I seen a sign or two posted for it coming in 2003. Does anyone know when or if its already running? Do you have any pictures of it? Im a country boy who never travels except when its to Houston, from North Carolina so I dont have much recollection of a metrorail.
Theyre still building it. They are trying to get it done before Jan 2003. Just in time for the Super Bowl.
Looks pretty sweet. My only problem is where it's going to be located. How many people really live near the Dome and work Downtown or visa versa? If they could just replace the HOV lanes on I 10, 290, and I 45 with metrorail going inbound and outbound 24/7, I think more people would use it and there would be less traffic. Building it just for the Superbowl seems short sighted to me.
I'm going to try and use it as much as I can.. but I haven't seen it anywhere near where I live yet. it's probably going to be an on-going operation.
Been driving through TMC area alot lately and have been seeing the power lines for light rail, went home, did some surfing, and whaddayaknow, looks like the first light rail vehicle (LRV) arrived earlier this month. And whaddakowinkydink, did some searching and someone already started a thread on it. Pretty cool lookin', ah? <img src=http://www.lightrail.com/photos/houston/houston32.jpg> <img src=http://www.lightrail.com/photos/houston/houston31.jpg> <img src=http://www.lightrail.com/photos/houston/houston29.jpg> More pictures here.
Don't knock it - Hopefully this will be the start of a mass transport system in Houston that hits all the major suburbs and helps relieve congestion. It had to start somewhere - if a suburb was chosen, could you imagine the uproar? Sugarland vs. Clear Lake vs. downtown vs. [your favorite suburb here]... And naturally, this is part of a grander plan to make people move back into the city... so it's not "just for the Superbowl" -- it just serves as a nice deadline.
I know you have to start somewhere but from what I understand the population center of the Houston area is or will soon be the Highway 6/I-10 area. If any area should have been first it should have been right there.
The Highway 6/I-10 area..... Riiiiigghhhtt..... Yes, and that is why we call Houston, Katy. Let me know when there is a Downtown Katy, will you?
I think the problem with starting the rail system here in Houston has always been the diminishing cost/benifit ratio as the runs got longer, and the "service areas" would become more diffuse. Also, one of the major reasons the NYC subway or the BART in SF are so useful is because they are in locations where people can exist without a car. In the Highway 6 area, there is basically no place where you can walk to anything, thus rendering any rail system a huge park-and-ride scheme. The med center/Astrodome run was chosen IIRC, because it maximized population density on a short run. I'd imagine that the next run (assuming it proves to be a viable system) would be out to the Galleria. I'd also imagine that they'd "fill out the framework" that they've established before expanding outward too much.
That makes sense but if that's the case then it doesn't sound like rail is going to be solving the biggest traffic problems in Houston which are congested freeways IMHO.
Don't get me wrong, public transport is a great thing, and Houston certainly needs it, but does trains on the back of trucks really work as a solution????
wait...he's not exactly right...but he's close....the population center of Houston is I-10 and Gessner.
