Texas Central Project

[BEES?!]

2 hours ago, mkultra25 said:

Meanwhile, in California:

How California’s Bullet Train Went Off the Rails

 

What a fascinating read. I’m pretty firmly in the camp that HSR in the US will have to be a private project if it’s going to be done right without a ton of compromising and hands in the cookie jar, if you will.

[Luminare]

If this does fail at the very least what we got out of it is a court precedent where you don't have to have rail to be a "railroad". That fight alone pushed this project back by 3-4 years. Not going to get away with it the next time. So at least there is that.

[Andrew Ewert]

They will just find some other way to fight it in court until it's bled dry, just like this one.

[77002er]

Next question .... how will the cancellation of this project affect the proposed BRT link along I-10 as future transit demand along that route was predicated on the Texas Central being built. Anyone still wanting to get to the Galleria from downtown/Medical Center will still be able to use the "University Line" (a less expensive buildout) so why build spend the extra funds at this time?

 

[Big E]

20 hours ago, Ross said:

The comment on I-45 lanes was in response to another comment that said that TxDOT would never give up space where it could build more lanes. Well, if the train was going to be successful, the need for more lanes  would go away, since the number of riders would reduce the use of the freeway.

This rail line's relative success or failure will not effect TxDOT's decision to expand I-45. There is a whole lotta factors that will determine that that this rail line will have no effect on.

 

1 minute ago, 77002er said:

Next question .... how will the cancellation of this project affect the proposed BRT link along I-10 as future transit demand along that route was predicated on the Texas Central being built. Anyone still wanting to get to the Galleria from downtown/Medical Center will still be able to use the "University Line" (a less expensive buildout) so why build spend the extra funds at this time?

 

This project isn't officially cancelled yet, so kinda putting the cart before the horse.

[mkultra25]

20 hours ago, BEES?! said:

What a fascinating read. I’m pretty firmly in the camp that HSR in the US will have to be a private project if it’s going to be done right without a ton of compromising and hands in the cookie jar, if you will.

Counterpoint to the NYT article with some additional background, via Twitter:

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1579183443224989696.html

[BeerNut]

2 hours ago, 77002er said:

Next question .... how will the cancellation of this project affect the proposed BRT link along I-10 as future transit demand along that route was predicated on the Texas Central being built. Anyone still wanting to get to the Galleria from downtown/Medical Center will still be able to use the "University Line" (a less expensive buildout) so why build spend the extra funds at this time?

 

I'm sure that will still get built at some point because it's meant as a minimum stop link between downtown and northern stop of the silver line.

[BEES?!]

8 hours ago, 77002er said:

Next question .... how will the cancellation of this project affect the proposed BRT link along I-10 as future transit demand along that route was predicated on the Texas Central being built. Anyone still wanting to get to the Galleria from downtown/Medical Center will still be able to use the "University Line" (a less expensive buildout) so why build spend the extra funds at this time?

 

I think METRO wants to work on the Inner Katy BRT regardless of the HSR project (on their project map I think the extension from NWTC to Northwest Mall is only shown as conceptual) because 1) it’ll be another (maybe faster?) route into Downtown from Uptown and also serve people living along the I-10 corridor. I believe The University Line stops at Wheeler Transit Center and you have to transfer to the Red Line. Inner Katy doesn’t require any transferring. They badly want that connection- one of the specific reasons they’ve given is because they want to link the hotel capacity between Uptown and the east side of Downtown (so…GRB, basically) since the BRT extension will also run along the Green/Purple Line alignment downtown and to St Emmanuel St without any transfers).

 

7 hours ago, mkultra25 said:

Counterpoint to the NYT article with some additional background, via Twitter:

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1579183443224989696.html

Interesting, thank you for the link! 

[77002er]

11 hours ago, BEES?! said:

I think METRO wants to work on the Inner Katy BRT regardless of the HSR project (on their project map I think the extension from NWTC to Northwest Mall is only shown as conceptual) because 1) it’ll be another (maybe faster?) route into Downtown from Uptown and also serve people living along the I-10 corridor. I believe The University Line stops at Wheeler Transit Center and you have to transfer to the Red Line. Inner Katy doesn’t require any transferring. They badly want that connection- one of the specific reasons they’ve given is because they want to link the hotel capacity between Uptown and the east side of Downtown (so…GRB, basically) since the BRT extension will also run along the Green/Purple Line alignment downtown and to St Emmanuel St without any transfers).

Inner Katy BRT transfers at Northwest Transit Center and (i believe) the future west terminus of the LRT in the city courts area. That makes at least two or perhaps three transfers to get to mid downtown from the Galleria ..... the University Line route would also be two  (Bellaire and Wheeler).  Most people don't like even one .....

Edited October 11, 2022 by 77002er

[cspwal]

Last I saw the plans, the Inner Katy BRT is supposed to terminate at St Emanuel & Rusk, riding in the light rail lane through downtown. I do think it should just be an extension of the silver line though instead of a separate line

Also it should be a train but that’s too expensive for some reason

[Houston19514]

4 hours ago, 77002er said:

Inner Katy BRT transfers at Northwest Transit Center and (i believe) the future west terminus of the LRT in the city courts area. That makes at least two or perhaps three transfers to get to mid downtown from the Galleria ..... the University Line route would also be two  (Bellaire and Wheeler).  Most people don't like even one .....

Wrong on both counts.  They plan through-service (single vehicle) from Uptown/Galleria to downtown, with a stop at NWTC.  The BRT will go all the way through downtown, terminating in EADO, not in the city courts area.

[Houston19514]

On 10/10/2022 at 12:51 PM, 77002er said:

Next question .... how will the cancellation of this project affect the proposed BRT link along I-10 as future transit demand along that route was predicated on the Texas Central being built. Anyone still wanting to get to the Galleria from downtown/Medical Center will still be able to use the "University Line" (a less expensive buildout) so why build spend the extra funds at this time?

 

The "cancellation" of the HSR will almost certainly have zero impact on the Inner Katy BRT project.  The extension from NWTC to the proposed HSR station at the Northwest Mall site, was an "if and when" extension of the project, and the BRT project was neither predicated nor reliant upon projected traffic from Texas Central. As others have mentioned above, the Katy BRT will provide more direct, single-vehicle service between Uptown and Downtown than can be provided by the University Line.  In addition, the elevated/separated lanes will serve Park and Ride buses (or they will switch to BRT at NWTC; I'm not certain how they plan that).

[cougarpad]

With the state of the US economy and soring inflation of construction materials. I am wondering if this project has been halted due what would be an major increase in buildings cost for the railine. If inflation and the economy have a resurgence this project could pick back up. TCR has made agreements with builders, track operators, and other entities recently, so it doesnt make sense to make all these contractual agreements to then pull the plug on the highspeed rail line completely now. It could just be with the state of  the US economy this project has been put on hold like so many other projects outside of transportation due increase construction costs and inflation. Those Build Back Better Funds did not go to this project so it also is coincidence that AMTRACK who did receive funds is now wanting to expand their routes, even though times of trips still won't beat out a car to Dallas compared to highspeed rail.

Edited October 16, 2022 by cougarpad

[Triton]

 

 

[AcresMansions]

Really Hope the politicians that made that little excursion got some  ideas about some of the ways the japanese build their train stations. I dream of a future with dense, mixed-use, train stations all over the city, with the piece de resistance being the Northwest Station, terminus of the Texas Central HSR.

[Triton]

Here's the latest article I can find. Texas Central is saying they are still open to business, looking for investors and is moving forward with development:

 

https://www.kxxv.com/brazos/debate-over-high-speed-rail-in-texas-speeds-up-as-legislation-seeks-transparency

[BigFootsSocks]

"An invasion into our property" Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeezus. If this project does ever move forward, it won't be because of local media's help in its reporting. 

[wilcal]

Amtrak and Texas Central exploring partnership to bring high-speed rail to Texas

https://media.amtrak.com/2023/08/texas-central-and-amtrak-seek-to-explore-high-speed-rail-service-opportunities-between-dallas-and-houston/

[Triton]

41 minutes ago, wilcal said:

Amtrak and Texas Central exploring partnership to bring high-speed rail to Texas

https://media.amtrak.com/2023/08/texas-central-and-amtrak-seek-to-explore-high-speed-rail-service-opportunities-between-dallas-and-houston/

Was just about to post this! It's a smart idea really. 

[Amlaham]

Great news! Hopefully they can also work to create a central train station instead of having each station at different locations. 

[Texasota]

LET'S thousand dollarsING GOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

[BEES?!]

Cool! I’m excited to hear more details about this! I’m not surprised they’d want to get into an agreement together, since I believe this was a route Amtrak was keen on reviving. 

[tigereye]

7 hours ago, wilcal said:

Amtrak and Texas Central exploring partnership to bring high-speed rail to Texas

https://media.amtrak.com/2023/08/texas-central-and-amtrak-seek-to-explore-high-speed-rail-service-opportunities-between-dallas-and-houston/

Thank you Amtrak. If you’re able to make this happen and the Houston stop is at Northwest Mall, just move the current Amtrak station downtown serving the Sunset Limited line to the new Northwest Mall station. That just makes sense. Better connectivity with better facilities equals better business potential for both lines. 

Edited August 10, 2023 by tigereye

[tigereye]

35 minutes ago, tigereye said:

Thank you Amtrak. If you’re able to make this happen and the Houston stop is at Northwest Mall, just move the current Amtrak station downtown serving the Sunset Limited line to the new Northwest Mall station. That just makes sense. Better connectivity with better facilities equals better business potential for both lines. 

Any chance we can make NW Mall station intermodal with a bus station serving all national carriers (Greyhound, MegaBus, FlixBus, etc)? Then combine this a Metro Transit Center serving Silver Line & Inner Katy BRT and a bus transit center. A complete national & regional ground transportation hub… all connected by multiple highways surrounding Northwest Mall. This should exist in reality. 

[ChannelTwoNews]

15 hours ago, Texasota said:

LET'S thousand dollarsING GOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Heh. I forgot about that.

Edited August 10, 2023 by ChannelTwoNews
editing!

[Montrose1100]

14 hours ago, tigereye said:

Any chance we can make NW Mall station intermodal with a bus station serving all national carriers (Greyhound, MegaBus, FlixBus, etc)? Then combine this a Metro Transit Center serving Silver Line & Inner Katy BRT and a bus transit center. A complete national & regional ground transportation hub… all connected by multiple highways surrounding Northwest Mall. This should exist in reality. 

If we're fantasying, They should partner with the Post, and make it an Intermodal Transit Center, which would really boost everything about both projects. The Post could develop more commercial space, residential, and hotels. Truly a mixed-use development. 

Could easily build a pedestrian bridge to the UH Downtown Red line station.

 

[tigereye]

1 hour ago, Montrose1100 said:

If we're fantasying, They should partner with the Post, and make it an Intermodal Transit Center, which would really boost everything about both projects. Then the Port could develop more commercial space, residential, and hotels. Truly mixed-use. 

Could easily build a pedestrian bridge to the UH Downtown Red line station.

 

An intermodal facility at POST Houston is my dream fantasy (see below) but it seems like the terminus of the high speed rail line will still be a Northwest Mall.

 

[Texasota]

Gotta just get it built. Northwest Mall is actually not a bad first station (especially once the Inner Katy BRT is finished), and if it's successful that should make it easier to push for the extension to downtown (and beyond...)

Houston is more than big enough for multiple train stations. 

[EllenOlenska]

Northwest Mall is pretty well adjacent to the Heights and Heights-surrounding population centers. 

[Triton]

14 minutes ago, tigereye said:

An intermodal facility at POST Houston is my dream fantasy (see below) but it seems like the terminus of the high speed rail line will still be a Northwest Mall.

 

So there's three possibilities with this partnership in my mind.

1. Ends at the Northwest Mall terminus as before
2. Ends at the Amtrak station, full rebuilt station
3. Still stops at Northwest Mall but with the Amtrak station as another stop