Passenger rail service moving forward

AUSTIN (KXAN) - After 12 years of talking and planning, the Lone Star Rail District announced they are making some real progress.

The idea with the rail project is to have the train run along the I-35 corridor from Georgetown to San Antonio with several stops along the way.

The district has secured $40 million in funding from TxDot and $16 million in federal and state funding.

They estimate it will cost about $800 million to have a fully functioning passenger rail system.

Beginning early next year the board will hold dozens of public meetings to talk about potential rail stops as well as conduct environmental studies.

But the biggest hurdle is relocating the current freight trains that run along the rail.

The passenger rail system would utilize the lines used by Union Pacific.

To build a bypass line from San Antonio to Taylor it would cost a reported $1.7 billion.

"We have challenges,” said Senator Kirk Watson. “The biggest challenge is the challenge of financing right now, and there's no exception, we are challenged when it comes to anything relating to transportation.”

While they call it ambitious, if all goes as planned the board hopes to have the rail system up and running by 2013.