Houston MetroRail Station Renderings

[CTroyMathis]

Here:
http://www.cachh.org/civic/artistpro...LightRail.html

[MontroseHood]

RENDERINGS EDITED OUT DUE TO MERGING OF DUPLICATE THREADS.




METRO, Downtown to Astrodome Light Rail System,
Houston, Texas

Artists Reginald Adams, Maggi Battalino, Antonio Briones, Tim Glover, Benito Huerta, Alan Krathaus & Fiona McGettigan, Arielle Masson, Floyd Newsum, Debbie Riddle and Ann Stautberg participated as part of the station design teams, working to find artistic design solutions that reflect the locations of individual stations, and the diversity of people, activities, history and future of the communities along the METRO Light Rail line from from the north end of downtown, through Midtown, Hermann Park, The Museum District, and the Texas Medical Center to the Reliant Astrodome

http://www.cachh.org/civic/artistpro...LightRail.html

[bloodandpopcorn]

Hmm.... I'm pretty underwhelmed. Honestly I think these lack some of the 'signature' nature that DART light rail stations take. These aren't ugly, or anything, and have some nice aspects, but overall I think Dallas' stations are better... Maybe we're spending more money on them? I know we put inordinate ammounts into them... but BOY does it show!

Will the Houston Light Rail be capable of carrying an equal ammount of passangers to the Dallas light rail? How many cars long can trains be? Is it still all on schedual as far as you know?

I'm really excited about this great step forward for Houston. Can't wait for a Dallas-Hoston rail link!

[BIMS 01]

I just moved down here to the medical center area, and the light rail is going to be worthless at this point. It doesn't run by much housing at all. THe most usefull purpose will be getting people into the medical center from commuter lots that are currently served by buses. The lines run at grade with every street, so at some points cars will actually be on the tracks to make left hand turns. What's the point of mass transit, if it interferes with regular car traffic? Very poor design IMHO.

[BIMS 01]

On another note, their cars are really cool looking. I saw one the other day doing a practice run at the lines terminal station. Very sleek and futuristic looking.

[bloodandpopcorn]

BIMS, any chance you could post a pic? From what I've seen, I do like the look of the Houston rail cars.

The way you describe it, this seems to be more of a street-car-type-deal than Dallas-esque lightrail. Would you describe it that way? Or are the trolley-like areas only one or two cross streets? I still don't quite have a clear picture in my mind of what Houston is trying to do with their system...

[BIMS 01]

I don't have a digital camera, but I'll try to get someone to take some pics and post them. It's not trolley style at all in intent, but in function it seems that it will behave that way. The whole line is set up like DART's downtown section that has to wait for lights. I'm sure they will be timed so the train has minimal wait, but there are some places where there is a left turn lane on top of the tracks. Maybe that's going to go away, but that sure will creat a major problem for some offices. I'll see what I can do as far as getting a pic.

[psukhu]

Maybe their plan is to get the corridor going then eventually sink the line underground?

[BIMS 01]

I don't think underground would be the most cost effective option since Houston is so close to sea level. I know in Europe they get around this, but it has to be VERY expensive to do.

[yaga]

Here are some pics of Houston's light rail car and stations.

Metro Light Rail

Metro Light Rail 2

Metro Light Rail 3

[gc]

well, i must admit that they look cool! I like the silver.....very sleek

[bloodandpopcorn]

Inded, those cars do look very nice. The stations not quite so much so, but, in this unfinished state I guess I shouldn't make any premature rulings. I do have to say, though, that I would prefer something that stood out a bit more for the rail cars. These are very sleek and pretty, to be sure, but I don't know that they will be the eye-catcher that the DART signature yellow-and-white lightrail cars are.

[bron]

good 'ol bloodandpopcorn and aceplace...if they ever slightly find anything decent about Houston, you can bet it will quickly be followed by the conjuntion ", but Dallas"...

blood is ok, though. He at least takes an interest. It's aceplace who is completely off his rocker. He seems like a hateful person.

[freewaytincan]

I can't blame them! Houston doesn't have anything we don't, pretty much, and vice versa. Besides, the stations really do suck. Why are they in the MIDDLE OF THE ROAD?! People are going to be crossing and get hit by a car and die because the designers of the system are INCOMPETENT.

By the way, the cars and stations both are HIDEIOUS.

Thank you, have a nice day!

[bloodandpopcorn]

I actually kind of like them being inthe middle of the road. Reminds me of the more eastern trolley systems, etc. But i suppose you have to go over the road to get to them, eh? It'd be nice if you could go under the road to get up to the station.

Also, how can you say the cars are hideous? They're far more attractive than the disgusting cars of, say, Denver's light rail system. They do look very modern, sleek, and European, I just don't think they will stand out to anyone, because they do look so standard. Dallas' is a very unique design, etc., so as our system grows and DFW finally becomes a half-decent tourist attractor, people will remember the look of DART rail cars.

hehe, bron, thanks... I guess..? I do take an interest, because I'd love to see Houston become a great city in my mind... I'm not a fan of Texas, other than Dallas and (off and on) Austin, but because my family is from Texas, I would love to see it grow into a place that I could be proud of. And yes, I do tend to add on things about Dallas... but only because 1) this is a DFW forum and 2) I'm in love with my city, despite it's many rampant faults.

[CTroyMathis]

I like the renderings. Montrose. Almost time for the gig to open! Good for Houston.

I posted most or all these renderings before, about 5 months ago in the world transit section of the forum here:
http://forum.dallasmetropolis.com/sh...&threadid=1080

[freewaytincan]

Originally posted by bloodandpopcorn

...the cars are hideous? They're far more attractive than the disgusting cars of, say, Denver's light rail system. They do look very modern, sleek, and European, I just don't think...

And there's the problem.

[bloodandpopcorn]

Forgive my ignorance, but why is looking like the sleek, attractive, European systems worse than looking like, oh, say the typically ugly, grungy American system? Most American light rail and heavy rail systems are horribly, horribly ugly. Houston's is very pretty, just not unique.

[F4shionablecHa0s]

That whole system looks like it's design inspiration was a shoebox.

The stations look like (slightly) glorified bus stations and the trains just don't look like anything special to me. A DART train's colors captures your attention. Euro might be the in thing this year, but I think that they should do something original instead.

[gc]

Let us not forget that these are just renderings.

Though I do like DART's cars and colors...I must say that my first impression was.....uuugggghhhhh yellow?

[freewaytincan]

Well, what else, man? Yellow is it!

[bron]

Ok. It's Urban Cowboy and Aceplace, not Aceplace and bloodandpopcorn. They'll have an aneurism one day...

[freewaytincan]

That's Mister Urban Cowboy, that is if you are going to refuse to use my real screename.

Originally posted by bron
Ok. It's Urban Cowboy and Aceplace, not Aceplace and bloodandpopcorn. They'll have an aneurism one day...

Better than haning around with the collective heads of knuckle! And for the record, I'm in good health, so don't you worry!