Levitating train from L.A. to Las Vegas gets boost

[Nutterbug]

Originally Posted by PhxSprawler

$12B does sound like a small amount. That sounds like the price to widen I-15 along the route.

I'm guessing $12B is an estimate put forth by the promoters of the project, and overruns are guaranteed.

Anyways, it still boggles the mind why conventional HSR of the Shinkansen and TGV sort just won't do.

[Nutterbug]

Originally Posted by lfc4life

a proper transport system that connects McCarran with the ALL OF THE strip and downtown should be the number one agenda for a city that welcomes 40 million each year and expects to attract millions of chinese visitors over the next 10 years, many of these new tourists will not be too happy to find out that they will have to wait an hour in line at McCarran to get a taxi to their hotel.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarran_International_Airport

McCarran Airport is somewhat unusual in that it has more than 1,300 slot machines throughout the airport terminals. Reno/Tahoe International Airport also has gambling machines both airside and landside.

I think they have it all thought out. The airport wants its cut too.

Speaking of which, I wonder if they plan to recover some of the cost of the train by placing video slot machines at every seat, or something like it, and passengers won't have to wait a whole gut-wrenching 2.5 hours to arrive at their destination and begin their gambling.

[kenratboy]

Still not sure how well this project would work. It would be awesome if this got built, and it was the kickoff for the California High Speed Rail network.

"LA to SF would be great, but could you imagine trying to get the right of ways and environmental impacts approved with all the tunnels and blasting needed to get it done?"

You are correct. If not for this 'issue', it would almost be easy.

[lfc4life]

Originally Posted by Nutterbug

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarran_International_Airport

I think they have it all thought out. The airport wants its cut too.

Speaking of which, I wonder if they plan to recover some of the cost of the train by placing video slot machines at every seat, or something like it, and passengers won't have to wait a whole gut-wrenching 2.5 hours to arrive at their destination and begin their gambling.

the slots are there for departing passengers in truth not arriving ones. spending time playing slots will not help cut short your taxi wait, you will still have to wait in a 2 mile long line even if you play slots for 3 hours

[R@ptor]

Nice. Las Vegas really needs such a connection, seeing as their economy relies on a steady stream of tourists to survive. And with the rising prices for driving or flying something like that is needed, however it would be much better IMO if the line would run to L.A. Downtown instead of Anaheim.

As for why they should build a Maglev instead of HSR, well first of all it's way faster, more comfortable (I ride HSR's regularly and have ridden the Shanghai Maglev 3 times and can assure you that I've never ridden a smoother transportation system as the Maglev) and once a Maglev line is build (which arguably is more expensive than a regular HSR line) it's also easier and cheaper to maintain.

[Nutterbug]

Originally Posted by lfc4life

the slots are there for departing passengers in truth not arriving ones. spending time playing slots will not help cut short your taxi wait, you will still have to wait in a 2 mile long line even if you play slots for 3 hours

A "Take a number" system hasn't crossed anyone's mind?

[alex1]

what an awful way to spend even $45 million dollars.

If you're going to connect anything by maglev, make sure that multiple communities will be included. Boston to D.C. would obviously make the most sense. L.A. to L.V. is pork and affects too few people.

[JDRCRASH]

Originally Posted by alex1

what an awful way to spend even $45 million dollars.

If you're going to connect anything by maglev, make sure that multiple communities will be included. Boston to D.C. would obviously make the most sense. L.A. to L.V. is pork and affects too few people.

I think we have to keep in mind that one reason why people want this built is to create small bedroom communities in between.

AHA!!!! But therein lies the possible problem as a result of these High-Speed Rail Lines.

[edluva]

this is stupid. not a cent of public money should be spent on this proposal.

[JDRCRASH]

Why not?

[JDRCRASH]

edit

[jlousa]

Install slots on the trains, the more money people plop into the machines the faster the train moves, easily done with some clever programming. No one playing the slots the train slows to a crawl.

[PhxSprawler]

If our country would build this single portion of the line and it became successful, it could be the first step in building a maglev accross the country. Going from NY to LA by maglev would surely make my "must-do" list - even though I highly doubt it will ever happen in my lifetime. LA(Anaheim) to Vegas to SLC to Cheyenne to Chicago to NYC. Make that happen, then build a southern route from LA to Phx to Houston to Miami. Add some legs to connect the other major cities (SF, Portland, Seattle, Boston, Dallas, etc.) It makes me pee a little just thinking about it.