WALLER COUNTY, Texas - There was a tense standoff Thursday night at the Waller County Courthouse as land owners vowed to fight a planned high speed rail that could one day go right through their property.
The Texas Central Railroad assured KHOU 11 News it will only use eminent domain if they can't reach deals with property owners.
But after hearing the crowd Thursday, it looks like those deals might never come.
"I bought this place two years ago to live out my life there," said Tommy Neal, who moved away from the Woodlands to get away from it all.
"[The Woodlands] area was going crazy with the traffic and everything and be able to get out here and let my kids have a chance at some country life." he said.
It's a country life that could soon have a high speed rail running through it.
"If this thing goes through, it's literally going to cut my property right in half," said Neal. "I have 21 acres and I bought it to be able to raise my grandkids, have a fishing pond there."
Neal and others packed a room at the courthouse as leaders from various towns in the county affirmed their opposition to a proposed bullet train from Houston to Dallas.
"This is a huge eminent domain issue. Texas is a huge private property right state," said Waller County Judge Trey Duhon.
Neal says someone tried to survey his property recently but he turned them away.
"I said when you bring a court order and a sheriff to deliver it to me, you can get on my property but up until then I would suggest you not do that, we have a target range out here," Neal added.
The Texas Central Railroad or TCR recently filed two petitions to make sure they will oversee the project.
These are petitions Duhon believes would be going behind the backs of homeowners and officials in Waller County.
"I think everyone should question their motives, I think the process should be open and transparent," Duhon added.
Judge Duhon believes TCR was trying to use eminent domain before a final route was selected and before an environmental survey was finished.
TCR says it is still trying to choose one of six routes and when that happens, they'll try to make deals with landowners for their property.
Texas Central Railroad, in a statement, wrote:
"The preferred high speed rail corridor between North Texas and Houston under review by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) includes 6 different alignments. Where there is commonality of those six, Texas Central is voluntarily acquiring and will seek through existing Texas law those properties. Texas Central has affirmed it will not take possession of any land acquired through condemnation until the final alignment has been selected by the FRA."