The Texas Bullet Train vs. California High-Speed Rail

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Texas Bullet Train vs. California High-Speed Raill
Texas Bullet Train vs. California High-Speed Raill

The Texas Bullet Train vs. California High-Speed Rail

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Leading. The Texas Way.

High-speed train projects are underway in Texas and California. The Texas Bullet Train is taking a fundamentally different approach to bringing a bullet train to the 240-mile corridor between Houston and North Texas.

[pofo_separator text=”GOVERNMENT VS. INVESTOR OWNED”]

TEXAS

  • $12 billion estimated civil infrastructure cost

  • Led by entrepreneurs

  • 100% investor-owned

  • Risk borne by investors and lenders

CALIFORNIA

  • $64 billion estimated costs

  • Led by state-funded authority

  • Funded by government grants

  • Risk borne by taxpayers

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TEXAS

  • North Texas – Brazos Valley – Houston

  • 240 Mile Length

  • Less than 90-minute travel time

CALIFORNIA

  • San Francisco – Los Angeles/Anaheim

  • 520 Mile Length (Phase 1)

  • Less than 3 hours travel time

[pofo_separator text=”ROLE OF THE FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION”]

TEXAS

  • Lead federal agency for NEPA (EIS) preparation

  • Approves safety regulations specific to the operating environment and system deployed in Texas and provides ongoing safety oversight

CALIFORNIA

  • Grantor of $3.4 billion in federal funds

  • Lead federal agency for NEPA (EIS) preparation

  • Ensures compliance with existing safety regulations and provides ongoing safety oversight

[pofo_separator text=”For Profit Vs. Public Transit”]

TEXAS

  • Investor-owned infrastructure developed without government grants or operational subsidies

  • Addresses pent-up market demand through data-based selection process without the use of government grants

CALIFORNIA

  • Federal, state, and local dollars fund the project

  • Project viability and success largely measured by “public good”

[pofo_separator text=”STATION PLANNING & METHODOLOGY”]

TEXAS

  • 3 proposed stations

  • Market research determines route, adjacent infrastructure rights of way, service plan and station locations, subsequent decisions based on consumer demand

CALIFORNIA

  • 15 proposed stations

  • Service plan, routes and station locations subject to political considerations

[pofo_separator text=”TRAINS”]

TEXAS

  • Shinkansen technology is lightest, safest, and most efficient option for Texas soils

  • 100% of alignment dedicated solely to the Texas Bullet Train

  • Technology has yielded a perfect safety record in Japan for 53 years

  • Maximum operating speed up to 205 mph

CALIFORNIA

  • Technology to be selected during construction

  • Portions of alignment to be shared with slower passenger and freight trains

  • Based on technology selected, operating speeds will vary widely

[pofo_separator text=”GRADE CROSSINGS”]

TEXAS

  • No at-grade crossings, fully dedicated corridor

  • Majority of the line will be built on elevated viaducts

  • Operates above or below all public roadway crossings – ensuring the Texas Bullet Train will not block traffic allowing for easy access

  • ZER0 opportunity for intersection with freight trains or other passenger vehicles

CALIFORNIA

  • At least 42 at-grade roadway crossings

  • Crossings will block traffic using only gates to prevent collisions with vehicles and pedestrians

  • Mixing of freight and passenger trains with vehicle traffic leads to injuries, and in some cases fatalities

[pofo_separator text=”Gov’t Funding vs. Investor-Owned”]

TEXAS

  • Texas Central negotiates flexible and fair option agreements by working collaboratively

CALIFORNIA

  • Legal restrictions limit options to negotiate compensation to landowners

[pofo_separator text=”“Cap & Trade“ Carbon Emission Credits”]

TEXAS

  • No. Funding is driven by experienced entrepreneurs who recognize the need for improved infrastructure in Texas

  • System will not require or request federal or state grants or operational subsidies

CALIFORNIA

  • Yes, Cap & Trade Greenhouse Gas Reduction Programs allocate 25% of funds from the state of California to HSR

  • Approximately $1.25 billion appropriated to date

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