Texas accepted a $15 million grant from the Federal High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program to fund the preliminary engineering and NEPA studies for the Dallas to Houston corridor.
This money was made available by Wisconsin, Ohio and Florida’s refusal of a combined $2.4 billion in high speed passenger rail funding.
Since the adoption of the Texas Rail Plan in November, 2010, Texas has shown it is serious about improving rail across the state. The Dallas to Houston line would connect the two largest metropolitan areas of the state, running parallel to I-45. Most of the right of way along that route is already in place.
A previous grant to study a line between Oklahoma City to Dallas was announced in 2010. The federal plan is to connect the country via a high speed passenger rail network by 2030.
This seems like a good time for a little song sung by Johnny Cash called “Texas, 1947”–better late than never!
“Big and red and silver,
She don’t lay no smoke.
She’s a fast rollin streamline
Come to show the folks.”
the Texas Green Report 
The new passenger rail is exciting news! It will help with road congestion,m pollution plus it will be so convenient to hop to Dallas from Houston on the train.