There’s a simple reason why high-speed rail won’t work here — this is Texas. We don’t have the kind of density — both of residents and of jobs — that makes high-speed rail viable in the nation’s Northeast; we also love our independence — and our trucks and cars. A high-speed rail project dependent on ticket sales revenues is doomed.

But that’s not stopping developers.

“The high-speed passenger railway between Dallas and Houston has a new boss and an infusion of funding,” KVUE reported last week. “The Board of Directors of Texas Central Partners (Texas Central) has appointed Tim Keith of Dallas as the new CEO for the organization, effective immediately. Texas Central also announced the closing of a round of development funding that brings $75 million dollars in new capital, all from Texas-based investors into the company.”

Texas Central is a private-sector firm. According to NPR’s “Here & Now” news program, “In an unusual step, the company is not relying on public funding. The company says that will allow the project to move forward more quickly, with fewer bureaucratic hurdles. The project will be funded by investors and loans — loans that will have to be paid back. Representatives from Texas Central Railway have said they plan to make money on the train through tickets, priced to be competitive with airline tickets.”

And here’s where things start to not add up. Airlines make the trip in 30 minutes. The train, at best, could do it in 90 minutes. Airports have loads of necessary infrastructure already in place — such as rental car companies, taxi stands, public transportation stops and restaurants. There are hotels nearby. Train stations in Dallas and Houston lack many of these necessities.

So why would a business traveler choose rail over air — particularly if there’s little or no difference in ticket prices?

The dearth of business travelers is why Amtrak loses money everywhere but in the Northeast. Without those regular commuters filling seats week in and week out, Amtrak has become a nostalgic novelty — not a viable transportation alternative.

With the Texas Central, there’s also the specter of a government bailout. State Rep. Will Metcalf, R-Conroe, believes that at some point, there will be an appeal for government funds of some kind. And even if no overt bailout is requested, the project would depend heavily on the liberal use of eminent domain — something else Texans don’t take kindly to.

“People always talk about, over in Europe, about the high-speed railways there and how it works,” Metcalf told NPR. “But Texas is different. We’re a large state and I want to focus on providing more roadways for people to travel. Riding through ranch land, farm land without people’s say-so and without eminent domain for this project — it just doesn’t sit well with me.”

TheDallas Morning News says 50,000 people commute between Dallas and Houston at least once a week. Half of them would have to take the train for it to break even, according to some estimates.

But that’s unrealistic. We’re too Texan for that.