A proposed high speed rail line connecting Las Vegas and Southern California isn’t necessarily the one to get an eventual endorsement form the Nevada High-Speed Rail Authority.
The authority is scheduled to meet this month, and Las Vegas-based XpressWest is the leading candidate for a franchise to build and operate the rail line, but there are other competitors.
The five-member panel is slated to meet on November 18, and XpressWest currently is the only entity that qualifies for the franchise, the Las Vegas Review Journal reported.
Other proposals, however, will be considered from Sky Tram International, which is based in Portland, Oregon, the Nevada Intercity Passenger Railroad, and the Dual-Mode Advanced Vehicular Endeavor (DAVE), which is owned by Las Vegas resident David Brough.
The committee will assess all proposals, but with XpressWest currently being the only qualifying entity, the reviews of other proposals likely are a formality and pose no significant challenge to XpressWest’s anticipated approval.
The DAVE system would not apply to high-speed rail but instead would essentially enable people to use their cars on a high-speed rail line, which makes it the least likely to be approved.
Sky Tram proposes an elevated monorail powered by green energy and capable of traveling up to 250 miles per hour, making it about a 1-hour run from Las Vegas to the Los Angeles area.
Enabling legislation, Nevada Senate Bill 457, requires the rail line to enable train travel at speeds of at least 150 mph and operate on a dedicated, standard-gauge tracks.
