The A-train at Downtown Denton, Texas, which provides a rail link to Dallas, 35 miles away
Students at two Texas universities have voted to support plans for a 240-mile long high speed rail line from Houston to Dallas.
They backed a 12-point resolution put forward by the National Association of Railroad Passengers in support of the plan which NARP says will boost the Texas economy and help to persuade more young people to use public transport, rather than rely on cars.
One of the advantages of rail increasingly recognised by young people is that they can use mobile phones, laptops and tablets while on the move.
Various routes are being considered for the line but one would pass through Huntsville, 70 miles north of Houston and home to Sam Houston State University with 18,000 students.
The resolution was also backed by students at the University of North Texas at Denton, 35 miles north of Dallas, which is already linked to Dallas city centre by light rail, and which has 40,000 students
The plan to build a high speed line, proposed by the Texas Central Railway, has also been considered by members of the public at a series of meetings in various towns in the state during October and November.
The meetings were organised by the Federal Railroad Administration and the Texas Department of Transportation. The FRA is undertaking an environmental impact study of the proposed project, which aims to connect Dallas and Houston in 90 minutes or less with Japanese-manufactured trains travelling at more than 200 miles per hour.
NARP president Jim Mathews said: “TCR provides a compelling vision of the future. Americans deserve a world class rail system.”
Robert Eckels, president of TCR, said: “We appreciate the significant input of these college students and all other stakeholders as TCR continues its work to make this transformational project a reality.”
Information from NARP
Dallas train map
TCR
Dallas News routes
student resolutions