Can Amtrak Finally Bring High-Speed Rail To Texas?

After decades of research, the U.S. remains without authentic high-speed rail options. Federal planners believe that a route connecting major cities in Texas may be an ideal fit.

In 2014, a group organized under the name Texas Central announced plans to connect Dallas to Houston with a bullet train that travels more than 200 miles per hour, shortening a three and a half hour drive to a 90-minute train ride. The route would connect two large and fast-growing population centers, making one stop near local universities in the Brazos Valley.

The Texas Central project has been repeatedly delayed as its backers navigate various regulatory hurdles, including environmental reviews and disputes over property rights. The leadership team at Texas Central resigned in the middle of land acquisition for the process. Texas Central declined multiple requests for comment from CNBC.

The project is expected to cost at least $33.6 billion dollars, according to a March 2023 analysis from the Reason Foundation. Similar high-speed rail projects around the world have faced substantial cost overruns in development. That includes Japan’s Tokaido Shinkansen system and California High-Speed Rail, which could someday connect Los Angeles to San Francisco.

The Texas effort has received substantial support from businesses in Texas, Japanese firms and the U.S. government. With a historic $66 billion commitment to passenger rail, the U.S. government under Biden appears to have its best bet in generations to start an authentic high-speed rail system. But the future of publicly subsidized projects, including Texas Central and California High-Speed Rail remain uncertain.

Amtrak told CNBC that if Texas Central passes a financial review, it could be open for passengers as soon as the early 2030s.

Chapters:
0:00 – 1:50 Introduction
1:55 Chapter 1 – Texas Triangle
4:35 Chapter 2 – Landowners
8:55 Chapter 3 – Amtrak partnership
12:02 Chapter 4 – Shinkansen in Texas

Produced, Shot and Edited by: Carlos Waters
Supervising Producer: Jeniece Pettitt
Additional production by: Liam Mays
Additional Camera by: Katie Brigham, Nathaniel Lee, Magdalena Petrova, Andrew Evers, Ashley Stringer
Animation: Christina Locopo
Additional Footage: Getty Images, KBTX
Additional Sources: Google Maps, North Central Texas Council of Governments, Reason Foundation, Rethink35, Texas State Library Archives, Texas Supreme Court

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Can Amtrak Finally Bring High-Speed Rail To Texas?