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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: tejek who wrote (801827)	8/15/2014 8:27:05 PM
From: SilentZ	Respond to of 1579731

> According to the New York Times, when Perry vetoed the unit in 2013, the PIU was investigating accusations of mismanagement and corruption related to one of Perry's landmark initiatives, the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas Ah. Hadn't read that. Guess we'll have to see when the details come out. -Z

To: tejek who wrote (801827)	8/15/2014 9:27:36 PM
From: Brumar89	1 Recommendation Recommended By FJB Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1579731

Construction of Houston-to-Dallas high-speed rail could start in two years by Brian Walzel January 27, 2014 [ Wouldn't it be something it the first high speed rail system in America was built in TX with private money and NO state or federal funds? Bob Eckels running it is a good sign. He gets things done. ] A proposed high-speed rail system between Houston and Dallas could utilize the N700-I Bullet System train currently used by Japan Central Railway throughout Japan. Former Harris County judge Robert Eckels said he believes construction could begin in 2016 on the state’s first high-speed rail line, one connecting Houston and Dallas. Eckels is president of Texas Central Rail, a private consortium promoting the development of a private, for-profit high-speed passenger rail system that would take travelers to and from Dallas to Houston in less than 90 minutes. “We have not been attracting a lot of attention because it’s not a public project,” Eckels said. “We have been quietly doing environment [studies], and having discussions regarding right-of-way acquisition with [the Texas Department of Transportation] and the Federal Rail Administration.” Eckels said TCR is considering three routes—one along Hwy. 290, one along Hwy. 59 and one along I-45. A final decision on which route is most feasible for a high-speed rail line could come soon. “We’ll have a line on a map in 90 days,” Eckels said. A route between Houston and Dallas provides “ideal geography” for a high-speed rail line, Eckels said, which features straight and flat land through rural areas with no needed tunnels. “There are no fatal flaws in any of the routes,” he said. Eckels said TCR would soon a issue a memo of understanding on a pair of environmental impact studies for the proposed rail line, a step toward beginning construction. TxDOT spokesman David Glessner said the department is serving in a supporting role in the development of a high-speed rail line, while the FRA leads the planning effort and TCR serves as the funding source. “At this early stage, the proposals are very much in the discussion phase as we seek public input and other feedback related to needs, demand and feasibility,” Glessner said. Eckels said once it begins, the environmental process would take about 18 months, and construction could begin soon after—possibly in 2016. “We could be operational by 2021,” he said. Houston to Dallas by high-speed rail • The N700-I Bullet System can reach speeds of more than 200 mph. • The 240 miles between downtown Houston and downtown Dallas could be covered in about 77 minutes. • A train would hold eight cars and would seat 400–500 passengers. • Trains would leave about every 30 minutes during peak times. http://impactnews.com/houston-metro/the-woodlands/construction-on-houston-to-dallas-high-speed-rail-could-star/ Texas Central’s president, Robert Eckels, says Dallas-to-Houston tickets would cost about 80 percent of a plane ticket. He claims the non-stop bullet train would be more reliable and convenient than flying or driving. “Short-haul flights have gotten to be more and more a hassle,” Eckels said. “You have to go through security and weather delays. … Our trains will be running within one minute of scheduled performance. They’re not delayed by weather. There’s no magnetometer or X-ray machine to go through." ................ Government involvement doomed high-speed projects in the 1990s, Eckels believes. In addition, short-haul airlines fought the competition and lobbied lawmakers. Developers couldn’t raise enough money. But Eckels says his group has done its homework. They’ve identified the Houston-Dallas route as the most profitable in the country. Eckels says they can move faster because they’ll bypass public funding.The project will cost more than $10 billion, he said. “If you’re private, you don’t have the bureaucracy to deal with,” he said. “We’re not looking for an operating subsidy.” ............