If I have to drive to Victorville to catch the bullet train, then I may as well continue driving on to Las Vegas

The drive to Victorville usually has the most traffic and is over an hour long when there is little to no traffic. Why in the world wouldn't they start this thing closer to Los Angeles?

From today's LVA shorts:

It's over an hour drive to Victorville from Orange County. There's no way I'd drive that far just to park and ride the rest of the way, either.

What if a party bus picked you up at home and took you to Victorville?

Not my thing.

I've read several articles here in Utah and they describe this as a first phase that, if successful, will be extended in phases from LA to SLC.

Stupid move.... which means Nobama, Reid and the nitwit progressives who ruin California will be sure to approve it forthwith!

Since this thing has been talked up since the 70's, do we have to wait another 40 years for Phase 2? They are going to get a very poor indicator of ridership if people have the hassle of driving to Victorville to catch this thing. If they did something like Ontario, I'd be willing to drive that distance. Victorville is well over an hour away from the L.A. area, and if there is afternoon traffic, it could be well over two hours.

I have to agree. What sense does it make to drive to Victorville, and to be sure you arrive in Victorville at the correct time, to board a train for Vegas? This idea is not only half baked, it also only provides half of the solution.

However, there are people who will do it. The question is, are there enough people? Or, is this being built to benefit The San Fernando Valley and Palmdale, Lancaster and northern LA county only?

My first question is, what will it cost to park my car to catch the train?

They plan to link Victorville to Palmdale before they think of SLC. They seem to have big expectations--their website www.desertexpress.com indicates the schedule will be a train every 60 minutes, so little wait time. If you miss one, you'll catch the next.

The trip will take only 1.5 hrs they say. Usually a drive from LA to LAS is 4.5 hrs or so, that means even if it takes 1 hr to get to Victorville, and 1.5 hrs to Vegas, that's 2.5 hrs vs 4.5 hrs.

2 More Hours in Vegas!!!

OK, some of you speed demons or traffic timers can get there in 3.5 to 4 hrs.

1-1.5 hrs more in Vegas!!!

Palmdale isn't much better than Victorville. I can understand where you can't have a high speed train going through cities, but there has to be a better departure place than Palmdale or Victorville.