Category Archives: railways

3 Points. East Texas Editorial Opposed to High Speed Rail.

Tyler Morning Telegraph editorial opposing Texas Centrail Rail raises these 3 points:

  • This isn’t a rural-urban issue. This is a property rights issue.
  • You can’t say this is a private enterprise, promoting free market when you use eminent domain, because eminent domain is the opposite of free market.
  • This is crony capitalism with the government  “thumb on the scale”

Tyler Morning Telegraph | Editorial: Texas bullet train an example of crony capitalism

18 Bills = 9 Bills + Companions. High Speed De-Railment.

Which members joined forces to file bills to impede high speed rail?

  • Senators Birdwell, Creighton,  Kolkhorst, Perry, & Schwertner
  • Representatives Ashby, Bell, Cook, Schubert, and Wray 

The hot issues in the press release announcement:

  • big bad evil #1 : foreign investments (remember Trans Texas Corridor & Cintra, anyone?)
  • big bad evil #2: it will hurt family farms and private property rights
  • big bad evil #3: this is going to be expensive, more expensive than they are saying
  • big bad evil…

+ 1 State. High Speed Rail.

the State:  Washington

The move toward high speed rail: The Governor calling on $1 million in the Transportation budget to study high speed rail between Seattle and Vancouver

What specifics will the study include:

  • Does the short ditance make rail as competitive as air travel
  • Can high speed rail work with existing rail
  • Proposed station sites
  • Environmental impact
  • Latest high-tech options
  • Projected ridership demand

Construction Dive | WA governor allocates $1M for high-speed rail study

 

Campaign Trend. TX Mayors Race. At Issue. High Speed Rail.

The Mayoral Race: San Antonio mayoral race between Mayor Ivy Taylor, Manuel Medina & Ron Nirenberg

The rail stances:

  • Manuel Medina supports Austin to San Antonio rail and high speed rail to Monterrey Mexico
  • Mayor Ivy Taylor supports Austin to San Antonio rail suggesting it be led by the provate sector
  • Ron Nirenberg supports pushing the Governor’s office to make Austin- San Antonio transportation a priority & supports connecting the Texas triangle, including the Houston to Dallas high speed…

5 Points from State Rep. Byron Cook. High Speed Rail Op-Ed

  • The “Japanese – Texas High Speed Rail Project” is too good to be true
  • It is a “bullet aimed at property owners ”  to the benefit of “commercial real estate venture or for the state’s master transportation plan for the future.”
  • The project is touted by “private real estate speculators”
  • Reliance on Japanese rail technology has 2 problems:
    • its not compatible to existing rail in Texas
    • “future generations of Texas rail customers hostage to a monopoly railroad technology with NO competitive…

Hoosier Legislature. Ups the Ante on Eminent Domain for Railroads. Read the Bill before it arrives in Texas.

Indiana’s House Bill 1260 requires railroads to demonstrate public use before proceeding with eminent domain. 

WIMS AM 1420 | H.B. 1260 co-authored by State Rep. Jim Pressel goes to Senate

Chesterton Tribune | Soliday bill would require public need prior to eminent domain taking by RRs

NW Indiana | House approves rail eminent domain changes

5 Reasons CA's High Speed Rail is 7 Years Behind Schedule. Eminent Domain is not Imminent Domain.

  • 50% over budget ($3.6 billion in excess)
  • topography- dense urban areas, soggy lands, mountains
  • acquiring land takes time- eminent domain is not imminent domain
  • sluggish environmental approvals
  • failing to unlock federal money quickly enough

National Review | TPPF’s Chueck DeVore| California’s High-Speed Rail: Slow, Expensive, and Bound for Cancellation

 

Case Study. State Moves to Limit & Expand Eminent Domain. 2 Ways it would impact roads & rail.

The State: North Carolina Legislature is considering HB 10 which would extend the authority of eminent domain by allowing it to connect customers. 

The bill’s language: “Connection of Customers. – For the public use, private condemnors, local public condemnors, and other public condemnors in subsections (a), (b), (b1), and (c) of this section shall possess the power of eminent domain and may acquire by purchase, gift, or condemnation any property for the connection of any customer or…