Updated: Amtrak issues RFQ for Texas high-speed rail project

Amtrak has issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) that calls for a delivery partner for the proposed project to build a high-speed rail line between Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston.

Issued Feb. 25, the RFQ invites prospective companies, joint ventures, contractors and subcontractors to submit their qualifications so that Amtrak can shortlist the entries, Texas Rail Advocates reported. The issuance of the RFQ marks a step in advancing the project. The short list of firms would be invited to submit proposals for the proposed project.

“Amtrak is working to confirm the viability of the concept of a dedicated high-speed rail route between Dallas and Houston," Amtrak officials said in a statement issued this afternoon. "As part of these efforts, we are seeking to identify the interest of potential partners through responses to this request for qualifications process.”

In September 2024, Amtrak was awarded a $64 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration to continue planning the high-speed rail line. In 2023, Amtrak announced it was exploring a potential partnership with Texas Central Partners, the private for-profit firm that spent years trying to develop the line, where trains could travel over 200 mph for a 90-minute trip between Dallas and Houston.

In 2024, Amtrak Senior Vice President Andy Byford announced Amtrak was officially in charge of the proposed project.