(The following story by Gordon Dickson appeared on the Fort Worth Star-Telegram website on April 24, 2010.)
FORT WORTH, Texas — Robert and Ann Balson’s first Amtrak ride from Fort Worth to Oklahoma City was clean, comfortable and on time.
The Grand Prairie retirees were so impressed that they’re planning another train trip — this time to Southern California. Like a growing number of Texans, they consider Amtrak a viable alternative to driving.
“You can see the countryside,” Ann Balson said last week after the couple returned to downtown Fort Worth on Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer. “It’s relaxing. You can get up and stretch your legs.”
In North Texas, a region that owes its heritage to railroads but where automobiles have dominated the scene for over 60 years, long-distance train travel is making a bit of a comeback.
Even though Texas largely missed out on the Obama administration’s initial pledge of $8 billion for high-speed rail to California, Florida, Illinois and other states, many smaller improvements are being made to Amtrak service in Texas and the Southwest.
Steps are being taken to speed up train trips between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City and increase service to Los Angeles, possibly this year. A proposal to extend service from Fort Worth to Wichita, Kan., and Kansas City is also gaining momentum.
Amtrak is investing millions of dollars in track and signal improvements and may soon buy new rail cars. It is also negotiating with freight railroads, which own the tracks that Amtrak leases for most of its routes, and government officials to run passenger trains more often and to more cities.
And for the first time in years, supporters in Texas government are optimistic that steps are being taken to truly sell passenger rail to the public and make it a practical option for a larger traveling audience — even if it’s not yet at speeds of 150 to 220 mph, which typically require a dedicated track.
In the meantime, train travel on existing rail lines, which is now limited to 79 mph or less in most areas, could be increased to 110 mph or more with less-expensive improvements to track and signals, officials said.
“If you can gain velocity and improve the reliability and frequency of your service, the more people are going to become familiar with it and give up their cars and use the trains,” said Bill Glavin, the first director of the Texas Department of Transportation’s newly created rail division.
New era for Amtrak
For years, the nation’s only coast-to-coast passenger rail service was scorned in Texas for its threadbare service and propensity to run hours behind schedule.
Amtrak was chronically cash-strapped and on several occasions faced the prospect of shutting down. Rail cars fell into disrepair, and riders complained about poor service on long-distance routes. The company, more formally known as National Railroad Passenger Corp., is a government-owned corporation formed in 1971 to relieve freight railroads of responsibility for passenger service.
Amtrak also didn’t buy a single rail car or any other rolling stock between 2002 and 2008, company President Joseph Boardman testified to a congressional committee.