Lynchburg VA NE Regional (ext. to Roanoke and Bristol)

[gokeefe]

It is in Virginia. 101 Martin Luther King Blvd, Bristol, VA.

Even if it wasn't I think that would stop VA DRPT if the distance was trivial.

[dowlingm]

Looks like about 8 miles from the speedway to the former station, about 3.5 miles being the closest the rail's current alignment comes. Pretty corrugated territory to try and run rail though.

[east point]

Looks like about 8 miles from the speedway to the former station, about 3.5 miles being the closest the rail's current alignment comes. Pretty corrugated territory to try and run rail though.

Believe it or not but an old branch of the SOU RR earlier the Virginia and Southwestern RR ROW from Bristol to Bluff City actually passes thru the eastern part of the speedway's eastern parking lot. Unfortunately most of the ROW has been taken over by encroachments.

[jp1822]

I was on this train last week and it seemed to have had two additional coaches on it - or at least more coaches than usual. The coach I was in, and adjoining, seemed to have come from the Empire Corridor pool of cars, as in the seat pocket was the "New York" catalog that the Empire Corridor trains have. The seats were also more comfortable - better cushioning. Is the new Amtrak CEO figuring out how to get quicker or better turns of equipment so they can be released to other trains that need capacity to meet demand?

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

... why just Roanoke and Bristol? This route should be extended to New Orleans via Knoxville, Chattanooga, Birmingham, Montgomery and Mobile.

Short answer: no money, no equipment.

But of course this route should happen. However, only Virginia has a good track record for getting new or revived service in place. That doesn't mean, "Never gonna happen, abandon hope". It means it will be done step by step over some years, so be very patient.

How many years is some? I don't know how old you are Woody but I'm in my 40's and I highly doubt I'll see it in my lifetime considering Amtrak predates me and I have hardly seen much progress in my lifetime.

I think the chances of any national funded services along this route are slim and I hope other 750+ mile routes would have priority (Gulf Coast, Crescent Star, service through Vegas, and oh yeah that other one). So for federally funding of the route you suggest, I'm not saying it's not a useful route but back of the line.

As for Tennessee funding this route, I think the key is getting the Lynchburg (would they rename it Roanoke?) extended to Bristol and hopefully the Tennessee people in the Tri-Cities area are driving across the border to Virginia to ride the train to DC and beyond and saying to their government this is a good idea why not extend it the other direction?

On the other hand, Memphis already has pretty decent rail service to Chicago and New Orleans already (virtually red eye schedule between CHI). You would think Memphis residents would push for more rail service to other nearby locations (Nashville would seem like an obvious choice). Either they're not or they are and it's falling on deaf ears. Nashville has no Amtrak at all and hasn't since the Floridian died. It's hard for them to want Amtrak when they're nowhere near an Amtrak station. I entered Nashville in Amtrak's "Find a station by location" and they said there are no Amtrak stations within 150 miles (the largest option I could choose).

[electricron]

How many years is some? I don't know how old you are Woody but I'm in my 40's and I highly doubt I'll see it in my lifetime considering Amtrak predates me and I have hardly seen much progress in my lifetime.

I think the chances of any national funded services along this route are slim and I hope other 750+ mile routes would have priority (Gulf Coast, Crescent Star, service through Vegas, and oh yeah that other one). So for federally funding of the route you suggest, I'm not saying it's not a useful route but back of the line.

As for Tennessee funding this route, I think the key is getting the Lynchburg (would they rename it Roanoke?) extended to Bristol and hopefully the Tennessee people in the Tri-Cities area are driving across the border to Virginia to ride the train to DC and beyond and saying to their government this is a good idea why not extend it the other direction?

On the other hand, Memphis already has pretty decent rail service to Chicago and New Orleans already (virtually red eye schedule between CHI). You would think Memphis residents would push for more rail service to other nearby locations (Nashville would seem like an obvious choice). Either they're not or they are and it's falling on deaf ears. Nashville has no Amtrak at all and hasn't since the Floridian died. It's hard for them to want Amtrak when they're nowhere near an Amtrak station. I entered Nashville in Amtrak's "Find a station by location" and they said there are no Amtrak stations within 150 miles (the largest option I could choose).

Why should Nashville pay for a service when Amtrak divorced them years ago? It's like the Sunset Limited East reinstatement of services, Amtrak divorced Mobile and the Florida Panhandle and now wants Mobile and the Panhandle to pay to restore the service, and possibly pay subsidies as well. That could be called extortion. The only differences between the loss of the Floridian and Sunset Limited East services is why Amtrak left. The Floridian due to poor ridership and the Sunset Limited East due to hurricane flood damage. The longer the divorce is in effect, the amount of emotion pain shrinks, but so does the desire to get back together. And the amount of pain associated with the divorce is effected by the harshness of the divorce.

Let's face some realities, Nashville will be like Memphis, at best, on a long distance train schedule, with a day train in one direction and a night train in the other. It could be even worse in the schedule and be like Cleveland, with trains in both directions arriving in the middle of the night. No city or state is going to want to pay to restore train services for those ungodly hours.

[Anthony]

How many years is some? I don't know how old you are Woody but I'm in my 40's and I highly doubt I'll see it in my lifetime considering Amtrak predates me and I have hardly seen much progress in my lifetime.

I think the chances of any national funded services along this route are slim and I hope other 750+ mile routes would have priority (Gulf Coast, Crescent Star, service through Vegas, and oh yeah that other one). So for federally funding of the route you suggest, I'm not saying it's not a useful route but back of the line.

As for Tennessee funding this route, I think the key is getting the Lynchburg (would they rename it Roanoke?) extended to Bristol and hopefully the Tennessee people in the Tri-Cities area are driving across the border to Virginia to ride the train to DC and beyond and saying to their government this is a good idea why not extend it the other direction?

On the other hand, Memphis already has pretty decent rail service to Chicago and New Orleans already (virtually red eye schedule between CHI). You would think Memphis residents would push for more rail service to other nearby locations (Nashville would seem like an obvious choice). Either they're not or they are and it's falling on deaf ears. Nashville has no Amtrak at all and hasn't since the Floridian died. It's hard for them to want Amtrak when they're nowhere near an Amtrak station. I entered Nashville in Amtrak's "Find a station by location" and they said there are no Amtrak stations within 150 miles (the largest option I could choose).

Why should Nashville pay for a service when Amtrak divorced them years ago? It's like the Sunset Limited East reinstatement of services, Amtrak divorced Mobile and the Florida Panhandle and now wants Mobile and the Panhandle to pay to restore the service, and possibly pay subsidies as well. That could be called extortion. The only differences between the loss of the Floridian and Sunset Limited East services is why Amtrak left. The Floridian due to poor ridership and the Sunset Limited East due to hurricane flood damage. The longer the divorce is in effect, the amount of emotion pain shrinks, but so does the desire to get back together. And the amount of pain associated with the divorce is effected by the harshness of the divorce.

Let's face some realities, Nashville will be like Memphis, at best, on a long distance train schedule, with a day train in one direction and a night train in the other. It could be even worse in the schedule and be like Cleveland, with trains in both directions arriving in the middle of the night. No city or state is going to want to pay to restore train services for those ungodly hours.

Serving Nashville from Bristol via Knoxville is going to be difficult, as the old Tennessee Central between Crab Orchard and Monterrey is gone. The only way to route such a train today would be the roundabout routing via Chattanooga. That would not be competitive with I-40 by any means and thus would not draw enough ridership to generate enough political support, especially in Tennessee's current passenger rail-hostile government.

[electricron]

How is it gone? Has the old right-of-way returned to surrounding farms? Is the right-of-way still there, but the tracks have been removed? Is there a bike path or trail on it? In every case, the right-of-way can be repurchased and the tracks relaid - if that is what Tennessee wants to do. Tennessee has the power of eminent domain. If there are buildings built upon the old corridor, a new corridor could bypass them with a few more curves. Shucks, an entire new, straighter, and faster corridor could be installed.

[gokeefe]

Let's face some realities, Nashville will be like Memphis, at best, on a long distance train schedule, with a day train in one direction and a night train in the other. It could be even worse in the schedule and be like Cleveland, with trains in both directions arriving in the middle of the night. No city or state is going to want to pay to restore train services for those ungodly hours.

I think we have all seen enough, specifically examples from this very thread, to know that the above isn't necessarily the case. Certainly if trains are running through from the NEC its tough, but if Tennessee decides to fund service within their own state that's another matter entirely. I feel very strongly that service in Roanoke and especially service in Bristol is going to affect how Tennessee views Amtrak.

[R&DB]

Serving Nashville from Bristol via Knoxville is going to be difficult, as the old Tennessee Central between Crab Orchard and Monterrey is gone. The only way to route such a train today would be the roundabout routing via Chattanooga.

Don't serve Nashville from this route. Just follow NS existing rail down the valley to Chattanooga and keep going. Of course VA is hot going to fund this.

[electricron]

Serving Nashville from Bristol via Knoxville is going to be difficult, as the old Tennessee Central between Crab Orchard and Monterrey is gone. The only way to route such a train today would be the roundabout routing via Chattanooga.

Don't serve Nashville from this route. Just follow NS existing rail down the valley to Chattanooga and keep going. Of course VA is hot going to fund this.

Seriously, you rather skip Nashville (metro population 1,830,345) for Chattanooga (metro population 547,776)? Which city has major league sports franchises and has the stronger economy? Where do you think passengers you might pick up with a train in Knoxville and Bristol would rather go, Chattanooga or Nashville?

Cities are more than just dots on a map with transportation links drawn in between them. There are people living in them full of emotions and desires. It's the people who buy tickets to ride trains. Amtrak's goal should be to sell the most tickets possible, and that should mean going to where more people wish to go.

Tennessee will be asked to help fund all the track upgrades needed for Amtrak or non Amtrak ran intercity passenger trains. Do you really believe Tennessee politicians living most of the year in and around Nashville catering votes for the next election are going to skip 1,830,345 for 547,776 potential votes?

[Anthony]

How is it gone? Has the old right-of-way returned to surrounding farms? Is the right-of-way still there, but the tracks have been removed? Is there a bike path or trail on it? In every case, the right-of-way can be repurchased and the tracks relaid - if that is what Tennessee wants to do. Tennessee has the power of eminent domain. If there are buildings built upon the old corridor, a new corridor could bypass them with a few more curves. Shucks, an entire new, straighter, and faster corridor could be installed.

They once did a study of putting the missing section back, but the study concluded that it would be cost-prohibitive to do so.

[gokeefe]

They once did a study of putting the missing section back, but the study concluded that it would be cost-prohibitive to do so.

Most studies will if the assumption is "passenger only" operations. If there's dual use for freight its a completely different proposition.

[R&DB]

Seriously, you rather skip Nashville (metro population 1,830,345) for Chattanooga (metro population 547,776)?

No, Nashville belongs on the Floridian, not on a line through Roanoke.

[electricron]

Seriously, you rather skip Nashville (metro population 1,830,345) for Chattanooga (metro population 547,776)?

No, Nashville belongs on the Floridian, not on a line through Roanoke.

It really doesn’t matter which train or route, Tennessee isn’t likely to contribute or subsidize any train that doesn’t go to Nashville.
No state can fund a train that skip its largest city when its largest city is lacking service. Can you imagine New York funding an intercity train from Boston to Buffalo through Albany if New York City lacked service? You you imagine Illinois funding a National replacement bypassing Chicago if Chicago had no service? Why do you expect Tennessee to do so?
State politics will always be involved with intercity trains as long as they are expected to fund track improvements and/or provide operating subsidizes.