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Originally Posted by NikolasM
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A very comprehensive map, to be sure.
Several of the connections you envision are being discussed already. In the Midwest specifically,
the FRA is working with the DOTs of the Midwest states to assemble a new 40-year rail plan. The new plan will prioritize which routes in the region need to be developed as well as the type of service a given route might require. It's not binding and is looked upon as a Tier 0 study, a step before the first step.
Now called high-performance rail, service is classified into three types:
1) Emerging - speeds up to 90MPH, diesel powered, on shared tracks with freights, up to 8 trains a day.
2) Regional - speeds 90-125MPH, diesel or dual-mode power, partially on dedicated tracks, partially on shared track. up to 16 trains a day.
3) Core Express - speeds greater than 125MPH, electrified, dedicated tracks only, up to 24 trains a day.
Among the highlights-
1) Chicago-Milwaukee-Madison-Twin Cities is looked upon as a natural fit for Core Express. Adding Rochester, whether as a regional train to the Twin Cities alone, or part of the Core Express mainline, is seen as costing the same either way. They project that 75% of all passengers in Rochester would head to the Twin Cities, so the impact of routing on ridership is minimal.
2) Chicago-Detroit is seen as doable as Core Express provided a)the route goes through South Bend, b)the often-discussed Coast2Coast route in Michigan is ditched in favor of feeder trains into the Core Express mainline - Grand Rapids connecting at Kalamazoo, Lansing connecting at Battle Creek, c)a Regional or Core Express train from Toronto to Windsor connecting to Detroit is established, and d)a Chicago-Cleveland route goes through Detroit and Toledo, and not via Fort Wayne and Toledo (a direct Core Express route Chicago-Cleveland was ruled out). Connecting Fort Wayne to the Core Express mainline at South Bend is seen as a possibility.
If some of these conditions aren't met, Chicago-Detroit would likely run as a Regional train, not Core Express.
In a related matter, Canada
has again raised the possibility of a high speed rail line between Toronto and Windsor. The currently proposed route would go through Kitchener, instead of Hamilton.
3) Chicago-Indy is seen as a Regional Route, with the possibility of upgrade to Core Express. Indy would serve as an aggregator, to Cincy at Regional speeds, and Louisville as Emerging service. Louisville could serve as a regional gateway, connecting to Nashville (and the South), so Chicago-Atlanta service would be more than halfway there.
Whether Indy would serve as a connection to Columbus is in question. The planners claim that Columbus-Chicago would be better served via Lima and Fort Wayne as a Regional train.
4) A Regional train connecting Detroit to Toledo and Cleveland is seen as necessary, regardless of Chicago-Cleveland routing. If Chicago-Cleveland is routed through Detroit, the connection to Toledo and Cleveland could be upgraded to Core Express.
4a) Connecting Cleveland to Buffalo (outside of the 12 state Midwest region) is seen as not essential to the network, and suggests connecting Buffalo to Detroit would be better via Ontario instead.
4b) Conversely, a Regional train connecting Detroit/Toledo/Cleveland to Pittsburgh (also outside the region) is seen as necessary. Pittsburgh could serve as an important gateway connecting the Midwest with the Northeast.
5) Ridership on the 3Cs route would double in a network context, as opposed to a standalone.
6) Regional service between Milwaukee and Green Bay.
Outside the Midwest Rail Plan, Minnesota's DOT is currently developing service between the Twin Cities and Duluth. Looking long term, they are considering Twin Cities-St. Cloud-Fargo-Winnipeg, as well as trains to Sioux Falls and Eau Claire.