Roadgeek Adam wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 4:12 pm I am admittedly curious to what they want to do in terms of ATL to NAS. The old Floridian route would mean ATL, ATN, BHM, DEC & NAS. A non-Floridian route would be via Marietta / Chattanooga / Murfreesboro / Nashville.Its also a little mysterious how and where they would turn and crew and stock those Atlanta-Nashville trains.
Not sure what they'd do.
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Amtrak Tennessee Proposals: Memphis - Nashville - Knoxville - Chattanooga - Atlanta
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By trying to sell these new routes, Amtrak sounds like it’s telling states, “we are trying to figure out how many cars to order. If you’re serious about working with us for service expansion, tell us now and we’ll order a dozen more!”
Bob Roberts wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 5:56 pmI'm curious where the station in Atlanta is going to be located. With all the trains everyone is proposing to and from Atlanta it had better be a big one. As you mentioned a yard to service those trains will also be needed. Is the downtown Terminal Station location still available or has it been built on? And where is the station in Nashville going to be? The old Union Station at 10th and Broadway now shows to be a hotel. I'm guessing a new station and support yard will have to be built.Roadgeek Adam wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 4:12 pm I am admittedly curious to what they want to do in terms of ATL to NAS. The old Floridian route would mean ATL, ATN, BHM, DEC & NAS. A non-Floridian route would be via Marietta / Chattanooga / Murfreesboro / Nashville.Its also a little mysterious how and where they would turn and crew and stock those Atlanta-Nashville trains.
Not sure what they'd do.
One of the problems with adding a bunch of regional trains is the support yards and stations are long gone.
Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel
Is just a freight train coming your way
No leaf clover ~ Metallica.
Is just a freight train coming your way
No leaf clover ~ Metallica.
I freely wish they'd replace Atlanta Peachtree if at all possible with a better stop. Whether or not that's plausible is for people who know Atlanta better than I do.
An improvement to Memphis Central in terms of service to compliment the CONO would make things a lot better in Tennessee. Yes, it's not service to Nashville, but it would help.
An improvement to Memphis Central in terms of service to compliment the CONO would make things a lot better in Tennessee. Yes, it's not service to Nashville, but it would help.
I didn't get into teaching for the promotions or the pension plans or so I could get to the golf course by 3:45. I did it because I wanted to help you kids. I'd forgotten that, till today. -- Principal Peter Prickly.
There is a small commuter rail line in Nashville. I don't know what the station is like nor even how tracks connect. The Memphis Central Station Hotel lobby looks amazing. What's the station itself like?
The WMC article has Lang talking about extending both Carbondale trips.
The WMC article has Lang talking about extending both Carbondale trips.
RRspatch wrote: ↑Sat Jan 18, 2020 1:33 amThe old Nashville Station is indeed now a hotel, but there is still access from the hotel/street level down to the level of the tracks and CSX's yard. No elevators or ramps for ADA access that I recall however.Bob Roberts wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 5:56 pmI'm curious where the station in Atlanta is going to be located. With all the trains everyone is proposing to and from Atlanta it had better be a big one. As you mentioned a yard to service those trains will also be needed. Is the downtown Terminal Station location still available or has it been built on? And where is the station in Nashville going to be? The old Union Station at 10th and Broadway now shows to be a hotel. I'm guessing a new station and support yard will have to be built.Roadgeek Adam wrote: ↑Fri Jan 17, 2020 4:12 pm I am admittedly curious to what they want to do in terms of ATL to NAS. The old Floridian route would mean ATL, ATN, BHM, DEC & NAS. A non-Floridian route would be via Marietta / Chattanooga / Murfreesboro / Nashville.Its also a little mysterious how and where they would turn and crew and stock those Atlanta-Nashville trains.
Not sure what they'd do.
One of the problems with adding a bunch of regional trains is the support yards and stations are long gone.
As a side note, the hotel does a tour (I think every afternoon, but maybe only weekends) highlighting areas of elements of the station, what they were used for, and how they've been repurposed, which ends with a complimentary whiskey tasting in the hotel bar. If you happen to find yourself in the area it is interesting.
The Peachtree station problem in ATL is a mess as everyone notes.
1. The station itself is too small and only has seating for about 60 persons. Also small bathrooms.-
2. The steps to the platform are not to present best practices.
3. NS has to stop freight traffic when passengers go down the elevator as passengers have to cross over that freight line. As well baggage is carried up and down the elevator and across the active freight track. NW main track.
4. The platform was built as a commuter one and is too narrow. Screens are placed on platform close to the non passenger track giving more clearance to the SE passenger track for all trains.
5. There is a 3rd track to the SE known as the steel siding. That siding is often used in early winter to store the Crescent when the ATL - NOL segment is cancelled.
6. Parking is limited to about 5 cars on station property. Street parking so limited that a bus(s) have a hard time parking. Have not been there to observe when ATL - NOL cancelled.
7. Parking deck located about 1/2 mile to SE.
8. Now can the steel siding be changed to allow passenger trains off the main ? Probably. Station could be expanded but being over NS ROW find that nearly impossible. Steps and elevator could be built. an extension connection to the steel siding could be built parallel to main tracks but would require a new RR bridge over I-75 next to present NS freight tracks.
1. The station itself is too small and only has seating for about 60 persons. Also small bathrooms.-
2. The steps to the platform are not to present best practices.
3. NS has to stop freight traffic when passengers go down the elevator as passengers have to cross over that freight line. As well baggage is carried up and down the elevator and across the active freight track. NW main track.
4. The platform was built as a commuter one and is too narrow. Screens are placed on platform close to the non passenger track giving more clearance to the SE passenger track for all trains.
5. There is a 3rd track to the SE known as the steel siding. That siding is often used in early winter to store the Crescent when the ATL - NOL segment is cancelled.
6. Parking is limited to about 5 cars on station property. Street parking so limited that a bus(s) have a hard time parking. Have not been there to observe when ATL - NOL cancelled.
7. Parking deck located about 1/2 mile to SE.
8. Now can the steel siding be changed to allow passenger trains off the main ? Probably. Station could be expanded but being over NS ROW find that nearly impossible. Steps and elevator could be built. an extension connection to the steel siding could be built parallel to main tracks but would require a new RR bridge over I-75 next to present NS freight tracks.
Atlanta definitely needs a new station. There was talk of using a former GM plant but nothing became of it due mostly to lack of funds and Georgia and Atlanta both being focused on highways. I think the only way you could get a downtown station is to use MARTA 5 Points Station and that ain't going to happen. The current station situation in Atlanta is a disgrace for both Amtrak and Atlanta.
Haven been through the Atlanta station quite a few times, I agree it's a real problem.
That said, I think one solution that could have been done years ago is to consider a partial upgrade of the current station.
Basically had they built basically an extension of the existing station over the platform that was say 4 cars long with stairs and an elevator at one end they could have solved the baggage solution and increased boarding and unboarding speeds.
Heck, at that point you could probably replace the existing barrier at track level with a solid one and completely separate the two tracks, allowing NS to continue to use that track.
That said, I think two short-term upgrades in terms of service would be:
1) A day train between ATL-WAS. Leaves ATL at 7:00 AM or so. The station is already staffed and NS already has to have an open window in traffic at the station. It then arrives at night at a similar train. No sleepers necessary, no baggage car. Gets you some more traffic along the route that gets skipped at night.
2) Make a train 419 and 420 that separates at ATL (much like the LSL or EB) and runs the 2nd leg either north to Chattanooga, or to a point south like Montgomery.
Atlanta needs a LOT of work, but I think in the meantime, a couple of easy upgrades, rather than wait for the uber solution.
That said, I think one solution that could have been done years ago is to consider a partial upgrade of the current station.
Basically had they built basically an extension of the existing station over the platform that was say 4 cars long with stairs and an elevator at one end they could have solved the baggage solution and increased boarding and unboarding speeds.
Heck, at that point you could probably replace the existing barrier at track level with a solid one and completely separate the two tracks, allowing NS to continue to use that track.
That said, I think two short-term upgrades in terms of service would be:
1) A day train between ATL-WAS. Leaves ATL at 7:00 AM or so. The station is already staffed and NS already has to have an open window in traffic at the station. It then arrives at night at a similar train. No sleepers necessary, no baggage car. Gets you some more traffic along the route that gets skipped at night.
2) Make a train 419 and 420 that separates at ATL (much like the LSL or EB) and runs the 2nd leg either north to Chattanooga, or to a point south like Montgomery.
Atlanta needs a LOT of work, but I think in the meantime, a couple of easy upgrades, rather than wait for the uber solution.
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When is the last time Amtrak went out and said "We really want to run service on this route."?
Specifically this would be without the benefit of strong advocacy from local groups or elected officials.
I don't think this has happened since the return of the California Zephyr in 1983.
Even though they have to work with a state agency to get funded I think this is something of a watershed moment for Amtrak.
A lot of big moves being made right now ...
Specifically this would be without the benefit of strong advocacy from local groups or elected officials.
I don't think this has happened since the return of the California Zephyr in 1983.
Even though they have to work with a state agency to get funded I think this is something of a watershed moment for Amtrak.
A lot of big moves being made right now ...
gokeefe
gokeefe wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2020 10:44 am When is the last time Amtrak went out and said "We really want to run service on this route."?I mentioned a couple posts up that they did precisely this in 2014, so I don't think it's as much of a watershed as you're saying.
... I think this is something of a watershed moment for Amtrak.
I think they have a new credibility, and may be able to tell TN it won't cost that much, with a different expectayion of ridership than they would have predicted in 2014.
Check this press release from 2014 ...
The 2014 event appears to have been focused around station development and not a route proposal.
The restoration of the California Zephyr in 1983 really does appear to be the last time that Amtrak made a self-initiated effort to open a new route. I'm setting aside the Kentucky Cardinal and the Lake Country Limited as aberrations of the Mail & Express effort.
The 2014 event appears to have been focused around station development and not a route proposal.
The restoration of the California Zephyr in 1983 really does appear to be the last time that Amtrak made a self-initiated effort to open a new route. I'm setting aside the Kentucky Cardinal and the Lake Country Limited as aberrations of the Mail & Express effort.
gokeefe
There is a slight possibility that in 2021 Amtrak will have more funds to expand with local support slightly less % ?
There was more going on than station discussions.:
https://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/am ... id=3722278
Though I have to admit I'm less certain the initiative came from Amtrak on re-reading.
Newbern seems to have believed new service in both directions was on the table -- Chicago and New Orleans.
This blog seems to have more info on the recent Tennessee proposal:
https://csanders429.wordpress.com/tag/a ... n-memphis/
I'm not clear whether he's quoting in full an article that I haven't found, or he did his own reporting. I had not seen Magliari say it would be relatively easy to have the southbound Saluki and northbound Illini serve Memphis because Amtrak already has crews based in Carbondale who operate the City of New Orleans on host railroad Canadian National between Carbondale and Memphis. (That's not in quotes at the blog. It's a paraphrase.)
https://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/am ... id=3722278
Though I have to admit I'm less certain the initiative came from Amtrak on re-reading.
Newbern seems to have believed new service in both directions was on the table -- Chicago and New Orleans.
This blog seems to have more info on the recent Tennessee proposal:
https://csanders429.wordpress.com/tag/a ... n-memphis/
I'm not clear whether he's quoting in full an article that I haven't found, or he did his own reporting. I had not seen Magliari say it would be relatively easy to have the southbound Saluki and northbound Illini serve Memphis because Amtrak already has crews based in Carbondale who operate the City of New Orleans on host railroad Canadian National between Carbondale and Memphis. (That's not in quotes at the blog. It's a paraphrase.)
Last edited by ryanch on Sun Jan 19, 2020 6:48 pm, edited 2 times in total.
There is a small commuter rail line in Nashville. I don't know what the station is like nor even how tracks connect. The Memphis Central Station Hotel lobby looks amazing. What's the station itself like?
The WeGo ex Music City Star Riverfront station has no connection to CSX ex L&N rail. There is an indirect freight belt line to make interchange connections. Union Station now a hotel would be the place to have a new passenger station. For 2x a day the basement could be reconverted for passenger use. Tracks to hold a passenger train would have to be built. The adjacent Keane yard is used by CSX for crew changes with some local freight industry.
IMHO this was an opportunity for Amtrak to make a pitch to new Gov & new state government. TDOT has an old study to connect Memphis Nashville Chattanooga Knoxville Bristol by rail. Maybe in another century something new could be built.
The WeGo ex Music City Star Riverfront station has no connection to CSX ex L&N rail. There is an indirect freight belt line to make interchange connections. Union Station now a hotel would be the place to have a new passenger station. For 2x a day the basement could be reconverted for passenger use. Tracks to hold a passenger train would have to be built. The adjacent Keane yard is used by CSX for crew changes with some local freight industry.
IMHO this was an opportunity for Amtrak to make a pitch to new Gov & new state government. TDOT has an old study to connect Memphis Nashville Chattanooga Knoxville Bristol by rail. Maybe in another century something new could be built.
Glenn Woodle