Texas' $30BN High-Speed Railway from Dallas to Houston

[triplets_93]

In Texas, the idea for a $30billion high-speed line is currently being reviewed. They want to adapt the highly successful Japanese Shinkansen system. So what do their plans exactly look like? And why might Texas be the ideal home to the first real high speed railway in the U.S?

 

[gtb1943]

My question is how to secure that line from sabotage

and absolutely positively do NOT let AMTRAK near it

 

[Tabascocat]

I bet it gets finished before the one in California

 

[speedkilz88]

My question is how to secure that line from sabotage

and absolutely positively do NOT let AMTRAK near it

Amtrak appears to be the only ones wanting to do it.

 

[Creeper]

Is there that much traffic between Houston and Dallas to justify a $30 million spend, which you know will grown to $40 billion or more by the time it's done?

 

[gtb1943]

Amtrak appears to be the only ones wanting to do it.

telling, is that not?

 

[gtb1943]

Is there that much traffic between Houston and Dallas to justify a $30 million spend, which you know will grown to $40 billion or more by the time it's done?

its all part of the great boondoggle of climate and mass transportation and getting rid of oil and so on.
We have to destroy the village to save it mentality

 

[DoctorChicken]

its all part of the great boondoggle of climate and mass transportation and getting rid of oil and so on.
We have to destroy the village to save it mentality

It isn’t “boondoggle” and it doesn’t have anything to do with “destroying the village”.

Look at other first world countries and their mass transport railways to get a clue about how hilariously bad America’s are.

This project gives those who regularly commute from one of these cities to another, which is over 100,000 people a week, the option to not drive, which means less congested motorways, parking lots, etc. AND it’s better for the environment than their collective vehicles burning gasoline on the highway.

 

[Rockport]

Is there that much traffic between Houston and Dallas to justify a $30 million spend, which you know will grown to $40 billion or more by the time it's done?

It’d be much more popular if it was along the Dallas, Austin and San Antonio I-35 corridor. Much traffic on that stretch. But those in charge aren’t the brightest.

 

[Hoofbite]

Won’t ever use it because not anywhere near but I do want to see a successful high speed rail system show up somewhere. Get people off the road so normal commuting distances don’t take so long due to traffic and extend the life of the interstates a bit so you dont inevitably hit construction zone after construction zone on a 200 mile drive.

 

[gtb1943]

It isn’t “boondoggle” and it doesn’t have anything to do with “destroying the village”.

Look at other first world countries and their mass transport railways to get a clue about how hilariously bad America’s are.

This project gives those who regularly commute from one of these cities to another, which is over 100,000 people a week, the option to not drive, which means less congested motorways, parking lots, etc. AND it’s better for the environment than their collective vehicles burning gasoline on the highway.

boondoggle just like the one in California
because your claims about ridership is fantasy
unless of course you FORCE them to use it

 

[VaqueroTD]

They should link Austin/San Antonio too. I seem to recall they were working on this project 20 years ago too when I was last in Texas. Always been talking of better linking the main metros in Texas.

 

[jsb357]

a few points points...

only 8 crossing of the trinity river exist between Dallas county and where the Trinity
becomes Lake Livingston. So IMO the closer to the Trinity the rail can run
the less useful land the government will have to "acquire".

How do you deer proof, cow proof, pig proof, egret proof, cormorant proof,
250 miles of track in East Texas??? Without making it completely elevated raising
the cost substantially???

Unless reliable, clean, safe public transportation exist to connect the stations
to the rest of the city it won't be used much making it a ANOTHER waste of
tax dollars.

The trains that I've used on my one trip to Europe have been running forever,
everyone that uses them have been using them their whole lives.

It's cultural

Once the trains are built it will literally take decades of subsidies
(making the initial investment look like couch money)
to keep them from going under until lifestyles adjust.

 

[John813]

Florida is building Brightline train stops/tracks along the east coast and to Orlando. So Miami-Orlando.
Prices were reasonable at first but it's shot up to the point where it's not worth it factoring in the prices per seat and parking to go to Orlando.
Remembering looking up Palm Beach to Miami for a cruise and it was almost half the cost to just drive to Miami and pay the parking fee.

Felt like a ploy to get a 2nd track for the freight trains

 

[rags747]

It isn’t “boondoggle” and it doesn’t have anything to do with “destroying the village”.

Look at other first world countries and their mass transport railways to get a clue about how hilariously bad America’s are.

This project gives those who regularly commute from one of these cities to another, which is over 100,000 people a week, the option to not drive, which means less congested motorways, parking lots, etc. AND it’s better for the environment than their collective vehicles burning gasoline on the highway.

So you think that the train will use less fuel than the cars that it replaces? Would love to see the stats on that!

 

[rags747]

Should contract with China on this one, price would be 1/4 of the $30B and it would be completed in 12 months!

 

[big dog cowboy]

Look at other first world countries and their mass transport railways to get a clue about how hilariously bad America’s are.

Bingo.

 

[Creeper]

It isn’t “boondoggle” and it doesn’t have anything to do with “destroying the village”.

Look at other first world countries and their mass transport railways to get a clue about how hilariously bad America’s are.

This project gives those who regularly commute from one of these cities to another, which is over 100,000 people a week, the option to not drive, which means less congested motorways, parking lots, etc. AND it’s better for the environment than their collective vehicles burning gasoline on the highway.

Not being from Texas I have no opinion on whether this project makes sense or not. But I completely understand why people are generally cynical about projects like this. There are lots of well-meaning projects that turned out to be money pits for a number of states, and taxpayers are on the hook for those projects. Once built, taxpayers will be paying for any revenue shortfall forever. 100,000 people per week sounds like a lot of people but here in NJ over 300,000 cars per day cross the George Washington Bridge, and yet NY and NJ continue to raise the tolls which is now over $15 for peak hours for a car, and can be over $125 for a 6 axle truck.

I don't know how much they plan to charge for people to take the high speed rail in Texas, but if it is $25 for example and all 100,000 people use the train system, it will take 230 years to pay off the initial $30 billion. That's assuming all 100,000 per week take the train. In reality the number will probably be much fewer.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

its all part of the great boondoggle of climate and mass transportation and getting rid of oil and so on.
We have to destroy the village to save it mentality

Loool, you’ll be gone soon.

 

[joseephuss]

So you think that the train will use less fuel than the cars that it replaces? Would love to see the stats on that!

Yes, the stats would be good to view. A system like this would probably reduce the number of flights between Dallas and Houston.

This type of project should have started decades ago and would have been relatively cheaper then. Now it is at a point where it may not be cost beneficial. Really depends on the details. I'm all for high speed rail, but the specific circumstances are what matters. If it isn't done right, then it isn't worth doing. If there is a good plan in place, then it could make a difference. It is nice to have good options, but not every proposed project is a good option.