Las Vegas Railway Express?

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Guest_Ben_* said:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/03/prweb3754104.htm
Does anyone know about this?

The website says there would be a train running between LA and Las Vegas Th-M by mid-2011. Where is the equipment coming from? What about infrastructure? Who pays and who runs it?

I find it hard to believe, but just FYI.
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I see a LOT of proposals, even had the good fortune of being in the "right place at the right time" to lease the old Transisco Sierra 49 Express after that folded. (Man did we pump up the PR machine for the little town of Paw Paw, MI. "....Six Million Dollar Trains Comes to town..........") But this one looks like it just might have a shot. I really like the interior, with the sports bar theme. Check it out. http://www.lasvegasrailwayexpress.com/
 
First I've heard of this. It will be interesting to see if they can pull this off. Lots of questions...where is the equipment coming from? New or refurbished? Has UP given it's OK? Will it run from LAUPT? Where will the Las Vegas station be? Good luck to them. If I had some money I might invest in it.
 
Oops, editing my response, as I thought this was the "Desert Express" HSR proposal. This doesn't sound like it. The only way they will get it running next year will be by using the Union Pacific (good luck with that). Their website has computer renderings of car interiors and an F unit and NOTHING else. No talk of schedules, stops, status with UP, equipment acquisition. Just does not seem serious. Did you read the press release, moving from managing toxic mortgage assets to creating a rail passenger service :eek: :lol:

Don't hold your breath.
 
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If they can get UP to agree, it seems feasible and fairly cheap. The renderings are using Gallery cars. Those things are for sale for very reasonable prices all the time. Figure six of them for that train, 1.2 million each including refitting, that's $7.2 million, and then a million bucks for a pair of rebuilt F40s. $8.2 million, a couple of round trips a day, no big deal for UP.
 
Green Maned Lion said:
If they can get UP to agree, it seems feasible and fairly cheap. The renderings are using Gallery cars. Those things are for sale for very reasonable prices all the time. Figure six of them for that train, 1.2 million each including refitting, that's $7.2 million, and then a million bucks for a pair of rebuilt F40s. $8.2 million, a couple of round trips a day, no big deal for UP.
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That is one heck of a big if, and wholly unaddressed. I know UP was demanding significant double tracking for ONE Amtrak round trip a few years ago when an LA-LV Talgo was under consideration. You think these guys are going to pay for that? I don't.

I would like to see it run with those covered wagon Fs, though.
 
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zephyr17 said:
Oops, editing my response, as I thought this was the "Desert Express" HSR proposal. This doesn't sound like it. The only way they will get it running next year will be by using the Union Pacific (good luck with that). Their website has computer renderings of car interiors and an F unit and NOTHING else. No talk of schedules, stops, status with UP, equipment acquisition. Just does not seem serious. Did you read the press release, moving from managing toxic mortgage assets to creating a rail passenger service :eek: :lol:
Don't hold your breath.
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Yea, I'm also "hopeful" but DEF not holding my breath. Seen too many of them come and go. (including my own!) Running trains is just so damn capital intensive, EVEN IF you are only a tenant on someone's ROW.

I agree, the BEST PART of this is the asset company's dealing with "toxic mortgages". MAYBE they can deal with the UP then. :)
 
rrdude said:
(Man did we pump up the PR machine for the little town of Paw Paw, MI. "....Six Million Dollar Trains Comes to town..........")
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OT I know, but odd to see Paw Paw mentioned. An aunt lives there; I've been there once and my grandfather and grandmother are buried there.
 
George Harris said:
This is the sort of "news" item that inclines me to say, I don't know what these guys are smoking, but it sure ain't tobacco.
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Here's a REAL news item on the X Train from the Las Vegas Sun, 4-14-10:

It's not as fast, but this train could hit the rails sooner

"'It’s here now, existing technology that won’t take billions of dollars or even hundreds of millions of dollars to develop,' [X Train chairman and CEO Michael] Barron says. 'We’re acquiring standard train sets and bi-level commuter passenger cars, and then we’re getting some special cars that we’ll trick up to become a gaming car or a sports and entertainment car.'"

Article heads-up courtesy of sportbiker. Includes link to small graphics gallery of DesertXPress and Maglev, as well as links to archived LV Sun stories on the topic.

EDIT: LV Sun page also includes link to photos of a 3-25-10 DesertXpress news conference. Bearded gentleman is Tom Stone, President, DesertXpress Enterprises, who addressed NARP/RailPAC L.A. meeting on 4-17-10. Persuasive fellow, and made some good points, but I remain unconvinced.
 
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