33 Texas officials send Japanese Ambassador letter opposing high-speed train

The Japanese N700 Series Shinkansen train, which Texas Central Partners proposes to use on the bullet-train route between Houston and Dallas.



Photo courtesy of Texas Central Partners The Japanese N700 Series Shinkansen train, which Texas Central Partners proposes to use on the bullet-train route between Houston and Dallas.



Photo courtesy of Texas Central Partners Photo: Texas Central Partners Photo: Texas Central Partners Image 1 of / 24 Caption Close 33 Texas officials send Japanese Ambassador letter opposing high-speed train 1 / 24 Back to Gallery

The Japanese Ambassador to the United States may be scratching his head over a recent letter signed by 33 officials in East Texas.

Sent Monday, the letter from state legislators and other officials plunges right in stating "deep opposition" to the Texas Central Railway High-Speed Rail Project.

As proposed, the 200-mph train between Houston and Dallas would use Japanese Shinkansen "bullet train" technology. Texas Central Partners, a private company, plans to start construction of the 240-mile route next year, with service slated to begin in 2021.

Texans Against High-Speed Rail organized in May and continues to work against the proposed train.

This week, the letter writers turned to Ambassador Kenichiro Sasae in Washington, DC, for help in stopping the project they say will harm local communities.

"Through their recently formed U.S. companies, the HSR Project would unjustly take private property for the ultimate benefit of a foreign company," the letter states.

"Furthermore, the HSR Project will cut through numerous counties that will have no stops and be permanently scarred by a track dividing land and property that has been passed down through Texas families for generations, in many cases spanning multiple centuries," the letter continues.

In closing, the 33 say, "There may be other places that are better suited for and would welcome your Shinkansen technology. We encourage you to seek out a different market where this would provide an actual transportation solution and where you may encounter less opposition."

The 33 signatures on the letter included those of 11 Republican state Legislators, including State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst of Brenham and State Rep. Will Metcalf of Conroe.

Asked for comment, the Japanese Embassy sent an email statement from Transportation Counselor Yoshihiro Taguchi: "The project referred to is a private initiative, but we understand its importance to the region. As Japan takes pride in its experience of over 50 years of safe and efficient Shinkansen operation record, we are hoping to contribute with our technology to the improvement of the infrastructure in Texas. We will also respect the process and outcome of the discussions among all parties concerned."

A study released in October showed that the project would inject $36 billion into the state's economy, but the report hasn't quelled opposition.

In August, the Federal Railroad Administration approved the 240-mile rail corridor preferred by the developers of the Dallas-Houston train.