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AMTRAK, LONG-DISTANCE TRAINS, AND CONGRESSIONAL FUNDING

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[quote user="South Texas"] Texas and Oklahoma jointly fund the Heartland Flyer and are currently studying extending it south to Austin, San Antonio, and Laredo, and north to Tulsa and Kansas City. The Texas Eagle has way over a 750 mile route already and is being looked at for extension to Corpus Christi and the Valley, sponsor unknown. A potential route from Houston to Dallas, Abilene, Lubbock, Amarillo, and Denver (dubbed Cannon Ball Express) would also be way over 750 miles in length. Plus, there are several non-Amtrak studies underway. Trust me, the TxDOT Rail Division has the potential to act (Congress cooperating or not). [/quote] TXDOT is dependent on legislative authorization for its budget. The Texas Legislature has not authorized an increase in the fuel taxes, which are TXDOT's major source of revenue, since the early 90s.  As a result the state has had to turn to toll roads to build some of the new roadways the state needs because of its significant population growth. Accordingly, it is a stretch to believe that the tight fisted Texas Legislature will fund any additional passenger rail operations in the near future? I try to stay abreast of passenger rail developments in Texas. I have never heard any serious proposals by a person or group to extend the Texas Eagle to Corpus Christi and the Valley.  What is the source for this information?
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