Amtrak Considering One New And One Old Southern Route

[DetroitMan]

It would be awesome if Amtrak implemented an Atlanta-Dallas route...

Amtrak is considering someday running a daily train from Atlanta to Dallas.

Right now, to get to Texas from Atlanta by train, passengers have to go to New Orleans, then connect to a train that only runs three days a week, explained Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari.

“[The potential route] would give you a daily connection to Texas that would be faster than the current route, and more direct,” he said.

Magliari said Amtrak has been talking with people in East Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana for a long time about the route. Eventually, he said, Amtrak hopes to do more research on it.

Meanwhile, the corporation is further along on another Southern route. Next week, it will run an inspection train from New Orleans to Jacksonville to see about reopening a route that has been closed since Hurricane Katrina.

“Previous service was not daily and was not reliable enough to draw a lot of traffic, and not at a schedule that was very attractive,” said Magliari. But Amtrak is considering a daily train now.

http://news.wabe.org/post/amtrak-con...southern-route

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by DetroitMan

It would be awesome if Amtrak implemented an Atlanta-Dallas route...

Especially if it's a fairly speedy train. It wouldn't have to be TGV fast but it would be nice if it ran as fast as the Acela.

[smArTaLlone]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Especially if it's a fairly speedy train. It wouldn't have to be TGV fast but it would be nice if it ran as fast as the Acela.

I agree. Because of the time it takes, I'm just not sure how much of a market there really is for these routes. Dallas is a long way from Atlanta with a lot of nothing (not many cities) in between.

[forj]

it seems to me that the Dalas / Atlanta route would run along the Crescent line out of Atlanta and branch off at Meridian, MS.. then meet up with the Texas Eagle line east of Longview, TX.

Obvious stops in between would be Jackson, MS - Vicksburg, MS - and Shreveport, LA.. not much else in between there.

another route i would love to see would be Atlanta / Chicago running through nashville

[cabasse]

dallas and chicago would both be great rail connections to atlanta, as long as the train had few stops in between. i abhor the drive between here and there...

[Tuckerman]

No person viewing this will ever see a high speed train between Atlanta and Chicago. We are lucky the we have even one low speed speed train to DC. That route could possibly be developed over the next decades.

[forj]

Originally Posted by Tuckerman

No person viewing this will ever see a high speed train between Atlanta and Chicago. We are lucky the we have even one low speed speed train to DC. That route could possibly be developed over the next decades.

The DC / Atlanta route is going to be a contender for "high speed" rail eventually. but we arent going to see anything resembling high speed rail outside the California project for a long time - and that wont be finished for a long time either. But, track improvements between atlanta and Charlotte would be a good idea. America needs to invest in its infrastructure again

[Tuckerman]

The high speed developments in Europe, especially Germany and France, are feasible because of four critical reasons: 1. the geographic closeness of major cities; 2. the density of residents (passengers) near central city train stations; 3. well developed commuter and suburban train networks linking to central stations; and 4. heavy political and government support for railroad infrastructure. These factors are vey different in the US.

[shivtim]

Originally Posted by Tuckerman

The high speed developments in Europe, especially Germany and France, are feasible because of four critical reasons: 1. the geographic closeness of major cities; 2. the density of residents (passengers) near central city train stations; 3. well developed commuter and suburban train networks linking to central stations; and 4. heavy political and government support for railroad infrastructure. These factors are vey different in the US.

In most of the US, sure. But the Northeast has the required density, major city proximity, urban stations, existing transit infrastructure, and political support (mostly). As evidenced by the fact that we already have high speed rail in this corridor.
For Atlanta, it's a viable candidate for HSR to close destinations. For example, Atlanta and Charlotte could fit many of these requirements, since both have dense downtowns connected to local rail systems, and the distance between the cities is perfect. The political will and funding is the issue here.

[Tuckerman]

Originally Posted by shivtim

In most of the US, sure. But the Northeast has the required density, major city proximity, urban stations, existing transit infrastructure, and political support (mostly). As evidenced by the fact that we already have high speed rail in this corridor.
For Atlanta, it's a viable candidate for HSR to close destinations. For example, Atlanta and Charlotte could fit many of these requirements, since both have dense downtowns connected to local rail systems, and the distance between the cities is perfect. The political will and funding is the issue here.

I agree with he BosWash perspective -it did match the 4 categories. However, it is still a very linear one major line system North-South. The East-West components, which were once there, have largely disappeared. The great rail hubs of Chicago, Cincinnati, Kansas City, etc. have largely disappeared. There remains a linear element on the West coast Seattle to San Diego. I believe, that with political will the BosWash corridor could extend to Raleigh Durham-Charlotte- Greenville-Atlanta and maybe eventually connect up with the Florida cities. The populations are growing fast in these areas. Still, the commuter train infrastructure is not there south of Washington; the tracks are, but the overwhelming use of the systems to carry freight makes passenger development very difficult. In addition, the budgets fro mass transit and public rail are very puny compared to the concrete road building budgets.

All things considered, the Atlanta region could, with political will, develop a very comprehensive rail transit system. Perhaps the millennials will succeed where previous generations have failed. Watching with interest, but heavy skepticism.

[forj]

Originally Posted by Tuckerman

All things considered, the Atlanta region could, with political will, develop a very comprehensive rail transit system. Perhaps the millennials will succeed where previous generations have failed. Watching with interest, but heavy skepticism.

tha plans are there, and have been for years, for an extensive commuter rail network in the metro atlanta area.



and there is legislation going through the state congress right now to try for increasing and gaining rail funding from local and federal sources. i think its inevitable that it will happen eventually. like, 25+ years out from now. we'll be lucky to see MARTA expansion to Windward and the Clifton Corridor in the next 15 years.. a shame really.. these things should be funded and pushed hard

here is a projection of urbanization/population growth int he Atlanta / Charlotte corridor, which helps to visualize how a high speed rail line combined with commuter rail networks in both cities would be a huge benefit.. if it is done right and people actually use it

Development in the Southeast, 2009


Projected Development in the Southeast, 2060


http://www.atlantamagazine.com/news-...ally-converge/


-----
and here is a much more detailed report on the Piedmont Megaregion with tons of great info and mention of all the transit realities and opportunities.. with talk of how it may be more likely that we see highspeed rail between DC and Charlotte before Charlotte-Atlanta... which makes sense

http://www.america2050.org/pdf/HSR-i...R-Piedmont.pdf