Despite numerous studies concluding that a building a high-speed rail between Dallas and Houston would be an unsustainable, taxpayer funded train wreck, Texas Central is determined to build it anyway. For several years, Texas Central has insisted that it won’t need taxpayer money to bailout the project because ridership volume will be huge! But neither the public nor the experts are buying the company’s claim. These studies referenced by the Reason Foundation including one fu

The Texas Senate's transportation committee sent to the full Senate on Wednesday five high-speed train bills, some of which could impact or hinder a private company's plans to build a bullet train from Dallas to Houston. The bills collectively would prevent lawmakers from allocating any state funds to the controversial project, require Texas Central Partners to build the line in a way that would allow multiple types of trains to run on it and force the company to offer land a

TX-SB 977 By Schwertner, Charles. Relating to the use of state money for high-speed rail operated by a private entity. - Meeting set for 8:00 A.M., E1.016 Senate Transportation 04/05 TX-SB 980 By Schwertner, Charles. Relating to state money or credit or a state guarantee used or provided for high-speed rail owned by a private entity. - Meeting set for 8:00 A.M., E1.016 Senate Transportation 04/05 TX-SB 981 By Kolkhorst, Lois. Relating to the compatibility of a high-speed r

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State lawmakers who oppose high-speed rail are trying to use a budget rider to stop the Texas Department of Transportation from assisting a private company that wants to build a high-speed rail line from Houston to Dallas. The Senate Finance Committee approved the budget rider 14-1 Wednesday, with Sen. Royce West of Dallas opposed. It will next be heard on the Senate floor as part of debates related to the full budget. Sen. Charles Schwertner has joined a group of rural lawma

Texas Central Partners LLC is fighting state lawmakers' plans to kill its privately funded project to build a Dallas-to-Houston bullet-train passenger service. Earlier this week, almost 9,000 citizen letters in support of the project were delivered to members of the state's House and Senate, Texas Central officials said in a March 7 statement. Residents in every state senate district have written letters of support for the project, company officials added. Late last mon

AUSTIN, TX - A group of key state lawmakers recently filed a slate of legislation to push back against Texas Central Railway’s controversial proposal to construct a high-speed rail line between Dallas and Houston. Senators Birdwell (R-Granbury), Creighton (R-Conroe), Kolkhorst (R-Brenham), Perry (R-Lubbock), and Schwertner (R-Georgetown) joined with Representatives Ashby (R-Lufkin), Bell (R-Magnolia), Cook (R-Corsicana), Schubert (R-Caldwell), and Wray (R-Waxahachie) to file

Legislative opponents of a proposed high-speed rail line to zip passengers between Dallas and Houston have filed a package of bills aimed at killing the project. State Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, is a member of the group. Texas Central Partners wants to build the bullet train line using Japanese technology and counting on private investors to pay the $12 billion cost. “This group of foreign investors is threatening to seize family farms, physically divide the state of Te