A fascinating article by UK career railwayman Chris Gibb, a consultant adviser to Texan Central, a privately funded initiative to build a new HSR alignment over the 386km route between Dallas and Houston.TC intend to design, build and operate this link between the two largest metropolitan areas in Texas without any Government finance or subsidy. Chris says the case is compelling and that TC considered no fewer than 90 pairs of cities before settling on Dallas-Houston, the fourth and sixth largest metropolitan areas in the US, with a potential market of 12m people. Both cities are forecast to grow by 50% in the next 20 years. The current 4hr drive between the two is expected to be 6hr by 2035: by HSRt will be just 90min. Currently, 50,000 'super commuters' travel between Dallas and Houston more than once a week.
Capacity at Dallas and Houston airports is already constrained and they cannot expand enough to meet inter-urban, national and international demands. America's appetite for long distance rail is growing again: Amtrak travel has grown faster than any other other mode, faster than population growth and faster even than US GDP.
TC intends to import JR Central HSR trains and technology with the Japanese making a 'Lifetime of Service' commitment to the project. The railway will be American owned and run from Texas. Eight-car trains are proposed for around 400 passengers, with a top cruising speed of 330kph and a half hourly service, seven days a week.
We read it in: Railway Gazette International, July 2015, page 41
