TxDOT eyes Bryan-College Station for passenger rail route

[TexasTowelie]

Downtown Bryan was built around a train track. College Station is named after a train stop. But passenger trains in the twin cities disappeared years ago.

The Texas Department of Transportation has begun investigating whether to bring one back.

TxDOT recently completed a feasibility study exploring possible plans for a passenger train line from Austin to Houston. Three of those ideas include stops in College Station.

"The main reason for the line would be Austin to Houston, but when you look at the potential ridership numbers that would come from Bryan-College Station, we needed to at least look at that," said Jennifer Muczygemba, rail systems director for TxDOT.

<<snip>>

Currently, four options are being considered:

* A line that would go directly from Austin to Houston without passing through Bryan-College Station. That route would cost $972 million to build.

* A line that would go from Austin to Giddings, curve north to Bryan-College Station and then head back south through Navasota to Hempstead. That route would cost $1.2 billion.

* A direct line from Austin to Houston, plus an arm that connects Bryan-College Station to the main line at Brenham. That would cost $1.26 billion.

* A direct line from Austin to Houston, plus an arm that connects Bryan-College Station to the main line at Hempstead. That route would cost about $1.26 billion.

http://www.theeagle.com/local/B-CS-eyed-for-rail-route--6973534

I'd love it if I could catch the train from Brenham to any of the other cities mentioned. I might be convinced to bring a half-gallon of Blue Bell ice cream to share.

[msongs]

1. ice cream half gallons are obsolete, they have all been downsized at NO price reduction nt

[TexasTowelie]

2. If we are talking about pints,

then I prefer to have a beer instead.

Last time that I checked, they are still using the half-gallon containers.