Unit 2. Houston opens second light rail line

Vocabulary

revenue services - налоговая служба

light rail - легкорельсовый транспорт (ЛРТ)

a ride - поездка, проезд на к-л транспорте

an official inauguration - официальное открытие

a downtown - центр города

an end-on - конечный радиус ветки метрополитена

an interchange - пересадочный узел

a schedule – расписание, график

to diverge - расходиться, отклоняться

an underpass - подземный переход

Metro Chairman - руководитель метрополитена

to purchase - закупать

a cancellation - расторжение

low-floor cars - низкопольные вагоны

USA: Revenue services have started running on Houston Metro’s 8.5 km North Line light rail route following an official inauguration on December 21 and a day of free rides.

Running north from UH Downtown in the city centre through Moody Park and Lindale to the Northline Transit Center, the line forms an end-on extension to the existing 12 km Main Street Red Line, which opened in 2004 and is currently carrying around 40 000 passengers per day. The extension adds eight new stops, including two bus-rail interchanges at Burnett and Northline.

Opened several months ahead of schedule, the North Line is one of three routes being built under a $900m Full Funding Grant Agreement signed with the Department of Transportation in November 2011, which will almost treble the size of the network to 33.8 km. The East End Line will link Theater District with Magnolia Park Transit Center, serving nine stops including an interchange with the Red Line at Main Street Square. The Southeast Line will diverge from the East End Line at EADO/Stadium and run to University Oaks and Palm Center, adding a further six stations.

These two lines are both expected to open during 2014, although the construction of an underpass below the Houston Belt & Terminal Railroad at Harrison & 66th Streets means the final 2 km of the East End Line may not be ready until the end of 2015.

During the North Line opening ceremony, Metro Chairman Gilbert Garcia, suggested that the city was now at a ‘wonderful turning point. Now that there are transit choices and people get accustomed to using light rail, I think they are going to see how easy it is, how efficient and reliable it is’, he explained.

To operate the extended Red Line, Metro has purchased a further 19 Siemens Avanto S70 LRVs, similar to the 18 supplied for the initial route. Following the cancellation of an earlier contract under Buy America rules, the city has also ordered 39 CAF low-floor cars to operate the East End and Southeast lines, which will be designated as the Green and Purple lines respectively.

Exercises:

1) Find the English equivalents in the text:

1) государственная налоговая служба

2) северная ветка легкорельсового транспорта

3) бесплатный проезд

4) официальное открытие

5) удлинение конечного радиуса ветки метрополитена

6) 8 новых станций

7) с опережением графика

8) строительство подземного перехода

9) эффективный и надежный

10) расторжение ранее заключенного контракта

2) Read the text again and say if these statements true (T) or false (F):

1) Passengers don`t have to pay on Houston Metro’s North Line on an official inauguration day.

2) The North Line runs south from the suburbs to the city center.

3) The North Line links Theater District with Magnolia Park Transit Center, serving nine stops including an interchange with the Red Line.

4) The East End Line and the Southeast Line are both expected to open during 2014.

5) People will find it complicated and dangerous to use light rail.

3) Fill in the gaps with the proper preposition using the text:

1) An official inauguration of the North Line light rail route will be held _____ December 21.

2) The Line runs __________ Moody Park and Lindale to the Northline Transit Center.

3) It is currently carrying _________ 40 000 passengers per day.

4) Full Funding Grant Agreement was signed with the Department of Transportation ____ November 2011.

5) The construction of three routes will almost treble the size of the network ____ 33.8 km.

6) The East End Line may not be ready _______ the end of 2015.

7) Metro has purchased a further 19 Siemens Avanto S70 LRVs, similar _____ the 18 supplied for the initial route.

4) Fill in: will or be going to