Brightline West (XpressWest, DesertXpress) Las Vegas - Victorville - Rancho Cucamanga - LA Proposal

Chafford1 wrote:It looks as if the Government is prepared to sanction a $5 billion loan if Xpresswest can come up with the rest of the money - apparently they're strugging to do so:

Proposal for proposed $6.9 billion high-speed rail project hits snag – Las Vegas Review-Journal

Rest of what money? $5 billion by itself (the original cost estimate of Victorville to LV) means a funding level of $27 million per mile, which is more than reasonable cost for a 186-mph line. Why did things suddenly climb to $6.9 billion ($37.1 million per mile)? For the record, $6.9 billion would result in costs of $25 million per mile if the route being considered were from LA to LV.

It appears that total (estimated) cost of the project is $6.9 Billion. Therefore, the cost brakes down as follows:

$5 billion RRIF Loan
$1.4 Billion Private Financing
$500 Million ??

Thus, the real question is, how does the authority come up with the additional $500 million? Another important question is how much longer it will take for all involved people to come to a complete decision regarding approving the entire Xpress West Project.

Now we have a deal for a rail connection from Palmdale to Victorville.

While some Californians question the need for high-speed rail between L.A. and the Bay Area, a deal has been signed to plan for a connection to a proposed high-speed rail service to Las Vegas, it was reported today.

Representatives of a private company with plans for a 150-mile-per-hour rail link from Southern California to Las Vegas have signed an agreement with the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority to plan to tie in to the California High Speed rail system.

The high-speed tracks would run down the center of a proposed Route 138 freeway across the Antelope Valley, which would replace a road known as "blood alley" for its frequent deadly crashes.

http://cerritos.patch.com/groups/editor ... -the-works" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thomas wrote:It appears that total (estimated) cost of the project is $6.9 Billion. Therefore, the cost brakes down as follows:

$5 billion RRIF Loan
$1.4 Billion Private Financing
$500 Million ??

Thus, the real question is, how does the authority come up with the additional $500 million? Another important question is how much longer it will take for all involved people to come to a complete decision regarding approving the entire Xpress West Project.

$5 Billion is an insane amount of taxpayer money and unprecedented for a RRIF loan.

http://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0128

jstolberg wrote:Now we have a deal for a rail connection from Palmdale to Victorville.

While some Californians question the need for high-speed rail between L.A. and the Bay Area, a deal has been signed to plan for a connection to a proposed high-speed rail service to Las Vegas, it was reported today.

Representatives of a private company with plans for a 150-mile-per-hour rail link from Southern California to Las Vegas have signed an agreement with the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority to plan to tie in to the California High Speed rail system.

The high-speed tracks would run down the center of a proposed Route 138 freeway across the Antelope Valley, which would replace a road known as "blood alley" for its frequent deadly crashes.

http://cerritos.patch.com/groups/editor ... -the-works" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That story is one year old.

Well, what is the latest status for this Project?

amtrakowitz wrote:That story is one year old.

Patch is really good at digging up old news and repackaging it so it looks new. It isn't always a bad thing, since often it makes people aware of things they missed.

Thomas wrote:Well, what is the latest status for this Project?

Here's a newer story, published in February 2013:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/business/t ... away-start" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (fair use quote)

Laura Carroll, Las Vegas Review-Journal wrote:At best, it could be another 18 months before any ground is broken on the XpressWest project - the same time frame backers gave the Las Vegas Review-Journal in 2009.

The reality of a high-speed train shuttling travelers between Victorville, Calif., and Las Vegas hinges on funding of $5.5 billion from the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing, which is administered by the Federal Railroad Administration. XpressWest's first loan application was submitted in December 2010 and is still under review.

I still do not believe that Xpress West is too promising on receiving federal funds. How does President Obama's new transportation secretary impact that?

Conservative sources are reporting the loan application has been denied:

http://blog.heritage.org/2013/07/11/shh ... l-project/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

more:

WASHINGTON — The government has halted its review of a multibillion-dollar loan request for high-speed rail line connecting Las Vegas and Southern California, a potentially staggering hit to the ambitious project.

The development is a blow for XPressWest, which has envisioned itself having a major role in the region’s future. The company’s plans call for electric trains whisking passengers at speeds up to 150 mph between Las Vegas and, for starters, Victorville, Calif.

But two Republicans who have raised questions about the rail plan said they were told the Department of Transportation has decided to “indefinitely suspend its review of the XPressWest loan application.”

http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/nevad ... peed-train" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

*over at the CHSR Blog, they are reporting that one problem was "Buy America" requirements.

*Ray LaHood letter to XpressWest:
http://ja.scribd.com/doc/154207442/Ray- ... XpressWest" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

XpressWest reveals plan to satisfy "Buy America" requirements.

XpressWest has adopted an Assemble and Manufacture in America Plan for all rolling stock purchases. Should XpressWest elect to not receive funds from the United States Government for the purpose of constructing the project, this Plan may be modified substantially or removed from the project’s requirements in total.

http://www.xpresswest.com/buy-america.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

kaitoku wrote:XpressWest reveals plan to satisfy "Buy America" requirements.

XpressWest has adopted an Assemble and Manufacture in America Plan for all rolling stock purchases. Should XpressWest elect to not receive funds from the United States Government for the purpose of constructing the project, this Plan may be modified substantially or removed from the project’s requirements in total.

http://www.xpresswest.com/buy-america.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I guess that makes sense, with several manufacturers of high speed equipment having American factories. Off the top of my head, I can think of Hyundai Rotem, Siemens, Bombardier, Kawasaki Heavy, Sumitomo/Nippon Sharyo, Talgo, and CAF - are there others I am forgetting? Regardless, those corporations ought to be able to build a foreign-design HSR set at their American factories in part or in whole, though the price point and delivery time will both increase.

...though the price point and delivery time will both increase.

This is an important point. Originally I think they intended to buy an "off the shelf" HSR design from a European maker (likely it was Bombardier, whose international passenger rail HQ is in Berlin), to keep costs down.

Last week the Federal Railroad Administration issued their first Regional Rail Plan. The Southwest Multi-State Rail Planning Study does not cover freight rail, the movement of commodities, just-in-time delivery, improving rail transload facilities, or even commuter rail. It only covers intercity passenger rail in California, Nevada and Arizona with some connections to Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. http://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0723" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The study supports the California High Speed Rail network and "core express" service between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. It also supports "core express" service between Los Angeles and Phoenix. Core express service is defined as trains with a seating capacity of 600 passengers traveling at an average speed of 300 kph (MAS 350 kph) with a station penalty of 5 minutes per station, a layover time at each end of 40 minutes and on-time-performance of 99%. Needless to say, such service would be on dedicated electrified passenger rail tracks.

Daily Press

Brief, fair-use quote:

Victorville-to-Vegas rail not dead yet

XpressWest COO thinks viability grows with emphasis on regional connectivity

"Those actions on the part of California High-Speed Rail, taken together with developments of High Desert Corridor, and taken together with the Southwest multi-state study ... people are starting to get the idea of this regional connectivity and the importance of rail in the Southwest," Mack said.

Mack reviewed the details of the project with Victorville city officials July 21, touting the project's ability to ease Interstate 15 logjams and create both short-term and long-term jobs here. The company first pitched the project to the city 13 years ago.

XpressWest is expected to meet with state officials in September. Despite the financial setback two years ago, Mack insisted the project was more than a pipe dream.