Las Vegas monorails carries nearly 150,000 people during CES show

KRNV-TV4, Reno ^ | January 11, 2005 | The Associated Press

[Willie Green]

Regional Fixed Guideway Moves Forward

Tom Hawley
KVBC-TV3, Las Vegas
January 11, 2005

The Las Vegas Monorail seems to be up and running these days.  But for mass transit, it only serves a very small portion of the valley.

That's why the Regional Transportation Commission is working on a much larger system.  And they're asking for public input on just what type of vehicle they'll use for a new "Fixed Guideway".  That's industry jargon for a route that is physically predetermined, such as a railroad track or monorail.  For a new cross valley fixed guideway (see above map), the RTC is studying four options.

First, light rail...which is becoming increasingly common in large american cities.  The picture at left, for example, is in use by the city of Sacramento.

Second a Diesel Multiple Unit, or DMU, such as the Colorado Railcar at left.  It's essentially a passenger car and locomotive all rolled into one.

The third and fourth options are Bus Rapid Transit or BRT.  The RTC is already running one BRT route...the Metropolitan Area eX press--or "MAX" along Las Vegas Boulevard.  BRT uses a bus-like vehicle, but with an optical guidence system which follows markings painted into the street.  One BRT option would be self-propelled with a combustion engine.  The other could use overhead electrical power.

You can give your thoughts on the project, at a series of meetings being held in mid-January.  Information on dates, times and locations is below.

Actual construction of the fixed guideway is still several years away.

Progress being made in Las Vegas mass-transit.

[Petronski]

Monorail

Lyle Lanley: Well, sir, there's nothing on earth
Like a genuine,
Bona fide,
Electrified,
Six-car
Monorail!
What'd I say?

Ned Flanders: Monorail!

Lyle Lanley: What's it called?

Patty+Selma: Monorail!

Lyle Lanley: That's right! Monorail!

[crowd chants `Monorail' softly and rhythmically]

Miss Hoover: I hear those things are awfully loud...

Lyle Lanley: It glides as softly as a cloud.

Apu: Is there a chance the track could bend?

Lyle Lanley: Not on your life, my Hindu friend.

Barney: What about us brain-dead slobs?

Lyle Lanley: You'll be given cushy jobs.

Abe: Were you sent here by the devil?

Lyle Lanley: No, good sir, I'm on the level.

Wiggum: The ring came off my pudding can.

Lyle Lanley: Take my pen knife, my good man.

I swear it's Springfield's only choice...
Throw up your hands and raise your voice!

All: Monorail!

Lyle Lanley: What's it called?

All: Monorail!

Lyle Lanley: Once again...

All: Monorail!

Marge: But Main Street's still all cracked and broken...

Bart: Sorry, Mom, the mob has spoken!

All: Monorail!
Monorail!
Monorail!

[big finish]

Monorail!

Homer: Mono... D'oh!

[Poohbah]

The monorail only serves a very few hotels on the strip, is poorly arranged, and did nothing to alleviate traffic problems connected with CES.

[Graycliff]

Funny, i was there from last Monday until Thurs, it was shut down.

[ECM]

Classic!

[Willie Green]

Funny, i was there from last Monday until Thurs, it was shut down.

Well it's been up and running ever since Christmas Eve: Monorail Gets Back On Track
But the operating hours are from 8 AM to 2 AM, so maybe you tried during the off hours.

[Willie Green]

and did nothing to alleviate traffic problems connected with CES.

And what do you think the traffic would've been like had those 150K passengers been riding in cabs or driving rental cars?

[rellimpank]

--yep--rode it out of curiosity . I suspect it will be looking for federal money within a year--not including that thirty million sneaked into the end-of-year budget bill by good old Harry Reid---that's for "expansion"---

[Shermy]

"Progress being made in Las Vegas mass-transit."

Willie, that puppy's going to break down again.

[LasVegasMac]

The monorail only serves a very few hotels on the strip, is poorly arranged, and did nothing to alleviate traffic problems connected with CES.

Hey! Don't talk bad about our monorail!!!!

At least nothing fell off this time!

Always with the negative waves...sheese...

LVM

[narby]

Mass transit works. Everywhere the government manages to gork up things tight enough where it's the only option. The Strip, for instance.

Sorry willie, I don't want to live in a city like the Las Vegas Strip. It's good for a laugh, but my house on the quiet hilltop is far more to my taste.

Build all those damn things you want for the fools that like them, JUST DONT TAKE MY TAX MONEY TO DO IT!

[Willie Green]

Willie, that puppy's going to break down again.

No problemo, Shermy.
We'll just fix it again.
(It beats the alternative)

After two days in the desert sun
My skin began to turn red
After three days in the desert fun
I was looking at a river bed
And the story it told of a river that flowed
Made me sad to think it was dead

You see I've been through the desert on a horse with no name...

[Poohbah]

And what do you think the traffic would've been like had those 150K passengers been riding in cabs or driving rental cars?

Not significantly worse. The Strip was just plain FUBAR'd. Hell, I got around faster on foot than anyone did on the monorail or in their cars.

[cake_crumb]

Good news. We're getting there.

[cake_crumb]

"And what do you think the traffic would've been like had those 150K passengers been riding in cabs or driving rental cars?"

I think it's worth the effort.

[Willie Green]

The Strip was just plain FUBAR'd.

Well the monorail is just one small step.
And that's why the "fixed guideway" is being proposed.
More cars will simply FUBAR the Strip worse than it already is.

[Willie Green]

Good news. We're getting there.

Slowly... but we're headed in the right direction!!!

[Red Sea Swimmer]

Good luck to the people who invested in this infrastructure project. They have courage to invest money into a new venture like this.

[Mr. Jeeves]

The Las Vegas monorail is fairly useful. If you don't mind walking a good distance from the Strip to the stations, it will save you some money on cab fare. Surprisingly bumpy ride, though (the "rail" is just a concrete track), and the trains and cars are too small. If they have any delusions about extending service to the airport, they can forget it - luggage would quickly overwhelm the trains.

Interestingly enough, the new AirTrain system at San Francisco International Airport is a better technology example - the ride is good and the cars are roomy. It took them a long time to work all the bugs out, though.

[Phantom Lord]

I wonder if the other event going on in Vegas at the same time had any impact.

That event would be the AVN Awards.

For those that don't know, use google.