High Speed Rail... you might consider getting involved... (Houston, Dallas: home, buy)

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Earlier I posted a seperate thread on a rail system in New Mexico, but I thought this one merited one of it's own as it only involves Texas.

On the ride home today, I listened to Robert Eckels on the radio, a former judge in Harris County (Houston), who created a non-profit group to address high speed rail in Texas. It was an interesting interview. This group was created in 2002 I think.

The name given to the system by the non-profit is T-BONE, it would connect Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and Houston in the form of a T, hence T-BONE. It will also server other cities, but those are the main destinations.

Unfortunately, no links to El Paso. However, as it is a non-profit, grass roots effort, anyone can get involved. I don't know what the answer would be, but it sure would be nice if El Paso could ask to become involved, even if it did not come initially to El Paso, perhaps some local civic leaders ('don't have to be politicians) could become involved in the process to make sure El Paso is not forgotten, and possibly could be connected in the future.

Heck, the whole thing is in the future. The current administration has ear marked 10 Billion dollars for high speed rail, and Texas has the ears of the administration. Did you know the US, the most advanced country in the world, has no high speed rail lines? Of course, more advanced airlines have filled the gap, but with fuel prices going up, carbon taxes that are coming, and decline in revenue to the government for funding road building, it only makes it seem inevitable that the country will look to efficient rail in the future, powered by electricity generated by nuclear power.

Unfortunately for Texas, it is doing great compared to other states, so the likelyhood of getting much accomplished is not too great right now. On the other hand, Texas can begin to do some of the work itself, perhaps making it easier to get "shovel-ready" funds.

Anyway, I thought it was interesting, and thought I'd pass the link along to anyone interested. As some of you may recall from some of my posts, my wife is from Spain and so we go there frequently. I've been on the fast trains, they are amazing. Not as fast as flying, but not too bad either. Imagine going from El Paso to San Antonio in less than 3 hours, or Houston to Austin in less than an hour, or Dallas in two hours.

Those who've been to Europe and through the Chunnel know what I mean, but those who have not, but may be in Europe, try to get a train from London to Paris on the Eurostar to experience it.

Sorry for the long post, here is the link:

THSRTC | Welcome! (http://www.thsrtc.com/home_page.html - broken link)

[texdav]

I thnik except fopr laoc high spped commuter rail there is not alot that is going to happen. The best chance is between the burbs to the cities in hopes the cities will stop losing businesses that are move to where their workers live and lower taxes. Too expensive in the cities now and work force is in outer areas more and more. Its a big country and rail has just shown to be too expensive for mass movements . Amtrax has never shown it can make a profit really.BNasically i don't thnik rail will really catch o in opur lifetime as epole wnt to go from place to palce and have transportation whne they get there. Its just the american preference to european and the way they developed differently.

[SA2EP?]

I think a high speed rail line between EP-SA-Dallas would be great. From SA & Austin, one can get on trains headed to Big D or H-Town.

I think rail never caught on because of the auto industry. From when we are little, we all can't wait till we turn 16 to drive a car. I bet over 80% of kids have never been on a passenger train before. Texdav has a good point in that we will most likely see rail within cities (like Dallas & Houston) before we see a statewide transit system.

However, I think an Austin, SA, EP route is a lot better idea than the EP, ALBQ, DEN route.

[Smooth from ELP]

Build them both...to New Mexico and to Central Texas. Where can I buy my tickets???