Plans to link Southern California and Las Vegas by high-speed rail have hit the buffers after the US Government announced that it had suspended the project’s application for funding.
XpressWest had asked for $5.5 billion to start work on a new 185-mile electrified railway between Victorville in Southern California and Las Vegas.
The double-track line has already received approval to run alongside the I-15 freeway and has many of the agreements needed to begin construction now in place.
According to the project’s leaders, a review of the application has been suspended over a lack of assurances that 100 per cent of the materials for the infrastructure and rolling stock would come from the USA.
Responding to the decision, XpressWest issued a statement saying: “As most people know, satisfying a 100 per cent manufacture in America standard for XpressWest’s trains is not required in the RRIF loan rules and not commercially possible because there is no high-speed train manufacturing base in the United States.”
Adding: “XpressWest has suggested a realistic approach given the current high-speed rail manufacturing market and allows the project to proceed in a responsible manner.”
XpressWest is not the only enterprise looking to improve rail links to Las Vegas. The X Train project is seeking to launch regular luxury services between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
