LETTER: A Vegas to California high-speed train by 2028?
My wife and I are currently traveling throughout Europe using two-month seniors Eurail passes. I read this week that ground was broken for the $12 billion Brightline West high-speed train line from Las Vegas to California. Our firsthand experience riding trains in Europe is simple — their rail system works and it’s affordable. The rides are smooth, the cars comfortable and the ease of moving from car to car while it’s in motion is safe.
The Brightline project is expected to finish in four years. As an outsider looking in, I believe the cost and timing to complete this project are astronomical. Most likely, the four-year goal will be missed, and the actual costs will greatly exceed budget. I wonder if the construction contracts have bonuses for satisfactory early completion — and/or under penalty clauses if the opposite happens?
Wouldn’t it be nice if Nevada gaming authorities allowed state casinos to post odds on the actual completion date and the actual project costs — i.e. under- or over-budget and under or over completion date? Did I hear an on-time/on-budget parley?