METRORail

This article is about the METRORail light rail system in Houston, Texas. For other uses, see Metrorail.

METRORail
Two-car train running southbound towards Fannin South station on the METRORail Red Line. The skyscrapers of downtown Houston can be seen in the background, and overhead wires are visible to provide power to the train.
Southbound two-car Siemens S70/H1 METRORail train on Red Line, departing downtown Houston (2007)
Overview
OwnerMetropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County
LocaleHouston, Texas
Transit typeLight rail/Tram
Number of lines3 (2 planned)
Number of stations39[1]
Daily ridership42,900 (weekdays, Q2 2024)[2]
Annual ridership13,883,700 (2023)[3]
Chief executiveTom Lambert
HeadquartersLee P. Brown METRO Administration Building
1900 Main Street[4]
Operation
Began operationJanuary 1, 2004; 20 years ago (2004-01-01)
CharacterAt grade, with street running sections
Number of vehicles51 Siemens S70
39 CAF Urbos LRV
14 Siemens S700[a]
Train lengthTwo cars[5]
Headway6–20 minutes[1]
Technical
System length22.7 mi (36.5 km) (2012)[6]
(planned 24.4 mi (39.3 km))[failed verification]
No. of tracks2
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Minimum radius of curvature350 ft (107 m)
ElectrificationOverhead line, 600–750 V DC
System map
Legend
 Northline Transit Center/HCC Red Line
Melbourne/North Lindale
Lindale Park
Cavalcade
Moody Park
Fulton/North Central
Quitman/Near Northside
Burnett Transit Center
UH–Downtown
          Theater District
Preston
Central Station               
Main Street Square
Convention District
Bell
EaDo/Stadium
Downtown Transit Center
McGowen
Coffee Plant/Second Ward
Ensemble/HCC
Lockwood/Eastwood
Wheeler
Altic/Howard Hughes
Museum District
Cesar Chavez/67th Street
Hermann Park/Rice University
Magnolia Park Transit Center Green Line
Memorial Hermann Hospital/
Houston Zoo
Leeland/Third Ward
Dryden/TMC
Elgin/Third Ward
Texas Medical Center
Transit Center
TSU/UH Athletics District
Smith Lands
UH South/University Oaks
Stadium Park/Astrodome
MacGregor Park/
Martin Luther King Jr.
Red Line Fannin South
Palm Center Transit Center Purple Line
Key
Red Line
Transit center
Green Line
Station
Purple Line
Transfer station
Green and Purple lines
Handicapped/disabled access All stations are accessible
This diagram:

METRORail is the 22.7-mile (36.5 km)[6] light rail system in Houston, Texas (United States). In 2023, the system had a ridership of 13,883,700, or about 42,900 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024. METRORail ranks as the second most-traveled light rail system in the Southern United States and the 10th most-traveled light rail system in the United States, and has the highest ridership per mile for light rail systems in the Southern US.[7] METRORail is operated by the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO).

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference riderguide was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Second Quarter 2024" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. September 3, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  3. ^ "Transit Ridership Report Fourth Quarter 2023" (PDF). American Public Transportation Association. March 4, 2024. Retrieved September 5, 2024.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference METRO-facts was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Begley, Dug (November 20, 2014). "Rail line delay gives Metro time to acquire more cars". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved May 24, 2015.
  6. ^ a b "METRORail Passes New Milestones on Way to 2014 Opening" (Press release). Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County. October 11, 2012. Archived from the original on January 21, 2013. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
  7. ^ "APTA Q4 2015 Light Rail Transit Ridership Report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 20, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017.


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