April 2005 Newsletter

Greetings to Texas Rail Advocates members, and friends:

As I am writing this message on my laptop, I am traveling on Amtrak’s Texas Eagle through the heart of Illinois at 81 miles per hour. The railbed, track and signaling on this stretch north of Springfield, Illinois is being upgraded so that in the near future even higher train speeds can be achieved. The state of Illinois, the U.S. Department of Transportation and Union Pacific have all been working to improve the St. Louis-Chicago corridor for the past several years. This and other corridors are an important part of the national passenger rail network which we firmly believe is essential to the lifeblood of communities across the country.

This is what should happen in Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma on what the USDOT calls the South Central High Speed Rail Corridor. There are 11 designated corridors for higher performance railroads in the country. The difference between the Chicago Hub Corridors and the South Central Corridor is that upgrades are being accomplished, while we are still kicking dust. Not one dollar has been allocated so far from the federal budget to conduct the engineering and feasibility study needed for the entire length of the three state corridor since its designation by the USDOT in 2000.

However, there are signs of progress. In late January, the Regional Transportation Council, the transportation policy body of the North Central Texas Council of Governments requested members of Congress to approve a project called “Southwestern Transportation Enhancements”. If approved under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century Reauthorization Bill, funding would allow the engineering and feasibility study for the South Central Rail Corridor from the Dallas-Fort Worth area north to Oklahoma City/Tulsa; Northeast to Texarkana and Little Rock and south to San Antonio. The cities of Texarkana and Arlington, Texas have just issued resolutions that support the corridor. Other cities and municipal planning organizations have advised us that they are in the process of approving the resolution. As these resolutions are completed and sent back to Texas Rail Advocates, we will present these to the appropriate state and federal agencies and elected representatives.

Another sign of progress is the response from the South Central High Speed Rail Corridor Conference, which was held January 28th at DFW International Airport. Representatives from four congressional districts, mayors, city council members, regional mobility councils, railroad professionals, business and industry leaders and others heard in this pioneering conference what the corridor could mean in economic and social benefits.

Texas Governor Rick Perry announced a historic agreement between the state of Texas, BNSF Railway and Union Pacific to work in partnership to move freight rail out of densely populated urban areas across the state.  Perry noted that this memorandum of understanding marks the first time any state has partnered with a private rail company to consolidate, improve and relocate existing freight rail lines away from population centers. Funding and specific projects have not yet been determined. Perry noted that the rail relocation projects will provide a boost to the Texas economy as well, and will be an integral part in the overall improvement of the state's transportation system.

Public-Private partnerships will be needed to make the corridor a success. We must be mindful that the Class 1 railroads (Union Pacific, BNSF Railway and Kansas City Southern) and their shareholders are the owners of the rail lines. Working in cooperation to relieve truck and car congestion on our roads, wear and tear of our highways, reducing pollution in metropolitan areas, giving our citizens a choice in travel options and increasing economic opportunities, we can achieve these goals. The railroads can move freight trains more efficiently and the public can benefit from an enhanced commuter and national network passenger rail transportation system.

We continue to believe that a Dedicated Rail Division within the Texas Department of Transportation is the right solution to act as a “gatekeeper” between Washington and Austin on the many important transportation projects on the horizon. A DOT Rail Division in California and other states has resulted in their citizens enjoying the fruits of passenger rail travel, while we are still fragmented in our policies in Texas. Our state legislators can make it happen. They need to hear from you.

Join with us to make the South Central High Speed Rail Corridor a reality. Your financial and personal support is needed. Texas Rail Advocates is a non-profit organization. All board members serve pro-bono. E-mail or call us. Let’s get these trains rolling!

Peter LeCody
President
Texas Rail Advocates