EVEN A COOL TRAIN SYSTEM ISN'T ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY EVER RETURNING TO VEGAS...:

Three Extreme High-Speed Rail Concepts for Las Vegas: Las Vegas developers hear proposals for new transportation methods to hook up visitors from LA (Jeremy Hsu, 10.23.2009, Popular Science)

The Tubular Rail concept would work as a single rigid train that threads the needle through elevated support rings. Each train would have guidance rails, and would keep in contact with the electric motors on at least three rings at all times, to reach speeds of up to 150 mph. [...]

A second concept by Californian Frank Randak, called AVT SolaTrek, would take cars off highways and load them onto moving maglev trains. The cars first get onto an automated shuttle vehicle that speeds up to match a moving train, and then load onto the train via conveyor belt. Passengers can then leave their cars to check in with private entertainment compartments.

A third idea called America's Sunlight Bullet Expressway would combine a nationwide network of electric trains with guideways that could also hold transmission lines. The trains themselves would resemble air-cushioned vehicles, and could theoretically carry up to 1,400 passengers at speeds of up to 500 mph.

...unless they're hosting the World Championship of Naked Crisco Twister and the Final Four is Selma Hayek, Serena Williams, Margaret Thatcher and me.

Posted by Orrin Judd at October 23, 2009 6:32 AM