Texas considers $25 million budget proposal for short-line upgrades

A budget proposal calling for the state of Texas to provide $25 million for short-line rehabilitation projects recently was approved by the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) and the Texas Transportation Commission, according to State Rep. Jill Dutton.

This month, the proposal will be considered by the state’s legislative budget board, she said in a press release.  

“I will continue to shepherd these funds in the right procedural direction as the required legislative steps are taken toward finalizing the state budget,” said Dutton. “[This] win signifies that TXDOT values … all short-line rail systems in Texas.”

Many short lines in Texas need help with funding crucial infrastructure improvements, she stressed. For example, the Northeast Texas Rural Rail Transportation District (NETEX) — a six-county district that controls a nearly 66-mile rail line — needs to upgrade track to keep up with growing traffic, said Dutton.

Operated by Freedom Rail Group Inc., the NETEX line registers about 2,000 cars per year. But demand soon will increase traffic to 5,000 cars per year because of a new transload facility near Sulphur Springs, Texas, and then spike traffic to about 35,000 cars per year by 2027 and 2028 because of industrial development at a former coal mine, said Dutton.

“This rail line is well over 100 years old with hundreds of cross-tie marker nails still in place dated from 1927 to 1949. This short line is considered an ‘excepted’ trackage and is limited to 5 mph due to the defective cross ties and current bridge deficiencies,” she said. “Due to lack of funding and lack of dedication to rehabilitation, the rail has continued to deteriorate over the decades.”