Texas Central taps Renfe as operating partner

The planned high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas would use overhead electrical lines and its own separated tracks to shuttle riders between the two metro areas, through mostly flat, rural land. The N700 train is shown in this photo illustration from Texas Central Railway, using images provided by Japan Railway Central. less The planned high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas would use overhead electrical lines and its own separated tracks to shuttle riders between the two metro areas, through mostly flat, rural land. The ... more Photo: Under Permission Of JR Central / Under Permission Of JR Central Photo: Under Permission Of JR Central / Under Permission Of JR Central Image 1 of / 11 Caption Close Texas Central taps Renfe as operating partner 1 / 11 Back to Gallery

Texas Central, the developer behind the proposed high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas, has tapped Renfe as the train's operating partner.

The Spanish rail operator, in partnership with Spanish railway infrastructure company Adif, will provide technical advice on the design and construction of the Texas Central railway, and assist with its operation and maintenance plans. Once the railway is built, the company will run the trains, maintain engines and signals and oversee ticketing and passenger programs.

Renfe, which has 14,000 employees and revenues of $4.1 billion, brings more than 25 years of experience to the project. The company operates 5,000 trains, including local commuter and high-speed rail lines, every day on 7,500 miles of track in Europe. It handled more than 487 million passengers, including 36 million high-speed rail passengers, and 19.6 million tons of freight in 2017.

"Renfe has established a reputation for excellence in railroad operation in Spain and across the world, and we welcome them aboard," Texas Central CEO Carlos Aguilar said in a statement. "With their decades of expertise, they were a natural fit to join our other partners."

RELATED: Texas company gets $300M loan for high-speed train project

Renfe is the latest international company to partner with Texas Central on the high-speed rail project. Earlier this year, Texas Central announced it is working with Salini Impregilo, operating in the U.S. as The Lane Construction Corp. to lead the civil construction on the rail line. The Texas company also secured $300 million in loans from Japanese sources to fund the permitting, design and engineering for the project.

The Texas Central rail line will be built and operated without taxpayer funded state or federal grants. The 200 mph train, based on the Japanese Shinkansen bullet train technology, will allow passengers to go between Houston and Dallas in 90 minutes, with a midway stop in the Brazos Valley. The project is expected to generate some $36 billion in economic benefits across Texas over the next 25 years, including creating 10,000 construction jobs and 1,500 permanent jobs.

Texas Central is working with Federal Railroad Administration officials to finalize the rail lines environmental impact review, which will help determine the project's timeline and final route.