Abandoned Light Rail Track On Holmes Rd.

[cspwal]

I was walking around yesterday and noticed that there appears to be a light rail track that goes along Holmes from the MetroRail depot for 1.7 miles.  The rails are rusted, and there's bushes growing into it, so it's not used very often if at all.  Any ideas what it is?

 

 

 

[BigFootsSocks]

Maybe it's used for the new cars that are built and shipped here? Idk how they transport them, assumed it was on the back of rail cars and unloaded somewhere along here

[cspwal]

That was my first thought, but going through the older threads on this forum I saw a picture of a rail car arriving on a flat bed truck.  Also, the light rail spur doesn't connect to the freight line next to it at all.  What is especially weird is that it is single tracked, not double tracked.

[mfastx]

They used it for testing IIRC when they built the original line.  I'd imagine it's been little used since. 

Edited June 22, 2015 by mfastx

[cspwal]

Ah.  That would make sense.  Though it is positioned correctly to be part of a commuter line to Sugarland and points SW

[JLWM8609]

I believe that's the only stretch of line where the light rail cars can reach their top speed of 66 mph.

[IronTiger]

I believe that's the only stretch of line where the light rail cars can reach their top speed of 66 mph.

66 mph?! Wow, why CAN'T this be a starter line to a Sugarland commuter rail? I thought their top speed was maybe 40-45 at best.

[cloud713]

yeah they hit 66mph, which is part of why I've been suggesting for years that some of the future commuter routes be "LRT-Commuter hybrid" routes, utilizing the same LRT vehicles so they can switch over/run directly onto our local LRT tracks without any stops/transfers.. functioning basically how they now have this 90A commuter line planned (the trains are supposed to merge onto the Red line up to Wheeler).

[UtterlyUrban]

How many cars can be "trained" together in this light rail system?

[Howard Huge]

yeah they hit 66mph, which is part of why I've been suggesting for years that some of the future commuter routes be "LRT-Commuter hybrid" routes, utilizing the same LRT vehicles so they can switch over/run directly onto our local LRT tracks without any stops/transfers.. functioning basically how they now have this 90A commuter line planned (the trains are supposed to merge onto the Red line up to Wheeler).

Ahh Cloud, if only us pro transit HAIFERS designed Houstons rail lines. We would have a system that rivals the alpha cities of the world.

Oh and I'll beat the snarky anti-rail posters to the punch and say that we would would also bankrupt the city, the state, put thousands of companies out of business and kill countless citizens as well.

[cspwal]

I read in the old thread that was talking about taking delivery of the "new" 200 series light rail vehicles that up to 4 can be hooked together.

[curbur]

If there's any silver lining to the hempstead tollway being delayed half a decade or more, it's that maybe they'll put in a commuter rail in down the middle of it. Then again if Cypress does really get that HSR stop like some people are speculating, then this corridor would need a commuter line the least.

[BigFootsSocks]

When Cypress gets their HSR station at 290/Grand Parkway, then perhaps METRO could work out a deal to use the HSR line for commuter tracks?

[Ross]

Do you actually think anyone would use commuter rail?

[jt16]

Do you actually think anyone would use commuter rail?

You think people wouldn't?

[curbur]

Do you actually think anyone would use commuter rail?

 

I think locally around each stop it definitely would be used a lot, especially the further out you go. Ridership may potentially start out low overall but will definitely build with time, and will allow for the city to continue growing. As traffic gets worse in the coming decades, if there were no existing options, the traffic could potentially start affecting the quality of life enough to make residents and companies no longer want to be located here. These commuter rails will be the solution, if not absolutely 100% necessary today, they will be in the future.

When Cypress gets their HSR station at 290/Grand Parkway, then perhaps METRO could work out a deal to use the HSR line for commuter tracks?

I thought about that as well, but I could see a potential issue regarding sharing the track when the HSR line is coming through. Perhaps they could build out the commuter line on the same ROW space if there's enough room, although I can tell you right now that currently there's a bunch of areas where there wouldn't be room to add multiple (4) track lanes. I'm still confused how they're going to be able to widen it to 2 lanes for inbound and outbound traffic.

Edited June 24, 2015 by curbur

[JamesL]

I was walking around yesterday and noticed that there appears to be a light rail track that goes along Holmes from the MetroRail depot for 1.7 miles.  The rails are rusted, and there's bushes growing into it, so it's not used very often if at all.  Any ideas what it is?

 

Yes, it was used for testing the original LRVs. It's on UP property and either reverted to them or they won't let METRO use it anymore or something. I seem to recall a story about an LRV hitting at UP truck that had driven under a crossing gate.

[mkultra25]

Oh and I'll beat the snarky anti-rail posters to the punch and say that we would would also bankrupt the city, the state, put thousands of companies out of business and kill countless citizens as well.

 

[BigFootsSocks]

 I thought about that as well, but I could see a potential issue regarding sharing the track when the HSR line is coming through. Perhaps they could build out the commuter line on the same ROW space if there's enough room, although I can tell you right now that currently there's a bunch of areas where there wouldn't be room to add multiple (4) track lanes. I'm still confused how they're going to be able to widen it to 2 lanes for inbound and outbound traffic.

Well, if we assume the line would follow the train tracks up until Hempstead, then it would more than likely be an elevated track over the existing freight rail. Who's to say METRO won't add another track next to the freight rail for commuter, or possibly use the HSR track for a commuter rail? TCR has stated that the goal would be to have trains come in every 30ish minutes, which is plenty of time for a couple of cars to make the trip up and/or down the pathway. To do this, though, they would be required to use the Shinkansen style of train rather than their own light rail trams...which I think we can all agree on would be pretty badass.

[Tumbleweed_Tx]

people would use commuter rail if it's like the Park N Ride system.

Shoot them down the center of 290 from the Pinemont station, take em into downtown, join the red line all the way to the Med Center, reverse for outbound.

[innerloop]

I read in the old thread that was talking about taking delivery of the "new" 200 series light rail vehicles that up to 4 can be hooked together.

 

It's important to remember that the limitation is not just how many cars can functionally be linked together, but you also have to consider the length of the shortest platform.  Otherwise when the train stops for unloading, people on every car can't get off the train.

 

There are work-arounds though, like warning the riders slightly in advance that Car X does not exit at Station Y so please make your way to an appropriate car.  That works for most people, but may be a little difficult for people with mobility issues or new riders and out-of-towners who are not familiar with the stations.

[cspwal]

I would imagine a long commuter train wouldn't stop at every station though.  Only the ones that they could lengthen the platforms for

[Naviguessor]

The length of the trains (and platforms) are limited by the length of the blocks downtown.

[IronTiger]

The length of the trains (and platforms) are limited by the length of the blocks downtown.

I seem to remember that one of my first posts, when I was still a high schooler, I asked why the trains were so short, and the "they'll block crossings" was the response. Don't go looking for that post.

[cspwal]

However, if a commuter train didn't go all the way downtown, where would it go?  Wheeler they would have room for more platform, but where else? 

[cloud713]

The station/transit hub(?) just south of the TMC/Holcombe has room for longer trains too. And I guess Reliant Park. There would be a few decent spots one could stop at, but I guess it's a matter of getting around the local trains..?

[msteele6]

In regards to the track along Holmes, I used to drive that way quite a bit and I have seen only one of the Metro trains using it, however, I did see one.

 

[cspwal]

I took some measurements using Google earth of the Red line stations, and then looked at how many LRVs could fit (assuming one is 96' long)

 

Fannin South - 2 - 4

Reliant Park - 3 - 6, though they would have to close Reliant parkway to get more than 3

Smithlands - 2 - 4

TMC Transit Center - 3 - 5

Dryden TMC - 4

Memorial Herman Hospital/Houston Zoo - 3 - 7

Herman Park/Rice U - 3 - 4

Museum District - 3

Wheeler - 2 - 5

Ensemble/HCC - 2 - 5

McGowen (SB) - 2 - 16

McGowen (NB) - 2 - 11

[Downtown] - 2

UH Downtown - 2 - 7

Burnett Transit Center/Casa de Amigos - 2 - 5

 

It looks like a 3 car train could easily make it to Wheeler with only minor adjustments, and 4 car train with some doable adjustments ...but only if they skipped the museum district stations.  That being said, Wheeler is about 40 blocks from where anyone who's commuting downtown wants to go, so they'd either have to switch trains or the train would have to split there.  Neither sound attractive.

 

Interestingly, the way they made the light rail through midtown means that they can have super long station platforms if they wanted.

 

Edit:

The preview showed my excel spreadsheet copying nicely, but it looked horrible when I posted it.  I took out the measurements and retyped it 

Edited June 24, 2015 by cspwal

[samagon]

 

Blaine is a pain, and that's the truth.

[Ross]

You think people wouldn't?

 

None of my colleagues who would be likely users seem willing to give up their cars. Conceptually, it's a good idea, but I am somewhat skeptical about actual usage. I also don't trust Metro to build it with enough parking at the outlying stations. If the stations are hard to access, no one will use it.