Amtrak Exploring Partnership for Central Texas Bullet Train

A Texas high-speed rail proposal, once thought dead in the water, could become reality under a new agreement between Amtrak and the rail company Texas Central, reports Ryan Nickerson in the Houston Chronicle.

Amtrak Senior Vice President of High-Speed Rail Development Programs Andy Byford (known in some circles as ‘Train Daddy’) said in a press release, “We believe many of the country’s biggest and fastest-growing metropolitan areas, like Houston and Dallas, deserve more high quality high-speed, intercity rail service and we are proud to bring our experience to evaluate this potential project and explore opportunities with Texas Central so the state can meet its full transportation needs.”

The proposed train would be privately funded and run roughly 240 miles in less than 90 minutes. “According to Texas Central's website, the train used would be the Shinkansen N700, a Japanese bullet train that can travel as fast as 205 mph (but which likely would begin at a modest 186 mph if employed in Texas).”