Texas’ Long-Awaited Bullet Train Plans to Start Construction

When I was visiting Europe and Asia, I looked for trains first before I looked at flights. Flying might save some time but it's such a hassle. The airport security BS, checking in bags, often delayed...

The thing about driving is sure it's only 4 hours but that's 4 hours of concentrated driving. You're at much higher risk of an accident or delays.

They really also need to add a Houston to Austin line. The upper east coast is prime for a bunch of high speed lines, same for Cali. No ones asking to make the entire country into a high speed rail system but there are cities that should be connected via rail.

 

Cali already tried and failed on at least one attempt. I think that another one is on-going (?). There was one that was going on in Florida, but I don't know what's up with that one. There have been numerous studies done on the East coast, too. People have been looking at "high-speed" rail in the US since the 1960's, but mostly nobody really cared enough or thought it would be used or costs were too prohibitive. I still think the latter is true in most US connections.

 

I hope I live long enough to ride the damn thing. I’ve ridden “bullet trains” in Japan and Europe and they are fantastic. Quiet, smooth, extremely fast. What irritates me is that had this been done many years ago, it would have saved billions and instead of still going back and forth about whether they are worth having, we might be discussing upgrading the lines, upgrading the trains to make them even faster. We would already have lines connecting Houston, Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio. We might be discussing whether it made sense to expand it if we hadn’t already.

Yet we still argue about “rural impact.” Even though we are one of the most obvious states in the country to have high speed rail, we spend billions on freeways instead, and drive on highways that often are several years overdue for repair. Crazy.

 

about 3. the on-going one has kinda lost momentum

if i didn't know any better, i swear that this is written by a Californian

 

It will certainly be well-utilized, that's obvious. But will it cover operating cost AND initial capital costs? Probably not, most rail operations around the world do not. But, at the same time, neither do other modes of transport.

So, if you're approaching it from that angle of "it wont' be profitable, so I'm opposed" then that's fair. I'd just point out that that standard hasn't been applied to other modes of transportation here in the US and that these types of projects do cover their costs once the billions in development investment is accounted for.

 

Exactly!
This whole "oh it's not profitable...so let's not build it" argument doesn't have merit. How many billions have been spent on widening these freeways?

Connecting cities quickly and efficiently benefits everyone.

 

I mean, I'm okay with it as long as eventually there's a stop at EarthQuest.

 

This is a for-profit venture, and not a government operation, correct? It needs to turn a profit if they are a for-profit company. That said, if they can get over the initial capital cost hurdle, I expect they will be able to turn a profit even if it is from the supporting industries (renting out space to restaurants/shops at the terminal, hotels, parking, leasing nearby properties) and not the rail itself.

I'm unsure if I would use it. Though, I live in Cypress and mostly would need to got to the west side of Fort Worth.

 

The residents of that state continue to pour into Austin and surrounding Central Texas, into Houston, to San Antonio, and into the other worthy areas of our state. It looks like the numbers will only increase and you will begin to see from them ever more numerous posts in Hangout and every other forum here complaining. Complaining about the traffic, the Rockets, the Astros, and all the other various and sundry things they’ll find to b**** about. Even the Texans with their stupid name, which will at last serve a purpose, to help former Californians remember where they are.

They may even swamp that stinking city that’s 200 odd miles north of Austin, whatever it’s called. Anyway, they will all be trying to fit in as Texans, in my humble opinion. It will be hopeless, but we will have to at least try to help them do it. The fine dining this state serves, assuming all the good native eateries don’t close forever due to the plague, will go a long way towards helping them assimilate.

Notice that I’ve ignored your dastardly insult to a native born Texan, one who has the name of an ancestor carved into the stone of the San Jacinto Monument. I hope you appreciate my magnanimous gesture.

 

I wonder if it'd be overall faster to drive 1 hour from Cypress to College Station to catch the train, rather than drive 30 mins from Cypress to the old Northwest Mall where the station in Houston will be.

The parking might be cheaper / more available and you won't have to deal with possible rush hour traffic on 290 when driving back to Cypress. Also, for business travelers, you'd make double the amount of money for the personal mileage reimbursement driving to College Station (and then back again on end of business trip), ala gaming the business travel reimbursement system $$$$$$$

 

Cypress, TX. Shout out. In the same boat though. It'd be a bit of a drive out to the Northwest Mall. Grew up right by there. Loved that mall.

 

Are they intending to also use the line for shipping? I wonder how that would affect the business model and profit margins.

 

I'm assuming that the Metro buses would go there. So you could just park at the Cypress Park and Ride, then pay a few bucks to get to the Rail station.

 

30-minutes to train station, 90 minutes on train, and 35-45 minutes to west Ft. Worth. Just seems like a lot work, money to save a little more than hour.

 

By the time this is done, we would land on Mars......

 

Been thinking about buying a Tesla for a while, and I think just having it's auto-driving feature will just make that drive to Dallas way more convenient then driving to the train station, parking, and then renting out another car once you get to Dallas.

 

none intended.

your view on Bullet Trains had been expressed by many native born Californians

on the subject of bullet trains, we all think alike​

 

fww,

China to adapt bullet train for international travel

https://www.khl.com/international-c...train-for-international-travel/146644.article​

 

Just saw this. I was trying to be amusing! I do have an ancestor's name on the San Jacinto Monument, however.
Someday, Texas will have her highspeed rail system. Probably when I've been in the ground for years. :-(

 

When I die, I want to be lowered into the ground by those in charge of the bullet train so they can let me down one last time.