The Federal Railroad Administration and Amtrak terminated a $63.9 million grant awarded under the Corridor Identification and Development Program for the Amtrak Texas High-Speed Rail Corridor, formerly known as the Texas Central Railway project. The project, which has been in development for over a decade, aims to connect Dallas/Fort Worth with Houston. 

“I am pleased to announce that FRA and Amtrak are in agreement that underwriting this project is a waste of taxpayer funds and a distraction from Amtrak’s core mission of improving its existing subpar services,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “The Texas Central Railway project was proposed as a private venture. If the private sector believes this project is feasible, they should carry the pre-construction work forward rather than relying on Amtrak and the American taxpayer to bail them out. My department will continue to look for every opportunity to save federal dollars and prioritize efficiencies.” 

Amtrak revived the project in 2024 when it assumed planning responsibilities. The initiative has encountered strong opposition from landowners resistant to selling their property or having a high-speed train nearby. It remains unclear what will happen to the effort now that it has lost public funding. 

Kleinheinz Capital Partners, the lead investor in Texas Central, informed the Texas Tribune that they are confident they can secure the funding necessary to construct the railroad. 

“We agree with Secretary Duffy that this project should be led by the private sector, and we will be proud to take it forward,” the company said in a statement. “This project is shovel-ready and will create significant new jobs and economic growth for Texas as part of President Trump’s efforts to boost the U.S. economy.” —Justin Franz