U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg expressed excitement about the project, stating that it would bring numerous benefits, such as job creation, improved economic opportunities, reduced congestion on roadways, and decreased air pollution.

Brightline West, the sister company of an existing high-speed train operation between Miami and Orlando in Florida, intends to lay approximately 218 miles (351 kilometers) of new track between Las Vegas and a new facility in Rancho Cucamonga, California. The majority of the rail line will be built in the median of Interstate 15, with a station stop planned for the Victorville area in San Bernardino County.

Wes Edens, founder and Chairperson of Brightline Holdings, hailed the project as the foundation for a new industry. Edens expressed his pride, stating that the moment was long overdue. Brightline West aims to connect U.S. cities that are too close for air travel and too far for convenient driving distances.

The CEO of Brightline, Mike Reininger, has set a goal of having the trains operational in time for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. The project received significant backing from the Biden administration, including a $3 billion grant from federal infrastructure funds and authorization to sell $2.5 billion in tax-exempt bonds. In 2020, the company secured federal authorization to sell an additional $1 billion in similar bonds.

Described as the first true high-speed passenger rail line in the nation, the Las Vegas to Los Angeles route is expected to reach speeds of up to 186 mph (300 kph), comparable to Japan's Shinkansen bullet trains. The project's design intends to reduce the travel time across the Mojave Desert from four hours to just over two hours. Forecasts predict an impressive 11 million one-way passengers annually, or around 30,000 passengers per day, with fares set to be significantly lower than airline travel costs. The trains will offer amenities such as restrooms, Wi-Fi, food and beverage services, and luggage check-in.

Officials are hopeful that the high-speed rail line will alleviate congestion on Interstate 15, which frequently experiences heavy traffic as Southern Californians drive to and from Las Vegas. With Las Vegas hosting over 40 million visitors per year and growing, the new rail line is expected to relieve the strain on the city's roadways. In 2023 alone, more than 44,000 vehicles crossed the California-Nevada state line on I-15 each day.

Brightline Holdings, known for its successful Miami-to-Orlando line launched in 2018, offering speeds up to 125 mph (200 kph), plans to provide 16 round-trip services per day for the 235-mile (378-kilometer) distance, at a cost of approximately $80 for a one-way ticket.

While other fast trains like Amtrak's Acela operate on shared tracks with freight and commuter services, achieving speeds of up to 150 mph (241 kph) between Boston and Washington, D.C., the Las Vegas to Los Angeles line is heralded as the first dedicated high-speed passenger rail line in the United States.

With construction now underway, the dream of high-speed rail in America is finally becoming a reality, promising a transformative mode of transportation that aims to enhance connectivity, boost economic growth, and provide a greener alternative for travelers in the years to come.