Texas On "Fast Track" To High Speed Rail

[Randomguy34]

^ they are in fact applying for grants, although they haven't said how much they're requesting.

Texas Central and Amtrak have submitted applications to several federal programs in connection with further study and design work for the potential Dallas to Houston segment, including the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure Safety and Improvements (CRISI) grant program, the Corridor Identification and Development program, and the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail (FSP-National) grant program.

[Atlurbsandspices]

I guess I'm just not seeing what Amtrak is getting out of this, unless the plan is for them to run the eventual HSR, or at least share the ROW. Unless they are being very altruistic and just see any improvement in HSR in the US as a win at this point, which I mean...

[urbanactivist]

Originally Posted by Atlurbsandspices

I guess I'm just not seeing what Amtrak is getting out of this, unless the plan is for them to run the eventual HSR, or at least share the ROW. Unless they are being very altruistic and just see any improvement in HSR in the US as a win at this point, which I mean...

What would Amtrak get out of it? Profit share?!?!

And on the inverse, what Texas Central gets is the ability to complete their project. Amtrak already has the ROW which will dramatically reduce construction costs. IMO this is what should've happened from the start.

As a current Houston resident, this is a very exciting opportunity, and for once I am hopeful that this project can get over the finish line (before the airlines find a way to block it).

[sammyg]

Through-ticketing is a great addition - it would be really helpful to be able to go from OKC to Dallas on Amtrak and switch to Texas HSR to Houston, or to go New Orleans-Houston-Dallas on one ticket.

[electricron]

Originally Posted by sammyg

Through-ticketing is a great addition - it would be really helpful to be able to go from OKC to Dallas on Amtrak and switch to Texas HSR to Houston, or to go New Orleans-Houston-Dallas on one ticket.

That's not going to happen anytime soon. Amtrak's contract for track access to the TRE corridor only allows 2 trains per day (Texas Eagle dailies) and 4 extra trips for an entire year, which Amtrak uses on UT-OU weekend.
So you will have to take the Heartland Flyer to Fort Worth, switch trains to the Texas Eagle or the TRE, before catching the HSR train in Dallas for Houston.
That's three different trains, assuming you are willing to walk a mile between Dallas' Union Station and the Texas Central HSR station. They do have those two wheel scooter rentals in downtown Dallas that might make the one mile walk more bearable.
Of course, the Amtrak and TRE agreement could change, but that will probably cost the Feds some more cash for more double tracking.

[DFW]

https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/hi...worth/3319167/

[sammyg]

Originally Posted by electricron

That's not going to happen anytime soon. Amtrak's contract for track access to the TRE corridor only allows 2 trains per day (Texas Eagle dailies) and 4 extra trips for an entire year, which Amtrak uses on UT-OU weekend.
So you will have to take the Heartland Flyer to Fort Worth, switch trains to the Texas Eagle or the TRE, before catching the HSR train in Dallas for Houston.
That's three different trains, assuming you are willing to walk a mile between Dallas' Union Station and the Texas Central HSR station. They do have those two wheel scooter rentals in downtown Dallas that might make the one mile walk more bearable.
Of course, the Amtrak and TRE agreement could change, but that will probably cost the Feds some more cash for more double tracking.

I was thinking that you could buy a ticket from either Amtrak or TRE that included both legs. Something like how you can buy an airline ticket from American from Chicago to London to Paris that includes a connecting flight on British Airways.

[electricron]

Originally Posted by sammyg

I was thinking that you could buy a ticket from either Amtrak or TRE that included both legs. Something like how you can buy an airline ticket from American from Chicago to London to Paris that includes a connecting flight on British Airways.

You pay a fare to Amtak to ride a specific train. The fares you pay for public transit in the DFW area is for any train or bus that day. Fort Worth and Dallas have individual transit agencies, as does Denton, and the fare is $6 a day locally, or $12 a day regionally. The TRE fare boundary is at Centerpoint Station near SH-360. With the different fare structures, it is much simpler to just buy two fares.

[Busy Bee]

Republicans doing what Republicans do best. (besides a general spinelessness, upside down worldview, giving money to the rich, deriving pleasure from the struggles of the poor and, of course, eating their own)

Texas Congressmen oppose federal funding for Dallas-Houston high-speed rail
Letter sent to the FRA requests denial of submitted grant applications

October 4, 2023

AUSTIN, Texas — Two U.S. Congressmen from Texas expressed heavy opposition towards proposed federal funding for a planned high-speed rail service between Dallas and Houston. Amtrak announced its partnership with the Texas Central Railroad LLC for the project in August 2023 and jointly submitted federal grant applications for both study and design work. [See “Amtrak working with Texas Central to ‘explore opportunities’…” News Wire, Aug. 9, 2023].

In a Sept. 28 letter from U.S. Congressmen Jake Ellzey (R-Texas) and Michael McCaul (R-Texas) urge Amit Bose, FRA administrator, and the U.S. Department of Transportation to reject the following applications from North Central Texas Council of Governments, Amtrak, and Texas Central:

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-revi...gh-speed-rail/


You have to almost admire the astonishing level of bullshitery these apes subject people to...

“At its core, this project is intended to take land from American citizens and put it under the control of a Japanese company, which is itself subsidized using money from U.S. taxpayers.”

[202_Cyclist]

I read that this morning. If these fools want to give California the federal high-speed rail money again, please proceed.

[Busy Bee]

Haha... So true.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Republicans doing what Republicans do best. (besides a general spinelessness, upside down worldview, giving money to the rich, deriving pleasure from the struggles of the poor and, of course, eating their own)

Texas Congressmen oppose federal funding for Dallas-Houston high-speed rail
Letter sent to the FRA requests denial of submitted grant applications

October 4, 2023

AUSTIN, Texas — Two U.S. Congressmen from Texas expressed heavy opposition towards proposed federal funding for a planned high-speed rail service between Dallas and Houston. Amtrak announced its partnership with the Texas Central Railroad LLC for the project in August 2023 and jointly submitted federal grant applications for both study and design work. [See “Amtrak working with Texas Central to ‘explore opportunities’…” News Wire, Aug. 9, 2023].

In a Sept. 28 letter from U.S. Congressmen Jake Ellzey (R-Texas) and Michael McCaul (R-Texas) urge Amit Bose, FRA administrator, and the U.S. Department of Transportation to reject the following applications from North Central Texas Council of Governments, Amtrak, and Texas Central:

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-revi...gh-speed-rail/


You have to almost admire the astonishing level of bullshitery these apes subject people to...

I wonder how much Southwest, United and/ or American contributes to these congressmen. Follow the money...

[homebucket]

Originally Posted by JManc

I wonder how much Southwest, United and/ or American contributes to these congressmen. Follow the money...

Good point. Short haul heavy domestic airlines are absolutely against HSR.

If Texas doesn't want it, we'll be more than happy to take the funds though.

[Busy Bee]

Originally Posted by JManc

I wonder how much Southwest, United and/ or American contributes to these congressmen. Follow the money...

This is what reportedly kiboshed the old T-Bone HSR proposal, though I think it was primarily Southwest that was responsible.

[202_Cyclist]

Originally Posted by JManc

I wonder how much Southwest, United and/ or American contributes to these congressmen. Follow the money...

I don't think it is contributions from the airlines that is driving the opposition of the Republicans. I don't think flights from Dallas - Houston are overly profitable. More likely, it is blind opposition and hostility to investing in sustainable infrastructure and anything that would reduce emissions. There was a House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee hearing recently that Secretary Buttigieg testified at and, unfortunately, electric vehicles have become another culture war issue for Republicans.

[Gantz]

Originally Posted by JManc

I wonder how much Southwest, United and/ or American contributes to these congressmen. Follow the money...

Could also be oil money, not just airlines. Probably oil companies in their districts?

[electricron]

Jake Ellzey (R-Texas) is from District 6, based in Ellis County, and Michael McCaul (R-Texas) is from District 10 based in Northwest Harris County.
Texas Central will run through their base counties but not stop in them.
A letter is not introducing a bill or an amendment to a bill, they are just playing politics with their voting public. They have to look like they are doing something when in reality they aren't.

These are the same counties that took Texas Central to the State Supreme Court and lost. If you can not win in court, maybe you can win in politics. What they do not realize is that the Metros of Houston and Dallas are bigger than them, by a large vote count margin. But you gotta try swinging at strike three!

What these two Representatives are proposing in the letter is denying any Federal funding to all passenger railroads, including Amtrak and your local regional transit agencies to prevent any Federal funding for Texas Central specifically. But the existing US Transportation funding law on the books allows it. It is not possible to deny Federal funding to individual entities, states, districts, etc. without cause. Texas Central already has a complete and approved Environmental Impact Statement, with FRA Record of Decision already on the books. They are too late!