I am a visitor of Las Vegas, the first largest city in the United States to be left without an intercity rail corridor when Amtrak discontinued the Desert Wind Corridor in 1997. This has caused significant inconvenience and limited transportation options for many residents like me.

The Desert Wind was discontinued on May 12, 1997, a victim of Amtrak's recurring budget cuts that also eliminated the Pioneer days earlier. Train service was replaced with a Los Angeles – Las Vegas Amtrak Thruway service. At that time, rail service between Los Angeles and Las Vegas took 7 hours 15 minutes.

There are several private, competing plans to restore rail service from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, including the high-speed Brightline West and the more conventional X Train and Z-Train.

A Los Angeles – Las Vegas route run by Amtrak nearly entered service in 2000. A Talgo VII trainset was bought for the service in 1999; when it was not implemented, the trainset was later used on the Amtrak Cascades service.

Also, as of 2011, new routes were being considered, including routes using the same track as the original Desert Wind, and routes using the Metrolink San Bernardino Line. Lack of funding and congestion through the Cajon Passremained significant obstacles. More recent proposals using high-speed rail have suggested routing through Victorville and connecting with California's high-speed rail project in Palmdale, assuming the California project can secure funding for a connection from Bakersfield to Los Angeles.

The route has some merit for Amtrak, as the July 2010 issue of Trains listed the route as one to be restored in conjunction with upgrading the equipment on the California Zephyr.

In 2021, Amtrak announced a Los Angeles to Las Vegas train service as part of a new expansion proposal.

In June 2021, Senator Jon Tester (D-Montana) added an amendment to the Surface Transportation Investment Act of 2021 which requires the Department of Transportation (not Amtrak itself) to evaluate the restoration of discontinued long-distance routes, such as the Desert Wind. The bill passed the Senate Commerce Committee with bipartisan support, and was later rolled into President Biden'sInfrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was signed into law in November 2021. The report must be delivered to Congress within two years. The law also provides $2.4 billion in new funds to Amtrak's long-distance route network.

The construction of a new intercity rail corridor between Las Vegas, Nevada, and Provo Utah would greatly benefit both cities by providing a reliable and efficient mode of transportation. It would not only reduce travel time but also contribute towards reducing carbon emissions by encouraging more people to choose train travel over car travel.

According to the U.S Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration, passenger rail services can help reduce congestion on highways and at airports; they are more energy-efficient than cars; they can spur economic development near stations; they provide mobility choice for travelers.

Therefore, we Ask United States Department of Transportation  to consider this proposal seriously. The benefits far outweigh any potential challenges that may arise during its implementation. Let's bring back our New Desert Wind intercity rail service for a greener future!

Please sign this petition if you believe in better connectivity between these two vibrant cities through sustainable means.