Disneyland to Vegas rail idea gains support

A proposal for a magnetically levitating train running from Disneyland in Anaheim, CA to Las Vegas, NV is up against a competing plan based on a cheaper diesel-electric alternative, dubbed the DesertXpress, in a race to provide a direct link between Southern California and the popular desert hot spot. "What all of this shows is that there's certainly a need for high-speed rail, an interest in high-speed rail. We're finally getting the attention," said Alan Wapner, a member of the Ontario City Council who also sits on the commission pushing for what would be the nation's first maglev train. "It's time the United States wake up and realize that we need to develop alternative technologies." According to a Desert Sun report, ten million SoCal residents make the 250-mile drive to Las Vegas every year, often dealing with traffic problems that can stretch the drive to five hours or longer. For nearly twenty years, the maglev train, which would zoom along at 300 miles per hour making the trip in under two hours, was the main plan. Funding delays have allowed the competing DesertXpress proposal to gain steam and support. The DesertXpress would travel at only 125 mph, and would originate around an hour and a half northeast of LA, for a total travel time of three to four hours. DesertXpress says its project would cost $3 billion to $5 billion - compared with $12 billion or more for maglev - and would be privately financed, where as the maglev line would be funded by government loans. Still, either plan could mean big bucks for Disney, Six Flags, and Cedar Fair, all of which have parks in the SoCal area, as well as for the many Las Vegas casinos.