High-speed rail among three transportation modes under study

Published on March 30, 2021

Capable of traveling up to 250 miles on a fixed schedule, high-speed rail’s operational readiness is among its strengths, according to North Central Texas Council of Government’s study team leading the DFW High-Speed Transportation Connections Study.

Also under intense review are magnetic levitation, called Maglev, and hyperloop technologies.

Early on, conventional rail and higher-speed rail services were eliminated as possible transportation modes due, in part, to their travel times of more than 20 minutes for the 31-mile trip between Dallas and Fort Worth.

- FWBP Digital Partners -

The first high-speed rail system, known as the Shinkansen, or “bullet” train, began operations in Japan in 1964. Today, Japan has a network of nine high-speed rail lines serving 22 of its major cities, carrying more than 420,000 passengers on a typical weekday. The railway has never had a passenger fatality or injury due to accidents.

High-speed rail is now under development in the United States as well. The first high-speed rail system in the U.S., located in California, is currently under construction, but the first phase, connecting San Francisco to Los Angeles and Anaheim, is not expected to be completed until 2029.

Texas Central Railroad is also planning a Shinkansen high-speed rail line between Dallas and Houston, with a goal to be operational in 2026.

Learn more about the DFW High-Speed Transportation Connections Study. 

- Advertisement -

Get articles like this in your inbox. Subscribe to City News.