AUSTIN, Texas — Travis County Judge Andy Brown grew up in Austin and has heard the stories about high-speed rail coming to Texas just as long as the rest of us.
He says this time feels different, though.
Amtrak recently announced it is looking into a possible partnership with Texas Central to build a high-speed rail line between Dallas and Houston, a project that’s been discussed for decades, but has never become reality.
And now that Amtrak is interested, Judge Brown is thinking even bigger, now calling for Travis County to eventually be a stop along the line.
“I hope it happens and I think we’re at a point in Texas with the population growth, with the needs of the community, for a safe, environmentally sensitive way to get around,” Brown told us on Inside Texas Politics.
Brown says he continues to talk with leaders at Texas Central.
And he says they, along with Amtrak leadership, have expressed interest in including the Austin-area as part of the next step, if high-speed rail ever develops between Fort Worth and Dallas, College Station and Houston.
That project is nothing more than a wish currently, and would have to clear issues such as substantial environmental impact studies and where the track would go.
There is another rail project, though, that is much closer to becoming a viable transportation option.
Brown says a study is underway to determine the level of need for increased rail service between Austin and San Antonio on the existing Amtrak line known as “Texas Eagle” that takes riders as far north as Chicago and as far south as San Antonio.
If the survey finds a passenger desire for more service, the next step would be securing state or local funding to provide a 20% match to Amtrak funding.
If all of that happens, Brown says it’s possible there could be more rail service between Austin and San Antonio within three to five years.
“My understanding of the increased rail is that would be more trains on that track run by Amtrak to where instead of one per day in each direction, maybe five to 10, I think, is what he said, on that track each day,” said Brown.
Brown said he wouldn’t stop there.
He’s also been meeting with leaders from Monterrey/Nuevo Leon, Mexico to discuss the possibility of a line connecting Austin/San Antonio to that area south of the border.