Railroad Forums 

  • Nashville TN: Music City Star

  • General discussion of passenger rail systems not otherwise covered in the specific forums in this category, including high speed rail.
General discussion of passenger rail systems not otherwise covered in the specific forums in this category, including high speed rail.

Moderators: mtuandrew, gprimr1

 #173757  by Scotty Burkhardt
 
For those not up to date, Music City Star is the soon to be commuter service coming to Nashville, Tennessee. I know that at least one former Amtrak F40PH (AMTK 398) has been repainted/renumbered (MCS 121) into the new MCS scheme. What about coaches? Any info on this line/road would be great.
Last edited by Scotty Burkhardt on Fri Oct 07, 2005 1:53 pm, edited 2 times in total.

 #178115  by william powers
 
Did MCS secure their source of funding to complete the project this week?

 #192039  by Otto Vondrak
 
Here's the link to the latest official info from RTA.

-otto-

 #268076  by metrarider
 
I wish this service well; however, from my limited knowledge of Nashville, it seems to have two serious shortcomings:
  1. It's slow. 50 minutes to traverse 32 miles, with six stations. Average speed of 38.4 mph.
  2. The downtown terminus seems to be quite a ways from the employment areas requiring a bus transfer for most riders. This only adds to the door-to-door time.
Given 1 and 2, it's hard to see how this will compete with cars for transportation to the downtown areas of Nashville.

 #268164  by JamesT4
 
Looking at the Nashville MTA system maps, and looking at the downtown map shows the Riverfront (Downtown) Station is on the Eastern end of downtown Nashville.

Not having been through there in about a year and an half, I can see that there will be some people walking a couple of blocks, and others will have to catch a bus to get toi there destination.

Also looking at the committe meetings look like the service will begin on september 18th.

 #268508  by metrarider
 
I guess I'm wrong about the riverside station location, and will certainly defer as I have no direct knowledge, however that's what I had been led to beleive (incorrectly it would seem)

mea culpa
 #285119  by Steck
 
Here's a list of the MCS equipment, in response to an earlier question.

Locomotives
  • MCS 120 – was AMTK F40PH 322 (currently being prepped for painting)
    MCS 121 – was AMTK F40PH 398
    MCS 122 – was AMTK F40PH 399
Cab cars
  • 400 – Metra 8753
    401 – Metra 8760
    402 – Metra 8761
Trailer cars
  • 500 – Metra 7758
    501 – Metra 7759
    502 – Metra 7782
    503 – Metra 7783
Re: The station location. Yeah, for some, a bus transfer (included in the fare) will be necessary, but for others, it's good enough. The station is essentially at the end of Broadway, right on the river, so it's in a great spot for football games, or other events downtown at riverfront or the Gaylord Entertainment Center. *shrug* Gotta start somewhere.

 #286568  by rayrat
 
They give you a bus transfer to get you to work from the Riverfront station.

 #292839  by gt7348b
 
Just looking at the layout of the Riverfront Station, I had a question maybe someone here can answer — why is the terminal station only single-track? It doesn't look like there have been any provisions made for any possible future expansion since they have the bus loop on one side and the river on the other. Plus, the building locations would also seem to preclude any eventual through-running (which would require new track) towards Downtown Nashville and the other railroad lines in Nashville.

Here's a link.

Any thoughts?

 #293929  by dmclement
 
MCS 120 should read as ex-Amtrak no 332, not 322.

 #294107  by gt7348b
 
If anyone is in Nashville Monday morning, would you post any pictures?

 #306220  by gt7348b
 
Here's a link to a short slide show on the first day of operations.

 #325156  by ne plus ultra
 
What's next in Nashville?

I've seen references to both a NE and a SE train. Are either a certainty. What's the timeline? Would they pull into the same station? Is the combined numbers of potential riders acting as an incentive for employers to relocate nearer the station?

 #326622  by gt7348b
 
Looking at the downtown station, I'm not sure how it could accommodate another line. I was talking to someone who worked for the MPO, and the SE line seems to be headed for a preferred BRT, not a commuter rail line.

 #338934  by jz441
 
Who is going to be the operator? Amtrak, Connex or Herzog?
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 9