About 10 years behind schedule, funding has finally been approved for a real study into the feasibility of building a Magnetic Levitation based railway between Las Vegas and Anaheim, arguably the two biggest tourist draws in the Southwest. If built, it would be the first MagLev system in the US.
There currently is no train that runs the LV to LA/Anaheim route, so it’s either fly or drive. Both of those options are becoming less desirable as prices for fuel rise. This initial study is for $45 million, but the eventual cost is estimated to be in the billions.
What’s your feeling? Will this be good or bad for Disneyland tourism? As much as I wanted a MagLev between Anaheim and Las Vegas when I lived in both of those cities, wouldn’t spending that money on a better mass-transit system for Orange County and Los Angeles suburbs make more sense? It would certainly help ensure that locals had a way to visit Disneyland even if driving their cars became an expensive luxury.
(Read)
This is fantastic! It’s time we explored other types of transportation. I always liked the idea of a monorail, it gets the passenger cars above the traffic, so commuters aren’t stopping (running engines, burning fuel) while waiting for trains to pass. If they can do it with magnetism all the better!
We could generate enough electric power from solar farms to power the system.
Let’s build 21st Century Transport systems, solar powered. Electric energy is the best way to go.
The blending of Disneyland and Los Vegas will benefit all of us.
john stoller
I think it would be great for both destinations, particularly because of international tourists. The train would make it easier for them to include both locations in their trip.
This sounds like a start to update the American railway. Hopefully, more lines, better train designs, piggy-back for autos, & thoughtful ideas will make the American train system come into a future possible. Walter Disney & his brother were Chicago guys. The trains came through here as a hub city. Maybe we could imagine Disney-land being coast to coast.
Why Vegas? I mean, yes, Vegas is a huge tourism draw, but I’m not sure the demographic of people that brings their children to Disneyland is going to overlap at all with the demographic of people that plan on living it up on the Strip for a few days.
I concur about your last paragraph. I’ve been a resident back and forth between Orange County and Los Angeles, and would love nothing more than to see a transit system between these two neighbors. Right now it is completely useless despite the fact that these two counties are both massive, have lots of cash, and share a border.
Great idea. You have to think about the commuter opportunites as well as the vacationing opportunities. What cities will this Maglev go through, besides Vegas and Anaheim? Also, will this monorail intersect with other passenger lines? Think of multimodal stations.
I’m with Daniel Hollister. I used to think this was such a cool idea, but who exactly is going to want (read: fund) a line between Vegas and Anaheim? Why would California officials spend billions of dollars to send people to spend money in Nevada? And what visitors to Vegas are saying “I’d really like to be able to take a high-speed train to Anaheim and back”? I could see it happening if it was fully funded by Nevada/Vegas, but otherwise, no.
I don’t see California officials being all that motivated to fund it, and my guess is that Barstow businesses, airlines, bus lines, and “Indian” gaming tribes in California will lobby very heavily against it.
Think of who would use a maglev line… freight shippers? Tourists? Business commuters? Our answer is in there. A line within California, especially linking the southern California counties, and perhaps up to the Bay Area or the state capitol is best.
Commute traffic between Orange County and neighboring counties, and between Los Angeles County and neighboring counties, is horrendous. The I-5 Santa Ana Freeway linking Orange and Los Angeles counties is especially awful. I could write for hours about this, but I won’t, because I’ve already wasted too much of my life on the I-5! And YES… I’m from L.A…. I call freeways and interstates “the”!
I’m sure (well not 100%) if they are going to spend billions of dollars it won’t be a point to point railway. It should sort of turn into a regional transit system as it comes into the greater LA and Las Vegas area. It would be crazy to spend that kind of money and not have a few stops along the way. I would route it through some of the major suburb cities with stops there so people can use it for commuting. I’m would cost more to do that but probably not much compared to the total cost. It mostly the addition of stations. I would not make it stop in just Anaheim but also make it stop San Bernadino, Riverside, then to Anaheim, Buena Park, Norwalk, Bell Gardens and terminate maybe in downtown Los Angeles, or maybe route it to terminate at LAX following 405 instead of I-5 or at least go all the way to Orange County Airport. And in Las Vegas have an airport and a strip terminal or two. I don’t see hydrogen powered jets on the horizon so maybe a nationwide maglev is a good idea? But boy are they expensive. I did a project on them with my 2nd grader son and there aren’t many in the world because of the cost to build them.
Build High Speed Rail, not Maglev. High Speed Rail is now operating in many countries. In France it is called TGV. Speeds of 250 mph are possible. It is a practical, proven, cost-ffective technology, and could become part of the High Speed Rail system on the November 2008 California ballot.
Maglev is far more expensive, is not compatible with other rail systems, and appeals only to people who do not understand railroads. High Speed Rail could take passengers between Las Vegas and Anaheim in a little over an hour. Why pay billions to shave a few minutes off that travel time?
I agree with Willard. MagLev technology is way too expensive. HSR, on the other hand, would be feasible. And a Disney-Vegas system might jump start a national system, which is needed to reduce pollution and dependency on foreign oil. Of course, I’d rather see a Disney HSR system built first in the other Orange County. Perhaps an Orlando-Miami system?
Well it would definately make both locations more busy but I think it is great for Disney. Anything to actually get cars off the road but still be able to travel to places is a very good thing, thanks for talking about this!
Amanda
HI I have solution and maybe is crazy but if you know what i know will give you lot of sense.
1. Gas price is going up of many reasons. First we know we have only reserve for maybe 20 more years and that special rich people they make lot of money until is too late.
2. GAS will run out and we waiting too long to act as longer we wait will cost more money to build that magnetic train which we can dream about.
3.I know is possible to propose (and that sound crazy) to rich oil company as TEXACO or ARCO and so on and on to BUILD THAT DREAM MAGNETIC TRAIN WHY ?
Because they so far only make money now and is also time for them to step up and have this most interesting idea participate to do it because will be very hard to find private investors and anyway nobody step forward yet and after all when oil company start only talk about it that will trigger to switch in somebody brain and don’t be chicken because to act. Start talking in high position about this DREAM MAGNETIC TRAIN not only on web side. How come communist have it the MAGNETIC TRAIN they don’t dream any more. WE will get construction work back on track and avoid the deeper crisis here. Make a new opportunity to learn and develop california. Oil company make profit 87 billion a year what is to spend only 25? They
can open a new stock option trade for future investment and not only pollute this one planet we have.
Any way maybe somebody will read this one have more info but how to do it but sound very crazy. NOBODY WILL LOOSE THE MONEY oil companies or people when we organize and save this planet./
This is fantastic!!! What a leap foreword in safty. No car traffic to deal with!
I wonder if they have thought about carpeting the road way in solar cells. How meny years would it be before they can really put a dent in there energy cost.
This idea is bound to backfire. Only the casinos in Las Vegas will be benefiting from a high-speed rail line that will take them from the family oriented theme park. Who else would be in support of such an estranged plan?
And that the government is funding this? What an outrage!
Comments are closed.