We'll all be dead because of the Mayans and global warming in 2012, but it's still fun to think about. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6235582.html Supporters want high-speed Texas rail by 2020 By PEGGY FIKAC Copyright 2009 Houston Chronicle Jan. 28, 2009, 11:53PM AUSTIN — How does hopping on a high-speed train in San Antonio and traveling to Houston in 90 minutes sound? Or Houston to Dallas? The idea of high-speed rail is being pushed again in a big way in Texas, and backers hope to have $12 billion to $18 billion high-speed trains running by 2020. This time, they say they have taken care to ensure the idea won’t fall flat the way a bullet-train push did some 15 years ago. “In the past, high-speed rail was not completed in Texas primarily because it was a top-down model driven by lobbyists out of Austin,” former Harris County Judge Robert Eckels, chairman of the nonprofit Texas High Speed Rail and Transportation Corp., told lawmakers at a Wednesday transportation briefing. This time, he said backers from the consortium — which includes elected leaders, cities, counties and two airlines among others — reached out to past opponents to try to solve their concerns. Among them: Southwest Airlines, which fought the last high-speed rail project as a potential competitor. Southwest spokesman Chris Mainz said the airline is neutral on this proposal. The high-speed trains — with an average speed of 200 mph — would run to airports, allowing rail to work in conjunction with airlines by ferrying in passengers catching longer flights. Public-private concern Backers emphasize the project would be a public-private partnership including local governments, and they are seeking state help including tax exemptions for companies that would build the project and some $100 million for environmental and market studies. The prospect that a high-speed rail line could be elevated also will help address concerns of landowners, since the project wouldn’t cut them off from freely accessing their property, said Temple Mayor Bill Jones, vice chairman of the rail corporation. Even Gov. Rick Perry believes high-speed rail “could very well be in the future of Texas,” Perry spokeswoman Allison Castle said. “Currently it isn’t possible without very large government subsidies. However as our population becomes denser and more populated around the DFW-Houston-San Antonio triangle it will become a more viable option,” she said. High-density population The rail would run along the so-called “Texas T-Bone” — from Dallas-Fort Worth through Austin to San Antonio, and branching off in Temple to Houston. More than 70 percent of Texans live in the area that would be served. Lawmakers and those pushing the project said it’s crucial to come up with alternative transportation since the state population is expected to reach 40 million to 50 million by 2040. Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, Texas Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee chairman, already has filed a proposed constitutional amendment to allow high-speed rail facilities to be exempt from property taxes. It would require a two-thirds vote of lawmakers and voter approval. Carona said his proposed amendment has a good chance of passing: “I think high speed rail is a near-term reality for this state.”
absolutely. i just want a cool sports bar right by the line so i can watch the train go by while drinking guinness and watching march madness.
Wow, I was just talking to my girlfriend the other day about this. I know it hasn't been possible in the past, but a High Speed train would really serve well in Texas. I'm excited. Crossing my fingers hoping for the best.
Love the idea, but I'd wish that they make the branch off in Austin instead of Temple. Living in Austin, it would do me no good since out of SA, Dallas, and Houston, I go to Houston more. They could easily use the 290 corridor. Plus, it would be able to skip over Bryan-CS. Who the hell cares about that area?
Hell, people who live out in Cypress or the Woodlands could take the train and get to San Antonio or Austin faster than they could get to work downtown I wonder how much a ticket would cost. It would be nice if it were cheap enough to make a few more weekend getaways affordable.
This has been talked about since I was in college. I hope they can pull it together, though I'd rather see the Texas triangle instead of the Texas T-Bone. Makes no sense not to have a direct connection between Houston-DFW and Houston Aus/SA.
Why branch in Temple, of all places? Connect Houston / San Antonio / Dallas with 3 lines, and then you've got branching off room in the future for South / North / West Texas.
Never mind. Looking at the proposed map, it's obviously the Aggies that want a connection in College Station and the T-bone concept accomplishes that.
37 and 27 start and end in Texas, but both of those are short connecting spurs. 35 starts in Texas and ends in Minnesota. 30 starts in Texas and ends in Arkansas. 20 starts in Atlanta and ends in Texas. 10 starts in FL and ends in CA. 40 starts in TN and ends in CA. (I assume you're not counting loops.)
