Tower26

Hardy and Red Line Northline would be considered a continuation The route would be Fulton north to Airline north to City View /Greenspoint Mall then to Hardy along Green Rd. The route would curve north to Spring P&R along Hardy to I-45 into Springwood Village This route would be the Red Line continuation .

In order to more economically diversified , I like to see Houston expand in many areas, think big , innovate , invest more , be more competitive .

I know where that is . I used to work at a warehouse along the tracks and walk those tracks to downtown after work . I would keep the Milby and McKinney crossings open because underpasses have a tendency to flood during storms . Sampson and York both should be underpasses . UP Signalhouse and the HB&T Enginehouse is on McKinney. The Franklin/Navigation@Commerce underpass would be an intersection under the tracks in similarity to Hardy@Crosstimbers(UP) and Clinton@Wayside(BNSF/UP) into Congress Yard (UP). The street a block north of that crossing would have be opened as a atgrade again in case that underpass flood during storms . The idea is create a third passing siding or MOW access along the tracks between yards to prevent bottlenecking . The reason of the Milby crossing closing is because of tankcar seal repair and janitorial shop where they repair seals and wash out tankcars . That would be a hold up because of switching in and out tankcars . 

An admendment was brought to the house floor by a Las Vegas Congresswoman a few minutes ago and was agreed to which was to reopen some routes in the western part of the country . Phoenix and Las Vegas . Phoenix hosted Amtrak's Desert Wind it would be good for service to return there . She also mentioned Houston to Dallas and other areas .

The spur is the UP Congress Yard /PTRA Industrial Loop Spur that runs in the middle of Commerce for a few blocks east to west . The spur loops from Congress Yard in the west and runs east to PTRA tracks by Wayside (BNSF) and Clinton near the port's Turnin Basin . It was apart of Southern Pacific (SP) And Houston Belt & Terminal (HB&T) now Port Terminal Railroad Association (PTRA) and UP. UP still uses that spur for light industrial switching in, to and from Congress Yard . The small switcher maybe a MK15DC Genset Switcher  with the new PTRA scheme . Congress Yard is a overflow staging yard for UP's and BNSF's New South Yards . It major city artery to Bayport (BNSF)to the southeast on the East Belt and Davis yard (UP/MP) to the north near Beltway 8 which is doubletracked .It is on a doubletrack portion in the east downtown area near Minute Maid Park and a few blocks east of Dynamo Stadium . It once belonged to HB&T. It was used as throat tracks because it is the main junction for the cities warehouse district which had throat tracks and spurs running all around the downtown area  because the huge historic number of warehouses and shops that sprawled around the city at one time . The yard is currently used for bypass joint right-of- way for BNSF,KCS ,CSX ,NS, CN, CPR, TFM and Ferromex and a storage for empty gondolas . You can access the yard and Commerce Loop from any direction when visiting . When visiting Congress Yard , I advise please be careful ,HPD , Constables and Sherriffs make their rounds there and the yard and line is active be watchful for traffic on the tracks. The best place to view is a dirt access road on the westside of the yard .

Another route is in trouble up in the upper midwest where state officials are considering to cut the Hoosier State . Two congressional members from both parties are fighting to save it . The Hoosier State is a route between Chicago and Indianapolis. Some are talking of expanding the service . Expansion is key to increase revenue . The route should be extended east to DC from Indianapolis and possible east to Richmond connecting all points south along the seaboard via Charlottesville to Richmond if reopened . Superliners may bring more revenue and increase ridership on this route if it is extended to Richmond and DC . Should the line be cut or extended ? 

It is highly possible for a return of the route from what is currently in the news this month about reopening the route . I mentioned in a earlier that increased COFC/TOFC intermodal traffic may possibly bring that into fruition . This may be reality because intermodal demand is widely taking over from all directions .

Downtown Eastside GRB/Toyota Center/Minute Maid Park and Congress Yard (UP) is one suggestion .

 It depends on who is doing the investing and who is willing to invest . Most will develop near a major transportation infrastructure or corridor which is likely a catalyst for business then residential use .The West is vastly undeveloped and is available for any future use. 

There are areas around downtown that can host a station mainly on the northeast corner and eastside of downtown around 610 and 59/69 and the warehouse district .Some of that area is railroad territory . Congress Yard several blocks east .I&GN Interchange near 59/69 , Jensen and a block east of where SP's 23rd St. Hardy Shops once stood  where UHD North Campus is . 

Keep a heavy eye on the port . 

Willowbrook is a community inwhich the mall is named after and is located .  An indication of that is the giant water storage tower that bears the Willowbrook name . BNSF runs directly through it aswell as 249 and Beltway 8 . The community itself fairly huge because of Texas A&M , UT , Baylor and Prairie View communities aswell as neighboring Tomball , Montgomery and Conroe Counties. The community encompasses both the mall , BNSF and the HPSL which is Beltway 8 & 249 .

Here is my explanation ,if you look at the map above , One of the marked HPSL's is Beltway 8 & 249 . That is Willowbrook . Willowbrook sits directly on BNSF just like Northwest sits directly on UP . They both have the potential of being stations . I live a few blocks from Northwest and 4 to 5 miles from Willowbrook . Willowbrook is 3 to 4 miles west of Bush IAH via Greenspoint and Beltway 8 which would make it a possible airport connector station. 

The boom will most likely to continue . 

I believe Willowbrook and Northwest Malls would be good options but I got more of a gut feeling if the station is on the northwest corner , it may be Willowbrook for two reasons , It sits on BNSF and it can be a connector to the Airport via Greenspoint/Cityview because of its close approximity to Bush I A H to the east on I-59/69 and Beltway 8 . UP's Davis Yard near Beltway 8 and Hardy Tollroad can be a good site for a station . One more option would be the Deerbrook area on I-59/69 in the northeast . 

Dallas , I mentioned earlier Love Field , other options would be Irving , SMU , Grand Praire , Frisco , Duncanville , Arlington , Texas Stadium , NAS JRB Dallas via Grand Praire ,  Ft. Worth , I-35 , I-20 or I-45 . 

It would also make rail travel easier from Houston to Atlanta , Chicago , DC , Midwest and New York instead of going north to Longview by bus just to go east by rail . Baton Rouge can the connector terminal . 

A definition of a walkable neighborhood to me is everything in close proximity and in walking distance day or night . The only dangers would be criminals and straydog packs especially when searching for food in the wee hours and a walkable neighborhood can be near or surround a recreational park , beach , or bayou or college campus . I like walking because it saves money and good for the heart and mind . 

This transportation issue was an agenda at one time then placed on the backburner for sometime since Katrina . Though CSX reopened the line , it would be more feasible to add a second main east/west between Jacksonville and New Orleans . With the protests and debate between Amtrak and southern coastal towns quietly still being played out , it's possible this could mandatorily happen in the near future with the construction of MIT Miami Intermodal Terminal projected to improve travel in Miami and increase both rail and trucking intermodal traffic in and of Miami .

Jacksonville , FL.

Jacksonville is a gateway city connecting Florida to the country . CSX tracks run north/south and east/west by way of CSX St. John's River Bascule Bridge that can handle doubletrack traffic and the tracks are double . The east/west segment in and out of the city is priority because at sometime between Tellahassee it becomes single tracked . 

New Orleans , LA. 

New Orleans handles traffic north and east/west . To the west in and out of the city the tracks are double by way of Huey P. Long Bridge . To the north in and out of the city , the tracks are single by way of Lake Ponchatrain Viaduct .To the east , the tracks are single .

Amtrak 

The debate and controversy between is mainly over Amtrak's refusal to return Superliner service to the NOLA/JAX corridor because the belief of unfeasibility . Due to this opinion , coastal towns are hurting transportationwise and economywise . Thus the continous fight to return service as towns have depots ready for use continually sit unused and closed . This a main reason why CSX should doubletrack this corridor .

I-10 & Other Benefits 

If CSX choose to have this corridor doubletracked . It would help those coastal towns by bringing jobs and the travel industry to those towns again . It would help to relieve dangerous and heavy traffic from I-10 saving interstate costs for repair and lower fuel costs . People do vacation in Florida and in other neighboring states other than Louisiana . Airlines are becoming too expensive and too strict in travel with the exception of military and gov. 

The reason why I think CSX should doubletrack this corridor is what I mentioned before that Amtrak will sometimes avoid single mainlines missing connecting towns entirely that rely on Amtrak as being its only reasonable means of transportation other than bus and pov if there is no airport .Coastal towns are suffering and a catalyst that can change that is possible increase in trailer/doublestack traffic east/west from and to Los Angeles/Long Beach/Houston/Jacksonville with the tracks doubled on this corridor . This would help the south in jobs . If Amtrak can be convinced to returned to the gulf coast to Florida, revenue ,jobs , and travel would greatly increase quickly . What you think ?

One more viewing point is being in the vacinity of downtown at morning , high noon , sunset .

You have to drive for yourself and somebody else because you have some folks who have no business on the streets or the freeways especially those who don't have insurance or liscence. Be careful .

It is possible . Electric vehicles is on the verge of high demand . GPS , Onstar is somewhat laying the groundwork for possibilities like that. 

One quick read is the Txdot Rail section on the Txdot website . Look up Houston Rail Subdivisions .

They should have keep Northline and added to it . Don't tear down Northwest , add to it . 

One solution would be is to have a sitdown with those apartment managers and question them on whether they do criminal background checks when screening for new tenants . Begin evicting those trouble tenants .According to the city , this is mandatory on some properties i.e Blue Star program (HPD). Businesses have to better protect themselves from smashn'grabs and gunfights i.e corner stores , restaurants , and shops in that area especially near I-45 .Neighborhoods can crackdown by neighbors knowing each other and looking out for each other . Before police ,sheriffs , and constables , It begins with people getting involved in their neighborhood and the area nearby . There has to be a major swat crackdown for that area because its way overdue .

Never take anything lightly. Anything can happen . Always be alert and make sure you have insurance . Safeguard your house .