When an early traveler arrived in Dallas by train in 1873, he wrote, “My trip was not in vain, Dallas is a bright young town, full of promise.” Those words, penned barely a year after the Houston and Texas Central Railroad reached town, proved prophetic. Rail didn’t just arrive in Dallas, it built Dallas. It transformed a small prairie settlement into a thriving commercial city.
One hundred fifty years later, rail remains fundamental to who we are. And today, as the federal Surface Transportation Board reviews the proposed merger between Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, we have another opportunity to see economic growth from the very system that helped shape our beginnings.
I believe this merger deserves recognition for its potential future impact on the rail industry, both nationally and locally. At $85 billion, this merger would create America’s first true transcontinental railroad, linking the West and East across more than 50,000 route miles in 43 states. One of those states is Texas. This is an opportunity to secure cleaner transportation, stronger supply chains and broader economic growth for the city of Dallas.
Dallas is already one of the nation’s most important logistics and manufacturing hubs. But with that success comes pressure on our highways, neighborhoods and air quality. Anyone who has sat in traffic on Interstate 30, I-35E or I-20 knows how much heavy truck traffic contributes to congestion and major accidents. Inevitably, taxpayers absorb the cost of repair every year.
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A unified rail network offers alleviation for some of these issues and opens many new doors. By enabling single-line service from Dallas to major East Coast ports, without the current bottlenecks at interchange points like Memphis, we could see commodities moved more efficiently across a transcontinental network. For Dallas-based shippers, that means fewer delays, lower transportation costs and more reliable service for small and large businesses. As we continue to have conversations about how to keep our city competitive and growing, this merger could be a strong, silent contributor to that success.
Throughout my time in public service, I have focused on building safer neighborhoods, supporting small businesses and investing in resilient, sustainable infrastructure. I believe this merger will be a strong contribution to those goals. More efficient freight means stronger local businesses. Cleaner transportation means healthier communities. Dallas was built on innovation, and rail has been at the center of that story from the beginning.
In the 1870s, railroads transformed Dallas from a frontier outpost into a commercial capital. Today, a more unified and efficient rail system can help ensure we remain a global leader in commerce, sustainability, and opportunity, delivering on that young traveler’s declaration that Dallas is, indeed, “full of promise.”
Adam Bazaldua represents District 7 on the Dallas City Council.