This should be very interesting.
Greater Houston Pachyderm Club
Join us for our weekly meeting
Tuesday, June 24, 2014This week our special guest speaker is
Judge Robert Eckels
President, Texas Central RailwayPlease join the Greater Houston Pachyderm Club in welcoming this week’s special guest speaker, our former Harris County Judge, Robert Eckels! Judge Eckels will be sharing with us his work on the privately-funded Texas high-speed rail project.
Robert’s long and distinguished career in the public sector gives him a keen sense of what it takes to make large infrastructure projects a reality. As Texas Central Railway’s President, Robert is doing what he does best – engaging and bringing together potential investors and project partners, managing key relationships with community and elected officials and TCR’s current partners, and keeping the public and critical stakeholders informed of the project’s progress. Robert’s widely acclaimed leadership acumen and his determination to succeed, especially in efforts offering a significant positive impact to the state of Texas, have placed TCR squarely on the path to success.
After serving six terms in the Texas legislature, Robert served as County Judge for Harris County, Texas from 1995 until 2007 when he joined the international law firm of Fulbright & Jaworski, LLP as a Partner focused on Transportation and Infrastructure, Public Finance, Public Private Partnerships (US P3), Homeland Security and Disaster Law, Government Relations and Public Law. Robert has operated his own independent legal practice and is today a Member of the Texas based law firm, Gray Reed & McCraw, P.C.
Join us Tuesday at Tony’s to hear this great speaker!
The GHPC meets at 11:30am each Tuesday at
Tony’s Restaurant
3755 Richmond Ave.
@ Timmons in Greenway Plaza
$25 / 3-course Luncheon / Complimentary Valet
This will be an excellent opportunity for you to learn about the proposed PRIVATELY funded high speed train between Houston and Dallas. I’m certain that there will be a question/answer period, so if you have questions, you should bring them.
Paul Bogle says
There will never be a PRIVATELY funded train line of any kind built between Houston and Dallas. It is cynical and shady to suggest such a possibility to the public.
For starters no right-of-way can be acquired privately. It will require eminent domain. Are Texas Republicans now supporters of Kelo? Is it perfectly fine for private interests to leverage their connections with elected officials to take the property of others to further their personal interests?
Ross says
Why can’t right of way be acquired privately? If the buyer offers enough money, they can buy what they want.
Lane says
Anyone remember the M-K consortium hi speed rail franchise from the early 90’s? The one that failed due to inability to get guaranteed financing?
I agree with Bogle, there is no way that this outfit will buy r.o.w. privately at market prices. Also, Eckels’ Texas Central is one piece of this train set, so might one piece be ‘privately’ financed (with gov tax exempt bonds maybe) while other pieces are pure tax fed gravy trains?
Can’t seen Robert ‘big gov’ Eckels working this w/o big gov help.
Would love to be tossing follow up questions at this dog & pony show, but other things intrude.
Lane says
Note too that Southwestern Airlines, a major opponent of the M-K deal, will apparently sit this one out since its markets have expanded considerably beyond Texas. So it’s up to the tax serfs to make sure we’re not tarred, feathered, and run out of town on this rail.
Paul Bogle says
I see no reason why right-of-way can’t be acquired privately if investors believe in the project. Historically projects like this suffer from holdouts. Why telegraph your intentions before acquiring anything?
This railway will be built with private money the same way Minute Maid park and Reliant stadium were built with private money.
Lane says
Missed the fun, but did anyone advise Eckels that the House voted to bar more fedfunds for CA rail?
Yvonne Larsen says
Paul—intentions are telegraphed in advance of acquiring land so the price of the land increases—-wonder which politically-connected people own land along the proposed route? I recall how California Senator Dianne Feinsteins’ husband got one of the early contracts on a proposed California railine.
Ross says
Much like Friends of Rick Perry seem to get a ton of contracts here. Republicans are no better than Democrats in this regard.
George Scott says
Let’s just keep in mind that this venture would be brought to you be big government Republicans whose primary tenant is corporate welfare. There is not a compelling need for this anymore than there has been for a systemic light rail system in Houston. Given my personal history and awareness of Eckels, it comes as no surprise whatsoever that he is leading this – if it materializes outside the private market – government boondoggle.