A Tier 2 Draft Environmental Impact Study has been released for the Raleigh to Richmond corridor. The proposed new route would reduce the trip length by 35 miles and increase the average speed from 47 mph to 86 mph. 100 grade-separated roadway crossings would be required. The proposal would increase the frequency of trains between Raleigh and Washington from two per day to four per day and reduce the travel time by almost 2 hours. The state of Virginia proposes to reduce the travel time between Richmond and Washington by another 40 minutes. The Draft Environmental Impact Study, prepared by Michael Baker Engineering, is available for download at http://www.sehsr.org/deis/deis.html . Warning, the Executive Summary alone is 64 pages.
Will Virginia and other states with regional trains be capable ante up yearly operational costs?
http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/busin ... 02/348970/
Presently, Virginia subsidizes two regional trains (one from Lynchburg and another train from the Richmond starting in July and extending to Norfolk in 2013) at a yearly cost of $41 Million. Amtrak fully funds, but won't by 2013, four regional trains (two from Richmond and two from Newport News). Additionally, Virginia may be asked to contribute funds for subsidizing the Carolina too. Virginia could be asked to find another $80 Million yearly (at a rate of $20 Million per train per year) by 2013.
Virginia at present doesn't have any dedicated funds for supporting trains. If asked to subsidize the existing trains, there's little left to fund any high speed rail projects within the State. Which brings up this question, will the SE High Speed Rail Corridor ever be completed?