The 305km double-track electrified line would be a fully grade-separated passenger-only railway, largely following the route of the Interstate 15 highway. The Environmental Impact Statement for the project was approved by the Federal Railroad Administration in July. Construction could begin as soon as next year and will take around four years to complete. Trains will operate at up to 240km/h, completing the journey in 1h 24min. Services will run at 20-60 minute intervals and DesertXpress expects to carry around 5 million passengers in its first year of operation. In the longer-term, the line could be linked to the proposed California high-speed network at Palmdale with an 80km extension from Victorville.
