July 8, 2022 - TRA Newswire -
In a statement issued today, Texas Central Partners, fresh off a win at the Texas Supreme Court that allows them eminent domain rights as a railroad, said that "we look forward to being able to say more about this (project) at an appropriate time in the near future".
The Texas railroad company said it is "moving forward to a path that we believe will ensure the project's successful development. Texas Central has made significant strides in the project over the last several years."
In regards to the Texas Supreme Court ruling that had held back the company from acquiring the 100-foot wide strip of land needed for the 240-mile long high-speed rail line that would link Dallas and Houston, Texas Central said "we thank the Court for its recent thoughtful and considered review of this matter and appreciate the continued support of our investors, lenders and other key stakeholders as we continue to advance this important project."
The statement was issued by Texas Central Partners, LLC and its subsidiaries, Texas Central Railroad and Infrastructure, Inc., and Integrated Texas Logistics, Inc. Together, those companies are undertaking the development, design, construction, finance and operation of a private venture that is expected to create up to 10,000 construction jobs on the mega-project.
Texas Rail Advocates President Peter LeCody was quoted in a RailwayAge news report and said that “You don’t see major projects like this, in the $20 billion to $30 billion range, coming down the pike every day. These are complex, multi-layered projects that involve government bureaucracies at all levels, bringing together domestic and international financing, and it doesn’t happen overnight. There are a lot of baby steps required to get to the finish line."
"It certainly hasn’t helped Texas Central between the pandemic, the endless court cases and, frankly, some damaging and ill-informed statements from rural elected officials at the federal and state levels,” according to LeCody. “I think that Texas Central will be in a rebuilding phase during the next 12 to 18 months. They got beaten down by the courts, the media, and some politicians. A lot of it was unjustified, but there is still support in North Texas and Houston for the project. Let’s hope that things progress.”
The Railway Age article, titled Part 8, Supporters Cautiously Optimistic Following Court Decision, written by David Peter Alan, can be accessed through this link: https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/high-performance/part-8-supporters-cautiously-optimistic-following-court-decision/
When completed, the fourth and fifth largest economies in the U.S. (Dallas and Houston) would be linked with fast, frequent trains traveling at up to 200 miles per hour. An intermediate stop will serve the College Station/Huntsville Brazos Valley region.
Photo credit: Texas Central, Dallas station rendering