St. Louis on the map for long-distance railway from New York to Dallas

Joey Schneider
·2 min read
1

ST. LOUIS – St. Louis is on the map as one of several potential pit stops for a long-distance railway connecting New York to Dallas.

The Federal Railway Administration recently proposed this railway as part of a new study identifying long-distance train routes.

If the railway becomes a reality, it would be the first direct passenger rail route from St. Louis to New York. Currently, train riders who choose to travel between both cities must hop off a train and transfer routes at another station, like one in Chicago or Washington.

St. Louis already has a direct route to Dallas through the Amtrak Texas Eagle route, but the proposed railway could speed up travel time with only a few stops in between.

The FRA recently released this map in its February “Long-Distance Survey Study” presentation.

According to the map, which the FRA lists as a draft, the New York-Dallas route would also allow St. Louis to connect with other big markets like Oklahoma City, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh.

Federal officials are hopeful that the proposed system will connect cities across the United States with more efficient railways. For example, the new route between Denver and Seattle would be about a 40-hour ride on a single train, according to the FRA study. The trip would be about 16 hours shorter than the current trip.

Missing Missouri student: Officials focusing search efforts on Cheatham Dam

The study didn’t offer such metrics for Dallas to New York, but presumably it would make getting to either from St. Louis a little faster. According to travel website KAYAK, taking St. Louis to Dallas via train right now is approximately 15 and a half hours, while taking St. Louis to New York with stops in between is roughly 1 day and 10 hours. From Dallas to St. Louis, then to New York, for people who choose this route, the current duration of train rides stretches more than two days.

The FRA says it could take several years before this railway actually becomes a reality, however. The FRA said the final design and construction for its preferred network likely wouldn’t begin until “Year 8” of its timeframe. The railways then wouldn’t likely start operating until “Year 15.”

Over the next few months, the FRA will work to review feedback on its preferred routes and identify costs to build and operate the tracks. The administration intends to meet again to reveal implementation schedules and discuss recommendations for the next steps sometime this spring.

NOTE: Information from a similar report from Salt Lake City Nexstar affiliate KTVX (ABC4.com) also contributes to this report.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.