# Unusual TXDOT survey



## wmk (Apr 14, 2011)

Today at the feed store in the small town of Waller Texas (45 miles nw of Houston) there was a lady from Texas Dept of transportation taking a survey,asked the usual questions(where I lived,where I had traveled to and my destination etc).She then asked if I ever traveled to San Antonio or Dallas.I said yes.She then asked if I would use passenger rail to get there.I replied yes and I had when Amtrak operated the Houston section of the Texas Eagle.She seemed to be familar with it.Surprised me.Dont know what this means.I dont expect any support or funding from the state while teachers are being laid off to balance the budget. :wacko:


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## Anderson (Apr 14, 2011)

http://www.statesman.com/news/local/texas-awarded-high-speed-rail-grant-1001595.html

Texas got some HSR money for studies on some routes:



> High-speed rail in Texas, long left for dead, is likely to regain a pulse today when U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announces a $5.6 million grant to plan a passenger rail line from Oklahoma City to the Rio Grande.


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## Eric S (Apr 15, 2011)

Anderson said:


> http://www.statesman...nt-1001595.html
> 
> Texas got some HSR money for studies on some routes:
> 
> ...


It should be noted that this article is from October (rather than a new disbursement of former FL HSR money).


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## Anderson (Apr 15, 2011)

Correct. A "new" disbursement wouldn't have gone far enough through the system to be generating surveys yet.


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## GlobalistPotato (Apr 15, 2011)

Where can I find such a survey?


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## Gratt (Apr 15, 2011)

wmk said:


> Today at the feed store in the small town of Waller Texas (45 miles nw of Houston) there was a lady from Texas Dept of transportation taking a survey,asked the usual questions(where I lived,where I had traveled to and my destination etc).She then asked if I ever traveled to San Antonio or Dallas.I said yes.She then asked if I would use passenger rail to get there.I replied yes and I had when Amtrak operated the Houston section of the Texas Eagle.She seemed to be familar with it.Surprised me.Dont know what this means.I dont expect any support or funding from the state while teachers are being laid off to balance the budget. :wacko:



I had the same thing happen to me when I visited the San Jacinto six months ago with my future wife. I thought it had to do with the TXDOT overall rail plan which is already out, but I am glad to hear they are doing more surveys. I made it quite clear to the guy that good rail service in the Texas triangle was VERY important to me 

Though I agree with our budget issues, I dont see Texas putting the capital up for a serious plan. Even though we can afford it more than other states, and unlike CA we have very little topographic issues to deal with, and most of the ROW are obvious and can be either bought from UP (see lone star rail) or owned by TXDOT (see I-45).


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## GlobalistPotato (Apr 16, 2011)

Gratt said:


> Though I agree with our budget issues, I dont see Texas putting the capital up for a serious plan. Even though we can afford it more than other states, and unlike CA we have very little topographic issues to deal with, and most of the ROW are obvious and can be either bought from UP (see lone star rail) or owned by TXDOT (see I-45).


Unfortunately, most of the good routes in the Texas Triangle are owned by UP, but there are some BNSF exceptions.

One example of a state-owned potential ROW would be the median of I-35W between Hillsboro and Alvarado. Such an alignment could handle 125mph+ speeds, likely up to 186mph. I dunno about the higher speed though.


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