Concept image of proposed high-speed rail.

Texas Central, developer of a proposed investor-owned high-speed train project, signed an agreement with Irving, Texas-based Fluor Enterprises and The Lane Construction Corp., a unit of Salini Impregilo, to refine and update the project’s construction planning and sequencing, scheduling and cost estimates, procurement and other design and engineering activities related to the civil infrastructure.

The proposed project is a 240-mile-long line that would connect North Texas and Houston in 90 minutes, with a midway stop in the Brazos Valley.

Under the agreement, after the development phase and financial close, Fluor and Lane would be the project's preferred design-builder.

Texas Central will deploy Central Japan Railway Co.’s (JRC) “N700-I Bullet” high-speed rail system based on their “Shinkansen” system. JRC’s Series N700 rolling stock features 16-car trains running between Tokyo and Osaka, Japan. To serve the Texas market, Texas Central anticipates an eight-car train with seating capacity for an estimated 400 passengers.

Fluor Corp. is one of the world’s largest publicly-traded engineering, procurement, construction maintenance and project management companies. The Lane Construction Corp. is a leading construction company specializing in heavy civil construction services and products in the transportation, infrastructure and energy industries. Lane is owned by global construction firm, Salini Impregilo.