Ensemble HCC Station
I shot two photos at the Ensemble / HCC Station before I went inside the MATCH building for the transit activist meeting. This photo was taken on the east side of Main Street looking at a train pulling alongside the northbound platform. Main Street has two lanes for automobile traffic, one on each side of the double track Red Line and its center platform. I just happened to shoot this photo with no cars on Main Street. Most stations like this one are split island platforms such that northbound and southbound trains stop along different sectors of the platform, and a fence prevents passengers from falling onto the track of the opposite direction.
Houston MetroRail stations usually have an overhead rain shed, artwork, and landscaping, plus the usual benches, ticket machine, electronic pass readers, system map, and arrival display. Visible in the background is an example of Transit Oriented Development. Not all stations have attracted new TOD, but its features include wide sidewalks with trees to serve pedestrians and mid-rise buildings with retail stores, restaurants, and bars on the ground floor and apartments or condos on the upper floors. Parking is in the back rather than the front of the building which faces the transit line or pedestrian mall.
Ensemble HCC Station
I shot two photos at the Ensemble / HCC Station before I went inside the MATCH building for the transit activist meeting. This photo was taken on the east side of Main Street looking at a train pulling alongside the northbound platform. Main Street has two lanes for automobile traffic, one on each side of the double track Red Line and its center platform. I just happened to shoot this photo with no cars on Main Street. Most stations like this one are split island platforms such that northbound and southbound trains stop along different sectors of the platform, and a fence prevents passengers from falling onto the track of the opposite direction.
Houston MetroRail stations usually have an overhead rain shed, artwork, and landscaping, plus the usual benches, ticket machine, electronic pass readers, system map, and arrival display. Visible in the background is an example of Transit Oriented Development. Not all stations have attracted new TOD, but its features include wide sidewalks with trees to serve pedestrians and mid-rise buildings with retail stores, restaurants, and bars on the ground floor and apartments or condos on the upper floors. Parking is in the back rather than the front of the building which faces the transit line or pedestrian mall.