VICTORVILLE – A private rail firm has purchased the up and coming XpressWest rail project, which will link Victorville and Las Vegas. Brightline Trains is an intercity passenger rail system that currently operates a passenger rail service in Florida between Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. There are currently plans in order to expand the service to Orlando.
The XpressWest project will connect one of the most frequently traveled routes in the country, connecting more than 22 million people living in Southern California with Las Vegas. Currently, over 50 million trips are made from Southern California to Las Vegas yearly. The high-speed rail project is set to begin next year and includes a 185-mile corridor which will run parallel to the 15 freeway from Victorville to Las Vegas. The initial service is projected to begin in 2022, providing riders with an under 2-hour trip.
“This is a great step forward,” said San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Chair Robert A. Lovingood. “Brightline is a private company with private dollars and they are stepping forward. Brightline has a proven track record, so I am glad to see this development.” Lovingood believes that the economic benefits will go beyond the jobs constructing the railway.
