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Old 12-31-2011, 08:09 AM
 
7 posts, read 58,027 times
Reputation: 16

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In my ongoing search for a new home around Katy I have heard comments of a plan to build a commuter rail system in Houston within the next 10 years. Now, this is something I have not heard or read officially from anyone, sounds more like a rumour or wishful thinking...

We are not talking about the planned expansion of the downtown light rail system. This is about a real commuter transportation system like in many US cities and of course Europe.

Does anyone know, or heard of, this proposal from an official city source?

Thank you
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Old 12-31-2011, 09:08 AM
 
2,639 posts, read 8,289,147 times
Reputation: 1366
Nope just wishful thinking esp the ten year part....
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Old 12-31-2011, 10:46 AM
 
Location: Houston
6,870 posts, read 14,857,927 times
Reputation: 5891
We need to build an extensive rail system inside the loop before we build commuter rail. What good would a commuter rail line from Katy do if once you get into Houston you can't get around without a car. I guess you could hop on a Metro bus but most people living in the suburbs don't want to ride the inner city Metro buses.
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Old 12-31-2011, 11:49 AM
 
Location: Washington D.C. By way of Texas
20,516 posts, read 33,544,005 times
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I think it will eventually happen. But it's decades down the road. The inner loop plus the Galleria is setting up a system right now which will benefit the inner city as well as the commuters from the suburbs once it's in place. But when you say commuter rail, do you the regular heavy rail system like this.


Or this.
http://images.nycsubway.org/logo/title-dallastre.jpg (broken link)

There is a huge difference between the two. I think DC system (the first picture) would be perfect for Houston if they build actual heavy rail. It would be for the residents mostly for everyone inside Beltway 8.

The TRE commuter rail type system (the 2nd picture) is for those that want to commute from say Beaumont, Conroe, Katy, The Woodlands, Prairie View (oh those students would love this), Sealy, Galveston and Rosenberg.

I don't know if the heavy rail diesel locomotive type systems cannot get any funding nowadays. But HRT systems like the one DC and Atlanta has will be hard to start from scratch unless our government starts getting on the transit bandwagon from now on.
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Old 12-31-2011, 12:37 PM
 
Location: Houston, TX
8,895 posts, read 19,999,878 times
Reputation: 6372
Don't count on a commuter rail and certainly don't make any big decisions based upon future discussions of rail.
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Old 12-31-2011, 03:18 PM
 
Location: Westbury
3,283 posts, read 6,051,955 times
Reputation: 2950
doubt it'll ever go out to Katy in the next couple of decades. they already are breaking ground for the expansions within the beltway.I live close enough to be able to use the expansion as a commute. i'd advise others to do the same
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Old 12-31-2011, 03:54 PM
 
55 posts, read 109,082 times
Reputation: 65
We need the university line inside of Houston proper before we have any discussion about commuter rail.
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Old 12-31-2011, 04:24 PM
 
Location: Underneath the Pecan Tree
15,982 posts, read 35,215,611 times
Reputation: 7428
Quote:
Originally Posted by extremeturro View Post
We need the university line inside of Houston proper before we have any discussion about commuter rail.
That, southeast, and Uptown are the most important and will have the biggest impact on rail within the city. The east line just feels like such a waste.
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Old 12-31-2011, 05:02 PM
 
Location: Washington D.C. By way of Texas
20,516 posts, read 33,544,005 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blkgiraffe View Post
That, southeast, and Uptown are the most important and will have the biggest impact on rail within the city. The east line just feels like such a waste.
Yeah they should have held off from the East End line IMO.
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Old 12-31-2011, 06:07 PM
 
2,628 posts, read 8,833,187 times
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Why should they have held off on the east end line? The did studies and put rail where they would likely have ridership. The expansion of the Katy Freeway at one time included leaving space for a future rail line but I think that got killed.
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