mfastx Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Thanks for the updates Ricco. A couple of things to say though. Firstly, I still don't have a clue why they chose to embed those tracks in concrete in the middle of the road. This will only confuse drivers and encourage them to drive on the tracks to illegally cross them. I feel like they'd cut down on accidents a lot if they weren't embedded on concrete. Second, I wonder how fast they are going to construct that underpass. They sure are taking their time on starting that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Vik Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Thanks for the updates Ricco. A couple of things to say though. Firstly, I still don't have a clue why they chose to embed those tracks in concrete in the middle of the road. This will only confuse drivers and encourage them to drive on the tracks to illegally cross them. I feel like they'd cut down on accidents a lot if they weren't embedded on concrete. Second, I wonder how fast they are going to construct that underpass. They sure are taking their time on starting that.Agreed. Just makes me so angry bob Lanier threw away the monorail plan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 I was at Houston, intersection of Capitol and Main, and saw there were rails embedded in the ground crossing the existing tracks. The problem was, it didn't seem to be connected to anything! While there was construction zones nearby, I don't believe the road at Capitol was disturbed at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spacecityroller Posted March 16, 2013 Share Posted March 16, 2013 Found these images of the Hughes Underpass. More images in this pdf. http://www.gometrorail.org/external/content/document/2491/1511583/1/East%20End%20CAB%20-%20Hughes%20Underpass%20Presentation%208.7.12.pdf I was wondering what it would look like. I wonder when they will start excavation. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
illusionescape Posted May 12, 2013 Share Posted May 12, 2013 Found these images of the Hughes Underpass. More images in this pdf. http://www.gometrorail.org/external/content/document/2491/1511583/1/East%20End%20CAB%20-%20Hughes%20Underpass%20Presentation%208.7.12.pdf I was wondering what it would look like. I wonder when they will start excavation. Nice find! The PDF says all of 2013 is for final design phase. Looks like construction will take 2 years (2014-15). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
illusionescape Posted May 14, 2013 Share Posted May 14, 2013 So since the Hughes Underpass won't be ready when the rest of the line completes construction next year, what is the plan? Run the light rail service all the way to the Altic/Howard Highes Station, then transfer all the passengers to bus to continue on down Harrisburg to the Magnolia Park Transit Center? Or something else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 This phase of construction is making picking a weekend to film the newest progress on the line challenging. For the past several weekends, they have been shutting down the Main street intersections. Do you guys think I should just suck it up and do it on a weekday, wait for rainy weekend, or pray they will finish it at the end of July? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 Pray. (Is it closing again this weekend?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 I suspect so. The entire line will shut down this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infinite_jim Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 It's closed all weekend starting tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 I would suspect that, weather permitting, the main street intersection will be closed for construction every weekend, in part because of the station construction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Vik Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 They're making good progress on the downtown portion. This would probably be the toughest part of any of the lines just due to the small space and constant traffic. But it'll be done soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 Possibly, but I like to roughly keep the six month spacing in videos, though. I have to go through there today anyway and I'll take a quick peek. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 Here is the latest. The issues with driveways leading to/from the light rail are more obvious, I think, now that the construction is well under way. http://youtu.be/crzU5qj0GTU 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfastx Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 Great vid, thanks a lot for braving the weather and providing these updates! It's going to be weird to see drivers driving on the tracks downtown. Hopefully there won't be many accidents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 Well that might not be the final configuration. The weather only annoyed me to the extent of it interfering with the focusing. When the same thing happened to my camera, it was really apparent. Not so much on my corder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crunchtastic Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 thx for the footage Ricco! I drive much of that stretch a couple of times a week. This past weekend I biked the downtown parts. Until I got distracted over at the GRB and put my front wheel in the rail track groove (appx. 3:30). Bike is still in the shop new scabs all over left leg and arm made a good impression at my job interview today, surely. Tidbit to note: the Moontower guys' new bar in the works is allegedly just left across the track at Milby (6:56) past the El Charro. For those of you who come to the next houseparty at Casa de Crunch, right turn at 8:17. Anyone who went to Niche's warehouse space to party a couple of years back, that was left and over 3 blocks at 8:59. For those interested, one of my neighbors has their place up for sale in the 4600 block of Walker. Small lot, basic bungalow, garage apt in back, appx 275 ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Went to see wicked last night and I saw that the valets have a private driveway so they don't have to go out on the street to bring cars in. Thought that was pretty slick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloud713 Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I had no idea there were going to be turns off capital and rusk, north onto Main. I guess for uh-uhdowntown? I couldn't figure out why they were only going north if they were going to turn. Unless there is another right turn on rusk going south? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 Those connections aren't planned to be used in revenue service. Just for moving equipment. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 I do enjoy watching east side residents crossing the tracks with their vehicles where they aren't supposed to. Last week METRO put up signs at many locations saying right turns only. I do like the ingenuity of east side residents. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TowerSpotter Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 They should have added grass so that it would be obvious not to go over it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfastx Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 They should have added grass so that it would be obvious not to go over it. They should have done something. This is what the light rail tracks look like in Boston: This is better design IMO. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicman Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 well if they park in their front yards, this won't be a hindrance either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TowerSpotter Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 I had this in mind from Madrid 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chi-Char-Hou-Dal Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Can someone please update me on the Underpass situation/Harrisburg? Ridiculo that the line is close to done before and after the underpass. No work started so 2016 before the two sides are connected? I rode my bike down Harrisburg the other day and couldn't believe nothing has been started. Also, after being in Europe for the month of December - our street grade light rail is so slow and inefficient versus some of the high speed subways and heavy rail. Not trying to be that guy but it's hard to compare. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 and finally the east line. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkylineView Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Ricco, amazing work as usual. Thanks for posting. I had no idea the light rail was built (completely... including stations) with a 1/2 mile gap for the underpass. Pretty amusing... / sad. Though to restate, your video rocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citykid09 Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Am I the only one that thinks this light rail looks out of place? For some reason it just doesn't seem right. And it looks a mess with all those powerlines and cords hanging above the light rail. But what can you say? They tried? I'm sorry its just not working for me. I think a street car line would have been much better for these VERY non urban areas. The money should have been spent on a subway line from downtown to the galleria and to the big airport. Just my opinion. Please post videos of a similar light rail line that goes through areas like this in other cities I would like to see. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloud713 Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Am I the only one that thinks this light rail looks out of place? For some reason it just doesn't seem right. And it looks a mess with all those powerlines and cords hanging above the light rail. But what can you say? They tried? I'm sorry its just not working for me. I think a street car line would have been much better for these VERY non urban areas. The money should have been spent on a subway line from downtown to the galleria and to the big airport. Just my opinion. Please post videos of a similar light rail line that goes through areas like this in other cities I would like to see.About as out of place as parts of the north line.. I like the light rail between dynamo stadium and the theater district (eventually going west serving the memorial area), but agree the parts of the east end past dynamo stadium could of been streetcars linked into that east end streetcar system they were planning..And I agree the money would of been better spent linking uptown and downtown.. A subway line would be amazing, and might not be as far fetched as we think. They are talking about tunneling a memorial dr light rail line through memorial park, so we would at least have a partial subway from downtown to uptown.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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