Texas commuters, a train could be a comin', and it's possibly a very fast one.

The Texas Department of Transportation is launching a two-year, $14 million study of passenger rail service between South Texas and Oklahoma City.

That could mean bringing high-speed rail or, at the least, finding ways to connect the state's major cities with some type of rail service.

The study also will examine how to fund these projects, which could involve the private sector.

The overall goal is to reduce congestion in Texas, officials said.

But it could be years — and many billions of dollars — before that's a reality.

The study essentially will give officials and policymakers a strategic plan that federal officials can reference when funding becomes available.

“What it does is it gets Texas caught up, as far as our planning level studies ... that would put us in line for future funding for environmental design and construction,” said Jennifer Moczygemba, rail system section director for TxDOT.

While TxDOT has engaged in many previous rail studies, “Times have changed and we need to evaluate the current situation and get input from the public as to what the service should be,” Moczygemba said.

High-speed trains travel at 120 mph or faster. Compare that to Amtrak, which today provides the only passenger rail service in San Antonio. For safety reasons, Amtrak trains in Texas can travel no faster than 79 mph.

Adding high-speed rail would mean building new tracks because of federal rules regulating trains moving at those speeds. The study also will look at extending passenger rail to the Rio Grande Valley, Laredo or Corpus Christi, Moczygemba said.

The Texas study comes three years after the Obama administration first pushed for an extensive high-speed rail network across the United States. The effort that has met with limited success — officials in at least three states have rejected funds for such projects. California is still moving forward with plans for a bullet train that one day could connect Los Angeles to San Francisco but cost $69 billion.

The new TxDOT study also will look at building up more traditional passenger service between large cities or connecting to existing routes.

TxDOT also is conducting a separate, statewide ridership analysis, examining where it makes the most sense to add or enhance rail service.

“We really want to emphasize, this is not just about high speed,” Moczygemba said. “This is about improved Amtrak service and anything in between.”

The analysis would not affect plans for a planned commuter rail line between San Antonio and Austin, called the Lone Star Rail District initiative, or LSTAR. If it's built, LSTAR would travel at slower speeds and stop at cities in between, said Joe Black, LSTAR rail director. LSTAR could connect to high-speed rail.