Texas Central, Renfe sign bullet-train operator pact

Yesterday in Madrid, Texas Central Railway and Renfe officials signed an agreement that formalizes the Spanish rail operator as the Texas bullet train's strategic operating partner.

With its decades of experience, Spain-based Renfe was a "natural fit" to join Texas Central’s other partners, Texas Central officials said in a press release.

The Renfe deal means the railway now has its operator, design-build and technology teams on board with the project, which calls for establishing a 200-mph passenger-rail service between North Texas and Houston.

Other project team members include Salini Impregilo, along with its U.S.-based subsidiary The Lane Construction Corp., which will oversee the civil construction consortium that will build the rail line. San Francisco-based construction firm Bechtel, which has an office in Houston, will serve as the project manager.

Texas Central announced earlier this month that it selected Renfe as train operator.