Los Angeles to Las Vegas - Brightline

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~Z~
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Los Angeles to Las Vegas - Brightline

Unread post by ~Z~ »

Appears the line got the go-ahead and construction from Los Angeles to Las Vegas is starting later this year, Brightline running the line, $10 billion cost:
https://original.newsbreak.com/@abu-wri ... in-in-2023

Says LA residents need to use Metrolink to get out to Rancho Cucamonga, and then Brightline to Vegas. They'll be using the I-15 median for most of the route.
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Re: Los Angeles to Las Vegas - Brightline

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It’ll be 20 billion if they ever finish it 😉
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Garry K
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Re: Los Angeles to Las Vegas - Brightline

Unread post by Garry K »

Why can't they use the same tracks that Amtrak's Desert Wind used to use between Los Angeles and Las Vegas (Nevada)?

I visited a friend in Las Vegas (Nevada) back in 2017, taking the Southwest Chief from Chicago to Kingman, Arizona and then a 15-passenger van from Kingman to Vegas. I was the only passenger bound for Vegas that way. On the way back, there were 2 other passengers going from Las Vegas to Kingman. So it doesn't seem there is a high demand for that service. Maybe there would be more passengers going from LA to Vegas (and back), but it sure seems like a money laundering scheme to spend so much money for so few passengers!

Of course, for that "estimated" $10 billion, I'll bet that the "consultants" get 99% of that money. And, AARR, it will probably cost $50 billion when all would be said and done!

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Re: Los Angeles to Las Vegas - Brightline

Unread post by ~Z~ »

Garry, they are planning to run on new tracks that are capable of much higher speeds than the old Amtrak route.
The current Amtrak Fullerton to Kingman is 7 hours. Add in the bus from Kingman to Vegas, if you can even order that. New route is a 2 hour expected run.
Went to Amtrak's site to try to book a ticket for Fullerton to Las Vegas NV, says it can't be completed. Maybe they aren't even allowing to purchase that bus extension currently.
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Re: Los Angeles to Las Vegas - Brightline

Unread post by David Collins »

Brightline has done impressively well so far, their hard and soft product offerings in both premium and coach cabins are very nice. For those who don't know, hard products mean like the fixed elements (seating, features of the car etc.), soft products mean the service, food, things like that.

As for this route, I think it's a bit risky. Think of it like this: There are several airlines that do flights to LAX-LAS and vice versa. You have that option and driving, knowing the general public, they'd most likely choose the former. Brightline is as successful as they are in Florida because no airlines fly from Fort Lauderdale to West Palm Beach, or West Palm Beach to Orlando, that would make no sense whatsoever. So the only option you have left is driving, and I'm pretty sure that there's going to be a lot of people that may not want to pay for that amount of gas these days. Like I said with this whole thing in California with flights LAX-LAS or LAS-LAX being offered. I don't think there would be enough demand.

Time will tell, and I wish them the best of luck.

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Re: Los Angeles to Las Vegas - Brightline

Unread post by GTWTD3 »

~Z~ wrote:
Tue Mar 07, 2023 2:54 pm
Garry, they are planning to run on new tracks that are capable of much higher speeds than the old Amtrak route.
The current Amtrak Fullerton to Kingman is 7 hours. Add in the bus from Kingman to Vegas, if you can even order that. New route is a 2 hour expected run.
Went to Amtrak's site to try to book a ticket for Fullerton to Las Vegas NV, says it can't be completed. Maybe they aren't even allowing to purchase that bus extension currently.
I believe it was late last year that the bus connection was dropped
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Re: Los Angeles to Las Vegas - Brightline

Unread post by Standard Railfan »

Below is link to Brightline’s West service page.

Brightline’s research shows that 85% of travel between LA and Vegas is by car. The new service is planned to cover the distance in half the time of driving.

https://www.gobrightline.com/brightline-west

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Re: Los Angeles to Las Vegas - Brightline

Unread post by ~Z~ »

Certainly helps that the main destination in Vegas for most would be the strip, and the LA side connection is at a public transit junction so easier to then get to final destination. Better than say some Amtrak depot at some remote part of town with no real destination.
Hopefully the Vegas station will be remotely near the casino strip or connect to the Vegas Monorail, or at least the airport for connectivity.
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Re: Los Angeles to Las Vegas - Brightline

Unread post by Typhoon »

Brightline bought land south of the strip to use as their station. It is about 3 miles south of Mandalay Bay. No where near the Monorail, and will need some sort of ground transportation to get anywhere worth going.

https://lasvegassun.com/news/2021/jul/0 ... l-station/

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Re: Los Angeles to Las Vegas - Brightline

Unread post by CSXT9040 »

I remember some years back, I heard about some project called xtrain that proposed running between LA and Vegas, hopefully this doesn’t die out like that did
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Re: Los Angeles to Las Vegas - Brightline

Unread post by CSXBOY »

I'll tell you what you all should go to Florida and ride the bright line down there. Heard it's amazing

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Re: Los Angeles to Las Vegas - Brightline

Unread post by CSXT9040 »

I found this video by downielive of him riding brightline, looks pretty cool.
https://youtu.be/8--9veN7EUk
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SD80MAC
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Re: Los Angeles to Las Vegas - Brightline

Unread post by SD80MAC »

I have many friends and some family that live in SoCal. They drive to Vegas like us Michiganders drive up north: frequently. This will be a welcome alternative for many.
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Re: Los Angeles to Las Vegas - Brightline

Unread post by ~Z~ »

SD80MAC wrote:
Mon Mar 13, 2023 9:24 am
They drive to Vegas like us Michiganders drive up north: frequently.
Are you saying you are in favor of the AA to TC passenger train? :) kidding
Have read about how backed up I-15 gets on Sundays as LA residents are trying to get back home after a weekend in Vegas. Vegas is far more of a destination in a smaller area with good public transit than TC is, that's for sure.
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Re: Los Angeles to Las Vegas - Brightline

Unread post by SD80MAC »

I will add there is probably 20x the amount of people driving between LA and Vegas than Michiganians driving up to TC.
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