August 22, 2024 - TRA Newswire -

The Texas Transportation Commission put its blessing on the Texas Department of Transportation's Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget request Thursday, now sending the lengthy document over to Governor Greg Abbott's desk for review before it goes to the Legislative Budget Board and the Texas legislature.

The multi-billion dollar transportation funding request, most of which by law has to go to maintain and build highways, does contain three non-budgeted items for rail projects if state lawmakers approve. Every two years the Texas Department of Transportation is required to submit a Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR) for the upcoming biennium to be considered by the Texas Legislature.

The three "exceptional items," which would require general funding from the legislature, could mean $175 million toward eliminating dangerous at-grade rail crossings, a $2 million boost for the daily Heartland Flyer service and $25 million in infrastructure help for short line railroads. 

Texas Representative Jill Dutton (R-Greenville) spoke before the Transportation Commission in support of the short line funding request. "I feel this is a very important issue for the Northeast Texas Rural Rail District (NETEX) in my area.  This rail line serves the Northeast Texas region that would not only bring economic and job growth but it's also an issue of safety and security for our roads, our transportation and for the railroad," according to Dutton.

The 67-mile long short line, whose right-of-way is owned by TxDOT, administered by the NETEX board, and operated under contract by Patriot Rail, does not have any taxing authority to upgrade its bridges and infrastructure. It's only source of income is a minimum per car fee paid by the operator to the rural rail district, which doesn't allow for any needed track work.

The entire line has been classified as Excepted Track by the Federal Railroad Administration. Excepted Track means the rail bed and infrastructure is in poor condition and only allows freight trains to operate below 10 miles per hour. Other restrictions apply to trains carrying hazardous material. 

Dutton passed out rail spikes that date back to the 1940's to each Commissioner. She said those spikes and ties are still in place on the NETEX line and in dire need of replacement. 

Dutton said that with the meager fees collected for each rail car it goes to "not rehabilitate it, not improve it but just to maintain it. They are literally just hanging on by their fingernails."  The line presently carries raw materials, lumber, steel, grain and some hazardous materials. 

Dutton was concerned about the track condition and hauling hazmat cars. "It's a great concern to me and it should be a great concern to everyone in Texas being a state asset. We don't want those hazardous and heavy materials on our roads. it will save money and It is a security and safety issue. We, also on our watch, don't want to have a derailment of hazardous materials."   

The state representative said there are thousands of acres with industrial development potential now in the planning stage. The line presently carries 1,800 to 2,000 cars a year and has a demand for 5,000 carloads with discussions now in process.  "By 2028 we could have have 35,000 cars carried on this very short line railroad." That would take about 140,000 trucks off the roads, according to Dutton. 

The line runs northeast of Dallas and interchanges with CPKC and Union Pacific Railroad. it covers Collin, Hunt, Hopkins, Franklin and Titus counties in Northeast Texas. 

See TxDOT Legislative Appropriations Request: https://ftp.txdot.gov/pub/txdot/commission/2024/0822/6-presentation.pdf