China Railway, which had agreed to put up $100 million for XpressWest to build a 230-mile, 190 mph train from Victorville, Calif. to Las Vegas last September, withdrew from their agreement, primarily due to the inability to use their own trains.
"Nine months after announcing that China would help build a high-speed rail line from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, the private U.S. company behind the plan said late Wednesday that the deal was off," writes Julie Makinen, a reporter in the Los Angeles Times' Beijing bureau.
A major impediment for China Railway International (CRI) was the inability to use its own rail equipment. It would seem that the $100 million may have come with some strings attached.
"XpressWest [previously called DesertXpress] indicated that its 'biggest challenge' was a federal government requirement that high-speed trains must be manufactured in the United States to secure regulatory approvals," writes Makinen.
An October post about CRI expressing interest in the California high-speed rail project and beating out the Japanese in a high-speed contract in Indonesia indicates that the rail company works with the Export-Import Bank of China whose "main mandate is to facilitate the export and import of Chinese mechanical and electronic products..."
It would seem that the same 'build-in America' requirement would deter CRI in pursuing a contract with the California High-Speed Rail Authority as it did with XpressWest.
Undeterred
"XpressWest is undeterred by this development and remains dedicated to completing its high-speed passenger rail project," state's the company's June 8 press release.
XpressWest will now aggressively pursue other available development partnerships and options expected to result in a more efficient and cost-effective project implementation experience,” said Tony Marnell, CEO of XpressWest.
New Palmdale Station
Makinen also clarifies where the train route would begin in California. The September post on the project indicated the line would start in Victorville, San Bernardino County, 85 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles.
But in wake of the September announcement, Chinese officials described the project as a 230-mile route with an additional stop in Palmdale and eventual service throughout the Los Angeles area using some of the same track that would be used by the publicly backed California high-speed rail project.
The press release indicates that the company is performing environmental review for the new segment.
XpressWest is eagerly anticipating the completion of the final environmental work required for the development of the line connecting the project to Los Angeles through Victorville and Palmdale, California, The environmental approvals for the Victorville-Palmdale segment are expected no later than September 2016.
Palmdale also has a Metrolink station providing service to downtown Los Angeles on the Antelope Valley Line.
Southwest (Rail) Network
XpressWest also has its sights on a much broader market which it calls the Southwest Network.

Credit: XpressWest
Other high-speed rail lines in United States:
Unless XpressWest finds another backer, the only two high-speed rail projects under construction or in planning are the California high-speed rail line from San Francisco to Los Angeles being planned and constructed by the California High-Speed Rail Authority, and Texas Central Railway's Houston to Dallas line, projected to begin operations in 2021.
All Aboard Florida, now called Brightline, is a diesel-powered 'higher-speed', 240-mile intercity rail line to run between Miami and Orlando, with service between Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach projected to start next year.
Acela is an existing high-speed train that runs from Washington, D.C. to Boston, though it needs lots of upgrading to attain a uniform 150 mph speed.
Hat tip to Headlines brought to you by the MTC-ABAG Library.
FULL STORY: China will not build L.A.-to-Vegas rail line — U.S. company calls the deal off

Legendary Parking Guru Donald Shoup Dies at 86
Urbanists are mourning the loss of a dynamic voice for parking reform and walkable cities.

Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.

DOT Memo Directs Transportation Funding to Communities With Higher Marriage and Birth Rates, Compliance with Immigration Officials and No Mask Mandates
The memo ties immigration enforcement to federal funding and prohibits mask or vaccine mandates.

Housing Measure Wins in Seattle Special Election
Voters approved a new tax that could bring in $50 million per year for social housing.

Resilient Communities, Healthy Ecosystems: A Balanced Approach to Wildfires
Effective wildfire mitigation in California requires a holistic approach that goes beyond large-scale vegetation removal, emphasizing home hardening, defensible space, strategic planning, and reducing human-caused ignitions.

St. Petersburg’s Bike Infrastructure Efforts Pay Off
New bike infrastructure is encouraging more people to take to the streets on two wheels, but advocates say safety challenges remain.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Bakersfield
Standridge Inc.
City of Brookings
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service