Plans to build a high-speed passenger railway line between Dallas and Houston face another setback with the announcement of the American Transport Secretary, Sean Duffy, that the Federal Railway Administration (FRA) ends a subsidy of $ 63.9 million in Amtrak for the project.
High -speed Amtrak Texas Railway Corridor was originally a private effort known as the Texas Central Railway. But as project estimates grew – more than $ 40 billion, according to the United States Department of Transport -, Texas Centra went to Amtrak to help explore the viability of the proposed line. Defenders say that it could take passengers on the 236 mile trip in less than 90 minutes, reaching a maximum speed of 205 mph.
FRA granted the grant to Amtrak last year through a program aimed at establishing new routes, restoring service on the old passenger railway routes and improving service on existing routes.
Duffy said in a statement that Fra and Amtrak “agree that the subscription of this project is a loss of taxpayers’ funds and a distraction from the main mission to improve their existing subpained services.” A representative of Amtrak did not immediately answer the questions about the project or whether Amtrak would continue to involve.
“The Texas Central Railway Project was proposed as a private company,” said Duffy. “If the private sector believes that this project is feasible, they should carry out the pre-construction work, instead of trusting Amtrak and the American taxpayer to rescue them.”
Texas’s central leaders had initially committed that they would build the line without any public funding, before their former CEO resigned and their board of directors dissolved.
The end of the grant occurs after Duffy testified to the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works earlier this month. He said that the money of the grant they have already been forced could be paid, but that Dot was reviewing a setback of 3,200 grants that had been awarded, but not yet completed.
It also follows the resignation last month of Amtrak’s CEO, Stephen Gardner. Reuters and other communication points reported that Gardner was expelled by Trump administration officials.
Dot officials said in their announcement that, despite the completion of the subsidy, FRA is still interested in the new railway projects. As they said, the subsidy balance will be reassigned to other projects.
