Driving from Los Angeles to Las Vegas will take you about four hours, depending on traffic. If you fly, it’s just a one-hour hop, but you have to factor in arriving at the airport early and fighting your way out of McCarran International Airport when you arrive. The operator of a new high-speed train, though, says it can get people from Southern California to Sin City in just two hours—and if they want to go in style, there’s an option for that, too.
Brightline West, the company behind the high-speed passenger rail, has posted pictures of its “party car” for people who can’t wait to get the fun started. The train car, where champagne and other adult beverages will flow from a full bar, has comfy seats and a fuchsia-colored interior. Sorry, revelers, no DJ was shown in the mockups.
A first look at our brand-new #BrightlineWest party car renderings! With bold fuchsia interiors and a luxurious vibe, it's the perfect space to kick back, pop some champagne 🥂, and enjoy the ride from Vegas to California in style. Who’s ready to party on the rails? 🎊 #PartyCar pic.twitter.com/yci0O8l9i2— Brightline West (@BrightlineWest) September 9, 2024
Brightline is hoping to construct a new 218-mile track between Rancho Cucamonga (located east of Los Angeles, about halfway to San Bernardino) and a new terminal that is being built at the south end of the Las Vegas Strip. Current plans call for the line to be up and running in time for the 2028 Summer Olympics, which will be held in LA.
Those plans may not go as smoothly as hoped, though, as a federal lawsuit has been filed to stop Brightline from proceeding with the high-speed rail. Alstom, which makes train sets for the Amtrak Acela line on the East Coast, is arguing it should have gotten the contract to build equipment for the SoCal-Vegas route. (Brightline disputes this claim.)
Brightline’s project is partially funded with $3 billion federal grant. As part of the grant’s conditions, it was required to use U.S.-made products under “Buy America” provisions. Problem is: No U.S. company currently makes the trains that Brightline needs for the route, which will see speeds of 200 mph and higher. France-based Alstom and Germany’s Siemens both secured exemptions from the Buy America rules. Siemens got the contract from Brightline West.
While the lawyers play killjoys, work is continuing on the project for now, including on the party car.