Final high speed rail public meeting January 5

[samagon]

if they did put up a sound wall, and it did encompass the freight line as well as the HSR, it would be an overall net gain for the noise pollution factor.

[mfastx]

The trains won't be going through the neighborhoods at full speed, but at less than 50mph. There will be noise, and for more than a few seconds. Yet another reason to terminate at Northwest Mall, far less impact on neighborhoods.

 

No way, at 50 mph and under the noise is significantly reduced.  The parallel I-10 highway produces much more noise, what a silly reason for it not to continue downtown. 

 

There should be two stops in inner Houston, one at 610/290 where the BRT down Post Oak will connect, and one in Downtown Houston where the light rail line will connect.  Serves the most people easiest. 

[mollusk]

FWIW, the HSR will be electric, thus doing away with the engine noise that the Diesel freight trains have. 

[samagon]

no Diesel also means no local particulate emissions.

 

of course, those overhead lines may obstruct their view of the freight trains.

[DNAguy]

http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/sugar_land/news/high-speed-rail-debate-continues/article_c9d61b9c-9c3e-11e4-886f-b7f0f4edf82c.html

 

 

Even with the prospect of taking those cars off the road, residents were not swayed. As Eckels gave his presentation, he was interrupted multiple times by residents and rushed through the rest to open the forum up to questions and comments.

 

Many residents lined up to talk about concerns with noise, safety and about how the train will affect their lives, including Ed Antar, a rancher from Leon County, Texas who claimed that the train will disrupt local wildlife, and Mitch Blakely, who spoke about how the train could negatively affect the area that he chose to raise his family in.

 

Carolyn Melgar, a Garden Oaks resident, spoke about how TCR plans to work with creditors in Japan to secure funding to build the train.

 

"What's weighing heavy on me is listening to another American tell me that they are looking for foreign financiers in Japan to hand them the shovel before digging up our property line and tearing down our fences," said Melgar. "What you are doing is sending a message to foreign countries that we've lost respect for our own soil owned by our fellow countrymen and women."

 

There is no God.

[samagon]

I wonder if Carolyn realizes that our country was literally founded on foreign debt. Without loans from France, the Revolutionary war would have very likely been won by Britain.

 

If she was one of the shining examples of speakers at the function, I'm not concerned about this being forced to terminate at NW mall instead of Downtown.

[Slick Vik]

I wonder if Carolyn realizes that our country was literally founded on foreign debt. Without loans from France, the Revolutionary war would have very likely been won by Britain.

If she was one of the shining examples of speakers at the function, I'm not concerned about this being forced to terminate at NW mall instead of Downtown.

It was a very hostile atmosphere. I feared for eckels safety and mine also if I spoke.

[IronTiger]

http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/sugar_land/news/high-speed-rail-debate-continues/article_c9d61b9c-9c3e-11e4-886f-b7f0f4edf82c.html

There is no God.

If foreign investors are putting money into our country, they're at least confident of our financial future.

[BigFootsSocks]

No, you see, it's because the rest of the world are a bunch of goddamn commies, and this country is going down the drain thanks to King dictator Barack Obumner.

/s

[Sparrow]

Why can't GOOF residents be excited like this when it comes to the prospects of HSR?

 

 

 

 

 

[UtterlyUrban]

Quote from article: "Throughout the night, several residents stated that they were not necessarily against the high speed rail itself, but they did not want the rail line to be near the downtown area neighborhoods."

Rephrased by me: "we like the idea of a train, as long as it only impacts somebody else's neighborhood."

I honestly would be intellectually and morally embarassed to make that argument....

Am I correct in my Understanding that there are NO eminent domain takings here --- only repurposing of existing rail right of ways. If I am correct, that makes the "neighborhood positions" quite tortured.

[Luminare]

Since this is a private project they do not have the power of eminent domain so their arguments are mute which is why I said in an earlier post they are really only doing these meetings to save face and probably because it's a federal condition. In the US, private property almost always circumvent the concerns of neighbors unless it would be dangerous to others or have a negative environmental impact and with the biggest selling point being that Trains are more environmentally friendly with a massive amount of evidence to back that fact up all of these NIMBY's would have little to zero chance in court in preventing this from happening if only doing so to delay construction as long as possible. Even that though would be swiftly thrown aside. Doing HSR as a private venture is actually a stroke of genius and because of this it should be able to get over hurdles that would otherwise plague a government run operation.

[WestUdweller]

False, it doesn't matter if it is a public or private or public as long as it benefits the public.  

[DNAguy]

Since this is a private project they do not have the power of eminent domain so their arguments are mute which is why I said in an earlier post they are really only doing these meetings to save face and probably because it's a federal condition. In the US, private property almost always circumvent the concerns of neighbors unless it would be dangerous to others or have a negative environmental impact and with the biggest selling point being that Trains are more environmentally friendly with a massive amount of evidence to back that fact up all of these NIMBY's would have little to zero chance in court in preventing this from happening if only doing so to delay construction as long as possible. Even that though would be swiftly thrown aside. Doing HSR as a private venture is actually a stroke of genius and because of this it should be able to get over hurdles that would otherwise plague a government run operation.

 

Not correct as pointed out by the above comment WestUdweller.

 

Here's why:

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2015/01/21/private-high-speed-rail-has-eminent-domain-powers.html

[Luminare]

Not correct as pointed out by the above comment WestUdweller.

 

Here's why:

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2015/01/21/private-high-speed-rail-has-eminent-domain-powers.html

 

I stand corrected however:

 

"The project is committed to respecting and honoring the private property rights of our fellow Texans," TCR posted to its site. "This reflects our personal values and simply makes good business sense. As such, the project is committed to negotiating and settling with landowners fairly and transparently and in a way that seeks 'win-win' solutions."

 

They are looking to not utilize those powers and instead work with landowners if they have to purchase any additional land which is the smart way to go. Many of those eminent domain powers still stem from legislation from the days of westward expansion and when rail companies held major political power. If anyone has any news of recent tales of railroad companies using eminent domain I would certainly like to know.

[DNAguy]

Train stupidity taken to the next level

 

http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/kingwood/opinion/senator-creighton-s-statement-on-dallas-houston-high-speed-rail/article_f4fca595-0ddc-5558-9f46-dc1b50d0b799.html

 

An excerpt:

 

 

Senator Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) issued the following statement in regard to Texas Central Railway’s Dallas-Houston high-speed rail proposal:

 

“The federal government has reached a new low in their disregard for states’ rights. The Dallas-Houston high-speed rail, proposed by Texas Central Railway, threatens to confiscate up to 3,000 acres of Texas land and won’t provide any opportunity for economic growth in our district. Without allowing input from local elected officials and hearing the voices of Montgomery County residents, I have no choice but to oppose this proposal as it stands.”

 

 

Please explain why this is fed's fault again? 

[BigFootsSocks]

It's easier to get certain people to listen to you if you blame Obama

[Luminare]

Train stupidity taken to the next level

 

http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/kingwood/opinion/senator-creighton-s-statement-on-dallas-houston-high-speed-rail/article_f4fca595-0ddc-5558-9f46-dc1b50d0b799.html

 

An excerpt:

 

 

 

Please explain why this is fed's fault again? 

 

Because the Fed's are involved via the environmental impact study via the EPA. While I have my own problems with the EPA and that it certainly doesn't have to stick it's nose into everything. In this situation it's part of federal law before a rail project can proceed. This state senator though is attacking this for all the wrong reasons. This isn't even a federal project! I have no clue why there are still people who think this is a government project when it's entirely private enterprise. We live in 2015 with almost infinite ways to access the internet and yet there are still people who think it's a federal project *sigh*

 

This state senator is simply using this to promote himself and make this a wedge issue. He hears Federal Government, then sees the rail option where it passes Montgomery county and then does some stupid math that yells eminent domain. Sure rail projects have the power of eminent domain, but I still have yet to hear from TCR that they are going to utilize this power instead of working with landowners outright. I mean it's mostly going to stay on existing ROW and if they need more land then will go to landowners for it, but not the Fed's as that will only delay the process (I mean seriously think of the Bureaucracy YUCK!) 

 

Lets just resign to the fact that as this thing gets closer to reality the NIMBY's are going to kick and scream as loud as they can, but as long as it is a private project and goes through mostly already held land, and it passes the EPA process then it's going to happen.

 

EDIT: Forgot that by default the Federal Railroad Administration is involved in the project. I still think this is some guy who either wants facetime, some kickback for his district in exchange for letting the railroad go through, or wants to rally his base by simply being an obstructionist. Maybe all the above! I don't understand his statement about bring all the officials to the table when there have been several scope meetings already and if TCR has already gotten this far in the process then it means that it has navigated through many legal channels while going through many different levels of political officials. I think this guy got left out and now wants his part in it.

[DNAguy]

It's easier to get certain people to listen to you if you blame Obama