This is how the Loop was built in Chicago. Shell corporations set up to acquire the rights. There was one which was set up just to acquire *one block*.
I suspect that this may be one reason that Brightline has been trying to stick to highway RoWs wherever they can. It just is easier to get through EISs, though sometimes even that does not totally avoid problems. Witness the SR 417 shenanigans between OIA and WDW.
Private funding was supposed to be the solution for why Americans cannot have clean and efficient transportation. Meanwhile CAHSR shows actual progress.
We already have a slower cheaper system and most Texans have shown no interest in using it.
Three for three on this post.
I never said anything about standard bearing but if I had to pick I'd probably choose the project with actual infrastructure. Since you chose to bring it up what is your standard bearer for HSR in the US?
You're shocked that a brand new railroad can be granted permission to buy land before laying track? I would have been shocked if the court could have penned a coherent counterpoint.
You're just all over the place with these remarks. If you actually support Texas Central why do your posts sound like they long for the day that it's finally killed off for good?
Good news on the court decision. Not so good on the lack of financing options.
I have followed this project very closely really hoping it would come to fruition. Having lived through the DFW-Houston HSR project in the 90s that was killed by SWA. This time around SWA gave the project its blessing and the Governor got behind the project. A nice website and fancy plans to build stations in Dallas and NW Houston (still don't get that one). Throughout all of the hype, details on financing were scarce and now with the opportunity to start the CEO leaves. Giving credence what the critics have stated from day one. Sad, because there is business case for HSR between DFW-HOU, shame no one can close the case.
Texas might be "business friendly," but they also have a fundamentalist faith in the sanctity of "private property." Thus, unless there is actual bribery of the judge(s) overseeing the eminent domain proceedings (which I suppose is possible in theory, but we don't even know who the judges would be), I don't think that Texas Central would be able to buy the land at less than its actual market value.
Of course it's the standard bearer: just like standard bearers in pre-WWI armies, it's been constantly harried and shot at by its enemies to prevent it going forward.
I do not know where you get what appears to be your concept that eminent domain means you are getting the land at less than market value. That is absolutely NOT the case. Eminent domain means, at least everywhere I have been anywhere near it, you pay at least market value. In fact, determination of market value is a major part of the process. Normally in practice you end up paying somewhat of a premium over what the open sale market value would be. In practice eminent domain is only used with unwilling sellers. Most agencies would prefer to negotiate a price without the need for legal compulsion being used to force the sale. There are a lot of non-highway agencies that have the power to obtain land by eminent domain when negotiations fail, such as utility companies, pipelines, etc. Sometimes it may only be an easement, but there are several agencies that go for fee simple purchase only.
are the two projects ring-fenced, or could problems on one potentially bring down the other?
Of course that “sanctity of private property” interestingly doesn’t extend to highways or airports. Seems more selective than some kind of libertarian purity.
I don't disagree with your first paragraph, but CAHSR to Brightline is not a fair comparison.
For the East-West portion it may be more appropriate to say that it is being build along a highway RoW, but not exactly on it at every point. That is why there was the issue with Deseret. Some places it is right along the highway, other places it is at some distance from the highway.
My point wasn't that eminent domain isn't impossible in Texas, it's that if they do it, they have a cultural norm to pay the property owner the fair market price. There might well be cases of corruption where the property owner gets the shaft, but those are violating the cultural norms that the locals strongly care about.
