Report: 14 billion dollar deal for Bullet train from Houston to Dallas is done

[Wiler77 1,566]

1 hour ago, closetojumping said:

Huh? Eurostar has strict security at this point. I did London/Paris/London two months ago and it was as bad as airport security, lines included. 

Agreed, but the thing about that trip is that the trains depart and arrive in town, and there really good public transit to get you to your final destination.  CDG and Heathrow are complete pain in the asses to get to, and in the middle of nowhere, so putting up with airport-level security is tolerable because ultimately it saves time.

 

It'll be interesting to see how this works, if it ever becomes reality.  It basically becomes a slightly more convenient option than flying, depending on where you are coming and going.  But with population growth where it is, this seems like a good plan for the future.

[JimmyJames 12,271]

Whats’ funny (or not) is that a high speed rail between San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and Houston makes more sense than practically anywhere else in the world.

Yet is hasn’t happened. 

Yeah America!

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19,100]

Huh? Eurostar has strict security at this point. I did London/Paris/London two months ago and it was as bad as airport security, lines included. 

That is because you are going between two countries. If you are just taking high speed within France, you encounter nothing.

[PenelopeWitherspoon 19,100]

So far as I know, passengers don't have to pass through any sort of onerous security process to board the Acela in the northeast or any other sort of passenger train in this country -- or internationally -- which I have more personal experience with.

This is correct.

[Texas_Rocks 346]

Is 14B the down payment? Regardless, a lotta dudes gonna get mega-rich off this one.

[Steel Shank 9,421]

I imagine there will be land owners getting fucked over, too.

[Deej 76,748]

1 hour ago, JimmyJames said:

Whats’ funny (or not) is that a high speed rail between San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and Houston makes more sense than practically anywhere else in the world.

Yet is hasn’t happened. 

Yeah America!

It would kill the number of visits to the Snake Farm. We can't have that.

[Crusher 127]

11 minutes ago, Steel Shank said:

I imagine there will be land owners getting fucked over, too.

With $14,000,000,000.00 I would hope the owners of the land in the right of way will get paid a fair price for their land.

[Doc Reeves 6,434]

Over/under on what it actually ends up costing?

[Crusher 127]

Just now, Doc Reeves said:

Over/under on what it actually ends up costing?

$20 billion. Proper people will get their beaks wet of course but we will end up with a real choo choo train.This is Texas not California after all.

 

[Doc Reeves 6,434]

20 minutes ago, Crusher said:

$20 billion. Proper people will get their beaks wet of course but we will end up with a real choo choo train.This is Texas not California after all.

 

If it comes in under $25B I’ll chalk it up as a win

[Updawg 2,266]

And the land is wide open which makes it pretty feasible. But it won't happen

[Crusher 127]

3 minutes ago, Doc Reeves said:

If it comes in under $25B I’ll chalk it up as a win

$25B and people are still actually riding the thing 3 yrs after it opens and I'll give you a high 5.

But, in the meantime it will put a lot of folks to work. Not necccisarrily the clerks at the Buc-ees in Madisonville but people will still need a blow job.

[WBT 20,559]

39 minutes ago, Doc Reeves said:

Over/under on what it actually ends up costing?

put me down for never built

[RPM 26,315]

2 hours ago, JimmyJames said:

Whats’ funny (or not) is that a high speed rail between San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and Houston makes more sense than practically anywhere else in the world.

Yet is hasn’t happened. 

Yeah America!

This. Regional HSR along business corridors just makes sense. 

[GreenspointTexas 9,598]

So fucking dumb. Its less than 3.5 hrs from downtown houston to downtown dallas

 

dont need no damn rail. We need a rail from austin to new orleans or houston to alpine

[Deej 76,748]

Can we get this to include Austin, so we can high speed rail the homeless to Dallas and Houston?

[Nivek 16,916]

Can we get this to include Austin, so we can high speed rail the homeless to Dallas and Houston?

Sorry hippies. We are full in Houston. Keep your homeless on your lawns.

[Crusher 127]

12 minutes ago, Deej said:

Can we get this to include Austin, so we can high speed rail the homeless to Dallas and Houston?

Are they homeless trained? No shitting on sidewalk in Houston.

Edited September 14, 2019 by Crusher

[Crusher 127]

1 hour ago, GreenspointTexas said:

So fucking dumb. Its less than 3.5 hrs from downtown houston to downtown dallas

 

dont need no damn rail. We need a rail from austin to new orleans or houston to alpine

Germany is smaller than Texas and they have high speed rail everywhere you want to go. I zipped from Wuppertal to Frankfurt in about thirty minutes last time I was there. Hopped of the train and caught my flight. Would have taken me over two hours to drive.

It was awesome. I really don't see what the problem is? 

[Thetexashammer 1,062]

21 minutes ago, Crusher said:

Germany is smaller than Texas and they have high speed rail everywhere you want to go. I zipped from Wuppertal to Frankfurt in about thirty minutes last time I was there. Hopped of the train and caught my flight. Would have taken me over two hours to drive.

It was awesome. I really don't see what the problem is? 

Well OK. Lets take a look at your situation.

Germany is smaller than Texas and has twice the population, which makes trains more sensible. Where Germany has ten dollar gas, we pay $2.50 for gas. So trains are MORE EXPENSIVE and cars are LESS EXPENSIVE so you, me and everyone else is like "fuck it I'm driving". We could raise gas to ten dollars a gallon, that would make trains more affordable while decreasing everyone's standard of living, great idea.

Wuppertal to Frankfurt Airport is not thirty minutes. As the crow flies, it's 104 miles. You don't average 200+ miles per hour. It's 1.5 hours on the train. The train neither starts nor ends at your destination. A car drives you from where you are, to where you want to go. Basically, there's no time savings.

Trains make no sense at all. Bro I'm just gonna assume you're drunk. 

 

Edited September 14, 2019 by Thetexashammer

[Poolflood 845]

4 hours ago, Neonmoon said:

So to be clear, you are for public roads but against public trains?

 

Yes.  The more I use the roads the more I pay in tax.  

[The People’s Elbow 707]

7 hours ago, Pasken said:

TxDot did a 900 page study on a high speed train line from Oklahoma to Monterrey Mexico that would go through Waco, Austin, San Antonio, and Laredo.  The Austin section would run along the 130 corridor so you would have to hop on a bus to get you downtown. Maybe they could have the transfer point at the front of the airport grounds.

Austin being the only notable city on your maps reliant on a transfer to get passengers into the urban core is a disappointingly bad look IMO.

It also makes total sense for Austin, which couldn’t responsibly grow if it had a time machine and unlimited funds. 

[Crusher 127]

2 minutes ago, Thetexashammer said:

Well OK. Lets take a look at your situation.

Germany is smaller than Texas and has twice the population, which makes trains more sensible. Where Germany has ten dollar gas, we pay $2.50 for gas. So trains are MORE EXPENSIVE and cars are LESS EXPENSIVE so you, me and everyone else is like "fuck it I'm driving".

Wuppertal to Frankfurt is not thirty minutes. As the crow flies, it's 104 miles. You don't average 200+ miles per hour. It's 1.5 hours on the train. The train neither starts nor ends at your destination. A car drives you from where you are, to where you want to go. Basically, there's no time savings.

Bro I'm just gonna assume you're drunk.

 

The train from Frankfurt to basically anywhere you want to go is right underneath the airport. I got off a plane and walked down to the Train Station. 

Going from Frankfurt to Wuppertal was not high speed. Was actually the only time I slept on that trip. Coming back from Wuppertal to Frankfurt was when I got to ride the high speed rail.

300 km/h or 186 mph and it was hauling ass. Maybe not 30 mins but for sure less than driving. I would enjoy doing it again. An express from Houston to Dallas in 90 mins would be sweet.

As far as the cost. Charge appropriately. I have flown once from Dallas to Houston. Getting through the airport and out on the other end made it useless. That was before 9/11. I have driven many times.  I'd rather sit back and have a beer on a train. I would pay to do that.

 

[52-80 19,139]

The problem with comparison is that to/from Frankfurt you can connect with metro, trams, buses, etc.

 

To/from Dallas <--> final destination people are going to fucking Grapevine, Garland, Frisco, wherever the fuck.  It's a long Über ride with no car sharing programs.  Even if you live in urban core you're not going to bike or walk because it's hot as all fuck.

 

A better comp would be like the NE trek from Boston to New York.  But even then NYC has a credible public transit system, albeit AIDS-ridden.

 

A better way to think of the Texas supertrain is it's a Megabus going twice as fast.  Would people use that?

 

 

[CooterBrown 18,001]

Is the Southwest offer from years ago still on the table that if the state gave them that money, any TX resident could fly in state for free, for life? We should go with that.

[GreenspointTexas 9,598]

Drive to the train station plus train time plus drive from the train station plus cost of expensive ticket make this a non starter for me. Only business folk will use it

 

It takes 3.25 hrs to get from my place to dallas. Its also only what, $60 in gas for a family of 4?

 

the train would only save me maybe 1-1.5 hrs each way (including the drive to and from the station), cost 6 times the price, and id still have to rent a car or uber. 

 

Id rather spend 3 extra hours in the car, save $300, and use the money for 3 extra meals or cocktails or beers or whatever

[Bevo 13,557]

Self driving cars will make short train rides obsolete. Time savings would still be important for longer trips.

[6th Street 6,389]

7 minutes ago, GreenspointTexas said:

Drive to the train station plus train time plus drive from the train station plus cost of expensive ticket make this a non starter for me. Only business folk will use it

 

It takes 3.25 hrs to get from my place to dallas. Its also only what, $60 in gas for a family of 4?

 

the train would only save me maybe 1-1.5 hrs each way (including the drive to and from the station), cost 6 times the price, and id still have to rent a car or uber. 

 

Id rather spend 3 extra hours in the car, save $300, and use the money for 3 extra meals or cocktails or beers or whatever

That's 3 hours of lost productivity where you could be working, doing email, conference calls, etc. The amount of time saved and productivity gained for business travel is well worth it. 

[Neonmoon 38,129]

The amount of people that could live in central Texas but work in Houston or Dallas already makes this worthwhile 

Trains makes way too much sense. They cut down emissions. They save you money. They save you time. They are more dependable. They lessen population density. 

Greenspoint and people like him can live in 1992 

[52-80 19,139]

1 hour ago, GreenspointTexas said:

Drive to the train station plus train time plus drive from the train station plus cost of expensive ticket make this a non starter for me. Only business folk will use it

 

It takes 3.25 hrs to get from my place to dallas. Its also only what, $60 in gas for a family of 4?

 

the train would only save me maybe 1-1.5 hrs each way (including the drive to and from the station), cost 6 times the price, and id still have to rent a car or uber. 

 

Id rather spend 3 extra hours in the car, save $300, and use the money for 3 extra meals or cocktails or beers or whatever

much safer taking the train though. 

[Nice Guy Eddie 13,506]

this plan sounds like a win for everyone.  The single people or people with more disposable income will use the train to save time.  The other people will drive I45 but they will also benefit because of fewer cars on the road.  SImiliar to HOV lanes.

I really don't understand the intense hatred of HSR by those that claim they won't use it.  No one is asking for your tax dollars, no one is demanding you use it, and you may have fewer cars on the roads. Explain to me again why this is a problem?

 

 

 

 

[deadshank 24,652]

11 hours ago, GreenspointTexas said:

So fucking dumb. Its less than 3.5 hrs from downtown houston to downtown dallas

 

dont need no damn rail. We need a rail from austin to new orleans or houston to alpine

We need a rail to your mom’s bedroom.  

[UDontKnow 10,439]

4 hours ago, 52-80 said:

The problem with comparison is that to/from Frankfurt you can connect with metro, trams, buses, etc.

 

To/from Dallas <--> final destination people are going to fucking Grapevine, Garland, Frisco, wherever the fuck.  It's a long Über ride with no car sharing programs.  Even if you live in urban core you're not going to bike or walk because it's hot as all fuck.

 

A better comp would be like the NE trek from Boston to New York.  But even then NYC has a credible public transit system, albeit AIDS-ridden.

 

A better way to think of the Texas supertrain is it's a Megabus going twice as fast.  Would people use that?

 

 

Have you ever ridden the Megabus? It's a slightly better Greyhound and the Greyhound is terribad. I would take HST/supertrain in a heartbeat.

[Iceman 2,690]

15 hours ago, Neonmoon said:

So to be clear, you are for public roads but against public trains?

 

Can I have my own train to drive on the  public tracks?

 

Just make sure the communities directly touched/ benefitted by the tracks are the ones paying for them.  That shit ain't ever coming out to West Texas, so don't ask us to foot the bill for you city slickers.  That being said, if I still lived in H-town, I'd support it.

 

 

[Nice Guy Eddie 13,506]

3 minutes ago, Iceman said:

Can I have my own train to drive on the  public tracks?

 

Just make sure the communities directly touched/ benefitted by the tracks are the ones paying for them.  That shit ain't ever coming out to West Texas, so don't ask us to foot the bill for you city slickers.  That being said, if I still lived in H-town, I'd support it.

Even people in Houston and Dallas are not being asked to fund it.  Only the people using it will pay for it.

Edited September 14, 2019 by Nice Guy Eddie

[UDontKnow 10,439]

SIAP. Found this old article about the HST. The only depressing thing about this train is that it may have a stop close to College Station. Completely unnecessary in my expert, humble, and unbiased opinion: https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2018/11/30/10-things-to-know-about-the-japanese-bullet-train.html.

[Nice Guy Eddie 13,506]

I don’t think it’s been announced whether every train will stop in Grimes County or not.  I assume it will be based on demand.  Also grimes county has said it doesn’t want the stop so don’t count on it.

The initial line shouldn’t have stops. It will only increase the cost and build time.

[hornimal 80]

8 minutes ago, UDontKnow said:

SIAP. Found this old article about the HST. The only depressing thing about this train is that it may have a stop close to College Station. Completely unnecessary in my expert, humble, and unbiased opinion: https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2018/11/30/10-things-to-know-about-the-japanese-bullet-train.html.

I'm afraid so.  the hsr line will go directly through a friend's house in anderson so he's been going to meetings with the project leaders for a couple of years and according to him they will build a brazos valley station.  sucks for him, but at least he's getting paid to move his entire housing complex to another spot on his property.

[52-80 19,139]

1 hour ago, UDontKnow said:

Have you ever ridden the Megabus? It's a slightly better Greyhound and the Greyhound is terribad. I would take HST/supertrain in a heartbeat.

Yup.  Besides having to sit next to a tweaker, what's the difference though?  I mean in terms of trip logistics

[UDontKnow 10,439]

12 minutes ago, 52-80 said:

Yup.  Besides having to sit next to a tweaker, what's the difference though?  I mean in terms of trip logistics

It's a quicker trip thanks to moving at faster speed, no issue of traffic, few stops, and hopefully minimal impact of weather. Downtown Dallas to Downtown Houston and vice versa in nearly half of the time and you can do your work on the trip (I am going to go out on a limb here believing the Wi-Fi to be much better)? It's success all around.

[formermav43 4,606]

2 hours ago, deadshank said:

We need a rail to your mom’s bedroom.  

No available room with the existing HOV lane.

[Bevo 13,557]

22 minutes ago, UDontKnow said:

It's a quicker trip thanks to moving at faster speed, no issue of traffic, few stops, and hopefully minimal impact of weather. Downtown Dallas to Downtown Houston and vice versa in nearly half of the time and you can do your work on the trip (I am going to go out on a limb here believing the Wi-Fi to be much better)? It's success all around.

What is the difference between a self-driving car running on electric and the rapid train? The only hindrance to the self-driving car driving 100mph is the restrictions placed on it by government. And with the train, you will still need uber to get you to your final destination.

[FondrenRoad 4,378]

If a bullet train goes between Houston and Dallas, and no one is on it to hear it, does it make a sound?

[52-80 19,139]

8 minutes ago, FondrenRoad said:

If a bullet train goes between Houston and Dallas, and no one is on it to hear it, does it make a sound?

Is the speed super or subsonic?

[SquishMitten 10,403]

More likely self driving cars will be prevalent long before hsr could be finished.  And they won’t have enough demand.  Because if I don’t have to deal with aggravation of driving, I’d much rather hop in my self driving vehicle and go start to end in 3-4 hours than fuck with driving to train station early enough to catch train, parking, security, train time, and then taking a taxi or uber to final destination.  I don’t see it being any faster when you factor in all that.  Especially for those whose start and end points aren’t close to rail stations. 
Driving is cheaper.  You can pack what you want.  You go point to point.  Can take friends and family for no extra cost.  And you have a vehicle when you get there.  

All of that is true for Vonlane. I choose it every chance I get

[Lat22 4,010]

15 hours ago, Updawg said:

And the land is wide open which makes it pretty feasible. But it won't happen

I agree. Never going to happen. Southwest Airlines won’t let it. 

[DFWTexEx 276]

This is moderately cool.  It would be truly exciting and I would be all in if it actually downtown Dallas to downtown Houston.  In Dallas, it will actually make it to the Cedars, about 1/2 mile short of Union Station where it could connect to light rail and the TRE.   From what I understand in "Houston" it will stop at Northwest Mall, outside the loop, necessitating a transfer to ride share for the most important part of the trip.  

[FondrenRoad 4,378]

13 hours ago, Thetexashammer said:

Well OK. Lets take a look at your situation.

Germany is smaller than Texas and has twice the population, which makes trains more sensible. Where Germany has ten dollar gas, we pay $2.50 for gas. So trains are MORE EXPENSIVE and cars are LESS EXPENSIVE so you, me and everyone else is like "fuck it I'm driving". We could raise gas to ten dollars a gallon, that would make trains more affordable while decreasing everyone's standard of living, great idea.

Wuppertal to Frankfurt Airport is not thirty minutes. As the crow flies, it's 104 miles. You don't average 200+ miles per hour. It's 1.5 hours on the train. The train neither starts nor ends at your destination. A car drives you from where you are, to where you want to go. Basically, there's no time savings.

Trains make no sense at all. Bro I'm just gonna assume you're drunk. 

 

The part of Texas that contains 90% of Texas' population is slightly smaller than Germany geographically.  That same part of Texas is seeing rapid population growth.  The other half of Texas is not.  West Texas isn't even really a consideration when determining populated Texas' transportation possibilities.  El Paso would be part of an AZ, NM transportation area if that part of the country ever did any proper planning.  Amarillo/Lubbock and Midland/Odessa are on an island.  The latter will also probably clear out once we stop gas guzzling.

Also, Germany's current population is more than 3 times Texas.   As for Wuppertal to Frankfurt airport, it does take much longer than 30 minutes, but you do actually start and end at your destination.  You'd also be pretty stupid to fly into Frankfurt instead of Dusseldorf since you are wasting both time and money.

Edited September 14, 2019 by FondrenRoad

[MaybeACoordinator 8,349]

11 minutes ago, Lat22 said:

I agree. Never going to happen. Southwest Airlines won’t let it. 

Nah, Southwest doesn't care anymore now that they can fly internationally out of Hobby and Love. Margin is too small on the Love-Hobby route.