Plans For U.S. Levitating Train Get Boost

Plans for a levitating train from Las Vegas to Disneyland can move forward under a transportation bill signed by President Bush on Friday that frees up $45 million for the futuristic project.

Derided by critics as pie in the sky, the train would use magnetic levitation technology to carry passengers from Disneyland to Las Vegas in well under two hours, traveling at speeds of up to 300 mph. It would be the first MagLev system in the U.S.

The money is the largest cash infusion in the project's nearly 20-year history. It will pay for environmental studies for the first leg of the project.

The money had been delayed by a drafting error in Congress' 2005 highway bill, which was corrected along with some other changes by the legislation signed Friday by Bush. The delay had allowed a competing and cheaper diesel-electric plan to emerge as an alternative, but with the money now freed up supporters hope to move forward with the MagLev plan.

The train is meant to ease traffic on increasingly clogged Interstate 15, the main route for the millions of Southern Californians who make the 250-plus-mile drive to Las Vegas each year. There is no train on the route - Amtrak's Desert Wind between Los Angeles and Las Vegas was canceled in 1997 because of low ridership.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., praised passage of the law, saying the MagLev project "will safely and efficiently move people between Southern California and Las Vegas."

[rf35]

I like the Japanese train system...no human intervention. Pay the machine for a ticket and give the ticket to another machine when you get off.

[rf35]

Will they make you stand in line for an hour to go through security and change extra for you luggage?

[acolton1]

How about a bullet train from New York to Los Angles and another line from Dallas thru Oklahoma City, Kansas City and to Chicago and Detroit.

Its time this country built bullet trains.

[rf35]

Maglev was a great idea when it was first proposed in the early eighties. 20 years later and this is as far as we''ve made it? It would take another 100 years to have any type of nation-wide maglev, if ever. Look at Japan. I never drove more than a few miles off-base. Didn''t need to. The trains got me where I needed to go and were about the same price when you factored in gas and road tolls. They have a nationwide electric train system and could convert to maglev if they so chose. We''re starting from the ground up. We''re starting with a route already proven to be under-used. It looks like the project is being set up to fail. Planned failure, brought to you by your own tax dollars and elected officials. Now who''s fault is that?

[bptdude]

The article said the regular train service was cancelled, because nobody was riding it, right? NOT that too many people wanted to ride a train.. Los Angeles, where people only drive cars, not trains, right? Starting point is actually Disney, not the LA airport, right? And nobody sees what is next?

[undermyboot]

The old train was canceled due to low ridership, and they want to spend billions anyway? And for a train from fantasyland to sin city? ***?

How about a useful corridor, like San Diego to LA? or LA to San Francisco? This is nuts!

[beehive21-2009]

The people in Las Vegas,Ariz., utah what to go to the Beaches,built it.

[cantshutup]

the europeans are sooo far ahead of us here in America,they''ve had these super trains for years,they have better roads, better public transportation, better sidewalks and lanes for bikes. Europe has the best transportation system on the planet and while Americans continue to sit on their thumbs whining about $4 gas Europeans go anywhere, everywhere they want with ease, economic satisfaction and comfort.When America is ready to come out of the dark ages as far as transport and economics is concerned, then you''ll start seeing SERIOUS efforts in improvements to our transportation and energy. Till then keep driving gas guzzling dinosaurs, don''t walk, don''t enjoy life.Also, does anyone realize that not only are we settling for inferior transport, energy and standard of living but someone has decided Americans just need dye in their food instead of real produce, someone has decided that Americans can just take a pill for what ails them. In Europe real strawberries in yogurt and dr''s tell patients to walk and excersize not like in America where we get yogurt with dye and pills for health. since when did Americans become such pus sies??18 years ago when i lived in germany, i paid $5gl for gas, didn''t drive without a purpose or plan, i used trains, buses,rode my bike,those were the days, gas was pricey but then germany wasn''t financing an illegal war and could afford to keep up good roads, great trains, excellent education and logical health care.Americans just don''t get it!

[frankbowers]

How sad they would steal 45 million of the US highway tax tyo lbuild a road for the rich and carefreebastards out there. Why not build a road thet will serve america as a whole and let the rich pay there chaufers to drive them on the road like the rest of have to do, they are not ging to spend all their money and it will give them plenty of time to call their friends to tell them where they are going. The train will be for the rich, as the poor can not afford such; the poor seldom go to VEGAS unless they are illegal and looking for work such as it is out there already.
Frank Bowers of Austin, TX

[grabbag2]

I''m reading a lot of ignorant nonsense.

I have ridden on the French TGV in France. (in english: high speed train) Version one is now almost 28 years old. It does 120 mph and runs day in and day out year after year reliably. This thing even leans into the curves like a race car! Version II is 40% faster! The Germans, Chinese, and Japanese also have well engineered systems and have been developing mag-lev systems. These systems serve the public interest, and are VERY fuel efficient compared to cars. This stuff has to be well engineered, yes. We should have invested in the technology when the French did. As a nation we have been too tied to automobiles.