Evans Advocates for Short Lines Before Texas Senate Committee

Last week Joey Evans, Director of Business Support & Development at TNW Corporation and Vice President of the Texas Short Line Railroad Association (TSLRRA), testified at a Texas Senate Transportation Committee hearing in support of proposed TxDOT $25 million funding for a short line rail program.  

Evans explained to committee members that, “Many short lines are low-density and serve rural areas, often with significant deferred maintenance issues. The goal of modernizing these lines is to support higher speeds and accommodate 286,000-pound railcars, which is often out of reach without public-private partnerships. While other states have established and grown grant programs to support their short line networks, Texas remains one of the few states without such a program.” 

If the proposed TxDOT budget is confirmed, the $25 million short line rail program would be the first of its kind in Texas. 

TNW owns and operates three short line railroads in Texas - TXNW Railway, TXR Railway and TXGN Railway - along with multiple transload facilities and the largest private railcar storage facility in the United States.