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Guest danax

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Yeah me and my girlfriend were at Central Station yesterday, and we got a bit confused. So you basically have to get on an Green Line station to head east or Purple Line to head south east but you can't do that coming off of Central Station? Someone help me understand because I thought Central Station was to transfer to any line.

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Yeah me and my girlfriend were at Central Station yesterday, and we got a bit confused. So you basically have to get on an Green Line station to head east or Purple Line to head south east but you can't do that coming off of Central Station? Someone help me understand because I thought Central Station was to transfer to any line.

That was my assumption as well. Didn't realize they literally meant it's the Central station on the Red Line...

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Shall we all write to Metro demanding they spend the 40 million surplus or whatever it was on redesigning the Central Station(s)?

 

I'd even encourage them to spend some of it rerouting the wyes so that they point west instead of east, thus taking away the excuse for why the purple/green Central Stations that aren't really all that adjacent to the red Central Station. (the explanation I heard was that the platform isn't compatible with the curved track) 

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I think just closing that section of Main would be awesome. You could build an actual building that would be act as a large indoor platform with restrooms, ticket machines, etc. I think it would mean closing the side streets where the rail turns as well. Idk just my opinion.

Edited by j_cuevas713
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looking back on the design contest, it doesn't look like any of the firms addressed the Central Station capacity issues either.. quite an oversight by METRO and co. i wonder if they at least considered the double/outside platforms for Central Station?

agreed j_cuevas, it would be neat to build a structure over that block of Main to serve as a larger gathering area.

maybe something like this with trains running through it. now THAT would be a true Central Station.

080502-05.jpg

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central station is intended for transfers from red to green/purple. but then, there's a difference between how someone designs something and how it's used.

 

Every time I've used central station, or gone by it, it never seems so crowded as to be a problem. I can imagine if there are two trains stopped at the same time it would create slight havoc, but it's not that bad.

 

What I did find weird is the theater district loading platform (right by tranquility park) there are a total of two benches, nothing to lean on, and that's it.

Edited by samagon
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there's an exit only platform at capitol and smith (westbound). It's the last stop on the line.

 

No ticket kiosks, no benches, no cover, no LED signs, no signage at all. The only hint that it's a stop is that there's a raised platform with a railing for debarking passengers. It's not meant as a platform to get on the rail.

 

On Saturday they actually had a metro official standing there directing people to go over to the platform on Rusk (first eastbound stop), but I assume they won't have a guy there long term.

 

On my lap back around to the red line, I ignored the directive to get off the train at this stop since it was the last westbound stop, and rode out onto the bridge over Buffalo bayou. We sat for 6 minutes as the operator went to the other side of the train and waited for the next train to arrive, then she continued eastbound.

 

It made me curious why they didn't find a way to extend the line past 45 and make that an actual stop, surely people who are on their way to the municipal courts could have used a stop on the other side of 45. It would also be a very convenient stop for people going to the park along the bayou.

Edited by samagon
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Yeah. I recommended to a few METRO officials that they use that $40 million surplus to build a new station at the end of the line over Buffalo Bayou with stairs connecting down to the bayou trail system. Even suggested it to Guy Hagstette but he seemed satisfied with the proximity of the theater district stations to BBP (looking at a map though it seems an end of the line BBP station would be about the same spacing part as the other 3 downtown stations). Ah well.. Maybe in the future.

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Yeah. I recommended to a few METRO officials that they use that $40 million surplus to build a new station at the end of the line over Buffalo Bayou with stairs connecting down to the bayou trail system. Even suggested it to Guy Hagstette but he seemed satisfied with the proximity of the theater district stations to BBP (looking at a map though it seems an end of the line BBP station would be about the same spacing part as the other 3 downtown stations). Ah well.. Maybe in the future.

if they put in stairs they'd have to put in a ramp, or elevator for ADA compliance. That cost may have been the first thing on his mind.

 

In the wishful thinking department...

 

I wish they had spent some money not on concrete, but on dirt and sod.

 

P1090720a.jpg

 

yeah, they'd have to have a continuing budget the cut the grass, but couldn't they just put some blades on the bottom of the light rail cars themselves??! (kidding!).

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if they put in stairs they'd have to put in a ramp, or elevator for ADA compliance. That cost may have been the first thing on his mind.

 

In the wishful thinking department...

 

I wish they had spent some money not on concrete, but on dirt and sod.

 

P1090720a.jpg

 

yeah, they'd have to have a continuing budget the cut the grass, but couldn't they just put some blades on the bottom of the light rail cars themselves??! (kidding!).

 

Just attach one of these puppies to the back of the train and you're good to go.

 

Trimax-Mowers.jpg

 

Edited by august948
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I'd honestly prefer the tracks to not be embedded in concrete, but rather just standard ballast and ties.  That way, no one would drive on the tracks. 

 

(Obviously in downtown it'd still have to be embedded in concrete.) 

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I can understand why they want the tracks to still be concrete when in the middle of the street (allows emergency vehicles  to use the lane, cars if there's a blockage, and doesn't require the fancy trucks with train wheels for Metro to maintain it) but I don't understand why when they are in a dedicated right of way (like the purple line going through the townhouses in East Downtown or the green line going under the tracks) they still use concrete.  Wouldn't it be cheaper to use the standard ballast and ties?  I think that's what Dallas does (?)

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looking back on the design contest, it doesn't look like any of the firms addressed the Central Station capacity issues either.. quite an oversight by METRO and co. i wonder if they at least considered the double/outside platforms for Central Station?

agreed j_cuevas, it would be neat to build a structure over that block of Main to serve as a larger gathering area.

maybe something like this with trains running through it. now THAT would be a true Central Station.

080502-05.jpg

Omg that is exactly what we need! Man that would be so awesome! It would create a great retail area as well!

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I can understand why they want the tracks to still be concrete when in the middle of the street (allows emergency vehicles  to use the lane, cars if there's a blockage, and doesn't require the fancy trucks with train wheels for Metro to maintain it) but I don't understand why when they are in a dedicated right of way (like the purple line going through the townhouses in East Downtown or the green line going under the tracks) they still use concrete.  Wouldn't it be cheaper to use the standard ballast and ties?  I think that's what Dallas does (?)

 

I think it might be cheaper to build the standard ballast and tie system, but the long-run maintenance and total life-span cost are significantly higher with the standard ballast and tie system.

 

Here is an interesting article.

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I think it might be cheaper to build the standard ballast and tie system, but the long-run maintenance and total life-span cost are significantly higher with the standard ballast and tie system.

 

Here is an interesting article.

 

Yeah...class 1 railroads are always checking, maintaining, and replacing ties and ballast along their lines.  It's not practical to concrete regular rail lines due to the distances involved, but for Metro it's far better to do it that way.  The only thing I'd worry about is the soil shift we get here.  I'd guess they've factored that into the engineering somewhere, though.

 

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Yeah...class 1 railroads are always checking, maintaining, and replacing ties and ballast along their lines.  It's not practical to concrete regular rail lines due to the distances involved, but for Metro it's far better to do it that way.  The only thing I'd worry about is the soil shift we get here.  I'd guess they've factored that into the engineering somewhere, though.

 

 

I would imagine the soil conditions would have to be factored into a standard ballast and tie railbed at least as much as they had to be in the embedded-in-concrete line.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I was just thinking this exact same thing. This morning I drove from Rice Lofts to 1400 Lubbock to the CoH courts. Paid 5 dollars for metered parking (these are the only meters in the city with a $5 minimum, even if you will be in and out like I was, you are forced to pay at least 5 dollars). I was thinking why the heck in Metro's wisdom did they decide to end/start the line near the courts but not actually in front of the courts? Especially because the path from the courts to the start/end of the line is not exactly a safe pedestrian path.

 

I think this line will be a disaster.

 

 

there's an exit only platform at capitol and smith (westbound). It's the last stop on the line.

 

No ticket kiosks, no benches, no cover, no LED signs, no signage at all. The only hint that it's a stop is that there's a raised platform with a railing for debarking passengers. It's not meant as a platform to get on the rail.

 

On Saturday they actually had a metro official standing there directing people to go over to the platform on Rusk (first eastbound stop), but I assume they won't have a guy there long term.

 

On my lap back around to the red line, I ignored the directive to get off the train at this stop since it was the last westbound stop, and rode out onto the bridge over Buffalo bayou. We sat for 6 minutes as the operator went to the other side of the train and waited for the next train to arrive, then she continued eastbound.

 

It made me curious why they didn't find a way to extend the line past 45 and make that an actual stop, surely people who are on their way to the municipal courts could have used a stop on the other side of 45. It would also be a very convenient stop for people going to the park along the bayou.

 

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Actually those courts are not moving. Has the city council approved the proposed new CoH Justice Complex? Where's the new location? How much will it cost? Will there be a bond/tax increase to fund the construction? Last I heard the council was debating whether to renovate, build new construction or do nothing. Which is to say nothing has been decided.

 

Are you saying Metro passed on a station in front of the municipal courts because the city might move the courthouses in 10 years? Keep in mind the city has been talking about moving/updating those courts for years. 

 

It will be a disaster because like always Metro plans poorly.

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Honestly, from a safety perspective, the whole line is a bit questionable, as Class I railroads specifically try to avoid things like unprotected pedestrian crossings or running in the middle of the street.

I had to avoid not getting stuck in the middle of an intersection for the roads crossing Red Line. That was kind of scary.

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