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History
The initial mainline of the Terminal Subdivision was
constructed in stages in the mid to late 1800’s, however, to have the Terminal
Subdivision act as a by-pass route of downtown Houston, a second main line track
was added around 1914.
Length
Approximately 22 miles long, the Terminal Subdivision has terminus
points at West Junction, located near the intersection of US 90 and Willowbend
Boulevard, and Dawes. The entire Terminal Subdivision is within the study area.
Ownership
The track is owned and operated by the Union Pacific and runs 50 to 60 trains per
day.
Rail Traffic
The rail traffic along the Terminal Subdivision is primarily bidirectional,
traveling to and from Englewood Yard. The KCS Railway Company has the authority
to operate trains nearly the entire length of the Terminal Subdivision. The
Terminal Subdivision is the primary route used for connecting rail traffic from
the West Coast to Houston, and is also used by Amtrak’s Sunset Limited, with
three trains eastbound and westbound weekly.
At Chaney Junction, which is located just north and east of the intersection
of Washington Avenue and Studemont Street, the two main tracks separate from
each other. The northernmost track is referred to as the Freight Main, and
between Sawyer and Holly Streets, runs down the middle of Winter Street. The
southernmost track is referred to as the Passenger Main and parallels Washington
Avenue to the north passing by the Amtrak Station. The Freight Main and the
Passenger Main reconnect just west of Tower 26.
Characteristics
The presence of numerous at-grade crossings along the Terminal Subdivision
presents a safety hazards for rail, vehicular, and pedestrian traffic along the
rail line. Resulting from identified improvements, 22 grade crossings have been
analyzed for closure or separation, which would improve traffic flow for both
vehicular and rail traffic. The following table displays the potential
improvements and their associated costs:
Identified Improvements
|
Class |
Estimated Cost |
Estimated Public
Benefit |
|
Classification 1 Improvements (Near-term Improvements) |
$26,000,000 |
|
|
Classification 3 Improvements (Separations/Closures) |
$189,950,000 |
|
|
Classification 5 Improvements (Rail Relocations) |
$100,000,000 |
|
|
Total Identified Improvements |
$315,950,000 |
$72,180,000 |
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