Amtrak Plans For Daily Train To Austin, Dallas, Houston: Report

Austin TX

16 September, 2021

11:57 AM

Description

AUSTIN, TX — Amtrak will prioritize its expanse to the Lone Star State's popular metros once it is approved to receive funds from President Biden's infrastructure deal, according to a report. Amtrak's president and CEO, William Flynn, outlined additional priorities for the railway, including expanding service to San Antonio, Austin, Dallas and Houston in a Sept. 14 interview with the International Railway Journal. Amtrak, the national rail operator, has more than 21,000 route miles in 46 states, Washington, D.C., and three Canadian provinces. It operates more than 300 trains each day at speeds up to 150 mph to more than 500 destinations, its website states. Live in Austin? Click here to subscribe to our free breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and download our free mobile app on Android or iPhone. President Joe Biden spoke at Amtrak's 50th anniversary virtual event in Philadelphia on April 30, 2021. (Courtesy of Amtrak) In March, the comprehensive Amtrak Connects US plan was released to coincide with President Biden's infrastructure deal, which is a part of the trillion-dollar American Jobs Plan. If signed into law, $66 billion of those funds will go to Amtrak, according to the New York Times, "to address Amtrak's maintenance backlog," along with other upgrades. Those upgrades include prioritizing the "Texas Triangle," which connects San Antonio to Austin, Dallas, and Houston, MySA, a branch of the San Antonio Express-News, reports. "Our service today looks very much like it did in 1971," Flynn tells IRJ. "There's a large under-served population, and that is really the underlying logic of Amtrak Connects U.S. That's an exciting opportunity if we can get this level of funding to invest in infrastructure, rolling stock and stations, and service expansion." While the federal bill has passed the senate with bipartisan support; it has yet to hit the president's desk to be signed into law, according to the New York Times. The CEO says he's optimistic that those funds will be approved for the railway company.