Reply With QuoteThis is good for Houston. Perhaps this will motivate Dallas to continue rapid expansion of DART through the south and northeast!
Some more interesting articles.
The opening day for the starter line is coming up fast.
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County's rail plan costs much less than Metro's
Uses existing lines along U.S. 290, Texas 249
By MATT SCHWARTZ
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory...olitan/2291812
Harris County could get more than 80 miles of commuter rail operating along two fast-growing corridors at a fraction of the cost of Metro's 73-mile light rail plan, says a preliminary study released Friday.
The study calls for using existing rail lines along U.S. 290 and Texas 249, two major traffic arteries through northwest Houston and Harris County.
The study, ordered by Commissioners Court last summer, does not estimate ridership, but recommends investigating the idea further.
The study focused on a 44-mile stretch mostly along U.S. 290, from the downtown Amtrak station to Hempstead; and Texas 249, from the Amtrak station to Tomball, a distance of 38.5 miles.
Commissioner Steve Radack, who proposed the idea of a commuter line along U.S. 290, and County Judge Robert Eckels said the county should continue to study the idea, possibly with an eye toward integrating such a system with Metro's light rail program.
"I'm confident that commuter rail can work, and much cheaper than light rail," Radack said.
The report, by engineering firms DMJM+Harris and Turner, Collie and Braden, estimates it would cost $295 million to develop commuter lines on existing rails in the U.S. 290 and Texas 249 corridors, or about $3.5 million per mile.
Metro's light rail plan, which requires purchase of right of way and constructing new lines, calls for 73 miles of rail at a cost of $5.8 billion, or roughly $79 million per mile.
Commuter rail would rely on existing freight lines, which would be shared with the railroads that own them.
"There's no question that just from a pure economic standpoint, using existing lines, equipment and rights of way is going to have a far better economic potential than building everything from scratch," said County Tax Assessor-Collector Paul Bettencourt, a leading opponent of Metro's light rail plans.
"The key is going to be the ridership study. That is going to be where what the taxpayers and riders are getting for the project is going to be explained."
County officials expect to discuss early next year whether to pursue the commuter rail option.
"I think the first thing is to ensure it makes sense," Eckels said. "And I believe there are places where this makes much more sense than the light rail system proposed by Metro. We need to look at what those locations are."
A week before the Nov. 4 election, Eckels attempted to use a draft of the study to dissuade voters from supporting the Metro plan, citing the far cheaper alternative of commuter rail. Metro's plan passed 51 to 49 percent.
Eckels said Friday the county should continue to study the viability of the commuter rail option in the 290 and 249 corridors, as well as look at other potential corridors, such as U.S. 59, Texas 3 and U.S. 90A. The Hardy and Westpark toll road corridors could also be potential candidates, he said.
"I believe we will have a commuter rail system in the coming years," Eckels said.
A spokesman said Metro would welcome any attempt to enhance the region's transportation system.
According to letters reproduced in the preliminary report, Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroads are interested in discussing the shared-rail concept.
UP's letter even stated a willingness to discuss extending passenger rail to Texas A&M University in College Station, about 90 miles from downtown Houston.
Both railroads note that any commuter rail arrangement would require track upgrades and possibly additional lines in certain segments.
"I think it's important we be willing to cooperate and have a diologue with the different entities and companies that may have the key pieces of real estate to be able to better enhance our transportation styesm," Radack said.
"The railroads own hundreds of miles of right of way in this region. And we need to be practical and see if we can have a workable relationship with the railroads."
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In other news:
Senator vows to aid Metro plan
Metro scrambling to finish light rail line before deadline
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This is good for Houston. Perhaps this will motivate Dallas to continue rapid expansion of DART through the south and northeast!
“We shape our Cities, thereafter they shape us.”
I can't believe Austin doesn't think rail will work for them.
Jan. 1, 2004, 5:33PM
New ride for the new year
Festivals mark inaugural day for Metro train
By LUCAS WALL
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
Thousands of Houstonians flocked downtown today for a free ride as Metro kicked off 2004 with the grand opening of its Main Street light rail line. More than 500 invited guests were allowed to ride the first two trains and free rides are being offered to the general public throughout the day.
Mayor Lee Brown, whose term expires today, helped pilot the first passenger-carrying train out of the rail yard and through a banner, pulling into the Fannin South Park & Ride, where the invited elected officials, Metro employees and board members, contractors, and civic leaders were gathered.
Brown and several other dignitaries used gigantic scissors to cut the ribbon officially opening the 7 1/2-mile line to passengers.
Confetti sprung from the tracks and rock music blasted as those in attendance crammed into the first train, which quickly reached its estimated 400 capacity. Another train pulled in next to it to accommodate the rest of the crowd.
met
Andrew Innerarity / Chronicle
Jose Chulla smiles as his son chris, 6 years old, looks out for the next train while practicing his boarding step at the light rail's Main Street Square Station on the first day the public was allowed to ride the train.
The first train, carrying Brown, members of Congress, state representatives, a county commissioner, City Council members, and other VIPs pulled out of Fannin South at 10:17 a.m. for the inaugural run north to the University of Houston-Downtown. The 29-minute trip was filled with loud chatter and numerous cheers as the train passed various landmarks, including Metro's new downtown headquarters, which is under construction and has been named for Brown. Some squeezed in the packed train remarked they felt like they were in New York or Washington.
"We did it!" Metro President & CEO Shirley DeLibero exclaimed when the group reassembled on a university plaza overlooking Buffalo Bayou and the fog-shrouded downtown skyline. "We have brought rail to Houston and this is just the beginning."
Today's journey brings to an end three decades of debate over rail transit in the Bayou City, a topic that has dominated politics here since a failed 1973 referendum to form at rapid-transit agency. Five years later, voters approved creating the Metropolitan Transit Authority. Metro took over regional bus service in Jan. 1, 1979, and has now become a multi-modal transit authority with the launch of rail on its 25th birthday today.
DeLibero boasted that no other city has built a rail line in less than three years and no other place has such beautiful-looking trains.
"Aren't they awesome?" she asked, receiving loud applause from the audience. "We've made believers out of those who thought it would never get done."
rail
Karl Stolleis / Chronicle
Invited guests Kristin Massa, right, and friend Kayla Henry laugh as the train lurches forward leaving the Fanin Street South station this morning on the inaugural ride of the Metro rail.
Brown said while on board the first train, he looked out the window and his thoughts drifted back to his first campaign for mayor in 1997, when he promised voters he would get Metro to build a rail line to help make Houston a "world-class city." Houston, the nation's fourth most populous municipality, was until today the only top 10 U.S. metropolitan area without rail transit, known instead for its massive web of freeways and the millions of cars, traffic jams, sprawl, and air pollution they brought.
"This is truly a historic day in the life of our city," Brown said. "I can't think of a better way to leave office than the inauguration of this rail system."
Metro is running free trains until 5:30 p.m. and has had large crowds come out to sample the train.
At 3:30 p.m. from half-way through the free public time, a line of about 750 people smaked through the Fannin South Park & Ride lot and people at the front of the line were reporting 2-hour waits before they were able to get up to the platform.
As 5:30 approached, the end of rail's first day of operations, Metro officials said they were working to get people back to their cars but encouraging others to come back Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, when free rides will also be offered. A crowd of about 500 people stood outside the University of Houston-Downtown in a line stretching over the Main Street bridge waiting for a southbound train.
Metro adjusted its operations during the day, sending some trains out half empty from end-of-the-line stations to allow others upline to board. There had been long waits at some stations in Midtown, the Museum District, and the Texas Medical Center because trains were already full from passengers who had boarded downline.
Lines were moving, albeit slowly, but most people waiting were patient and expressed enthusiasm about the light rail line and were glad to see a large turnout of people taking a look.
No collisions had been reported. Metro police were out at major intersections controlling car traffic. A crossing arm gate near Fannin South Park & Ride came down on a bus, breaking it. Officers held traffic as trains crossed until the arm was fixed.
Jose Chulla smiles as his son chris, 6 years old, looks out for the next train while practicing his boarding step at the light rail's Main Street Square Station on the first day the public was allowed to ride the train.
Invited guests Kristin Massa, right, and friend Kayla Henry laugh as the train lurches forward leaving the Fanin Street South station this morning on the inaugural ride of the Metro rail.
The Main Street Square station of the northbound MetroRail line is jammed as a train pulls in this afternoon. Metro debuted its light rail transit system today, and thousands turned out to be among the first to ride.
Houston Rules!
Awesome news for Houston!
That last picture looks much better than any rendering or preliminary photo that I have seen. A very nice looking system! Congrats, Houston, and good luck with it!
You may have to figure out a way to run two or three car trains before much longer. It's great to see this being recieved so well in Houston, I hope that Austin will take note and get on the ball before long!
HOUSTON LIGHT RAIL OVERWHELMED BY CUSTOMERS!!!
Blood, disregard, as previously mentioned. U luv Dallas over Houston but at least you're open minded and fair.
To UrbanCowboy (wasn't that a film made in Houston? John Travolta at Mickie Gilley's on the mechanical bull, I believe...If you hate H-town that much, consider changing your forum name...) and Ace place, the worst of the H-town bashers of them all...
for pictures of the massive lines, click here...(actually, since it was on the front page of chron.com, and that changes by the day, look on the internet if you can't read this by Jan. 3 or so)
HAPPY NEW YEARS FROM HOUSTON ABOARD METRO LIGHT RAIL...THOUSANDS IN ATTENDANCE!!!
MOST ENTHUSIASTIC DESPITE THE CRUSH
By LUCAS WALL
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
RIDING THE TRAIN
The masses almost overwhelmed Houston's newest means of transportation Thursday during Metro's four-hour public opening of its first light rail line.
Some 15,000 people rode the trains as the Metropolitan Transit Authority kicked off 2004 with the launch of service on its $324 million Main Street line. At the Fannin South Park & Ride, the track's southernmost stop, nearly 800 wannabe passengers snaked through the parking lot by mid-afternoon. Those finally nearing the boarding platform said they had been there two hours.
Despite the long waits, nearly everyone appeared patient and enthusiastic. It was the first appearance of transit trains in Houston since the last trolley stopped running in June 1940.
Betty Luehr, 77, a native Houstonian, compared being able to ride the rails in Houston again to the 1969 landing on the moon.
"Who would have ever thought?" she said while on a southbound train. "I wouldn't have missed this first ride for anything."
Marilyn Park of southwest Houston said she won't take the train often but believes many others will.
"Houston has needed this for many, many years and we're excited to have it finally here," she said. "It's added so much to our city."
Metro is offering free train rides from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. today through Sunday. To let more folks sample the trains, Metro will ask passengers to ride one direction and then take a free bus back to their starting point.
"They almost overwhelmed us today," Metro spokesman Ken Connaughton said Thursday evening. "We had no way of knowing what to expect. There's a limitation on how many people we could carry in four hours. We hit the limitation."
What began as a gentle suggestion to ride the train only one way to allow others a chance to board became an order as lines grew at several stations. Metro also started dispatching some empty trains from end stations to pick up passengers who had been waiting a long time in Midtown, the Museum District and the Texas Medical Center.
Most of the hundreds who waited at Fannin South took the delay in stride.
"It doesn't bother me," said Wendy Heger, a fourth-generation Houstonian who said she was excited to finally have rail in her hometown.
"It's the first day, what can you expect?" said Heger, who waited with her husband and 14-month-old son. "If I didn't want to be here, I could have left."
Some could be overheard grumbling, however.
"It's not a good day for Metro," said a weary Shelley Nadel, who nevertheless remained calm as she waited with her husband and two daughters. "They've managed to take a good thing and make a debacle out of it."
Cloria Andres of east Houston said, "I didn't have anything else to do anyway, so you stick to your plan."
She added, "Everybody was so cooperative and nice."
Mayor Lee Brown, whose term expires today with the inauguration of Bill White, helped pilot the first passenger-carrying train out of the rail yard at 10 a.m. and through a banner into Fannin South. Invited guests gathered there for the grand opening ceremony and watched Brown and several other dignitaries use gigantic scissors to cut the ribbon, officially opening the 7 1/2-mile line to passengers.
Confetti shot from canisters along the tracks and rock music blasted as those in attendance crammed into the first train, which quickly reached its estimated 400 capacity.
The first train full of VIPs pulled out of Fannin South at 10:17 a.m. for the inaugural run north to the University of Houston-Downtown. The 29-minute trip was filled with loud chatter and numerous cheers as the train passed various landmarks. Some squeezed into the packed train remarked they felt like they were in New York or Europe, a comment that would echo throughout New Year's Day as trains stuffed with Houstonians traveled up and down the tracks.
It was a sight rail supporters cheered, exuberant that three decades of debate and three years of construction had finally come to an end. Many labeled it a historic day for the city and a turning point for its development, forever changing the Bayou City's face.
"This is the kind of load we want every day," Metro President and CEO Shirley DeLibero said while standing in the crush of riders on board the first train. "When I came here, I said, `We are going to build rail in Houston.' I knew it was going to be a fight, but I didn't know it was quite as tough as it turned out to be. But you know what, anything good is worth fighting for."
Brown said his thoughts drifted back to his first campaign for mayor in 1997, when he promised voters he would get Metro to build a rail line to make Houston a "world-class city."
"You really get a different view of the city riding the train," Brown said after disembarking at UH-D. "You can see all of the development taking place along Main Street. It's really a delightful ride. I'm extremely happy. A good way to end my term."
Many of the first passengers were glowing with joy after the inaugural run.
"My little heart got warm," chuckled Bob Eury, director of the Houston Downtown Management District and president of Central Houston, which built Main Street Square, a pedestrian plaza along the rail line that also opened Thursday.
Metro Chairman Arthur Schechter called it "really a little overwhelming." The project will play a big role in "making Houston a better city for our future, a better place for our children and grandchildren," he said.
Metro took over regional bus service on Jan. 1, 1979, so Thursday's initiation of rail marked its 25th birthday.
Julia Toness of Katy, riding a southbound train later in the day, said the light rail "is a big step in the right direction" and "it's kind of nice to be here and feel like getting rail to Katy might happen."
Others were critical.
"They should have made this an elevated monorail," David Peak of northwest Harris County said while his train moved slowly on Fannin through the Texas Medical Center. "Isn't this why they did away with the trolleys to begin with?"
DeLibero, however, has said elevating the rails would have cost too much, and boasted Thursday that no other city in the world has such beautiful trains.
David Crossley, who promotes urban density as director of the Gulf Coast Institute, said Houstonians finally have a choice to live a big-city lifestyle without a car.
"I don't know if people get how monumental this is," he said. "It lets people who have been sort of wanting that lifestyle for a long, long time to think about having it."
John Sedlak, a Metro vice president who oversaw the line's construction, said the trains "are going to bring people to public transit that have never used it before."
During an hourlong ceremony on a university plaza overlooking Buffalo Bayou and a fog-shrouded downtown skyline, members of Congress renewed their pledge to obtain federal matching funds for future rail lines, which voters approved in November. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, recalled helping create Metro when she served as a representative from Houston in the state Legislature in the 1970s.
"Today is the culmination of a dream and a great new beginning for Houston," she said. "It will change the face of Houston. It will increase commerce, increase our numbers of visitors, our conventions, our sporting events. It is turning a page and a beginning that we will all remember."
Chronicle reporter Ron Nissimov contributed to this story.
HAPPY NEW YEARS!!! In a few years, we'll have 25 miles more! Yes, Dallas, you are a few years ahead, though...
Last edited by bron; 02 January 2004 at 05:21 AM.
Yeah, this article is about Houston's light rail, but it's from Dave Barry, our funniest columnist. Anyone from Dallas to Paris can read. No H-town bragadocious here...
bottom line: People do treat rail in higher regard than your typical bus, where you're bound to be exposed to some f'd up people...
Smooth glide into future of Houston
By KEN HOFFMAN
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
For a train that endured such a bumpy road getting built, Houston's light rail had smooth, though overcrowded, sailing Thursday.
I hopped aboard right on schedule. The train tootled quietly and quickly from Reliant Stadium, through the Museum District, up Main Street, all the way to downtown. And back.
It's like a bus, because it travels on the street. It's like a train, because it glides along a track. It's like a trolley, because it's powered by electricity.
It's like a great idea whose time has come, long past due.
Outgoing Mayor Lee Brown helped drive the ceremonial first train Thursday morning. Although I'm not sure that Mayor Brown driving anything is a good idea.
Remember when he tried to turn left across three lanes of traffic in his car and caused a crash?
Anyway, there's been enough wrecks involving the train. Five drivers have plowed their cars into the train. So far.
If Metro wants to spin the accident reports, they should reclassify the train as bumper cars.
Large crowds gathered at stations along the 7 1/2-mile route Thursday, jamming the train for a free ride. By afternoon, crowds got so large people couldn't get onboard and went home unhappy.
Hey, it could have been worse.
It could have been nobody showed up. If you didn't get a ride Thursday, try again. Rides are free through the weekend.
The train cars are immaculately clean, cool and roomy. The horn is like a nostalgic Petticoat Junction whistle, not the blaring sleep-wrecker that cargo trains in Houston usually wage.
The ride is super-smooth, without the bumps and screeches of New York City's subways. You could sip coffee on our train and never spill a drop. But follow the rules -- no food or drink allowed. Let's keep 'em nice.
We will, don't worry. It's funny, but there's a thing called "rail bias." It means people treat train cars with respect they sometimes don't have for buses.
People act up on buses. They put their feet on seats in front of them. They sneak food. They talk too loud.
They don't do that on light rail cars. They don't spray-paint graffiti. I'm happy that Johnny thinks Cyndi is a babe, but I don't need to read it on the side of a train.
Houston's light rail is a trip.
At Main Street Square, the train scoots across a pool of water, with jets shooting streams 40 feet in the air in rhythm to pre-recorded music.
Although I'm not sure that mixing water, metal and electricity is a good idea.
I walked along the route early Thursday, before the first train rolled out, and talked to a city worker cleaning the pool. I asked him, "Find anything weird in there yet?"
He laughed, "You mean like body parts? Nah, we've only been doing this a couple of days. Give us a week and come back."
There are dozens of tourist sites along the path, not counting the Krispy Kreme at Main and McKinney. Museums are fine. Hot doughnuts are better.
Several years ago, when light rail was the fierce debate in Houston, I visited six cities across America that had commuter train systems.
In Denver and Cleveland, wherever tracks were laid, stores and restaurants and loft apartments sprung up.
In Portland, 37,000 people started leaving their cars at home and riding the train to work downtown.
In San Diego, the train goes all the way to the U.S.-Mexico border, where people jump off and walk to the party zone in Tijuana.
The train is nicknamed the Tijuana Trolley, and it's so popular it turns a profit. That's almost unheard-of in public transportation. The 3 a.m. Tijuana Trolley back to San Diego is a rolling designated driver.
Imagine if we had a light rail train to Galveston. We wouldn't have to fight impossible-to-explain traffic jams on Interstate 45. We wouldn't have to worry about Dad being too tired or too drunk to drive home. It would be fast and safe and dependable. I'd pay $10 for that.
When I wrote stories about light rail in other cities, I heard the same old criticism -- that Houston's light rail line was going to be from the Medical Center to downtown. That's a dumb route. Not enough people are going to take the train. It's a waste of money.
Sure, but in each city I visited, light rail was a success. And in each city it started as a similar short route downtown. So let's give light rail a chance here.
It's very simple where light rail eventually needs to go: from where people live to where people work.
That's from Sugar Land past Greenway, through the Med Center to downtown. That's from Katy to downtown. From The Woodlands, past the airport, through downtown, all the way to Galveston.
Thursday was first things first.
why is this posted everywhere? bored? overkill?
Excellent article! I just wish that he mentioned the necessity of a rail system from Houston to Dallas, hehehe.
Takin' up for myself
In that post I was taking up for Fort Worth. I have nothing against Houston at all. Matter in fact, I am living there now.
HEY!!! Get donutman there OFF OF THE WHITE LINE!!! And HOUSTON CAN'T GET IT RIGHT anyway! Ha ha ha! Die, Houston, die!
Goodness, it's times like this when I get cravings for Ft. Worth.
EDIT: Whoa! I didn't even notice the REALLY TALL DUDE! HA HA HA HA!!! What a FREAK!
Sweet! Good for Houston. They need the rail as bad as any other city. I think the train looks awesome by the way...
I hope Houston can find more success with the light rail. It is great here in Dallas.
“We shape our Cities, thereafter they shape us.”
Indeed. Just about anything would make Houston better.Originally posted by GCarey
Sweet! Good for Houston. They need the rail as bad as any other city. I think the train looks awesome by the way...
I hope Houston can find more success with the light rail. It is great here in Dallas.
Urban, just for the record... DART has more than its far share of "donutmen". And I, for one, am glad that that particular "donutman" is riding the rail -- maybe he'll ride it more often, walk a few blocks to work every day, and burn up part of his morning donut!!
I rode the Houston rail line yesterday to school and was not that impressed with the design. Maybe with time it will be more effective, but as far as taking drivers off the road, it's a total failure. The majority of it's passengers ride from a remote parking area for the medical center into the medical center. For people not familiar with the Medical Center, you have to drive a pretty good ways from most parts of Houston. Most employees in the medical center aren't willing to pay 9$/day to park in a garage in the center, so they That parking are was and continues to be served by large shuttle buses that actually run more often than the train. I really think Houston sold it's soul in trying to get the Olympics and instead of developing a line that would be useful for the people that live there, they built it for a pie in the sky dream that ended up not happening. Hopefully this is just a start that will get thing going, but at this point I just don't see how it helps the average Houstonian. </soapbox>
Another thing that really sucks is having to cross a very busy street to get to a sidewalk. Big pain in the rear.
With free fares over, real test of Metro rail begins
Paid ridership is expected to start small and slowly grow
By LUCAS WALL
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory...olitan/2335510
The real test for Metro's new light rail line begins today as limited regular service commences with payment of fares required.
Tens of thousands of riders turned out for free inaugural rides on the Main Street line the past four days, filling nearly every train to capacity. But many expect the overstuffed trains could turn into rolling ghost towns today, when the grand-opening novelty ends and the line is put to its intended use of ferrying people to work, school, doctors appointments and other activities.
For the next three weeks, trains will operate daily every 12 minutes from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The Metropolitan Transit Authority says it will take 35 minutes to travel the 7 1/2-mile route, an average speed (including stops at stations) of 13 mph -- barely faster than the average speed of a local bus along the same corridor.
Several passengers interviewed during the four-day opening expressed skepticism that people would continue using the train once they have to pay, and said the line's short distance and slow speeds make it an unattractive commuting option.
"It's a waste of money," said Jay Goldberg of southwest Houston, who brought his son, Harry, 2, out for a free ride Thursday. "With all the wrecks, it's causing more traffic problems than it solves. It takes up a lane of traffic each way, blocks traffic in front of the hospitals. The first person on an ambulance who dies because the ambulance got stuck in traffic where the street was narrowed down, I think that's going to be a big price to pay for this."
Paid ridership is expected to start small and slowly grow throughout the year as more commuters decide to sample rail, and as bus routes are modified to connect with rail stations and Texas Medical Center employees begin taking the trains from remote parking lots to their workplaces. Special events such as the Super Bowl and the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo also are expected to draw thousands on board to travel to Reliant Park and other venues.
Metro is also counting on developers to build thousands of new apartments, condos and townhouses along vacant land adjacent to the tracks, providing an instant supply of riders within walking distance of stations.
John Paul Parks, who lives near Greenway Plaza, said inner-city housing and retail has to go up in large quantities for rail to succeed. He is among many who worry that Houston does not have the density needed for this mode of transit.
"Businesses are going to have to grow to bring people out here," he said while waiting for a train on opening day. "If they don't grow, then people aren't going to take the train."
"I think it will happen eventually," he said. "It's just going to take awhile."
University of Houston-Downtown President Max Castillo said he anticipates the trains will make his campus more accessible. The Main Street line's northern terminus is on the Buffalo Bayou bridge adjacent to UH-D, which enrolls more than 11,000 students and continues to grow.
"This will bring people from one end of the light rail to UH-D," he said. "It's important, so critical to our community to connect with Houston Community College, with Rice University, the Museum District and the Medical Center."
Ginny Crosthwait of west Houston said the rail line makes Houston look like "a totally different city" and expects it will be popular in the long term.
"It's going to make it a lot easier for people to get around and for people to travel to downtown Houston from outside of town," she said. "Maybe we could park and ride, come into downtown without having to worry about parking and driving."
Carrie Daniels of Baytown said for those who live in the suburbs, rail's success will depend on access to parking and future extensions to bring the tracks closer to home.
The Main Street line was built with only one Park & Ride, the Fannin South lot at the tracks' southern terminus. The lot has 1,437 spaces for South Loop commuters who want to exit the freeway at Fannin and ride the train downtown. Metro is charging $2 a day or $35 a month to park there, the first time the authority has not offered free parking for commuters (all bus Park & Ride lots remain free for now).
"I don't think that's such a good idea," said Hermes Troche, who lives in Fort Bend County. Free parking "is the only way you are going to attract people to the train."
Metro has said it is charging for parking because it expects heavy demand for the Fannin South Park & Ride and points out commuter bus riders pay much higher fares, up to $3.50 per trip for the longest routes.
But Troche countered that the rail line isn't long enough for Metro to charge for parking. He expects most commuters will continue driving downtown and paying to park there.
"For seven miles, I won't pay that much for parking and then $2 more to ride the train round-trip," he said.
Some are keeping an open mind, curious to see how Harris County residents will respond to the new train service.
"We're here to see what it will do and what the future holds," said Mac Russell of Spring, who took his wife and five grandchildren for a train trip Friday. "The other thing is to see where we can go in the future, see what else along the tracks that looks interesting that we could make a trip down specially to go there."
Peter Schweiger of Kingwood said the train is a "novelty item" that will be fun for excursions with his kids.
"But I don't quite understand with this short length of it, how it's going to be taking traffic off the roads," he said.
But, his wife, Mary, chimed in, "You've got to start somewhere. This is progress in the making."
It looks like Houston made some odd choices for starting out their rail system. 7 miles is far too short to really be of any use to anyone. I'm definately pro-rail, but the anti-rail critics in Houston do have a point on that one. DART's starter system was 20 miles long.
Also, is it true that the trains can't be linked together?
No, I think I may have been the one saying that. I misread something, because the European model of that car (or maybe just the general base model) cannot: It had to have a special part ordered to make two cars conect. In Houston, they can have up to two car trains (I guess they ordered this part for all the cars), but not three car trains like Dallas.
Last edited by bloodandpopcorn; 12 January 2004 at 09:27 PM.
Ha, that proves my point that the "Euro-style" is NOT better.
Harumph.
Those trains are sweet!!!
One thing:
Is it me or are the water jets and the electric lines dangerous? How do they work together safely???
Just curious...
By the way, can I use some of your photos for....
matt's DART page ???
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