What it means for Amtrak to take the reins of the Texas Shinkansen project

For more than 30 years, politicians and business leaders have promised Houstonians would be able to reach Dallas within two hours using high-speed rail. That promise is somehow closer than ever, yet still very far away.

After a decade of private companies driving the debate and sparking deep opposition in rural Texas, Amtrak, the state-owned passenger rail company, has taken the lead. Officials are considering the possibility of a bullet train between Houston and Dallas as part of a nationwide rail recovery in the wake of federal transportation investments.

“We don't have a deal yet. There are still some hurdles to overcome,” said Andy Byford, Amtrak's senior vice president of high-speed rail programs.

Progress and pasture: A bullet train battle as old as Texas

Byford, a big supporter of passenger rail who is credited with restoring and improving rail service in London, Sydney and New York, told a Texas railroad conference in mid-April that the United States remains a convenient and fast city. He said the situation was changing, although it was an anomaly in the provision of inter-rail services. It won't happen quickly.

What's clear, Byford said, is that the country is at a tipping point where it can decide whether to improve its railways or not.

“I think time is of the essence,” he said. “The alternative is to blame Americans for ever-more congested interstates… to blame taxpayers to pay for even wider freeways.”

For now, Amtrak has taken the reins of the Texas bullet train project, but what has been discussed is whether it could become a future way for thousands of people to travel between Houston and Dallas, perhaps at a higher cost. Here are some of the issues that will help you decide: Over 30 billion dollars.

Amtrak is considering the project, and if it is financially viable, Amtrak officials may propose high-speed rail as part of its long-term strategy.

For now, it's the same project proposed by Texas Central Partners more than a decade ago. The project relies on a Japanese-designed bullet train running along new tracks along the electric utility corridor between the southern end of Dallas and downtown Dallas. The current location of Northwest Mall at Loop 610 and US 290 in Houston. It is scheduled to stop in the Lowndes Prairie area near Bryan-College Station.

Trickle charge: Subways are having difficulty transitioning to electric and hydrogen buses, and are purchasing more diesel.

It takes about 90 minutes to travel the approximately 340 miles by train. Considering the additional time required for flights to arrive, this is the fastest way to travel between metros.

Over the coming weeks and possibly months, Amtrak will continue to study the economic and environmental realities of high-speed rail between Houston and Dallas using all the information compiled by Texas Central Partners.

“We are taking the time to review the cost estimates,” Byford said.

He considers post-pandemic viability, as early analysis shows business use of the railroad has declined and leisure use has increased by travelers looking to travel easily between Texas cities. Said it was necessary.

“The business potential is stronger than ever,” Byford told attendees at a rail conference, later adding, “I think it's really achievable.”

Byford has met with Dallas officials about Amtrak's proposal and said it remains popular in the metropolitan area.

He acknowledged that he has not yet spoken to Houston Mayor John Whitmire. The project received vocal support from former Mayor Sylvester Turner, but Whitmire has not defended it as forcefully.

Asked about innovative projects during an October campaign debate, Whitmire said her focus as mayor would be on everyday transportation issues, such as road conditions.

The company still exists in some form. Although the company has no board members or a large staff, on paper it is still a company working with Amtrak to validate some of its earlier research and maintain the work it has done in the past.

Michael Bui is the chief executive officer of his Houston firm, FTI Consulting, which specializes in corporate restructuring.

However, since mid-2023, the company has released little information about its progress or updates other than to claim it is still working on the project.

Byford said he was limited in what he could say because of a non-disclosure agreement between Amtrak and Texas Central, and he said he was limited in what he could say because of a non-disclosure agreement between Amtrak and Texas Central, and he said he was unable to obtain information on how Amtrak would compensate Texas Central and its supervisors for past work. The company did not provide further details about the possibility of purchasing the land or land it has already agreed to purchase, or any other details.

For now, Texas Central still owns or has contracts to buy about 25% of the required parcels. The company has said in the past that these parcels represent 30% of the required land rights in terms of area.

Mr Byford said the remaining assets would be acquired through purchase, and noted domains would be used “absolutely as a last resort”.

There is a significant organized and active opposition. Texans who oppose high-speed rail, along with the reroute movement, continue to oppose the proposed plan. The group represents local landowners who have raised concerns since the project was proposed about how the tracks would divide their land and cause noise and lighting problems.

The opposition led to challenges to most of the claims Texas Central has made since 2016 regarding the project's environmental impact, ridership projections and financing.

Concerns: Twenty years later, residents are once again asking people to cross the Fort Bend Tollway and Grand Parkway elsewhere.

With Amtrak entering into talks with the company, Texans Against High Speed ​​Rail has taken a fresh look at the documents and recently raised questions about the involvement of foreign investors in Texas Central's finances.

Those concerns prompted opponents such as Waller County Judge Trey Duhon to urge Amtrak to reconsider the agreement.

“We understand that high-speed rail is a priority for the Biden administration, but given serious environmental justice issues and allegations of mishandling of foreign funding support for this project, U.S. Transportation I strongly advise the department and the Biden administration to choose high-speed rail 'a different horse,''' Duhon said in a statement provided by Texans Against High-Speed ​​Rail.

Byford said his years of experience in rail development led him to believe the project was viable, but that depends on several factors on how the project would be financed, including the need for public funds. admits that it is necessary to reconsider.

“It's naive to think it's all going to come out of individual pocketbooks,” Byford told reporters during a discussion of the line.

But the hit pitch is the growth of both Houston and Dallas, increasing travel between the two cities and the opportunity to make that travel faster and easier, which could sway local, state and federal officials. . Many of them have been staunchly opposed to any public funding.

“If we can pull it off, it's going to be an absolute jewel in Texas' crown,” Byford said, pointing to the convenience of the 90-minute journey. “…It would be the envy of America.”