DX land approval, Victorville in default, Utah HSR, Maglev Snow

All,


While the DesertXpress (DX) HSR (who has the proposed same route as the CA/NV Maglev project but, ends in Victorville, CA) is waiting to see if the FRA will grant its billion dollar loan to get the project started.  This article posted a few days ago about the approval from the BLM for the land needed for the DX project and is looking into the possibility of UTAH connecting to the DX HSR project.


DX/BLM approval story:
[...]

by Ed Fuentes

on November 27, 2011 1:05 PM

BLM's total acreage for permanent right-of-way along the 200-mile corridor consists of 821 acres of public land and an additional 95 acres for temporary construction. The project will also takeover 2,800 acres of private land.
[...]
http://www.kcet.org/updaily/socal_focus/transportation/desertxpress-gets-approval-from-bureau-of-land-management.html


Victorville default story:
**dont forget that the city of victorville is about to default on $5.3 million in loans for city expansion costs  (including the E220 freeway project as discussed in prior posts) ** this is where the DX station will end.
http://www.kcet.org/updaily/socal_focus/government/with-500-million-in-outstanding-debt-victorville-nearing-insolvancy.html


UTAH:
The westernhsr team would more than likely be the connecting team to the DX project.


https://whsra.com/


Don't forget we posted back on Aug. 16 of this year the idea from a reader to the Vegas Inc website of where additional rail lines could be built from 183 miles (the same distance as the DX project).  


http://canvmaglevnews.blogspot.com/2011_08_01_archive.html


Enoch, Ut. ~ population 3,467 ~ 3 sq. miles
>Stops along the way...
Mesquite, Nv. (population 14,800 ~ 15.6 sq miles)
St. George, Ut, (population 72, 897 ~ 64 sq. miles)
Cedar City, Ut. (population 20, 527 ~ 20 sq. miles) 

Also from our post of "How does Maglev - Maglev?" from the Transrapid website a flash video of Snow operations.  Especially in the southern area of Utah (south of Beaver to Cedar City are lots of hills and heavy snow drift areas).  Something that any HSR will need to consider during the winter months.

http://www.transrapid.de/cgi-tdb/en/basics.prg?session=4762e7c54bcc814f_345417&&r_index=2

Keep Flying On The Ground! 
Ca/Nv Maglev News

Judge side-tracks Vegas Monorail Bankruptcy plan

All,
The Las Vegas monorail has had its bankruptcy plans side-tracked when the plans were not approved by Judge Bruce Markell.  Judge Markell expressed concerns and has been quoted the following:


[...]
“Its current plan dooms it to failure, if not in the next few years, certainly by 2019,” 
[...]


The monorail project is trying to connect additional segments to its operations to secure additional funding for the proposed extension line to McCarran airport.  The Sahara Hotel Station, the Project Linq behind Harrahs, are all part of its plan to emerge out of bankruptcy.


Here is the link to monorail video from (2008).  The interesting part is around 2:23 showcasing the McCarren Airport expansion (rendering included in the video.)


http://canvmaglevnews.blogspot.com/2011/04/las-vegas-monorail-video.html


Keep Flying On The Ground! 
Ca/Nv Maglev News

DX gets OK to build tracks on Fed land, still needs $$$

All,
Heres a great article (with Video) from Las Vegas local T.V.  (abc 13) about how the DX project got the OK to build tracks on federal land (about 900 acres).


Heres a link to the story:
http://www.ktnv.com/news/local/134166913.html


DX still needs to get federal funding loan of $4.9 Billion to get the project started. 


The back story is the Dean Martin Rural Neighborhood Preserve is still fighting and voicing concerns about the project being placed into "their backyard", sight lines, and airport landing and take off clearances from McCarran Airport.


Keep Flying On The Ground! 
Ca/Nv Maglev News

ARTIC wins OC business council award

All,
The ARTIC project received the Orange County Business Council Award for Real Estate Redevelopment and Reuse.


You can read the article here:
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/orange-county-business-council-announces-turning-red-tape-into-red-carpet-award-winners-2011-11-17

Keep Flying On The Ground!
Ca/Nv Maglev News

OCTA Metrolink "DUCKS" promotion

All,
We came across this page today from the OCTA & Metrolink promotions page for the Mighty Ducks.  Ironically passengers will be exiting at the proposed ARTIC station in Anaheim.  With the MAGLEV project we assume that there will be multiple promotions for both Las Vegas and Anaheim.


Heres the main link to the page:
http://www.octa.net/ducksexpress.aspx


And a logo from the main page:

Keep Flying On The Ground! 
Ca/Nv Maglev News

Ontario Airport Numbers Aren't Taking Off

All,
This is an older story but, it has the legs to follow.  Ontario Airport (ONT) has had its passenger numbers continue to fall short of its numbers by 1/3 from 2007 - 2010.


Los Angeles Airports operates both (LAX) and (ONT) airports. 


You can read the article here:
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/oct/31/local/la-me-adv-ontario-airport-20111031
October 31, 2011|By Dan Weikel, Los Angeles Times
[...]
"But Inland Empire leaders suspect something more insidious is at work. Increasingly, they are convinced that Los Angeles World Airports, which operates both LAX and Ontario, has become an absentee landlord bent on a multibillion-dollar modernization of LAX at the expense of its weaker stepchild and potential competitor 56 miles to the east."
[...]
Continued... 
[...]
"Last year, the fees that Ontario charged air carriers per passenger averaged $14.50, about seven times those charged at Burbank, more than twice those at Long Beach, 45% more than Orange County's John Wayne Airport and 31% higher than LAX."
[...]


There are hopes that with the CA/NV Maglev project with its connections from the ARTIC (Anaheim) and first stop (ONT) will help increase these numbers and connect more passengers not only to Las Vegas  (LAS) but to (ONT) as well.

Keep Flying On The Ground! 
Ca/Nv Maglev News

DX still denies interview requests for projects

All,
Its been an interesting (2) weeks for the DX news front but, what is more interesting is that from a few press announcements DX continues to deny requests for interviews.  One would expect in an environment where a company is submitting for BILLIONS of tax payer Federal based loans, that it would freely offer interviews.


Heres the past weeks news about DX and the statements from DX.


Thursday, November 3
Vegas Inc. "DesertXpress wants suppliers to manufacture materials in Nevada and Southern California."
By Richard N. Velotta
http://www.vegasinc.com/news/2011/nov/03/desertxpress-wants-suppliers-manufacture-materials/
[...]
"Andrew Mack said DesertXpress is in the process of selecting its primary design, engineering and building teams and its rolling stock supplier and operator. Mack declined media interview requests after his presentation.
[...]


Thursday, November 3
8 News now  "Pitch Changes for High-Speed Train to California
By Nathan Baca, Reporter
http://www.8newsnow.com/story/15955549/pitch-changes-for-high-speed-train-to-california
[...]

DesertXpress hopes are pinned on southern California tourists.  Out of 40 million tourists who come to Las Vegas every year, 30 percent come from the Los Angeles area. Using the train from Las Vegas to southern California only saves passengers money if the line is extended to the California high-speed network planned for Palmdale. However, that proposal was hardly mentioned at Thursday's conference. A clear sign to many that the train is meant purely for bringing California tourists and their money to the Las Vegas Strip.

DesertXpress hopes to get its trains moving by 2016.  The company's chief operating officer declined 8 News NOW's request for an interview. [...]

Keep Flying On The Ground! 
Ca/Nv Maglev News