We came across this great article this week from Richard N. Velotta and Vegas Inc. discussing the money needs DesertXpress will be applying for in Federal Loans... (that weren't needed at first*) and questions items about the project.
Richard Velotta also asks some very obvious questions that everyone is asking:
[...]
- "If the feds OK the loan, it would be the biggest one ever approved for that program. Since 1998, when the program was initiated, just more than $1 billion in loans have been approved on 28 rail projects. DesertXpress is seeking $4.9 billion."
- "What are the chances the loan is approved? It’s hard to gauge with someone as powerful as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in the picture.One would have to think that any serious review of ridership would include the million-dollar question every critic asks: Victorville?
- “Based on our analysis of the survey data, a total of 115 Las Vegas traveler respondents were asked: ‘If there were a high-speed train from California to Las Vegas, would you consider a one-day trip on this train?’ Respondents to this question could not be provided with any additional information about the high-speed rail system, including any basic information about the routing, cost or amenities, because the surveys were being personally administered.”
- In other words, many of those asked about their willingness to ride a train to Las Vegas weren’t told they’d have to ride it from Victorville.
- Still, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Federal Railroad Administration approved the DesertXpress loan. There are some forces in Washington that seem to be greater than a runaway train.
You can read the entire article here:
http://www.vegasinc.com/news/2011/jul/25/runaway-train/
*You can also find (2) articles about DX not needing the loan from 2007 and then admitting that the project would need the loan funding this year here:
http://canvmaglevnews.blogspot.com/2011/02/desertxpress-now-needs-fed-tax-to-build.html
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