Freight rail beltloop around metro Atlanta could clear up commuter lines?

[netdragon]

So I was thinking about commuter rail and wondering why we can't free up the rail lines by building a freight rail beltloop around metro Atlanta. It would be cheaper than highway, wouldn't it? The only downside I can think of (obviously besides cost) would be that Atlanta would no longer be the rail hub -- metro Atlanta would be instead. Major freight depots like in SW Cobb could still be used. They would just need to be double-tracked back towards the frieght rail beltloop, not through Atlanta. I'm thinking of something farther out than Cartersville and Gainesville. I also like the concept because it would probably help spread industry out towards the fringes, decreasing concentration of pollution.

What do you think about that? Would it or variations on that idea work? Could it be done in a way not to kill Atlanta's economy?

[Rail Claimore]

Originally Posted by netdragon

So I was thinking about commuter rail and wondering why we can't free up the rail lines by building a freight rail beltloop around metro Atlanta. It would be cheaper than highway, wouldn't it? The only downside I can think of (obviously besides cost) would be that Atlanta would no longer be the rail hub -- metro Atlanta would be instead. Major freight depots like in SW Cobb could still be used. They would just need to be double-tracked back towards the frieght rail beltloop, not through Atlanta. I'm thinking of something farther out than Cartersville and Gainesville. I also like the concept because it would probably help spread industry out towards the fringes, decreasing concentration of pollution.

What do you think about that? Would it or variations on that idea work? Could it be done in a way not to kill Atlanta's economy?

A freight-rail loop is an excellent idea for Atlanta, and even if the city loses some traffic in its rail yards, I say it's better in the long term because it opens up more valuable land for development. Chicago has two freight rail loops already: The Belt Railway, which follows a path a couple miles inside I-294, and the EJ&E, which is about 25 miles farther out (About 40 miles from downtown). The EJ&E, however, is currently underutilized, and is making the news because CN wants to buy the line and run more freight trains on it to relieve rail congestion in Chicago and the inner ring suburbs.

It might be a surprise though, to learn that Atlanta already has the workings of a freight-rail loop. It's just so far away from the city (50 mile average radius) that people don't see it in context. Norfolk Southern owns most of the tracks that consist of it.

Here's a map

There are only two main gaps in it. There's a gap on the south between Griffin and Montacello, and then there's the more glaring northern gap between Rome and Lula/Gainesville. If you were to fill these two gaps and double-track the whole thing, it would fulfill its purpose.

[Teshadoh]

It is a good idea - that is why the Beltline was built in the first place. I wouldn't at all worry about the loss of freight trains in Atlanta.

[trainiac]

Originally Posted by Rail Claimore

It might be a surprise though, to learn that Atlanta already has the workings of a freight-rail loop. It's just so far away from the city (50 mile average radius) that people don't see it in context. Norfolk Southern owns most of the tracks that consist of it.

Here's a map

There are only two main gaps in it. There's a gap on the south between Griffin and Montacello, and then there's the more glaring northern gap between Rome and Lula/Gainesville. If you were to fill these two gaps and double-track the whole thing, it would fulfill its purpose.

This is really cool. I'd never seen the rail lines in this context. I wonder how tough the terrain would be between Rome and Gainesville?

[Andrea]

I'm sure y'all are aware of it but GDOT has some excellent railroad maps.

http://www.dot.state.ga.us/maps/Pages/Railroad.aspx

This is one of my faves -- it makes for some great weekend explorations. Metro Atlanta Rail Map

[netdragon]

So essentially with all the concerns about the effect of commuter rail on freight, it's probably unfounded because there is already a loop in the works?

Edit: Hmm, it looks like from Andrea's first link (train count map) that the lines in Smyrna and Mableton could still have conflicts since it's not really through train traffic there. It seems to stop at that massive rail line in Bolton.

[electricron]

Freight railroad loops work best when there's a lot of through freight traffic, but not so well when the city is the destination for most of the trains.

Atlanta being the major warehouse city in the south, this proposed loop will help some, but not as much as many suggest.

[netdragon]

Don't you think with the land value increasing that the warehouses in Atlanta will be replaced with higher density development and rural areas along the freight loop would build up warehouses?