METRORail Construction Resumes

[Houston19514]

In an ideal world, yes, this would work. But my observation has been that it doesn't.

In Chicago, ads are allowed on all forms of transit. Video screens on the tops of taxis, and the sides of buses, plackards inside the buses, on the floors, ceilings, etc... But the problem is that the ads, more often than not, are old, torn, or simply outdated. I've seen ads promoting October flu shot clinics on buses as late as January simply because there aren't enough advertisers interested in mass transit these days.

Take into consideration that Chicago is a big media market, the home of a bunch of big advertising companies (the Marlboro Man, Jolly Green Giant, Rodolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and others are all from CHI agencies), and a huge transit city (CTA moves the entire population of Houston each rush hour). Yet there still isn't enough interest in transit advertising to fill even half of the fleet.

One smart thing the CTA did, though, is sell all the ad space to a single company (Clear Channel, I think) for a flat rate. Something around $2 million a year. If Chicago only gets $2 mil for its massive transit system and transit audience, I doubt that METRO would get even half that.

Agree with your thoughts on advertising, but let's not get carried away with CTA's rush hour ridership. CTA's total daily ridership (a good portion of which is surely non-rush-hour) is approximately 1.65 million. Impressive, yes, but it leaves CTA's rush hour ridership well short of Houston's population (approximately 2.26 million).

FWIW, Metro's daily ridership is approximately 600,000.

[scarface]

Agree with your thoughts on advertising, but let's not get carried away with CTA's rush hour ridership. CTA's total daily ridership (a good portion of which is surely non-rush-hour) is approximately 1.65 million. Impressive, yes, but it leaves CTA's rush hour ridership well short of Houston's population (approximately 2.26 million).

FWIW, Metro's daily ridership is approximately 600,000.

According to the article, they said Metrorail's ridership numbers are low? So they went from 400,000/day to 600,000/day in about 2 1/2 years and they say its low ridership? Something kind of stinks in all of this.

[kylejack]

According to the article, they said Metrorail's ridership numbers are low? So they went from 400,000/day to 600,000/day in about 2 1/2 years and they say its low ridership? Something kind of stinks in all of this.

600,000 is ridership for Metro as a whole, not Metro Rail.

[musicman]

METRO's tax income has faded which is contributing to their proposed delays on rail lines in work.

[IHB2]

the Chronicle finally starting to abandon its boosterism and report METRO facts. Frank Wilson played the same max-leveraging game popular among our financial sector, apparently with the same results

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7177284.html

and the Press has some METRO exec emails that discuss Wilson's actions re: the Spanish CAF rail car bid.

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2010/08/metro_caf_rail_cars.php

[C2H]

I don't mean to sound like the pessimist, but this is very troubling news that this city is in this bad of shape financially, all these things are happening around town such as the recent major water rate increase, Angelika Film closing, and this. What is really going on in this what appears to be a corrupt government? Seems like the citizens of Houston are the ones taking up the rear end.

[20thStDad]

I don't mean to sound like the pessimist, but this is very troubling news that this city is in this bad of shape financially, all these things are happening around town such as the recent major water rate increase, Angelika Film closing, and this. What is really going on in this what appears to be a corrupt government? Seems like the citizens of Houston are the ones taking up the rear end.

Whoa chicken little, I think you're connecting dots that aren't even on the same page. We knew the city was in debt already, that doesn't have anything to do with the Angelika closing.

[TheNiche]

Whoa chicken little, I think you're connecting dots that aren't even on the same page. We knew the city was in debt already, that doesn't have anything to do with the Angelika closing.

Well, think about it. Bill White is the tapeworm that strings all these bad things together: the City's finances, METRO's crappy leadership, downtown subsidies, multiple instances of corruption and/or conflicted interests. And it all happened while Rick Perry was governor, so he obviously shares in the blame. And that is why you should do a write-in vote for me, TheNiche. I'll screw you, just the same as they will, but I'll keep the lights on while I do it.

[skwatra]

And that is why you should do a write-in vote for me, TheNiche. I'll screw you, just the same as they will, but I'll keep the lights on while I do it.

I'd prefer the lights off...

[IHB2]

links to info on the "NEW" METRO presumably under Greanias's leadership as CEO

from METRO this week, the slide tray laying out the reformed organizational chart, note there will be a CAO apparently responsible for operations under the CEO (don't think that position exists now) + apparently some community outreach boards answering to the CEO

http://www.ridemetro.org/News/Pdfs/METRO_Board_Presentation-8-31-2010.pdf

and this bit of bad news for NEW METRO on Ch 11 last night

http://www.khou.com/news/METRO-hits-400M-roadblock-with-Texas-AG-University-line-could-be-affected-102121419.html

[skwatra]

Well here's the reason of the uncertainty of the Federal Grant money:

Feds say Metro violated procurement laws in rail project

Isn't that a pretty obvious stipulation they should have known about? Things like this take a long time to work out...

[mfastx]

That's too bad. METRO has made bad decisions, and this was to be expectected. Hopefully we will receive the grant, though. That would suck if these lines didn't ever get built.

[rsb320]

I think it was a great move for the mayor to shake things up at Metro immediately after she was elected. Hopefully, George can get things straight and get Metro running like a real business.

[JamesL]

And it will definitely mean a delay in getting some more cars on the Red Line.

[IHB2]

And it will definitely mean a delay in getting some more cars on the Red Line.

I don't think the violation of Federal law in the bidding process w/CAF has a connection to METRO's ability to purchase additional cars for the Red Line - it's possible there is no $$ for the purchase, however.

breaking Federal law does put off until the end of 2014 (at the earliest) the opening of the new lines, according to today's METRO statement retracting yesterday's Greanias 10/31/2013 prediction.

[JamesL]

I don't think the violation of Federal law in the bidding process w/CAF has a connection to METRO's ability to purchase additional cars for the Red Line - it's possible there is no $ for the purchase, however.

breaking Federal law does put off until the end of 2014 (at the earliest) the opening of the new lines, according to today's METRO statement retracting yesterday's Greanias 10/31/2013 prediction.

The new Red Line cars, I'm pretty sure, were wrapped into the contract for the new lines, which now has to be rebid.

[IHB2]

The new Red Line cars, I'm pretty sure, were wrapped into the contract for the new lines, which now has to be rebid.

don't think so. different railcar manufacturers: Siemens on the Red Line, CAF on all the others. it's the CAF bid process and contract that was a violation of Federal law.

the cars are not interchangeable. why standardize when you can, as former METRO Board Chmn David Wolff proudly noted yesterday, "innovate" like our former CEO Frank Wilson?

and his innovation has only cost $40 million in likely unrecoverable tax dollars already paid to CAF.

[dbigtex56]

Slightly off-topic: I hope that the new light rail cars are some more vivid color than the current ones.

The abysmal record of car-light rail collisions in Houston can be attributed in part to the near invisibility of gray light rail cars transversing gray streets. Little wonder that drivers don't see them in time.

Lime Green, Fire-Engine Red or Shocking Pink would be better choices.

[JamesL]

don't think so. different railcar manufacturers: Siemens on the Red Line, CAF on all the others. it's the CAF bid process and contract that was a violation of Federal law.

the cars are not interchangeable. why standardize when you can, as former METRO Board Chmn David Wolff proudly noted yesterday, "innovate" like our former CEO Frank Wilson?

and his innovation has only cost $40 million in likely unrecoverable tax dollars already paid to CAF.

METRO is not buying any more Siemens cars. The CAF vehicles won't be compatible within the same train, but they will have no problem running on the same line. CAF was to build more cars for the red line as well as for the expansion.

http://blogs.ridemetro.org/blogs/write_on/archive/2009/03/05/New-Trains-to-be-Nation_2700_s-First-Low_2D00_Floor-Model.aspx

"Our initial "Notice to Proceed" - a notice we give to the train manufacturer indicating we are ready to order - calls for 29 cars. Ten will be used for the East End line, and 19 for the Main Street line."

[JamesL]

Actually, now that I reread that, it makes me think the new Red Line and East End cars may not be held up since the Notice to Proceed was already issued and those lines aren't in the FTA process.

[dbigtex56]

METRO is not buying any more Siemens cars. The CAF vehicles won't be compatible within the same train, but they will have no problem running on the same line.

Am I understanding your post correctly? Are the new cars incompatible with the existing Siemans cars in terms of running double cars during periods of high usage?

If so, that's just ... stupid.

[JamesL]

Am I understanding your post correctly? Are the new cars incompatible with the existing Siemans cars in terms of running double cars during periods of high usage?

If so, that's just ... stupid.

That's correct. I actually don't think it will be a big deal. They will have plenty of both types around when they need to double up. It would be extremely difficult for two manufacturers to build completely compatible cars since the propulsion, braking, and electronic systems will all be different. The CAF vehicles have a top speed of 45, for instance, rather that the S70's 66.

[mfastx]

I actually prefer the Siemans cars better, I just don't really like the color scheme that much. Does anyone know if we are for sure going ot re-bid with CAF? Is there a chance that we will have another manufacturer?

[IHB2]

Actually, now that I reread that, it makes me think the new Red Line and East End cars may not be held up since the Notice to Proceed was already issued and those lines aren't in the FTA process.

you are right that METRO had not intended to purchase any more Siemens cars for the Red Line.

but here's METRO's link to the 9/7/10 FTA letter:

http://www.ridemetro.org/News/Documents/pdfs/FTA-090810/Rogoff_to_Garcia_and_Greanias_9-07-10_signed_.pdf

the FTA has determined the METRO/CAF process was illegal, and all CAF contracts have to be scrapped and start over including the Red Line order. Here's the pertinent paragraph from the letter:

"FTA's continued participation in these projects, however, will require METRO to terminate its existing contracts with CAF and re-procure LRVs in a manner that complies with FTA rules requiring full and open competition. FTA is unable to financially participate in the LRV contract awarded to CAF or any of the costs involved in that flawed procurement. A re-procurement will also be necessary order for Houston to maintain access to $64 million in formula grant funding that was obligated to METRO under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. As you know, it was METRO's intention to use that grant to replace LRVs on the existing Red Line corridor utilizing the same flawed procurement."

So it sounds like the feds will give METRO the $ for the Red Line purchase if METRO rebids the order. It is unknown if CAF will be the vendor to win the revised procurement process. IMO if "new" METRO wants to build public confidence in what is now acknowledged to be an outlaw agency, they will contract with anybody but CAF.

In any case I can't imagine the new Red Line cars will be available in April 2012 as METRO said in March 2009, since we've lost 18 months since the original order.

[ricco67]

Well, I certainly think the CAF cars are superior to what S70 has to offer. It is doubtful that any "American manufacturer" can have one that has a higher capacity than those offered by CAF that is usable by our system.

I do have to agree, that I hope they paint them a different color. Line colors would be nice, but I'm sure extra trains would be needed to be pulled off other lines at some point for capacity issues.

[skwatra]

So it sounds like the feds will give METRO the $ for the Red Line purchase if METRO rebids the order. It is unknown if CAF will be the vendor to win the revised procurement process. IMO if "new" METRO wants to build public confidence in what is now acknowledged to be an outlaw agency, they will contract with anybody but CAF.

In any case I can't imagine the new Red Line cars will be available in April 2012 as METRO said in March 2009, since we've lost 18 months since the original order.

And if they have to start completely over (RFI/RFP) this is going to cost a lot as well as be a big schedule hit. The procurement process is very expensive just to get to the point where you pick a vendor, especially when the Feds are involved. Hopefully the changes they make are minor and they can reuse a large portion of the original requests and the vendors can reuse their bids, but Metro will probably be very cautious this time around which will kill the schedule even more.

[RedScare]

Am I understanding your post correctly? Are the new cars incompatible with the existing Siemans cars in terms of running double cars during periods of high usage?

If so, that's just ... stupid.

Not really. They plan to use the Siemens cars on other lines. The CAF cars have more capacity per car and can fit within the short downtown blocks, resulting in a large capacity increase on the line. A quick look at the CAF design would have immediately shown why this is a smart move. But, I'm guessing you typed before you looked.

I'll help out by posting a press release on the matter

http://blogs.ridemetro.org/blogs/write_on/archive/2009/03/05/New-Trains-to-be-Nation_2700_s-First-Low_2D00_Floor-Model.aspx.

[JamesL]

Not really. They plan to use the Siemens cars on other lines. The CAF cars have more capacity per car and can fit within the short downtown blocks, resulting in a large capacity increase on the line. A quick look at the CAF design would have immediately shown why this is a smart move. But, I'm guessing you typed before you looked.

I'll help out by posting a press release on the matter

http://blogs.ridemet...oor-Model.aspx.

You're right, Red. I misinterpreted what he was asking.

[mfastx]

Well maybe the CAF cars are better than Siemans cars, but are they the best overall? I believe I read something in the newspaper about how the CAF cars flood easily? And Houston is prone to flooding.

[dbigtex56]

A quick look at the CAF design would have immediately shown why this is a smart move. But, I'm guessing you typed before you looked.

Thanks for the elucidation.

And, what's up with the snotty attitude? Your friends are concerned.

[edit]

PS: your link is broken.