LETTER: A rail line from Las Vegas to Salt Lake City?

Joanne Leovy Las Vegas

2 years ago

FILE - Freight train cars sit in a Norfolk Southern rail yard on Sept. 14, 2022, in Atlanta. Th ... — FILE – Freight train cars sit in a Norfolk Southern rail yard on Sept. 14, 2022, in Atlanta. The Biden administration is saying the U.S. economy would face a severe economic shock if senators don’t pass legislation this week to avert a rail worker strike. The administration is delivering that message personally to Democratic senators in a closed-door session Thursday, Dec. 1. (AP Photo/Danny Karnik, File)

I’m excited by the report of a grant to explore passenger rail service from Las Vegas to Salt Lake City (June 26 Road Warrior column). The Nevada Department of Transportation should support Utah in this proposal.

As a rail aficionado, I have noticed that passenger rail makes travel accessible to a broad swath of Americans who are unable to travel by car. Train travel has much lower emissions than auto or airplane travel, resulting in less environmental harm. Best of all, train travel is a great way to meet friendly and interesting people from around the country, relax, enjoy scenery and avoid road rage and road construction delays. Trains put the fun back in travel.

In the Northeast, most small towns are served by Amtrak. Las Vegas deserves the same.