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Courtesy XpressWest
An artist’s rendering of a train on the XpressWest high-speed rail line.
By Karoun Demirjian (contact) 
Monday, March 18, 2013 | 2 a.m.
Sun coverage
Things were supposed to be settled by now.
Construction workers were supposed to be digging up corridors, pouring concrete, laying track and otherwise making the country’s first government-endorsed high-speed rail line rise out of the desert between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles exurbs.
On the wings of one project, Southern Nevada’s economy was supposed to be back to work.
But in the years since the XpressWest project (formerly Desert XPress) applied for an industry-backed federal loan to finance the venture, it has run into almost every conceivable political roadblock – and this month, one direct assault.
“The risks to the taxpayer from funding this project are untenable,” Rep. Paul Ryan and Sen. Jeff Sessions, the top-ranking Budget Committee Republicans in their respective chambers, wrote to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood earlier this month. “We would urge the Administration to reject the XpressWest loan application and to direct its available RRIF funds to more worthy transportation projects.”
It’s the most scathing indictment yet of a project that has suffered from extraordinarily unlucky timing – and the direct attack has at least some of its supporters concerned that the pushback may relegate an already-beleaguered project even further to the back burner.
“I am concerned about it because of the numbers that I’ve seen and the amount of jobs it would create,” said Nevada Sen. Dean Heller, whose staff is speaking to Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid’s about what could be done to resist the sudden effort to undermine to the project. “It was disappointing that they put that (letter) out there because the funds that are used ... have been funded by the railroad industry for this purpose.”
“It’s more of this Tea Party-driven response,” Reid said. “That is nonsense to hear from the two budget chairs who want to go back to the dark ages on most everything.”
But XpressWest’s main advocates are being cautious about dismissing the bluster from the budget committee Republicans too quickly because they have been down a similar road before.
“At several momentum-gathering points, something appeared, whether it was the election, the (fiscal) cliff, or now the sequester,” said Billy Vassiliadis, lobbyist with R&R Partners, which has been representing the XpressWest venture. “There’s always something that’s a momentum-stopper.”
In theory, lawmakers and lobbyists familiar with ongoing negotiations say the Obama administration is on board with the XpressWest plan.
They are, at present, merely going back and forth about the interest rates and size of the loan. Anthony Marnell, the main force behind the high speed rail venture who has already put up $1.5 billion from private investors, wants an additional $5.5 billion from the Federal Railroad Administration’s Railroad Rehabilitation & Improvement Financing program. The $35 billion federal fund is financed by the railroad industry and has lent money to 33 rail projects since its inception, according to the railroad administration’s website.
Anthony A. Marnell II is a key figure in the development of XpressWest, the high-speed rail system planned between Las Vegas and Southern California. Marnell is chairman and CEO of the Marnell Companies, a partner in the train project.
The government, meanwhile, is pushing for a somewhat smaller loan, in the $4.5 billion to $5 billion range.
Either way, XpressWest would be the single largest loan disbursed by the program by far. The next-highest loan, made to Amtrak in 2011, was $500 million.
The terms of the loan, which was initially supposed to be awarded in mid-2012, are expected to be settled soon – a fact that partially inspired the letter from Ryan and Sessions.
In light of that letter, however, backers are somewhat concerned that an already-cautious government may become skittish about approving the loan as expected.
“There was anxiety on (the government’s) part, because of Solyndra, and we came out on the heels of that,” said Vassiliadis, who has recently been making near-monthly trips to Washington, D.C., from his base in Las Vegas to meet with railroad administration officials.
Solyndra is a solar cell manufacturing plant that became the unfortunate poster child for the Department of Energy’s renewable energy loan guarantee program when the half-billion-dollar venture went bankrupt. That episode effectively ended the political drive to extend the loan guarantee program, which had backed mostly successful projects, including a hybrid solar power plant in Tonopah.
Critics have voiced Solyndra-esque concerns about the prognosis of XpressWest. Part of the Marnell company’s repayment model for the federal loan is assumption that once the rail line is built, customers will want to buy tickets, estimated at $89 for a round trip. But there are no guarantees.
Questions have also been raised about the viability of the estimated 80,000 jobs that the project would create – enough to knock Nevada’s unemployment rate down by 5 or 6 percent. A study by the Associated Press found that only 722 of the estimated 80,000 jobs would be permanent.
And finally, there is a concern from the government about funding.
XpressWest was initially pitched as a fully self-funded enterprise. But in the post-recession period, backers found there was not as much available private capital for high-speed rail as they had anticipated. That’s why they need the federal loan to meet the $7 billion project cost.
XpressWest officials are certain that once they secure a government loan, they will have the credibility to find more private financiers. The federal government, however, would like to see the rail project pony up more money before it gives the project the green light, Vassiliadis said.
“It’s almost like a chicken and egg,” Vassiliadis said. “If we get the designations, then we can go shop.”
The railroad administration did not return a request for comment.
Nevada lawmakers are maintaining a confident front about XpressWest’s predictions.
“There will be plenty, plenty of traffic,” Heller said. “I’ve driven between L.A. and Las Vegas at times when traffic was pretty heavy. I think it’s something that’s needed.”
“We have such a difficult time getting people back and forth from Southern California to Southern Nevada, and it’s not just to watch the shows in Las Vegas – it’s commerce,” Reid said.
The Nevada delegation has no XpressWest detractors – not even from members whose districts won’t serve as direct hosts for the project.
“I appreciate that this is a government program ... from what I understand, they’re going to be competing for money that’s already there,” said Republican Rep. Mark Amodei, who represents Nevada’s northernmost district. “If they compete successfully for that, then that’s fine with me.”
“Critics armed with partisan math need to get out of the way,” said Democratic Rep. Steven Horsford, whose district covers the swath of the state from North Las Vegas to Amodei’s district. “Neither a senator from Alabama nor a congressman from Wisconsin will derail a Nevada jobs project.”
“There’s no reason we couldn’t actually launch an industry,” Vassiliadis said, further defending XpressWest’s numbers. “There’s all these corridors all over the country ... if we launched the ability to be manufacturers, engineers ... if we can get going, this is an industry.”
But the would-be industry still has to clear a political minefield newly laid by skeptical Republican lawmakers looking for ways to balance the budget – and potentially, to deliver a disappointment to the Senate majority leader, who has repeatedly frustrated their party on fiscal matters.
Considering that, project backers say, the threat is serious enough that the only way to be sure the XpressWest project will prevail is if a higher power helps push the normal process along.
“To go or no go is clearly the decision of someone in the White House,” Vassiliadis said. “I think the president. He would have to do it.”
This article is easy to pick apart. Reid says its the Tea Republicans living in the dark ages. As of yet Reid has not PASSED A BUDGET but wants to spend more money. Heller says he's driven between here and LA and talks about traffic problems. Hey Dean it only goes to Victorville, you're on your own for the rest of the journey. Everyone keeps saying corporations are sitting on trillions. If that the case why don't these rich investors use there own money. And Horsford? Well you decide on him.
Another step backwards for the US from a rich greedy repugnican.
The US is winning the race to the bottom.
Feudalism is returning and the US is leading the way!
No, it isn't about any of that. Almost everyone in Las Vegas laughs at a train to Victorville! No one needs a train to no where. If this were a viable project today to eliminate traffic, such as the Mag Lev project that was on the table for 25+ years, which Harry Reid backed for 25+ years until his campaign team told him to flip and go to DesertEXpress/ExtprsssWest, we would all get behind it. The only political corruption here is Harry flipping on Mag Lev for this stupid project because his political team also repressents this project. Lets be real. Tony Marnell has to be one of the most important people in Southern Nevada, but I am sorry Tony, this projects makes NO SENSE to anyone but you. I am leaving for LA by car in a few hours. I would NEVER take a train to Victorville and then what? Rent a car in Victorville to LA? My car goes almost as fact as that antiquated train project so I applaud Washington for seeing how stupid this project is. This is another Strip Monorail project...
I don't know about any of you, but I have started a raft of businesses in my lifetime (some succeeded; some failed) and I never asked for government assistance in the form of taxpayer guarantees or bailouts. If this train project is so wonderful, why are its investors asking for taxpayer involvement? Screw the "fat-cats," the "good-old-boys" and their insatiable appetite for others to take the risks while they make a profit either way.
government ideas, roads, airports and trains to bring customers, or a telephone, electricity, internet...all aided by "government." I wonder if people who have "business" could survive without them.
Dear Karoun,
Every day, a dozen people are killed or injured by landmines around the world. Your casual use of the word "minefield" is disrespectful of their fate. If you want to learn more about the impact of real landmines, please visit www.the-monitor.org or www.LandminesinAfrica.org.
Sincerely,
Michael P. Moore
www.LandminesinAfrica.org
Here we go again! The 5.5 billion dollar train that hooks us up to Victorville. That Palmdale connector is decades away and good luck finding $$$ for that!
Hey, there is a Red Lobster down there!
Would 5.5 billion be enough to fund a brain transplant for Senator Reid?
This is a project that will propel Las Vegas as the originator of High Speed Rail. Make no mistake, this project is the future of HSR transportation, and support of intermodal connections between Nevada and California.
This is historic. This is the next Hoover Dam in terms changing the country transportation needs. Not to mention the new commerce that will develop between Nevada and California.
President Obama has made it clear that HSR is his number one priority in transportation.
It will never be a profitable enterprise. No form of travel is self sufficient. Taxpayers help fund everything from highways, bridges, the FAA, airports, TSA security, and on and on. The question becomes whether high speed rail is a necessity here. It seems to thrive in other parts of the world.
"It's more of this Tea Party-driven response," Reid said. "That is nonsense to hear from the two budget chairs who want to go back to the dark ages on most everything."
Harry Reid said it perfectly. Teabaggers have always hated mass transit projects because building and maintaining such systems usually involves government. Much easier (in their sick minds) to either do nothing or build yet another congested road for the auto.
Government-hating wingnuts will fight tooth and nail to prevent the public from experiencing this convenient and environmentally friendly form of travel. The drill, baby, drill crowd loves stinky fossil fuels and Big Oil's greasy campaign cash.
Gridlock and inaction has always been the GOP's preferred way of doing business. (Except when we invaded Iraq, at which time the GOP controlled Congress moved at lightning speed to accommodate Five Deferment Dick Cheney's nation-building wet dream.)
Jeez, boys... This really isn't rocket science. We all know how to get this train back on track... Just make the usual contribution to Harry's election campaign and all this bickering would stop instantly and the plan would proceed as planned...
The problem is that it would be the first train to Victorville before any connecting lines are built from there to population centers. Victorville is a minimum 90 minute drive from LA, and not a destination in itself. Unless the tiny desert town is already a hub for lines from large cities, it would be putting the cart before the horse to spend tax dollars on a train going no further.
Steve Miller, Former Clark County Regional Transportation Commissioner
Neither the article nor the commenters supporting the project address the very clear problems stated by a number of other commenters above (Susan Russell/MarketingGirl29 makes some good points without getting political). Marnell, Rogich, etc. are using their clout to negotiate a bad deal for taxpayers, and this paper/site continue to provide biased reporting on the project.
"There will be plenty, plenty of traffic," Heller said. "I've driven between L.A. and Las Vegas at times when traffic was pretty heavy. I think it's something that's needed."
Umm...Congressman, I hate to burst your bubble, but the XpressWest train will only take you as far as Victorville...last time I checked that's still 60 miles short of L.A.!!
Stupid Stupid plan. Hopefully wiser heads in Washington will prevail. I hope Heller doesn't fall for Harry's crap again. It's so transparent that this is for the benefit of Harry's buddies. Build it with private money if it's such a great idea. No problem with that!
So Horsford sees this as a job creator? Maybe for he & Reid's buddies, but that's it. What a joke. No one is going to get on/off at Victorville other than those who live in or near there, and there's not enough of them to pay back the loan (meaning the tax payers will pick up the bill for Reid & Horsford's irresponsible spending of OUR money). Take that money away from the railroad bureacrats and put it into an I-11 connecting Phoenix-LV-Reno AND improving cargo rail connections between LV & ports on the West Coast (US & Mex). That'd be a far better "investment" than anything Reid or Horsford has come up with!
Republicans will do any thing 2 obstruct progress 4 Americas working class they are nothing other than shills 4 special corps their a threat 2 our democracy.....shalom
Cant stop progress...Just obstruct it 4 awhile...
searchlightsal do you really think $7 Billion is worth a ride to Victorville and you consider progress? LOL. Probably as long as its OPM. Other Peoples Money.
another BILLION dollar waste of my tax money in the form of a guaranteed government LOAN aka government DEBT
if it's such a great project GET PRIVATE citizens to pony up the billions of dollars needed for this waste of train track to nowhere.
$16 Trillion and counting of mounting federal debt and these hoaksters are looking for more
the federal government is STILL GROWING at an annualized rate of 3.5% even with the budget sequester cuts in place
that's over 50% more debt growth than inflation would account for
let's see reid, marnell and company standing on a corner with a hat panhandling and holding a sign for this - "will work for train"
see how much money they get for this railway to nowhere, then.
It's not a Tea Party or Code Pink, or left or right issue! It's just plane stupid to build a train that no one will ride!
Just run the numbers, 2 couples anywhere in the LA basin going to Vegas for the weekend could rent a new Cadillac Escalade, ride to Vegas and back in luxury, have transportation while in Vegas and spend less time traveling for way less money then it would cost to drive to Victorville, deal with TSA, wait for the next train, then after arriving in Vegas have to rent a car or take cabs, then do it all again to get back to Victorville, pay your parking bill and drive back home.
If it was such a good idea, the private sector would have already built it! It's just stupid! Let Harry invest some of his own millions in the project if he thinks it's such a good idea!
When are Nevada voters going to wise up and vote that clown harry reid out of office? You make yourselves look like morons.
Nice to know that at least two people in Washington have some sense.
Stopthebs: What do you expect from a state in the desert that has a water shortage and has not one but two water parks under construction. Nuff said..
What ever happens, it will be the 'children, grandchildren and great grandchildren' who will be looking at those of us now and cursing the day they have no affordable gasoline for their old cars that go nowhere, and can't afford the airline tickets for the reduced number of planes available to more limited locations. The cost of goods will also go up as shipping limitations increase. Standard of living decreases.
Thanks folks for your forward thinking.
The leg from LV to Victorville is a part of a Southwest Network, going to many more locations than just LA when completed.
It is a good time to begin, a time when jobs are needed, and that extends beyond tracks to jobs creating the services and supplies needed.
Or maybe we should wait for a time when interest rates on loans are even higher, so the cost of needed travel is higher.
By not using forward thinking, directing money into making war rather than actually helping build our nation's infrastructure, we fall faster from the nest of a first world country.
I, sadly, won't be here to enjoy something I have enjoyed so much in the past, rail transportation and meeting the wonderful people who also enjoy the same journeys.
I wonder just how much palm greasing is going on to delay or shelve this project and others. Who will win the fight between electric and oil interests this time?
Will the northeast corridor be the only high speed rail system in the US? We need a national high speed rail system to begin being built now.
Of course, our politicians and their entourages don't need to worry about it since they travel free on the tax payers money. All they have to worry about is getting reelected so they can continue living in their yearly golden parachute of power.
We need more future thinkers.
The math .
5.5 Billion at the average expected return (of every pension fund) of 8% is $440 million a year in expected interest costs.
The average Southwest 737 has 137 seats and the average seat cost is $100 bucks.
My point is you could fly 88 flights a day back and forth from here to Los Angeles EVERY DAY for the cost of the interest of this boondoggle.
I would rather the government provide the 88 flights a day I could hop on for free over the interest cost of Harry's joke.
1. Extend the monorail to the airport.
2. Build a state of the art stadium able to deal with concerts, convention center use, basketball, hockey, and football.
3. Start a state lotto or allow us to participate in the Super Lotto.
Any of these ideas make far more sense then a train to Victorville. Further, they stand a far better chance of actually turning a profit.
Privately funded... great. Publicly funded... no go. Construction costs will outstrip estimates by far and so will operating costs. Taxpayers from Hawaii to Maine will be stuck with another big dig they and most others will never ride.
Vegas to San Diego, San Francisco ... great. LA maybe, the middle of nowhere and a long drive to final destination... another clam bake without the clams.
Public pipe dreams are just that, smoke that irritates most and satisfies few. And a costly smoke at that. We fly to San Diego frequently for less than it costs to fill my tank and 1/3 of what it costs to drive. Why would I take all day, have to rent a car & take an expensive taxi to change trains for more than the cost to fly?
Might work for folks with more money than sense but it ranks up there with driving in rush hour traffic when your retired for me.
150 MPH to Victorville is a Fail. 350 MPH to Anaheim is a Winner!
French TGV World Record 357 MPH.. 150 is A No Go
http://.be/8skXT5NQzCg
Sign me up. I can't wait to take an $89 dollar train ride to Victorville then get a $35 dollar a day rent car for a 3 day weekend visit to LA and pay $15 in auto gas rental fuel. $209 dollars for train/rent car versus an $80 dollar gas fill up trip in my car. I'll take paying 2 1/2 times more my current cost to get to LA any day.
Why can't they have just a regular train from LA to LV? Something a little faster than Greyhound and a little more comfortable--although right now it's hard to beat Greyhound with its $60 round trip fare--and now you can buy your tickets online.
i think this is a wasteful project ....to go to victorville????get real!!!! sounds like and feels like someones trying to make up losses on a casino called th M that went for 30 cents on dollar!!!!
peacelily, that's actually the first good argument FOR this project that I've seen. It would almost convince me to give it a second look, if I actually thought the larger network to SoCal and other locations was realistic. I don't think this project the result of consumer demand, but rather the lobbying efforts by a few influential businessmen with something to gain. It has sleaze written all over it. And this paper is contributing to it by not giving both sides of the argument.
I enjoy train travel in Europe, but it would be very different in the US. Especially in the west.
The automobile, petroleum and road builders are shaking in their nylons about high speed rail.
Once the public experiences the SAFETY, peacefulness and dependability of trains they will look forward to national travel on Continental systems.
Unfortunately, many people are still lamenting the passing of the buckboard.