Texas Central, the private company developing the Texas Bullet Train, announced it had signed a deal with Salini Impregilo, the Italian construction giant, and its American subsidiary, Lane Construction, to design, construct and install the 240-mile high-speed rail line using Japan’s Shinkansen trains. — The Houston Chronicle
The plan to build a 90-minute bullet train between Dallas and Houston still requires a number of local, state, and federal approvals before it can move forward.
Nonetheless, backers of the project are raising funding for the initiative and setting out to complete early design work. Texas Central optimistically hopes to break ground sometime in 2020.
High Speed rail is the key ingredient to the future of the USA. You could basically just replicate the interstate system and overlap high speed rail underneath/on top and not have to move anyone out of place.
Chemex is correct. Most of that route has a pretty significant center divider between sides of the traffic - just run the train right up the middle.
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High Speed rail is the key ingredient to the future of the USA. You could basically just replicate the interstate system and overlap high speed rail underneath/on top and not have to move anyone out of place.
Impossible. A high speed rail system requires a completely different grade and and different plans than a highway so the right of way of I45 won't work. I-45 is planned for cars or truck at 100 mph which is significantly different than a train at 200 mph. New curves, rail crossings, tunnels etc need to be built (these trains don't do hills and tunnels are built for any steep grade).
That’s the can do American spirit! Yes, those are all obstacles, but let’s figure it out. Perhaps an elevated HSP can just follow the paths of highways — on the sides in the country, slowing down in the city. The highway is a good model politically and pragmatically the highways would have to anchor construction across the US. One can help the other. As for tunnels and mountains, that’s where the fun comes in. Currently construction costs are too high, but perhaps the government, contractors and developers are not on the same page.
I like to imagine these rails going under city highways and reconnecting cities together, a holistic urban design solution that solves the problems of yesterday
Chemex is correct. Most of that route has a pretty significant center divider between sides of the traffic - just run the train right up the middle.
The airlines cry, and wail. That's the biggest problem. We should have had high speed rail years ago.
yaaa! 50 year old foreign tech comes to America!
Actually Miles rail is the most high tech solution to transportation in the modern world and the reason countries like China are spending billions on 200 mph plus rail system. I suggest you travel to France and take a trip on the TGV that runs parallel to some of the highways. The experience of traveling at 300 kph passing a car at 130 kph is very revealing
Let me guess, Miles....you’re an airline lobbyist?
The auto industry and oil & gas are the biggest hindrances to the light speed rails. The US used to depend on rails for travel at one point.
Light speed rail would be quite a trick.
Hahaha! Indeed it would. Thanks voice to text for making me look silly.
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