Just days after examining the transit options between the U.S. metropolises, Politico is reporting that Central Texas might have a brand new travel option that could give Amtrak a run for its money. The private Texas Central Railway, is working on a bullet train project between Dallas and Houston, which would connect Texas’ two largest cities.
Courtesy of Kanedavidson.com
Texas Central Railway is working in conjunction with the Japan Railway Co., which is the same company that created the N700-I bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka. Similar to the N700-I, the Texas Central Railway’s website said the train will travel upwards of 200 mph and be able to take riders between Dallas and Houston in only 90 minutes.
That means the Texas bullet train would be able to complete the 240-mile trip just under 2 1/2 times faster than a car and would take only about 30 minutes more than flying, according to Google Maps estimates.
According to Politico, the project will cost in the range of $10 billion. The company’s CEO Richard Lawless said the primary source of funding will come from investors. The company estimates the project will take about 10 years to complete.
If completed, the project could give airlines stiff competition because, when adding in security and boarding times to the one hour flight, the train might not only be more cost effective and simpler, but faster.
Coupled with the 50 years of experience in high speed rail operation by the Japan Railroad company, whose N700-I carries more than 391,000 people daily, many of the logistics of running a successful high speed rail may be solved before the first track is ever laid.