METRORail Uptown Line

[AtticaFlinch]

No, at this point in my life I"m all too aware of my reasons for disliking the city of Houston and I should say you're not even close. Please consider that you might again be projecting.

So then I'm to take it you dislike the city of Houston because of the aesthetics or functionality of our nascent rail system? Because that's what this thread is about. This isn't "N Judah's Mopey 'I Hate Houston'" thread.

Unless a mod renamed it, but I'm unaware of that.

[N Judah]

So then I'm to take it you dislike the city of Houston because of the aesthetics or functionality of our nascent rail system? Because that's what this thread is about. This isn't "N Judah's Mopey 'I Hate Houston'" thread.

I think the aesthetics of the city could be improved overall, as could the rail stations, etc. as could the processes used towards those ends. That doesn't mean I hate Houston, or that I'm "anxious" or whatever you're saying.

Unless a mod renamed it, but I'm unaware of that.

Then why did you bring it up? For attention?

Edited March 3, 2010 by N Judah

[RedScare]

No, at this point in my life I"m all too aware of my reasons for disliking the city of Houston and I should say you're not even close. Please consider that you might again be projecting.

Well, I must say that your depressing attitude will fit in PERFECTLY in Seattle. I can see why you want to go there.

[TheNiche]

QOL != surface aesthetics

EDIT: Nevermind. It just occurred to me that the exclamation point before the equals sign was programmer jargon for "not equal to".

Edited March 3, 2010 by TheNiche

[AtticaFlinch]

I think the aesthetics of the city could be improved overall, as could the rail stations, etc. as could the processes used towards those ends. That doesn't mean I hate Houston, or that I'm "anxious" or whatever you're saying.

Anxious as in the original sense of the word, meaning "full of anxiety", and yes, your posts ooze angst as well. But hey man, don't let my interpretation get you down any further. They're just non-verbal words. That's only like ten percent of communication. You could very well be a bright ray of sunshine in person and your anxiety could just be a false impression because either you failed to express yourself adequately or I failed to comprehend adequately. Who knows. Who cares.

Then why did you bring it up? For attention?

Yes, for attention. Yay for me, it worked. It drew attention to your misery. By the way, have you been outside today? According to weather.com, there are 59 bright, cloudless reasons to hate... er... dislike Houston so much. Enjoy!.. Or don't. It's your choice.

And about the rail...

Edited March 3, 2010 by AtticaFlinch

[C2H]

I didn't mean to offend anyone. I am one who constantly takes up for Houston anytime i hear someone refer to it in a negative manner such as: ugly, dirty, or etc.

[AtticaFlinch]

I didn't mean to offend anyone. I am one who constantly takes up for Houston anytime i hear someone refer to it in a negative manner such as: ugly, dirty, or etc.

Don't take it from me that most people who denigrate Houston's beauty are ignorant. Try this little trick next time you feel a need to defend Houston to some troglodyte: Simply ask "why?". Nine times out of ten, that person will respond with something inane like "it's the armpit of Texas" or "it's sprawly" or "it's hot". Then ask them if they've been to Houston. Most of them will admit to never having even been here, and those who have are familiar either only with one far-flung 'burb or I-45 between IAH and Downtown.

Seriously, try it if you don't believe me. It's uncanny how many people are so willing to make such ignorant claims, but they do. Oh, they do.

[kylejack]

But it is sprawly though. : /

I try to stay inside the Loop, which I like quite a bit.

Edited March 3, 2010 by kylejack

[AtticaFlinch]

But it is sprawly though. : /

I try to stay inside the Loop, which I like quite a bit.

It's hot too. But so what. That's a common template and a fairly generic complaint. The larger point behind that exercise is to get their reason, and it's almost always just some generic complaint that can be levelled on most cities in America. Then, once they've shown a complete lack of originality, asking if they've even been in Houston will dispell any concerns you may have whether or not the person is full of crap - hence my phrase banal ignorance.

[mfastx]

[KinkaidAlum]

I just got back from taking the dogs on a two hour walk thru Hermann Park. On this day, Houston is absolutely gorgeous. People were riding the REAL toy train, the paddle boats were out, I even got approached by two young Latter Day Saints on their mission, and the new bldg that houses the train depot, Little Bigs, and the Hermann Park store was bustling. It felt like a real city today. Citykid would have been proud if not for the fake train light rail vehicles that kept whizzing by in the distance.

[kdog08]

I try to stay inside the Loop, which I like quite a bit.

That's a shame. Missing out on some good food and drink.

[kylejack]

That's a shame. Missing out on some good food and drink.

The good stuff is too spread out. The Loop has everything I want.

Except good ramen, which Houston doesn't have.

Edited March 4, 2010 by kylejack

[AtticaFlinch]

Except good ramen, which Houston doesn't have.

Nah, I can pick up a pack of Top or Maruchan for about a quarter at any grocery store in town.

...which I can get to by taking the train.

[SaintCyr]

I stay inside the loop for the most part as well... Just easier from a mobility stand point and we have everything we need within 2 miles from the house, including all our fave restaurants. From a beauty stand point... Take a walk down Bayland, Main by the medical center, or any other street that has a bunch of majestic live oaks lining it... Thats something special from my POV... Been here 3 years and still discovering Houston.

[kylejack]

Nah, I can pick up a pack of Top or Maruchan for about a quarter at any grocery store in town.

...which I can get to by taking the train.

Except good ramen, which Houston doesn't have.

[TheNiche]

I stay inside the loop for the most part as well... Just easier from a mobility stand point and we have everything we need within 2 miles from the house, including all our fave restaurants.

Most cities and towns are like that, where everything that someone needs is within a couple miles. It just doesn't speak very highly to your sense of adventure, is all.

Except good ramen, which Houston doesn't have.

Uh oh! We have it, but you must be willing to travel outside the Beltway to get at it.

Oh well, too bad for kylejack. Life's a b|tch, ain't it?

Edited March 4, 2010 by TheNiche

[kylejack]

Nope, its okay but not good. I also tried a place in Bellaire whose name is escaping me right now... The trouble is that its kind of labor intensive and takes all day to make, so there has to be high demand for it, which there isn't.

Edited March 4, 2010 by kylejack

[AtticaFlinch]

Nope, its okay but not good. I also tried a place in Bellaire whose name is escaping me right now... The trouble is that its kind of labor intensive and takes all day to make, so there has to be high demand for it, which there isn't.

For ramen?

Seriously, just boil some water in the microwave. It takes a minute and a half. Let the noodles sit for another minute to soften up and bing bang boom, in two and a half minutes, you've got ramen with enough sodium to cause at least two capillaries to harden.

[kylejack]

Attica Flinch!

[skwatra]

one time freshman year when ramen went on sale for 10 for $1, my roommate bought $30 worth

[TheNiche]

one time freshman year when ramen went on sale for 10 for $1, my roommate bought $30 worth

Yeah, but it just seems like in the past several years they must've changed the recipe or something. Nearly every time I try to enjoy Ramen, I end up burping up a kind of stale flavor that just isn't appealing at all. I'd rather just eat rice and beans.

[AtticaFlinch]

Yeah, but it just seems like in the past several years they must've changed the recipe or something. Nearly every time I try to enjoy Ramen, I end up burping up a kind of stale flavor that just isn't appealing at all. I'd rather just eat rice and beans.

Ramen won't make you as gassy.

[TheNiche]

Ramen won't make you as gassy.

It shouldn't, but does. And fairly consistently, too.

[citykid09]

Back on topic, my suggestions for the Uptown Line:

interior view

interior view

What would you all suggest?

And I have a question on the Route description here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uptown_Line_%28METRORail%29

Is that correct?

[ricco67]

[skwatra]

What would you all suggest?

i would suggest not spending that much money for 3 riders like LA did. but it does look nice.

[TheNiche]

Back on topic, my suggestions for the Uptown Line:

I like your suggestions, personally, as I think that they'd be a boon to business in that area. But the improvements need to be financed in large part by the Uptown TIRZ and Management District, even if it means that the management district's tax rate has to go up, and even if it requires legislative approval.

Otherwise, I think that some grade-separated intersections, at the very least, need to be paid for by the usual suspects (TXDoT, City of Houston, METRO, FTA). Not doing this at Westheimer and San Felipe, at least, would be extremely short-sighted.

And I have a question on the Route description here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uptown_Line_%28METRORail%29

Is that correct?

It was correct at one time. I don't think that it still is.

[Highway6]

If there is a place I could see benefiting from one subterranean station it would be downtown for the future commuter lines, below the LRT 2 line junction.

I don't like the idea of putting the Intermodal Transit center outside of walking distance and 2-3 stations away from the heart of downtown... not to mention only directly connecting to one LRT line.

Move the Commuter Terminal a half mile further in and it will directly connect to 4 future LRT lines.

That being said, if the commuter rail lines finished their trips by joining the Red or Green/Purple lines just outside of downtown and stopping at the above mentioned multi-line junction, that would work just as well.

[citykid09]

I like your suggestions, personally, as I think that they'd be a boon to business in that area. But the improvements need to be financed in large part by the Uptown TIRZ and Management District, even if it means that the management district's tax rate has to go up, and even if it requires legislative approval.

Otherwise, I think that some grade-separated intersections, at the very least, need to be paid for by the usual suspects (TXDoT, City of Houston, METRO, FTA). Not doing this at Westheimer and San Felipe, at least, would be extremely short-sighted.

It was correct at one time. I don't think that it still is.

I know the people always say its the money, but sometimes you have to spend the money to do it right. Can you imaging a rail track stopping traffic at Westheimer and Post Oak? People need to think long term. Will the design of the rail system work for the Houston of the future? Say 2050?