Backer Says Dallas-to-Houston Bullet Train Is Shovel-Ready

August 11, 2025 – The lead investor behind the long-delayed Dallas-to-Houston high-speed rail project says the plan is “shovel-ready” and could potentially host the fastest train in the world—if it can clear remaining political hurdles.

John Kleinheinz, president of Kleinheinz Capital Partners Inc., has been involved with Texas Central for over a decade. He said the effort began with a group from Japan that sought U.S. investment to help obtain federal permits for a Texas bullet train modeled after Japan’s Shinkansen technology.

“Our project is on the shelf, ready to go,” Kleinheinz said. “We’ve acquired all the station sites… and received all the necessary permits from the Department of Transportation.”

The project has an estimated price tag of over $30 billion, most of which would go toward construction. So far, the group has secured about 500 of the 2,000 land parcels needed for the rail’s right-of-way.

Despite the project’s progress, opposition remains strong, particularly among rural lawmakers. One state legislator vowed to continue fighting the project, citing landowner concerns and skepticism about its economic impact. Kleinheinz, however, insists that rural communities will benefit significantly from the development and long-term investment.