April 5, 2019 - Robbie Briggs, President & CEO, Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty -
Texans are legendary for love affairs with their cars - and maybe more so their trucks - gleefully navigating ribbons of roadways, stretching thousands of miles across majestic Lone Star landscapes.
That's why the most modern modes of transportation - driverless cars and high-speed rail - could be game-changers here. The reality of driverless cars is inching closer, and tales abound of Elon Musk and his ambitious Tesla tunnel idea, wherein Tesla vehicles would be equipped with little swing-out wheels that slot into grooved tracks in a buried tunnel, effectively turning each vehicle into an underground train car. Texas, with its open spaces, could be ground zero for transportation success.
For years we've played a game of "what if" when it comes to cutting-edge options, and now all of that could change, dramatically. Local media has reported that construction of a privately funded bullet train could commence as early as this year. Developed by a company called Texas Central, the railway would allow passenger trains to speed almost 190 miles per hour between North Texas and Houston, making the journey in less than 90 minutes. To drive that yourself takes about four hours, without traffic. To fly it is about three hours, factoring in airport check-in and exit times.
So in less than an hour and a half you could be whisked between the fourth and fifth largest economies in the entire United States.
Almost 50,000 "super-commuters" do that now, more than once a week, using planes, buses and cars. So, for many businesspeople, such accessibility would be a monumental turning point. The trains, made by a Japanese company and called the safest in the world, with a 55-year record of zero accidents or injuries, are planned with wide seats, two on each side of any aisle, and high ceilings. There will be various service levels - including first class, economy and quiet, work-friendly options - plus Wi-Fi and onboard food and drinks. This super-speed rail service would focus on things such as convenience, with departures scheduled every half-hour during peak periods, and pricing, which is predicted to be competitive with flying or driving.
As you may expect, there is a good deal of discussion and opinion about the project, everything from eminent-domain issues to environmental impacts to financing. Texas Central's own website, texascentral.com, is a source of information, as is one by a group called Texans Against High Speed Rail, at texansagainsthsr.com.
You know, Texans will likely continue their romance with their vehicles. But, as the idea of high-speed rail gains traction, and distances almost dissolve, Texas would likely reap multiple benefits from such a system.
It's intriguing to think about. Are you all aboard?
Robbie Briggs, President & CEO, Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty
(as published in the Wall Street Journal, Friday, April 5, 2019 and reprinted with the permission of Mr. Briggs)
Texans are legendary for love affairs with their cars - and maybe more so their trucks - gleefully navigating ribbons of roadways, stretching thousands of miles across majestic Lone Star landscapes.
That's why the most modern modes of transportation - driverless cars and high-speed rail - could be game-changers here. The reality of driverless cars is inching closer, and tales abound of Elon Musk and his ambitious Tesla tunnel idea, wherein Tesla vehicles would be equipped with little swing-out wheels that slot into grooved tracks in a buried tunnel, effectively turning each vehicle into an underground train car. Texas, with its open spaces, could be ground zero for transportation success.
For years we've played a game of "what if" when it comes to cutting-edge options, and now all of that could change, dramatically. Local media has reported that construction of a privately funded bullet train could commence as early as this year. Developed by a company called Texas Central, the railway would allow passenger trains to speed almost 190 miles per hour between North Texas and Houston, making the journey in less than 90 minutes. To drive that yourself takes about four hours, without traffic. To fly it is about three hours, factoring in airport check-in and exit times.
So in less than an hour and a half you could be whisked between the fourth and fifth largest economies in the entire United States.
Almost 50,000 "super-commuters" do that now, more than once a week, using planes, buses and cars. So, for many businesspeople, such accessibility would be a monumental turning point. The trains, made by a Japanese company and called the safest in the world, with a 55-year record of zero accidents or injuries, are planned with wide seats, two on each side of any aisle, and high ceilings. There will be various service levels - including first class, economy and quiet, work-friendly options - plus Wi-Fi and onboard food and drinks. This super-speed rail service would focus on things such as convenience, with departures scheduled every half-hour during peak periods, and pricing, which is predicted to be competitive with flying or driving.
As you may expect, there is a good deal of discussion and opinion about the project, everything from eminent-domain issues to environmental impacts to financing. Texas Central's own website, texascentral.com, is a source of information, as is one by a group called Texans Against High Speed Rail, at texansagainsthsr.com.
You know, Texans will likely continue their romance with their vehicles. But, as the idea of high-speed rail gains traction, and distances almost dissolve, Texas would likely reap multiple benefits from such a system.
It's intriguing to think about. Are you all aboard?
Robbie Briggs, President & CEO, Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty
(as published in the Wall Street Journal, Friday, April 5, 2019 and reprinted with the permission of Mr. Briggs)