Dallas Fort Worth Urban Forum

Sen. Charles Schwertner has joined a group of rural lawmakers who are using both legislative and budgetary provisions to stop the progress on the high-speed train.

“This legislation will ensure that the property rights of our constituents are respected and guarantee that state taxpayers won’t be asked to bail out this project when costs inevitably exceed projections and ridership fails to meet expectations,” the Georgetown Republican has said of the rail line this session, citing a Reason Foundation study that projects potential long-term financial losses.

when was the last time a pipeline was denied in East Texas

lindseynicole010 wrote:This is easy and simple for natural disaster survivors to spiral down into negative victim status. This was starting to come about to me, as well as whilst on one level I realized it was part of the natural recovery process. Humans are not built to deal with constant, irregular change on an ongoing basis, but in the aftermath of a natural disaster this is what we are faced with. We discover it extremely discomforting.
Thanks& regards,
Lindsey nicole
Disaster Equipments|Disaster Supplies

DPatel304 wrote:Maybe it would be worth it to go the Hyperloop route, but who knows when or even if this technology will ever be feasible. It could be decades from now.

electricron wrote:The I-35 corridor already has a once a day Amtrak train with poor ridership. Maybe it will perform better with much higher speeds, maybe not? But the existing subsidized Amtrak train service will be competition to a new privately ran high speed rail service. Few private companies like to compete against subsidized public companies.

With all the political difficulties a privately ran railroad is experiencing, do you really believe Texas will ever implement a publicly subsidized intercity rail service?

To add, if Amtrak had its way, both Amtrak trains servicing Texas would be providing services thrice a week or less. The Midwest, Northwest, California, Texas, Florida, or Southeast USA aren't getting much Amtrak money expanding rail services. Amtrak looks for much of the money t come from the States. The only place in the USA where Amtrak is really interested investing in future train ser vices with their own money is along its Northeast Corridor. It's been that way since Amtrak was formed in the 1970s. Almost half of Amtrak's customers originate or terminate their trips from its NEC. Don't rely upon the Feds to finance regional train services in Texas.

tamtagon wrote:

electricron wrote:If it takes Amtrak more than 4 hours to go 200 miles between Dallas to Austin, the ride is little more than nostalgic. That's not a functioning, competing mode of transportation, sorry, I want it to work too, but 200 miles should on a modern train should take less than 2 hours.

electricron wrote:The I-35 corridor already has a once a day Amtrak train with poor ridership. Maybe it will perform better with much higher speeds, maybe not? But the existing subsidized Amtrak train service will be competition to a new privately ran high speed rail service. Few private companies like to compete against subsidized public companies.

electricron wrote:Have you ever asked why Texas Central preferred the Dallas to Houston route first? May one of the reasons it was favored be the lack of direct Amtrak services along that route?

Tivo_Kenevil wrote:I'd say Austin has better buses than Dallas..

art_suckz wrote:Did the train survive the Texas Legislature this time?

I haven't been able to find news.

...

Texas is proving again to be a leader in transportation, and the Railroad is proud to be a part of that. The Texas Bullet Train remains a key tool in the state’s infrastructure tool box as a safe, reliable and environmentally friendly option that efficiently will move our growing population.

As Senate bills 977 and 975 become law, we credit the speaker, lieutenant governor and governor for their leadership and support of fiscal conservatism and safety, as well as the bill authors – Senators Birdwell and Schwertner and Representatives Ashby and Schubert.

We look forward to our continued work with the Department of Homeland Security, the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Railroad Administration, the Texas Department of Public Safety and other government and law enforcement agencies as the system’s safety and security plan moves ahead.

Texans on the bullet train will be riding on the safest, most technologically advanced system in the world. Partnerships with these agencies ensure that.

With the regular legislative session behind us, we look forward to announcing new milestones as we achieve them. Thank you again for your support.

joshua.dodd wrote:I honestly think we'd be better off sticking to the Hyperloop. If the Hyperloop is built and turns out to be a success, it would render HSR obsolete.

SlandersonCooper wrote:^^^ Multi-tracking the TRE where it is not currently, running express trains along the route and ultimately improving Arlington's public transportation (adding a stop near 157, connecting streetcar or other transit access to Entertainment District) makes way more sense than throwing money at HSR at this point in time.

Tivo_Kenevil wrote:Intra metro HSR is a waste of money. You might as well just drive. You're going to need to a damn car when you get to For Worth or Arlington.

Honestly, both cities will be better off improving transit. Too bad this is Texas.

Irving-based Fluor Enterprises and the Lane Construction Corp. have been chosen to operate the high-speed rail line that will carry travelers between Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston, developer Texas Central Partners said Monday.

The announcement comes after more than three years of development by Texas Central, the private company behind the $12 billion-plus venture. The project will be backed by private investors and the company has pledged not to seek public money.

tamtagon wrote:I cant wait to be excited again when the hotel/train station complex renderings start!

tamtagon wrote:I cant wait to be excited again when the hotel/train station complex renderings start!

electricron wrote:How will the HSR line get to Union Station in Dallas? It can't use the railroad tracks going under the convention center, because it will be using non FRA certified trains which will not be able to share tracks with any other train. It certainly can't go over the convention center which is several stories high. And no one can afford to tunnel under the convention center. I suppose you believe they can just build the HSR line through the convention center? Let's face reality, the convention center is a giant sized road block for HSR.

tamtagon wrote:Hunt Inc owns The Union Station Building,