I just wondered that and would probably guess that they do.

One sure would be nice in Dallas and have the Dart not suck...hell, what I would have given to have had a subway running in CS so I could just ride that back to my apt. from Northgate.

Well probably. Except one thing to consider is if the freaking subway driver gets drunk and gets a DUI on the subway, LOL.

Fewer.

And probably, but they probably have more subway stabbings too.

the great mass transits systems of today were built with cheap and not OSHA regulated labor. Basically what I am saying is that the Irish don't work for cheap anymore.

While in concept they are great, in actuality they are entirely too expensive for most Texas cities.

[This message has been edited by BarnacleScraper (edited 4/12/2010 3:41p).]

[This message has been edited by BarnacleScraper (edited 4/12/2010 3:49p).]

I'm no engineer, but from what I understand, a subway is not worth the trouble this far south...for sure in Houston and probably in College Station as well

I know it wouldn't be ideal to have in College Station, but why wouldn't it work in Dallas or Houston? Like I mentioned, Dallas already has biggest one with the Dart. All I wish is that they at least expand that...and build the rest of the lines on elevated platforms so they don't have to poke ass.

where there are subway stations, its usually in very densely populated cities so that each stop has a lot of traffic....DFW is too spread out to actually make the subway feasible. Just my opinion. I would love to have a subway network like they do in the North East or in Europe....

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but why wouldn't it work in Dallas or Houston?

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In Houston, the subway would be inundated with water everytime it rained.

strange how NYs isnt? Or am I missing something? Amsterdam doesnt seem to have that problem either....

Houston was built on top of a drained swamp. Not only would it flood, it would have to be rebuilt every few years just like the roads

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strange how NYs isnt? Or am I missing something?

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that because the people of new york were smarter

bedrock isn't very far down in NY.

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Houston was built on top of a drained swamp. Not only would it flood, it would have to be rebuilt every few years just like the roads

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They can build 60+ floor buildings in houston but not a subway? Do not believe. If amsterdam can build one when they are below sea level, I will believe that Houston can build one....but that is just me.....

oh and after a quick google search on houston and subways, I came upon this.

"Metro and its supporters counter it is a myth that a subway can't be built in Houston because the city is so flood prone. They point to downtown's extensive system of underground walkways, utility tunnels, and parking garages, noting only a few portions flooded during Allison, and lessons have been learned on how to better engineer subsurface infrastructure. Backers also point out there is an interterminal underground people-mover at Bush Intercontinental Airport."

And for the record, if you cannot build subways in Houston, this is yet another reason that DFW > Houston

I'd settle for even an elevated train system.

Hell, even Dubai which is built on sand and is at sea level has built part of their metro underground.

Doesn't the Metro in DC (for example) quit running at midnight or something like that? Unless they run until closing-time-plus-one-hour or something like that, they might not work for drinkers. Of course if the drinkers used mass transit to GET to the bar, they'd be forced to use cabs or whatever to get home. But they might choose not use the mass transit because it'd only be good for the ride TO the bar.

Good question, I wonder what the answer is... to measure it, you'd have to set up random checkpoints (number of DWI traffic stops isn't a good statistic for many reasons) and lots, if not most, places don't allow/do those.

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Doesn't the Metro in DC (for example) quit running at midnight or something like that?

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I think it runs to around 3am on Friday and Saturdays, which is pretty smart for the city. But your right, pretty much NYC is the only system that runs 24 hours...I think even most of Chicago's lines shut down at some point.

Having a subway system in Texas would be pretty damn awesome though. They need to just make what we DO have better, like the Dart, so there will be more of a demand for a bigger system. I've been hearing that Austin's metroline is bombing because they don't have hardly any trains running. Evidently if you have to get off at multiple places, the next one won't come for like 4 hours.

Maybe if they make it more efficient, more people will start riding it, which will make it cost effective to add more lines.

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Houston was built on top of a drained swamp. Not only would it flood, it would have to be rebuilt every few years just like the roads

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Most "subways", even in New York, are not below ground. Just expand what you've got above ground ala a Chicago or Boston, or even DART in Dallas.

[This message has been edited by TXAggie2011 (edited 4/12/2010 7:56p).]

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Doesn't the Metro in DC (for example) quit running at midnight or something like that?


I think it runs to around 3am on Friday and Saturdays, which is pretty smart for the city. But your right, pretty much NYC is the only system that runs 24 hours...I think even most of Chicago's lines shut down at some point.

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Runs until midnight on weekdays and until 3am on Friday and Saturday. But most of the bars are open in DC until 2:30 or 3:00 am.

who here has driven stoned? were you more careful and conscious, or did you not give a **** ?

DART needs $350 million in taxes each year to cover the difference between fares and operating costs. Throw more money at it, and people will surely come!

just from my personal experience in a city with light rail (and not this nearly worthless commuter garbage that Austin is trying to pawn off as useful) I'd say "probably."

seeing the drunks pour from all over LoDo (Denver) towards Union Station and pack the trains was always amusing. then they'd stagger off into the night once they reached their stops. plus, you can time it right because you've got a half-hour train ride to get back to your car, so you can count on that as crucial sobering up time.

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If amsterdam can build one when they are below sea level, I will believe that Houston can build one

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very small percentage of it is underground. i can only think of schipohl where it's underground and that's for maybe a kilometer.

Why don't Houston & D/FW have subways?


Two reasons.

MASSIVE Cost & population densities.

I remember some underground stuff in Amsterdam. Seems like most of it indeed was above ground, but there's so many damn rail lines and what not criss-crossing that city that I don't really know what the percentages might be.

Predid, DART has a pretty good sized network. It lacks the long suburban commuter stuff, but I'd compare it's reach/complexity (not ridership) to that of maybe even a Boston. DART has something like 45 route miles, which really ain't that shabby at all.

It's just above ground light rail, not the traditional underground subway, and the ridership doesn't compare.

[This message has been edited by TXAggie2011 (edited 4/12/2010 11:16p).]

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population densities.

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They could at least expand the DART to more areas of the city enough for people to park and ride. IMO, they would make a lot more money if they actually created more stations as an incentive. Much of the reason it's not used more often is because not everyone works downtown.

BTW uknown, I just looked up the Denver light rail, and they actually have a pretty legitimate system...like close to 40 stations. You could get around pretty easily for sure if you lived downtown it seems.

That's pretty impressive for not knowing anything about it.

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Predid, DART has a pretty good sized network. It lacks the long suburban commuter stuff, but I'd compare it's reach/complexity (not ridership) to that of maybe even a Boston.

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Boston's is just way faster, mostly because even when they aren't running undergound, they aren't on the same level as the traffic. That's how DART should be to get more ridership, IMO.

I think getting out to the airport and then the line through Carrolton oughta help DART out. I think their number one problem might be marketing...gotta find the right price and make it an option in the minds of the public.

I wish they had built the TRE through north Arlington (entertainment district) or atleast figure out a way to tie that area into the TRE on the other side of the Trinity River. It'd be interested to see what a spur up to Southlake and Keller would do, as well.

[This message has been edited by TXAggie2011 (edited 4/12/2010 11:31p).]

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Boston's is just way faster, mostly because even when they aren't running undergound, they aren't on the same level as the traffic. That's how DART should be to get more ridership, IMO.

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I've only rode one of their long commuter trains, but I suppose that's probably true.

I think DART has been considering some realligntment in downtown, so maybe they'll find some faster routes.

a subway system in Austin would be amazing. I'd ride it all the time with traffic the way it is.

btw, I've never rode the DART, but the first image I found was this



That looks underground. Where is this?

Here in Sydney, Australia we have a great network of trains and buses. However, where I live we still have the most "Drink Driving" incidents in the State of New South Wales.

Here's a story from the Manly Daily. For an area with about 20,000 residents we had over 900 DWI cases last year.

Defroach, it's been a long time since I was in Amsterdam but I remember the Trams running in the streets. I don't recall any underground metro system.

Also, I used to live in Denver. Getting on the train in LoDo and getting off in Littleton was sweet. I only lived about 5 miles from the train station. Not too far to drive late at night back then

About Denver, they do have a decent system, but it is focused a lot at commuteres which is nice for the rush hours. I know that they do run late on some nights, when I was in denver for the GABF, I had friends there that were able to take it late enough at night to get back to littleton...

Austins is a joke as of now....but you have to start somewhere