Where should there be frequent corridor service?

R&DB wrote:The nearest rail crossing of the Colorado River is at Needles, which is why I suggested that route.

Did you click on that URL? That one group suggested if the two cities get connected, your route would be used: http://azbex.com/interstate-11-route-se ... o-reality/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Joke Insurance wrote:

R&DB wrote:The nearest rail crossing of the Colorado River is at Needles, which is why I suggested that route.

Did you click on that URL? That one group suggested if the two cities get connected, your route would be used: http://azbex.com/interstate-11-route-se ... o-reality/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mildly surprised there was never a Santa Fe branch Needles-Las Vegas. It’s not like Las Vegas was huge before the 1950s, but the competition was so fierce that every little burg must have been a traffic source for SP, UP, or ATSF to poach from one another.

Joke Insurance » Fri Jul 20, 2018 12:34 pm

That one group suggested if the two cities get connected, your route would be used:

Yes pretty close but they call for more new (proposed) line than my route. More new line means more land purchases. I was just looking at total cost.

R&DB wrote:

Joke Insurance » Fri Jul 20, 2018 12:34 pm

That one group suggested if the two cities get connected, your route would be used:

Yes pretty close but they call for more new (proposed) line than my route. More new line means more land purchases. I was just looking at total cost.

Much of the rural land out west is owned by the US Government in one way or another. Upon leaving Las Vegas and Phoenix metro areas, it should be easy to purchase a new railroad corridor cheaply.

electricron » Sat Jul 21, 2018 8:08 am

Much of the rural land out west is owned by the US Government in one way or another.

Good point. But I still think that swinging west at Searchlight along the State route 164 corridor to pick up an existing line into Las Vegas would be cheaper than a new line through Henderson and the other 'burbs.

Phoenix to "lost Wages" can be done by existing lines: Former ATSF to Matthie ,AZ&CA to Parker Az,then on the AZ&CA to Cadiz Ca,
on the Transconn to Daggett(need wye connecting track built)to UP to "lost wages"

Backshophoss » Sat Jul 21, 2018 10:47 pm

Phoenix to "lost Wages" can be done by existing lines: Former ATSF to Matthie ,AZ&CA to Parker Az,then on the AZ&CA to Cadiz Ca,
on the Transconn to Daggett(need wye connecting track built)to UP to "lost wages"

Yes, but that sure is a long way around. My route would require around 50 mi. of new track following US-95 and state 164 from Arrowhead Jct. to Nipton vis Searchlight. Probably too expensive to build, but probably the best route time-wise.

All the latest discussions about Phoenix to Las Vegas has overlooked one major stumbling block of reality; yes we’ve forgot about Phoenix to Tucson, a line which Arizona might possibly subsidize. I do not see Arizona subsidizing a train to Las Vegas before it subsidizes a train to Tucson, it’ll be political sucide to do so.

Ron, you are absolutely correct.

I do not see Arizona subsidizing a train to Las Vegas before it subsidizes a train to Tucson, it’ll be political sucide to do so.

electricron wrote:All the latest discussions about Phoenix to Las Vegas has overlooked one major stumbling block of reality; yes we’ve forgot about Phoenix to Tucson, a line which Arizona might possibly subsidize. I do not see Arizona subsidizing a train to Las Vegas before it subsidizes a train to Tucson, it’ll be political sucide to do so.

I don't know about political suicide, but there's a lot more headway and steps taken on Phoenix to Tuscon, so it would be a lot easier and obtainable for AZ to do the Tuscon route.

bretton88 wrote:I don't know about political suicide, but there's a lot more headway and steps taken on Phoenix to Tuscon, so it would be a lot easier and obtainable for AZ to do the Tuscon route.

Tucson-Phoenix(-Walsenburg?) by train, Phoenix-Flagstaff by bus sounds reasonable. Next steps for me would include connections from Phoenix to El Paso, LAX via Yuma or Walsenburg, with a Thruway link to Las Vegas for now.

Front Range
Denver - Colorado Springs - Pueblo extend north to Boulder and Ft. Collins
If NM gets on board extend south to Santa Fe - Albuquerque - Las Cruces - El Paso
If WY wants to pitch in extend to Cheyenne - Casper

Are we talking about >100MPH service or 59MPH? Faster-than-highway service would be very popular. Slow service would only be competitive against congested rush hours.

Phoenix-Tucson was planned as the stillborn "Sun Runner" Commuter service,good luck getting UP to play along,
after that washout at Marana,UP would want a 3rd track built to handle the commuter runs.

TUS-PHX doesn't necessarily need a third track as long as the double-tracking between Wellton and Maricopa remains unfinished.

Even better, if UP were to build the Red Rock yard, that would take even more pressure away since trains wouldn't be stacked up from Picacho to Tucson waiting to get into the yard. They'd be stacked up west of Picacho...

For PHX-LAS, I don't think following the alignment of I-11 will work. There are some serious grades on US-93 today, and the existing/former rail routings are a lot more reasonable.