U.S. is the only one left in the dark? Why? I thought we were a "super power" and other silly names we like to attach to our name. But, instead we're once again going back to fucking fossil fuel. What an effective way to keep us moving forward. I'm sure the oil companies had something to do here.

[Victor @ Feb 27th 2008 6:41PM]

Actually, the first commercially operating Maglev line (and only high speed maglev, at that) in the world is in Shanghai, operated by Shanghai metro w/ Transrapid. Aichi (in Japan has it too, but that was only recently launched; but even that isn't high speed (100km/hr).

It's actually not all that common

[m @ Feb 27th 2008 7:08PM]

the mouse and the casinos should pay for it. it seems designed for their benefit, more than the convenience of average southern californians. if they were really smart, they'd link it to ontario airport, too. i agree they'll blow this opportunity, though. so short-sighted.

[TVGenius @ Feb 27th 2008 7:05PM]

There's no need for maglev. Someone's been watching too much of "The Island" and "The Train Job" from Firefly.

How would this compete with $99 roundtrip fares from LAX to LAS? If they set the fare at $100 roundtrip to compete, you'd need 120,000,000 passengers to ride it to pay off the initial investment; then comes operating expenses.

What this country needs is to expand passenger rail on dedicated track so that Amtrak trains can spend more time moving and less time stuck in Union Pacific rail yards.

[Barry @ Feb 27th 2008 8:09PM]

I don't know if you got the memo, but the US is a joke.

Our internet access is shit, our shitty health care costs 100x what it does in civilized countries, and we have no fucking maglevs. We never will. Our main export is Britney Spears.

Seriously, this country is a has-been in the 21st century. If you want to live in an up-and-coming modern country, move to China. Sure their human rights suck, but it's not different that the US was fifty years ago ("separate but equal" anyone? Such a great euphemism for apartheid) In fifty years, the US will be like Russia is now: backwards and corrupt to the core. Oh wait, it already is.

[Drew P @ Feb 27th 2008 6:34PM]

The drive to Victorville is where a LARGE portion of the traffic is! This is what we would try to avoid!! There is no way something like this would work if it was based way the heck out in Victorville

[Hastin @ Feb 27th 2008 6:40PM]

Hey, I live 'way the heck out' in Victorville!

[Mr. Snuggle Bunny @ Feb 27th 2008 9:36PM]

Me too. I must say that you probably decided to come here on a bad day. Because I drive down to Baldwin Park a lot and I dont always see much traffic, except on Holidays and days wildfires decide to cross the freeway...in which I guess you'd have to spend the night outside a SevenEleven like I did.

[Drew P @ Feb 27th 2008 9:55PM]

no offense intended! I'm just saying that coming from south orange county over on the 91 to the 15 on a Friday and then coming back on sunday is awful. It takes ages, especially on the 91!

[phanbouy @ Feb 27th 2008 6:37PM]

Just make sure you sell round-trip tickets so everyone can still come back from Vegas when broke.

[greg @ Feb 27th 2008 6:39PM]

screw the train to vegas. How about we finally build the north/south California bullet train. That way we can encourage people to spend their money within the state, instead outside of it.

[ByronGman @ Feb 27th 2008 7:47PM]

Does California really need to keep more money inside the state?

[phanbouy @ Feb 27th 2008 8:01PM]

yes. we're #5 in unemployment in the country and take in way less federal moolah than we give

[Sam @ Feb 29th 2008 1:42PM]

FYI, that project is described at
http://www.cahighspeedrail.ca.gov/
and is (very slowly) progressing

[sitruc @ Feb 27th 2008 6:43PM]

While there is more potential to help commuters' travel time with the mag-lev, it doesn't appear that either project does much to reduce travel time.

[Sean Shrum @ Feb 27th 2008 6:45PM]

I live about 2 miles from the tragic kingdom...I love Vegas and I approve this message

[Eric Leung @ Feb 28th 2008 3:56AM]

blah, more politicians... havent we had enough yet?

[EBone @ Feb 27th 2008 6:51PM]

Some form of high-speed rail has been talked about between LA and Vegas my entire lifetime, and that's a long time. never gonna happen.

[Dave @ Feb 27th 2008 7:26PM]

This right here is the truth. Something like this has been rumoured for decades...and you see what's transpired. I think the big problem would be getting the Golden State and Silver State to come to some sort of agreement, which I doubt would happen, in terms of tourism money. Methinks either side would argue that they're taking money away from the other.

[nilram @ Feb 27th 2008 6:59PM]

To Anaheim? Sure, have a stop there, but continue on to LAX. Let someone fly into either airport and have an easy connection to the train so they can get to points in-between without renting a car. Multimodal transportation interconnects rock!

[Tim @ Feb 27th 2008 7:03PM]

If this train ever becomes a reality, I give it 5 years until it breaks down leaving people stranded, and someone gets eaten by hungry tourists.

[Chris @ Feb 27th 2008 7:09PM]

They should model these trains after the BART from Pleasanton to San Francisco. It wouldnt be fast, fuel efficient, or a pleasant ride, but California would have a consistent system.

[dc9884 @ Feb 27th 2008 7:10PM]

Before September 11, Pittsburgh won a contract to build a Maglev train through the city and eventually to Philly, but after we went to war all the money dried up. I would've loved to see it...

[sitruc @ Feb 27th 2008 10:16PM]

Pittsburgh didn't win any contracts. The bidding and competition was still open. Pittsburgh was a finalist.

[spline9 @ Feb 27th 2008 7:13PM]

It takes me about 4 hrs (driving fast) to get to Vegas in normal traffic. The drive back on a Sunday afternoon/evening is a killer and any transportation that can maintain normal speeds would be VERY nice. Even if I have to go out of my way to get to the station.

[Ian @ Feb 27th 2008 7:13PM]

It's the equivelent of the 3rd Ave Subway line for New Yorkers. I'll believe it when I see it.

[DT @ Feb 27th 2008 7:59PM]

Clearly you mean the 2nd Ave line...which is being built as we speak.

[eggothewaffle @ Feb 27th 2008 7:16PM]

Who needs maglev when there's wind turbine power...

[CraziestGadgets.com @ Feb 27th 2008 7:22PM]

They need to start these projects on a much smaller scale to show that it's a viable transportation solution before moving on to such a big project.

[RapeGhost @ Feb 27th 2008 7:28PM]

So 10 million Los Angelinos make the trip to vegas each year. They don't start out at Anaheim!! Make the thing start from Union Station, which all of the LA subways connect to, and you've got something. If you want to cut corners and end up with a white elephant, have it go to Anaheim. Morons.

[GreenDragon @ Feb 27th 2008 7:50PM]

The brilliance of the Las Vegas/Anaheim mag-lev is the number of tourist that will be able to make quick day trips to Disneyland and then back to the casino to spend the night gambling away jr's college fund. Who do you think would be helping to bank roll this project?

[RapeGhost @ Feb 27th 2008 7:56PM]

If this train is primarily for the tourists, then it'll fail. It's supposed to be for all those people who drive and jam up the 15. A train in the right place for the right price would get a lot of cars off the road and be a more comfortable and quicker way to get to and from Vegas. If they're SOOOO focused on the Anaheim crowd, I have the train start there and then shoot up to make a stop in Union Station. But don't turn your back on Los Angeles, which Anaheim is NOT as close to as people think.

[Jamie_FEEB @ Feb 27th 2008 7:42PM]

Pittsburgh has been one of two (Baltimore-Washington-BWI) prominent projects that the USDOT was considering.
http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20000418maglev6.asp

In 2001, this race was narrowed down to Pittsburgh and Baltimore.
http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20010119maglev2.asp

Then, in 2002, the race was magically opened back up to include the LA-LV project.
http://www.post-gazette.com/nation/20020414maglev2.asp

The climatic and geographical challenges that the Pittsburgh project offers provides the most complete test for proving this as a viable national transit system.
http://www.post-gazette.com/maglev/

The LA-LV project is some senator's pet project that did not stand the initial criticism, and has only served to stall the awarding of the national funding necessary for any of these projects to move forward. Thanks a lot Don Young, R-Alaska.

[bw @ Feb 27th 2008 7:47PM]

The future is maglev.

[dgregory @ Feb 27th 2008 8:35PM]

They started building a mag-lev at Old Dominion U in Va. The track is up but, all of a sudden, the project died. It's just an eyesore now.

[DRoseDARs @ Feb 27th 2008 9:16PM]

Something the diesel proponents are conveniently leaving out is the fact that unlike their rail, the maglev tech used by Transrapid can follow existing highway right-of-ways having a minimal ground footprint with their guideway. While it may or may not be true that the maglev proposal likewise doesn't reach Los Angeles (last I heard, the starting route was from Primm, Nevada on the CalNev border to LAX ... its a disingenuous stretch to say the maglev won't reach LA; expansions to reach other parts of California were already being discussed), it wouldn't matter given the tech flexibility with where it can be placed. Railroads? Not so much, not by a longshot.

[falconz @ Feb 27th 2008 10:35PM]

Why are we getting excited about updated 200 year old technology? Why don't we look forward by looking at a mode of transportation that is an upgrade to the car? We need high speed transport that is as 'safe' as a train but 2-3x faster than cars on the highway.

[patrick @ Feb 27th 2008 11:16PM]

I'm all for capitalism and giving the market what it wants, but if we're going to build a maglev, how about building one that people can use for commuting? You do realize that this is one of those things that makes the rest of world shake their heads, right? We're going to spend billions to build a maglev from disneyland to Las Vegas.... how about SF to LA, SF to San Jose, Baltimore to DC, Boston to NY, or LA to San Diego? ...just a thought.

[Mischa Lockton @ Feb 28th 2008 12:04AM]

so it saves zero time? I am glad it would save SOME emissions.

[Wildness @ Feb 28th 2008 1:01AM]

When I lived in the LA area, it only took me 4 hours to drive to Vegas from my home - of course I wasn't insane enough to live too deeply inside LA where traffic can make 30 miles seem like 3 hours in and of itself.

[sam @ Feb 28th 2008 1:27AM]

dude. this would be sick!
maybe next tmobile could roll out their 3G network?

i'm finally living in the future.

[Jonathan Worrel @ Feb 28th 2008 1:35AM]

Awesome, right by my house :)

[Iceseven @ Feb 28th 2008 2:23AM]

Victorville? Or do you mean Ogdenville, Brockway and North Haverbrook? Maglev is fine, but you might want checking that thing first, before you need a giant doughnut for stopping it...

[Jamar @ Feb 28th 2008 7:42AM]

Hallelujah! About time America started thinking about getting a decent super-express going.

[wrabbit @ Feb 28th 2008 10:09AM]

I don't get the math here - a train going 300mph is going to do the trip in 3-4 hours while a bus (or a car) is going to be 5 hours? What gives?