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Apr. 16, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Senator criticizes high-speed train plan

Bill would fund studies for Nevada-California route

By STEVE TETREAULT
REVIEW-JOURNAL

WASHINGTON -- A bull's-eye has been drawn on a Senate transportation bill that would propel plans for a magnetic-powered high-speed train connecting Las Vegas with Southern California.

A South Carolina senator said Tuesday a bill that would release $45 million to perform environmental studies of the train route was an example of wasteful earmarked taxpayer spending.

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    • Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said the criticism was misguided, and that backing for the magnetic levitation, or "maglev," train venture should be anything but controversial. The spending was authorized by Congress three years ago but a drafting error froze the authority for money to be released, he said.

    Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., chairwoman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, said the maglev provision "is just a technical correction. It does not change one thing."

    But Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., said it makes several subtle changes with the effect of dedicating money to the project. The venture envisions whisking travelers at speeds up to 300 mph along Interstate 15 between Las Vegas and Primm, and then eventually to Anaheim, Calif.

    In so doing, DeMint said the bill would threaten a rival project, Desert XPress, whose investors say they are working to establish high speed diesel-electric train service along Interstate 15 without taxpayer help.

    The maglev train funding issue has emerged in what normally would be a routine technical bill. The intent is to set straight drafting errors made in a major highway bill Congress passed in 2005.

    Democrats have promoted the technical corrections bill as an economic stimulus that would free up as much as a $1 billion for infrastructure projects that create jobs.

    Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., has not said whether he supports or opposes the bill.

    The furor over maglev funding also is providing a glimpse of a behind-the-scenes rivalry surrounding train service plans to and from Southern Nevada, several officials said Tuesday.

    American Magline Group is promoting the maglev project between Las Vegas and Anaheim, Calif., in partnership with Nevada and California authorities, while Desert XPress envisions conventional high-speed trains traveling at speeds up to 125 mph along the Interstate 15 corridor between Las Vegas and Victorville, an hour and a half northeast of Los Angeles.

    "It's been pretty well known," said M. Neil Cummings, president of American Magline Group, a consortium of vendors and investors backing the maglev project. Desert XPress "has been exerting influence because they do not want to see our project succeed."

    Among the backers of Desert XPress is Las Vegas power broker Sig Rogich, who sources said has been making a case to senators in favor of that project.

    Rogich was traveling in South Korea on Tuesday, his office said, and was not available.

    In February, he told Associated Press, "I'm hoping that the Senate as a whole will look at what's been spent to date and ask specifically what is this $45 million for."

    Tom Stone, president of Desert XPress, said his team does not consider the maglev project to be a competitor. Simply, the federal government does not have the money that will be needed to complete the line, he said.

    "If we could see a way for maglev to be funded, we probably would be trying to make that happen," Stone said. "But we couldn't see a way." Desert XPress says it will not require federal funds.

    The release of $45 million in federal funds for maglev, most of which would be directed to the Las Vegas-Primm segment of the route, "doesn't affect our project," Stone said.

    Contact Stephens Washington Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault at stetreault@reviewjournal.com or 202-783-1760.



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    Vegas Vic wrote on April 16, 2008 07:42 PM: Jason,
    If you're against the building of power plants and then are in the group that pisses and whines about electricity costs, who's the dumb a**?


    Ed R. wrote on April 16, 2008 06:20 PM: The idea of a much-needed train service running from Las Vegas to nowhere (Victorville)--ridiculous. The idea of compromising a smart, innovative plan to connect desirable locations in L.A. with Vegas with a hair-brained investment scam that's got tax-payer bailout written all over it--more ridiculous. The idea of a South Carolina republican senator judging the technology and economic needs of Las Vegas--most ridiculous.


    tim wrote on April 16, 2008 05:41 PM: 45 million to study a train that will never happen.what a waste,can harry reids pals be in on the study? of course they leave that part out.who gets that 45 million?


    Paul wrote on April 16, 2008 04:33 PM: Helen, don't be fooled. The public RTC may still yet take over the monorail if it fails. Also, $3 million in assessewd property taxes was taken off the rolls with the monorails construction. Not to mention the inflated salaries at the monorail pushing up negotiated salaries elsewhere (how else do you think Randy Walker at the airport and Jacob Snow at the RTC convinced commissioners they needed huge pay raises?).


    Helen Weils wrote on April 16, 2008 02:20 PM: Sounds like pork to me! Let the free market build one and leave the taxpayers out of it. Aren't we glad we're not on the hook for the worthless
    monorail on the strip?


    John Galt wrote on April 16, 2008 11:27 AM: Sheesh! Nobody knew there were still "railroad barrons" in the making. Seems like we could build transcontinental railroads just fine well over a century ago, but nobody can figure out how to build a quick, kushy, SHORT line between two cities?

    Hire a Japanese company to do this if we want it done right. Use prison chain gangs for labor, and make the gawdammed thing actually GO SOMEWHERE.

    I miss you Dagny Taggart!


    UNLVStud wrote on April 16, 2008 11:13 AM: The MagLev train would not be wasteful pork barrel spending like the "bridge to nowhere." It would be a train to somewhere. Somewhere that millions of people want to go to each year year. It would be an economic boom for both Southern California and Southern Nevada.

    No one wants to go from here to VICTORVILLE. Victorville is not high on many people's destination list when they think of getting away from Vegas for a weekend. Most families want to go to Disneyland though. Also, it would take the same amount of time on the old train (from Victorville to here) as it would to take the MagLev train from Anaheim to here.

    Further, a train on the old train route would do almost nothing to alleviate any of the traffic congestion on the 15 coming from LA. The main congestion starts in LA and lasts til Stateline. More people are starting their journey in the LA/Anaheim area than in Victorville. It would make more sense for any rail option to be built in a densely populated area that makes the journey anyway.

    America needs to look at transportation alternatives, such as MagLev, to get us off of foreign oil among other things. Almost all of Europe is connected by rail. Yet America has lagged behind totally relegating our transportation needs to two options: cars or planes.

    The money would be well spent and should be approved.


    Jason wrote on April 16, 2008 09:14 AM: This is a stupid idea. Why do we need it? Reid seems to want to waste all our tax dollars for his special interest trash. It will trash the desert and many of us will protect the desert. Vic calls us terrorists. What a tired expression, Vic. Hate democracy do ya? What a dumb a__!


    Vegas Vic wrote on April 16, 2008 03:10 AM: The maglev technology is interesting but where is the electricity going to come from to power it? Eco-terrorists are blocking construction of any kind of power plants. Solar, wind and geothermal are NOT going to be able to supply the amount of electricity needed to power this experimental technology at this time. Maybe 10 or 20 years down the road but currently, not.