cwei95 Posted May 15, 2005 Share Posted May 15, 2005 Specific track: runs north to south between West U and Bellaire, parallels NewcastleDoes anyone know the possibility of relocating the track specified above? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted May 15, 2005 Share Posted May 15, 2005 as far as I am aware of, its going to stay there for the foreseeable future. It's an essential line for that pariticular railroad. I assume you live near the line?Ricco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomv Posted May 15, 2005 Share Posted May 15, 2005 Yes I think the tracks are there to stay. There are plans however to limit or eliminate the whistle noise from the trains, as soon as the at grade crossings are made safer for motorists. Residents along the tracks have been pushing hard for this. At one time Harris County had thoughts of running a toll road some day down this corridor to connect 610 North and 610 South, but that will probably never happen. My guess is people in River Oaks, Bellaire, and West U would not be too thrilled with this, nor would people who enjoy and support Memorial Park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted May 16, 2005 Share Posted May 16, 2005 Who are you? In the spirit of unregulated growth, If you dont like it, move it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwei95 Posted May 16, 2005 Author Share Posted May 16, 2005 Who are you? In the spirit of unregulated growth, If you dont like it, move it.<{POST_SNAPBACK}>I don't live in Bellaire but plan on either buying/building a house there. There is a lot right on the tracks at a "bargain" price. I have heard many rumors about UP relocating the rail lines in the future and that is the reason why I posted a question about matter. Your comment was very rude...who are YOU??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted May 17, 2005 Share Posted May 17, 2005 I don't live in Bellaire but plan on either buying/building a house there. There is a lot right on the tracks at a "bargain" price. I have heard many rumors about UP relocating the rail lines in the future and that is the reason why I posted a question about matter. Your comment was very rude...who are YOU??? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Sorry. I wasn't trying to be rude. Good luck though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted May 18, 2005 Share Posted May 18, 2005 He DOES have a point, cwei95. If you're going to buy it, and know the tracks are there, then get ready to deal with the railroad. Quite frankly, I used to live near the tracks in my youth and they never bothered me in the least...You'll get used to sleeping near it, just like I had to get used to sleeping in the quietness in the 'burbs. Ricco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpcampbell Posted May 18, 2005 Share Posted May 18, 2005 When we bought a house in Braes Heights, just east of Stella Link and south of Bellaire, I didn't even realize the tracks would have an impact. The first night at 1am, I woke up to the sound of the train rumbling along, and thought "Oh no, what have we got ourselves into!". But after about a week, my body must have adjusted, because it never bothered me again a single time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjb434 Posted May 18, 2005 Share Posted May 18, 2005 Same here. I grew up all my life without having trains nearby. I go to college and have a dorm rooms and apartments I live in with a stones throw of the railroad tracks. This small town had a train at night at about every hour and occasionally one in two directions. Who knew plywood and wood chips were so popular.Now I bought a house in the Cottage Grove area just north of I-10 by TC Jester and have trains right by me again. You do get used to it. Just make sure you house doesn't rattle from the train. The sound is one thing, but the rattling makes me worry about the lasting integrity of the house. Continued vibration can't be that good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxConcrete Posted May 18, 2005 Share Posted May 18, 2005 Specific track: runs north to south between West U and Bellaire, parallels NewcastleDoes anyone know the possibility of relocating the track specified above? Thanks.About a year or two ago there was an article in the Chronicle about an idea floated by Harris County Judge Eckels to consolidate railroads entering/leaving Houston onto perhaps 3 corridors. US 90A/South Main was one, Hardy was one, and I think US 90/McCarty was the third. The article included a map - you may be able to find it in the archives. However, most existing lines would have remained under that proposal to serve customers along the lines - they just would no longer be used for regular traffic.As far as I know, that proposal went nowhere. TxDOT is now talking about relocating rail lines out of cities. The cost of these relocations is very high, and since they offer little or no benefit to the railroads TxDOT would be picking up most of the tab. Of course, TxDOT's funding is low and only getting lower.Since the tracks you mention are fairly busy and important to railroad operations, I don't see much of a realistic chance of relocation given the current financial situation. But there are powerful interests who are dreaming about railroad relocations, so I would rate it as something that could happen, but probably won't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dominax Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 He DOES have a point, cwei95. If you're going to buy it, and know the tracks are there, then get ready to deal with the railroad. Quite frankly, I used to live near the tracks in my youth and they never bothered me in the least... You'll get used to sleeping near it, just like I had to get used to sleeping in the quietness in the 'burbs. Ricco <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I wouldn't mind living near railroads I get used to anything and thunderstorms. I just don't like the brught light in my eye while im trying to sleep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 I wouldn't mind living near railroads I get used to anything and thunderstorms.I just don't like the brught light in my eye while im trying to sleep. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> So you... so you sleep on the tracks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 chances are, if you live in bellaire (especially 4400-4600 blocks) you either live really close to the tracks or to 610. living there for some years, i did get used to it. the only thing is, if one was to put down those big bucks to buy a home there (especially where the lots are even smaller near the tracks) the noisy train issue might be of importance (not only money-wise, but perhaps safety as well if you have children). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heights2Bastrop Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 Growing up on 14th and Beall, and again while living in Timbergrove on Bay Oaks, I would hear the noises from the Eureka yard with the engines revving up and freight cars banging together. It was quite loud at times; loud enough to startle a visitor hearing it for the first time.But I got used to the noises, and, in fact, grew to like the sound being a train aficionado as I am. I would often walk down to the overpass and watch the switching operations. But they cut off that end of the yard, as well as all the track east of the yard that ran through the Heights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjb434 Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 You may have trains running through that yard again instead of just dropping off gravel like now.The US 290 commuter line is supposed to pass right through there.I don't think it'll be as loud though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heights2Bastrop Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 If they put the tracks back through the Heights, I would love to see a spur going through Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjb434 Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 Also, it will be commuter rail, not light rail.Commuter rail will not have frequent stops. Probably none between I-610 and downtown.I don't know what they plan on doing around the older heights area. Much of the path still exists for the rail. At-grade crossings will have to be installed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skwatra Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Revamping this topic to get any new opinions. We're thinking about putting an offer in on a house in the east side of Bellaire (east of Newcastle) by the tracks. There is another home farther south (Lafayette) that is not on the tracks but very close to the water treatment plant (supposed smells on occasion though I haven't noticed it the few times we've been looking around there). The one further north near Evergreen is right on the tracks (lot adjacent). Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fringe Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Revamping this topic to get any new opinions. We're thinking about putting an offer in on a house in the east side of Bellaire (east of Newcastle) by the tracks. There is another home farther south (Lafayette) that is not on the tracks but very close to the water treatment plant (supposed smells on occasion though I haven't noticed it the few times we've been looking around there). The one further north near Evergreen is right on the tracks (lot adjacent). Any thoughts? Personally I wouldn't live in either but here's my two cents: If both are modern houses, well insulated, with double pane windows and you don't spend much time outdoors then either will do. (Since most homes in that area have postage stamp size backyards, being outside is probably not a priority). Yes when the wind is out of the south you will smell the treatment plant and you will feel the rumble of the train in either location, but you will get used to it and luckily train whistles are no longer an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSGinSpringBranch Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 I grew up along the tracks in Bellaire, between Bellaire Blvd and Bissonet though where the lots are deeper, and later lived in a rental on Ione. I'd take the train over the water plant any day. That said, as kids we rambled up and down the train easement on bikes and on foot all the time, it was a lovely escape, and I wasn't particularly interested in trains. My boys would flip to watch trains go by that close on a regular basis. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skwatra Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 Thanks all. We were down there again (Lafayette) and as I walked to Edith I could smell the treatment plan, but a few blocks north seem insulated. There was a decent south wind today too, but I know there are a lot of factors at play. Is it really the Bellaire Public Works plant on Edith that causes the smell, or the sewage plant on Beechnut/Braeswood? We do spend a lot of time outdoors, though not in the peak summer months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFootsSocks Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 May I ask what the median price range is over there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skwatra Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 I don't know the overall median price, we are only looking at older homes ranging from $350 to $450K (depending on amount of renovation). There are several we have seen that are not livable, going for around $400K for the lot value only. Most lot sizes are 5125 sqft, the lots right on the tracks are 5725 sqft. Newer homes (just built) are ranging around $260/sqft, but we're not in the market for those. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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