Texas Central Project

[woolie]

...in Japan.

I fail to see the insight in your comment. It's self evident the Tokaido Shinkansen is in Japan. It is the busiest and most successful HSR line in the world. You're implying none of that experience is transferable to the US, but I'll disagree. The Acela carries 2% the passenger volume, even though the corridor population is 50m.

[TheNiche]

The biggest challenges and risks do not have to do with constructing or operating the line. It is getting people to and from the terminuses of the line and marketing the service. It is that the line has to be fitted to our geography, our urban landscape, our infrastructure, and our culture.

[Slick Vik]

The biggest challenges and risks do not have to do with constructing or operating the line. It is getting people to and from the terminuses of the line and marketing the service. It is that the line has to be fitted to our geography, our urban landscape, our infrastructure, and our culture.

Our culture is centered around the automobile, the Japanese know what they're doing.

[infinite_jim]

So where's our autobahn?

[TonyM]

http://www.texastribune.org/texas-transportation/transportation/private-firm-planning-bullet-trains-texas-2020/

I like private funding, moves so much faster than government.

[mfastx]

Good news indeed. I doubt this will happen by 2020, but it sure would be great. HSR is easily the best way to get between cities such as Houston and Dallas. If it ever gets built, it will dominate the air/rail market, much like Amtrak does in the NEC.

I'm interested to see what proposal they have for a station in Houston. Dallas's Union Station would work on their end, but Houston needs some major upgrades to the current "Amshack," lol.

[urban909]

I'm interested to see what proposal they have for a station in Houston. Dallas's Union Station would work on their end, but Houston needs some major upgrades to the current "Amshack," lol.

I was curious about the same thing, whether they have plans to bring it into downtown or end somewhere further north (i.e. Greenspoint).

[Slick Vik]

Great news! I think downtown to downtown is the best idea.

[Fringe]

I'll believe it when I see it. I've heard rumors of this for about the past 50 years.

[totheskies]

Downtown to downtown is seriously the only way to go... the hub of transit connections for both cities. On the DFW end, you've already got the TRE connection to downtown Ft. Worth covered.

[lockmat]

Putting this in the most recently commented high speed rail thread.

From h-gac

Butch Babineaux of CDM Smith presented an analysis of alternative corridors for commuter and high-speed rail access to a Houston intermodal terminal as part of the Houston Intermodal Rail Access Study. The study includes the evaluation and assessment of different rail corridor alignments connecting the Houston Amtrak Station at the Post Office site near downtown to the US 290/IH 610 intersection. Next steps include a follow-up study by the Gulf Coast Rail District to examine potential access by both commuter and high-speed intercity passenger trains from the north to a downtown intermodal center.

http://www.h-gac.com/taq/publications/newsletters/Nov2012.htm

Edited December 2, 2012 by lockmat

[mfastx]

I'm assuming this study is part of the Japanese private HSR line?

[lockmat]

I'm assuming this study is part of the Japanese private HSR line?

I don't think so. If you click on the link below there is a link at the bottom of the article to a very informative and easy listen of a txdot representative explaining some things to hgac. She said it would be the first true high speed rail in the nation.

http://www.guidrynews.com/story.aspx?id=1000045511

[TowerSpotter]

Houston and Dallas high speed rail mentioned briefly in the bottom of the cnn report on the hyper loop report.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/12/travel/transportation-ideas-of-the-future

[cloud713]

http://transportationblog.dallasnews.com/2013/08/tom-schieffers-name-gives-octane-to-texas-high-speed-rail-project.html/

[mfastx]

Been hearing about that proposition for awhile now. 

 

I'm a skeptic that it is a serious possibility until construction. 

 

Will remain hopeful though.

[TowerSpotter]

Been hearing about that proposition for awhile now.

I'm a skeptic that it is a serious possibility until construction.

Will remain hopeful though.

Yea I'm a bit skeptical too, but I have a strong feeling in my gut this will happen.

[Slick Vik]

Yea I'm a bit skeptical too, but I have a strong feeling in my gut this will happen.

I think the biggest issue right now is that Fort Worth is angling for a station at DFW airport while the expectation is that the station will be in south Dallas.

[cloud713]

long , but interesting article.. shout out to the Houston DFW line at the bottom of page 1.

IMO we will shock the nation if/when we get HSR before the already notorious California high speed rail line is finished. im not sure many people are aware of the Texas plans since it hasnt been in national news much.

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20130812/NJNEWS/308120005/Future-high-speed-passenger-rail-could-ride-private-investment

[TowerSpotter]

I think the cnn article suggests that the Texas high speed rail would be the fastest in the nation, at least out the one's proposed such the New York City to DC and Los Angeles to San Francisco.

[Slick Vik]

 

At a major Transportation Conference in San Antonio, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced the federal government will team up with the state on a study to construct a high speed rail line between Houston and Dallas.

 

http://www.kxan.com/news/texas/bullet-train-would-connect-dallas-and-houston

 

[HoustonIsHome]

I don't want to go to Stupid Dallas. I want high speed rail connecting Houston to Galveston, New Orleans, san Antonio and from there north to Austin and South to Corpus and South Padre. Screw Dallas

Edited January 8, 2014 by HoustonIsHome

[mollusk]

This would be a great alternative.  All the security folderol, plus the usual to and fro to the airports, has made it so that the choice between flying and driving between Houston and Dallas is a push from a time standpoint.

[LTAWACS]

Foxx was in San Antonio talking bout rail between Dallas n Houston?

[IronTiger]

Every year or so this gets discussed. One of the big things is how College Station wants to get on a route, which mucks with any Austin-Houston/Dallas-Houston routes, but can't be dismissed since there's a lot of political power there.

[mfastx]

This is a terrific idea and would take at least half the market from Southwest on the Houston-Dallas route.  Competition is always good. 

 

Unfortunately, there are about ten entities studying this route and every couple of years there seems to be another study.. I'll believe it when it breaks down. 

[citykid09]

Am I the only one who is sick of all these studies? Just build it already and stop wasting time on all these studies.

[Sky-guy]

I don't want to go to Stupid Dallas. I want high speed rail connecting Houston to Galveston, New Orleans, san Antonio and from there north to Austin and South to Corpus and South Padre. Screw Dallas

 

Its so the People from Dallas have a faster way to leave and come here

[JLWM8609]

I hope it gets built this time. Lobbying from Southwest Airlines killed this project about 15 years ago since they make a lot of money on the DAL-HOU route. Dallas is just a start. Hopefully, it'll spur development of other lines that will eventually lead to nationwide high speed rail options.

[aarosurf]

Laughing at the "average" time to drive to dallas of 4 hours mentioned in the article. That's assuming no slowing of traffic on 45 which is rare these days.