The U.S. Dept. of Transportation has provided a further infusion of financial help for a long-delayed $12-billion high-speed passenger rail line from Las Vegas to southern California. DOT on Jan. 23 announced it is allocating $2.5 billion in private-activity bonds for the 218-mile Brightline West project.
The rail line would run mainly along the Interstate-15 median. Its Western terminus would be Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. DOT and Brightline say the trains could reach 186 mph, reducing travel time to two hours, which is about half the time it takes to drive. Plans call for the train to be powered by electricity and produce zero carbon emissions.
