Crowds Force METRORail To Cut Service (Houston)

Click2Houston - KPRC Television ^ | January 30, 2004 | KPRC Television

[Flyer]

Crowds Force METRORail To Cut Service

2 Park & Rides Closed

HOUSTON -- For the second night in a row, large crowds at METRORail stations forced officials to shut down some of the light-rail route and implement their emergency plan.

Service for the new transit system was stopped at Main and Walker Thursday and Friday night when METRO police became concerned that crowded streets could lead to trouble.

"Once it got to a point that we had too many pedestrians to operate safely, we discontinued rail through the downtown area," said Chief Tom Lambert, with METRO Police.

Since METRO expected large crowds through the weekend, it decided to close two of the Park & Ride locations.

The Park & Rides at the West Loop, 4675 South Braeswood, and Fuqua, 11755 Sabo Road, are not open to the public.

METRO officers can make more changes if needed.

"We've asked them to exercise their discretion. If they see circumstances beginning to arise to let supervisors know. And that's exactly what happened last night. Some folks, I think playfully, (tried) to touch out to the train. When you start doing that, we get a little nervous about that from a safety standpoint. That was brought to our attention by the officers, and so we just made a decision that we just discontinue operations. We'll do the same thing tonight," Lambert said.

METRO said the service would end Saturday and Sunday at 8 p.m.

Many of the downtown revelers used METRORail to get to the street parties.

"By the time we got halfway here, you couldn't get on the train. It was packed -- you know, it was full. People were actually having to wait for the next train," said Steven Hypes, who road light-rail train.

"We live out in Sugar Land and so the 90 and Fannin Park & Ride was great," said Bonnie Hypes, who also road METRORail.

Riders were not surprised that the trains did not go further into downtown.

"There was like two or three times the train had to slow down in town here because people walked across, so yeah, that makes sense. Somebody will stumble across it," Steven Hypes said.

The Texas Medical Center is opening one of its parking lots near Greenbriar, Old Spanish Trail and Braeswood to help alleviate downtown congestion.

Approximately 3,500 vehicles will be able to park there. Shuttles will take drivers and passengers into downtown.

Flocks Of Fans Make Their Way To Houston

Fans are starting to take the Bayou City by storm, arriving at area airports to cheer their favorite team on.

Thousands of passengers got a warm and cheerful welcome as they arrived in Houston Friday at Bush Intercontinental and Hobby airports for a weekend of partying and football.

"Flight was just full. There weren't a lot of seats on the plane, so I'm glad I got my tickets early," out-of-towner Russell Ebelherr said.

Houston Airport System spokesman Ernie DeSoto compared this weekend to a holiday, where passengers come in sporadically.

"Today, we are seeing a lot more people coming in. We are seeing a number of people who have gotten the three (or four) days off and are coming today," Houston Airport System spokesman Ernie DeSoto said.

However, after the game is over with, DeSoto said everyone flocks to the airports at once.

"People start showing up after the game and sleeping on the floor. They just want to get to the airport, crash from partying throughout the whole game, and catch their flight in the morning," DeSoto said.

Extra police and undercover officers have been added to the airport systems patrol for Super Bowl weekend. Officials are warning passengers that security will be tight.

[Ditter]

Just ignore DFW-Rep. People from up there have a definate inferiority complex about Houston. I have noticed they just can't stop talking about how awful Houston is but we never even give DFW a thought.

[Orange1998]

You would not happen to have the Chevy 4X4 pickup that my kids says "Look...Cool Daddy" as I look in my rear view mirror in awe. He prefers the color Black which I think is the best too.

Best Regard,

Fellow Houstonian

[GeronL]

I've been to Houston.... it was a particularly nice day because all the locals were expressing shock and dismay at actually seeing the sky.

plus the bus scared me... the driver pulled over and had lunch... with a load of passengers on board watching him... amazing

[Orange1998]

"One section that I know of is below grade, but I can't wait to see what happens next time it rains really hard!"

First I heard of it. I guess this is the kind of news rail proponents don't want published.

[Orange1998]

He is jealous we have the Super Bowl. :-) Jones want to build one in Dallas so he may have his chance one day.

[Ditter]

You rode the bus???? How odd.

We have something called clouds here in Houston.
I have been to DFW many times, I always try to look at the sky but the glare is so bad it hurts my eyes. (Note to self: Bring dark goggles next time.)

[GeronL]

I needed to get from one place to another.... I even rode it at night... and that was much scarier.

I was, of course, kidding about the smog

[Ditter]

You saw the bus driver eat lunch & you were still riding the bus that night? Did you forget where to get off? Do you get out alone very much?

[GeronL]

I had ridden a greyhound bus from Dallas.... they told me it would go through Austin and it would be morniing when we arrived.... but it turned out to be an express bus...

The night ride was a different bus to Houston...

Oh and the airport was fun too... real close to the city /sarcasm

[hummingbird]

Hey you hicks, don't forget about us rednecks!

"Hello, Rednecks!"

[hummingbird]

<8^)

[hummingbird]

He is jealous we have the Super Bowl. :-) Jones want to build one in Dallas so he may have his chance one day.

Newscasts I've seen look like a good Super Bowl party so far! Galveston puts on a good Mardi Gras, too, especially considering how small it started out and San Antonio RiverWalk at Christmas time is beautiful; the Missions in SA are superb as well. You have to admit, we've got a big, beautiful state with a little bit of something for everyone!

[hummingbird]

Got thrown out of the bus station "restaurant" in Dallas around 3 am about 30 years ago while waiting for my connection. No one else was in the restaurant or the waiting area but the "waitress" made me move out into the waiting area since I only ordered a coke. Waiting area was about 5 feet or so away from where I was sitting in the "restaurant"...guess she was making a point or sumtin'. <8^)

[GeronL]

The good news is you go outside at the Dallas Greyhound station and you see a McDonalds really close.... outside the Greyhound station in Houston you see a parking lot... at the one in New Orleans there is this big ugly dome and a highway overpass....

Oh, try the food at the New Orleans stop, much much better.

[GeronL]

In Houston everyone seem to have a taxi.... and offering service... somehow the term 'illegal cab' came to mind...

[Tall_Texan]

I avoid Blight Rail whenever possible. Call me a control freak but I like to be the one deciding when my carcass decelerates.

I did experience the joys of metro transportation when I visited some cousins in St. Louis. We went to a Cardinals-Cubs game by Metro but we missed the first inning due to the overcrowding. You see, at the next stop were people attending the Rams-Chiefs game.

We finally got up the nerve to just throw our bodies onto the train and I found myself wedged in amongst some cute college-aged girls. It might have been a fun experience had I the room to exhale and if one of the girls wasn't standing on my shoes.

After the game ended, we killed a good hour or so at the ballpark (after the ushers chased us out) before daring to get back on the train for the trip home. Cardinal fans were joyful - they had just beaten the hated Cubs on a walk-off homer. But the Rams fans were particularly disgruntled, watching their team give a lackluster effort against their cross-state rivals.

At least this system was not competing with intersections. We only stopped where we were supposed to stop but one of my cousins missed the exit because he couldn't squeeze out of the train in time so he was forced to get out later and wait for another train going the other direction.

Blight rail: a way to get to know your fellow citizens - whether you'd like to or not.

[Tall_Texan]

My philosophy is this: If its a service that people want, let the private sector do it. If the people don't want it, why is the government doing it to begin with?

Because only government can steal the land needed for the choo choo to operate on. Unless you like sharp 90-degree turns to get around the property of the one old geezer who refused to sell. And there's always at least one.

Not that most mass transit systems aren't absolute jokes. The best one I ever saw was in Montreal. Totally underground, neat as a pin, and even the malls were underground too so you never had to encounter those nasty wind chills in the winter.

[Tall_Texan]

I have noticed they just can't stop talking about how awful Houston is but we never even give DFW a thought.

...except when changing planes there - which is all too common.

[Tall_Texan]

plus the bus scared me... the driver pulled over and had lunch... with a load of passengers on board watching him... amazing

One of my enduring fantasies is to pull my truck in front of a city bus and then put it in park, turn on the flashers, get out of my truck and stand there for a 15-minute break. I'd just love to know how it feels when it happens to THEM.

[thackney]

This thread has gone on for more than a day and nobody has provide proper naming of the train?

Still my favorite:
"Slam Bam, thank you Tram"