High-speed train project chugs ahead as $3 billion in Nevada funding gets OK

LAS VEGAS ( KLAS ) — The high-speed train between Las Vegas and Southern California took a big step forward this week when $3 billion in funding got an important signature.

The Federal Railroad Administration signed off on the Brightline West agreement on Thursday, sending the money to the Nevada Department of Transportation. A spokesman said Friday that keeps Brightline on pace to begin construction in early 2025.

Initial estimates indicate the high-speed train project will cost $12 billion. The train will run on tracks in the median of Interstate 15 and serve four stations — Las Vegas, and three stations in California at Victor Valley, Hesperia and Rancho Cucamonga, where it will connect to existing Metrolink lines to Los Angeles.

Brightline West is expected to carry passengers in time for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, scheduled to begin in mid-July 2028.

The all-electric trains are expected to reach speeds over 200 mph, making the trip in two hours. Officials call it America’s first true high-speed rail project.

“This $3 billion federal investment is a transformative step forward in shaping the future of Nevada’s transportation,” Tracy Larkin Thomas, director of the Nevada Department of Transportation, said.

“With this funding, we’re closer than ever to making high-speed rail a reality — offering a fast, sustainable alternative to car travel between Las Vegas and Southern California. This project will stimulate economic growth and create jobs, providing lasting benefits for both our state and the region,” Larkin said.

Gov. Joe Lombardo said, “I’m pleased to see Brightline’s continued development with the finalization of the Federal Railroad Administration grant. Brightline West represents a historic public-private partnership opportunity, and the State of Nevada looks forward to its ongoing progress.”

Brightline officials say the project will create more than 35,000 jobs, including 10,000 union construction jobs. When completed, daily operations will support about 1,000 jobs.

A recent truck crash on I-15 in California brought attention to the heavy traffic along the corridor. Officials closed the highway for nearly two days as a truckload of lithium batteries burned. Although it’s unclear how such a crash would impact operations of a high-speed train, officials said the situation demonstrated the need.

The train is expected to reduce traffic congestion on I-15, removing 3 million cars from roadways and eliminating more than 400,000 tons of emissions annually, according to Brightline. The electric trains will be built in a New York factory , the company announced earlier this month.

“This is a historic commitment that will jumpstart the high-speed rail industry in America, creating thousands of jobs all across the country,” Brightline CEO Michael Reininger said. “Brightline West will be American made and American built, and will serve as the blueprint for connecting city pairs that are too close to fly but too far to drive.”

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