Editorial: L.A.-Vegas train an aid, not panacea

Sunday, Dec. 19, 1999 | 10:08 a.m.

Sections of Interstate 15 between Las Vegas and Los Angeles can be wracked by gridlock during weekends. Not only is this an annoyance for visitors from Southern California -- a critical market for Las Vegas' tourism-based economy -- it also means that they spend less time here, which in turn means less money spent in casinos and in other businesses.

So it is encouraging, then, to see that Amtrak intends to introduce passenger train service between Los Angeles and Las Vegas starting in September next year. Currently Amtrak doesn't serve Las Vegas, meaning that passengers arrive here by car, bus or plane. Amtrak officials estimate that 62,000 passengers will use the 300-passenger train in its first year. While this is a small amount compared to the overall number of visitors to Las Vegas, it is one more transportation offering for Southern California residents.

There are some questions being raised, however. Although it's scheduled to begin in September, not all funding is in place for the Amtrak service. The next step is getting enough casinos to step up and help subsidize the building of a platform in Las Vegas, which could cost as much as $700,000. Amtrak has been talking with the Rio hotel-casino about a platform there, but nothing has been finalized. It also remains to be seen whether enough passengers will ride the train. For instance, Amtrak expects the 5 1/2-hour ride to cost between $119 to $179 for a round trip, but it's possible to get an air fare between Los Angeles and Las Vegas for as low as $80. While using a train takes away the stress -- and congestion -- of using a car, the fact remains that if you drive here you have more mobility since your vehicle is with you.

Train service to Las Vegas can't hurt, but it will only remain a small piece of the whole puzzle. What would be more of a boost is extra lanes on I-15, since nearly 6.25 million Southern Californians used this highway to travel to Las Vegas in 1998. The focus of political and business leaders should continue to be securing more money from Congress to make improvements on I-15. And don't forget that Indian casinos offering high-stakes gambling in California likely aren't too far away. No one is expecting that Indian casinos will be able to compete with the entertainment, restaurants and amenities that Las Vegas casinos can offer, but if the transportation infrastructure doesn't improve, don't be too surprised if some Southern Californians decide to stay home and gamble in their back yard rather than fight the traffic to Las Vegas.