QUOTE: Originally posted by oltmannd QUOTE: Originally posted by jockellis The Georgia DOT is committed to doing the Lovejoy to Atlanta commuter line. Personally, I feel they are doing it with the expectation that if if fails they can say, "We told you so!" but I also feel they are out of tough with reality. A bunch of Atlantan are foreigners, that is they come from places up north and abroad which have had commuter rail for ages. They would use it and will do so far more than the 1,800 expected riders, especially if they make it user friendly with coffee and breakfasts available so that people will be able to completely change their mornings. It also has to go out far enough so that people don't feel that their journey is almost over by the time they get to the rail station as it is on the northside where the MARTA north line extends only a mile or so outside the perimeter highway, I-285, and does not really invite commuters from more northerly counties unless they cannot get paid parking spaces at their companies. It seems as if the GDOT only listens to sarcastic writers of Vents in the Atlanta Journal Constitution which lambast MARTA. But the foreigners I talked with when I rode it daily told me that it was on a par (2001) with systems in their own countries or cities. It all goes back to that adage that a prophet has no honor in his own land. Neither does a commuter carrier. Jock Ellis As one of those "foreigners" - I agree totally with what you say, only adding that MARTA is bit slow - slow to open and close doors at stations, slow into and out of curves, slow track speed - compared to systems elsewhere. Also, lack of graduated fare system is having a bad effect on the rail system's budget these days. These things are fixable should MARTA ever care to do anything about it. Concerning commuter rail, there is a commitment to build a whole network of commuter rail lines, and they whole thing has been studied to death for the past 15 years or so, all showing that the commuter rail network is better than all other alternatives. Still, each year, when the legislature has an opportunity to start funding the actual work/procurement, nothing comes of it. Even when there is an oppurtunity to buy used gallery cars from Chicago for $1 each, they can't get any money from the state! I suspect there is worry from the rural half of the state that the commuter rail operating subsidies would steal money from their subsidized state highway network.
QUOTE: Originally posted by jockellis The Georgia DOT is committed to doing the Lovejoy to Atlanta commuter line. Personally, I feel they are doing it with the expectation that if if fails they can say, "We told you so!" but I also feel they are out of tough with reality. A bunch of Atlantan are foreigners, that is they come from places up north and abroad which have had commuter rail for ages. They would use it and will do so far more than the 1,800 expected riders, especially if they make it user friendly with coffee and breakfasts available so that people will be able to completely change their mornings. It also has to go out far enough so that people don't feel that their journey is almost over by the time they get to the rail station as it is on the northside where the MARTA north line extends only a mile or so outside the perimeter highway, I-285, and does not really invite commuters from more northerly counties unless they cannot get paid parking spaces at their companies. It seems as if the GDOT only listens to sarcastic writers of Vents in the Atlanta Journal Constitution which lambast MARTA. But the foreigners I talked with when I rode it daily told me that it was on a par (2001) with systems in their own countries or cities. It all goes back to that adage that a prophet has no honor in his own land. Neither does a commuter carrier. Jock Ellis
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
QUOTE: Originally posted by anb740 QUOTE: Originally posted by Kinnamon ANB740, Do you live between Ideal and Rupert? [;)] Lee Hey, you know your mileposts! (ANB740.8; Ideal Defect Detector to be exact) I'll be living down there soon enough in preparation for upcoming conductor training/work with the wonderful CSX railroad out of Manchester. BTW, what's the speed limit on the HOG east of Cordele? I know the speed on the west end was up to 40mph at one point?
QUOTE: Originally posted by Kinnamon ANB740, Do you live between Ideal and Rupert? [;)] Lee
QUOTE: Originally posted by anb740 QUOTE: Originally posted by Kinnamon ANB740, Do you live between Ideal and Rupert? [;)] Lee I'll be living down there soon enough in preparation for upcoming conductor training/work with the wonderful CSX railroad out of Manchester.
Joe H. (Milepost S256.0; NS Griffin District)
Pictures: http://anb740.rrpicturearchives.net
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/anb740
Originally posted by JOdom Thanks to everyone for the info. It's good to see familiar place names! [/quoteIt would also be great to get some of those sweet onions around Febuary. I like you enjoy seeing the familular names of places in a remembered past. Reply Edit jockellis Member sinceMay 2002 From: Just outside Atlanta 422 posts Posted by jockellis on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 11:37 AM The Georgia DOT is committed to doing the Lovejoy to Atlanta commuter line. Personally, I feel they are doing it with the expectation that if if fails they can say, "We told you so!" but I also feel they are out of tough with reality. A bunch of Atlantan are foreigners, that is they come from places up north and abroad which have had commuter rail for ages. They would use it and will do so far more than the 1,800 expected riders, especially if they make it user friendly with coffee and breakfasts available so that people will be able to completely change their mornings. It also has to go out far enough so that people don't feel that their journey is almost over by the time they get to the rail station as it is on the northside where the MARTA north line extends only a mile or so outside the perimeter highway, I-285, and does not really invite commuters from more northerly counties unless they cannot get paid parking spaces at their companies. It seems as if the GDOT only listens to sarcastic writers of Vents in the Atlanta Journal Constitution which lambast MARTA. But the foreigners I talked with when I rode it daily told me that it was on a par (2001) with systems in their own countries or cities. It all goes back to that adage that a prophet has no honor in his own land. Neither does a commuter carrier. Jock Ellis Jock Ellis Cumming, GA US of A Georgia Association of Railroad Passengers Reply SALfan Member sinceApril 2002 From: Northern Florida 1,429 posts Posted by SALfan on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 10:40 AM Thanks to everyone for the info. It's good to see familiar place names! Reply AntonioFP45 Member sinceDecember 2003 From: Good ol' USA 9,642 posts Posted by AntonioFP45 on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 10:16 AM QUOTE: Originally posted by Kinnamon The Vidalia depot was torn down to make room for the DOT's widening of the adjacent highway. It will be made one-way and will be parallel to the other one-way making up U.S. HWY 280 through downtown Vidalia. The community wanted this rather than a bypass. This has made it a bit more difficult for me to arrange trips to Vidalia, as we lost our water source at the old depot. The good news is that Vidalia is very supportive of the SAM SHORTLINE and is working out a new arrangement for us. Also, I'd like to praise Mr. Cecil Bowden, GM at the GC, and his crews. They are a good bunch of people to work with. I have very much enjoyed working with them in getting together our trips on that end of the line. Lee Kinnamon, Chairman Southwest Georgia Railroad Excursion Authority Chief Conductor SAM SHORTLINE Excursion Train http://www.samshortline.com This is good news. I went to your website and was so impressed! I've been visiting Vidalia for years and had wondered if passenger specials ever came through, especially since the track looks a "tad rough'. I'll make sure to keep monitoring your website. A train trip would be great through this part of Georgia. Thanks! "I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!" Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 8:10 AM The Vidalia depot was torn down to make room for the DOT's widening of the adjacent highway. It will be made one-way and will be parallel to the other one-way making up U.S. HWY 280 through downtown Vidalia. The community wanted this rather than a bypass. This has made it a bit more difficult for me to arrange trips to Vidalia, as we lost our water source at the old depot. The good news is that Vidalia is very supportive of the SAM SHORTLINE and is working out a new arrangement for us. Also, I'd like to praise Mr. Cecil Bowden, GM at the GC, and his crews. They are a good bunch of people to work with. I have very much enjoyed working with them in getting together our trips on that end of the line. Lee Lee Kinnamon, Chairman Southwest Georgia Railroad Excursion Authority Chief Conductor SAM SHORTLINE Excursion Train http://www.samshortline.com Reply Edit oltmannd Member sinceJanuary 2001 From: Atlanta 11,971 posts Posted by oltmannd on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 7:55 AM QUOTE: Originally posted by piouslion Hi folks, I hate to break up the discussion of wide opinion and deep thought on topics economic, political, historical and quadratical. But could someone tell me what has happened or is planned to happen to the old CofG mainline between Atlanta and Macon. I've been gone to long to keep up Just to add a bit more, NS has made a pitch to do the upgrade work and be the operator of the Lovejoy commuter rail line. So far, Gov Bubba, err, Purdue and the the highway lobby, err, state house, haven't scraped up any money to acutally DO anything. Don't hold your breath. -Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/) Reply AntonioFP45 Member sinceDecember 2003 From: Good ol' USA 9,642 posts Posted by AntonioFP45 on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 7:37 AM QUOTE: Originally posted by Kinnamon P.S. Kevin, you must be thinking of the Georgia Central's U-Boats. The GC operates over the old MD&S (Macon, Dublin & Savannah) from Macon to Vidalia and then over the old SAL mainline from Vidalia into Savannah. Lee Yep! I go to Vidalia, Georgia every year to visit family friends. What's neat is the afternoon Georgia Central freight train that runs almost daily. It will have 5 U-Boats at the head! Some of them are High-Nosed units, which means they're either ex-Southern or ex-Norfolk & Western as both these roads favored High Noses. The shop facility is at the edge of Lyons, GA. I drove up to it on a Sunday afternoon, but stayed on the public roadway. There must have been about 40 locomotives parked there, most of them old GEs! I loved it. [:D] On another note, I was very shocked to see that the old Station/Office in the middle of Vidalia is GONE! [:0] It was beaufiful and charming. I couldn't believe that it was simply "torn down". I wonder if it perhaps had caught fire. Georgia's been pretty good about preserving historical buildings. Anyone have any info? "I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!" Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 6:20 AM P.S. Kevin, you must be thinking of the Georgia Central's U-Boats. The GC operates over the old MD&S (Macon, Dublin & Savannah) from Macon to Vidalia and then over the old SAL mainline from Vidalia into Savannah. Lee Reply Edit Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 16, 2004 6:16 AM The former Central of Georgia mainline between Atlanta and Macon is still owned and used by Norfolk Southern. NS has been doing a good bit of work on the line in the last year. This line is scheduled to see commuter passenger service begin as far south as Lovejoy by Sept. 2006. The track upgrade will allow 60MPH service over a 26 mile segment, according to the GA DOT pdf file linked below. Lee http://www.dot.state.ga.us/dot/plan-prog/intermodal/Rail/Documents/PDF/Lovejoy%20Commuter%20Rail%20fact%20sheet.pdf Reply Edit oskar Member sinceAugust 2003 1,092 posts Posted by oskar on Monday, November 15, 2004 6:48 PM I belive it going to stay CG I am glad they saved some old U-Boats kevin Reply Anonymous Member sinceApril 2003 305,205 posts The Central of GA Mainline between Atlanta and Macon Posted by Anonymous on Monday, November 15, 2004 5:39 PM Hi folks, I hate to break up the discussion of wide opinion and deep thought on topics economic, political, historical and quadratical. But could someone tell me what has happened or is planned to happen to the old CofG mainline between Atlanta and Macon. I've been gone to long to keep up Reply Edit Join our Community! Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account. Login » Register » Search the Community Newsletter Sign-Up By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy More great sites from Kalmbach Media Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright Policy
Jock Ellis Cumming, GA US of A Georgia Association of Railroad Passengers
QUOTE: Originally posted by Kinnamon The Vidalia depot was torn down to make room for the DOT's widening of the adjacent highway. It will be made one-way and will be parallel to the other one-way making up U.S. HWY 280 through downtown Vidalia. The community wanted this rather than a bypass. This has made it a bit more difficult for me to arrange trips to Vidalia, as we lost our water source at the old depot. The good news is that Vidalia is very supportive of the SAM SHORTLINE and is working out a new arrangement for us. Also, I'd like to praise Mr. Cecil Bowden, GM at the GC, and his crews. They are a good bunch of people to work with. I have very much enjoyed working with them in getting together our trips on that end of the line. Lee Kinnamon, Chairman Southwest Georgia Railroad Excursion Authority Chief Conductor SAM SHORTLINE Excursion Train http://www.samshortline.com
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
QUOTE: Originally posted by piouslion Hi folks, I hate to break up the discussion of wide opinion and deep thought on topics economic, political, historical and quadratical. But could someone tell me what has happened or is planned to happen to the old CofG mainline between Atlanta and Macon. I've been gone to long to keep up
QUOTE: Originally posted by Kinnamon P.S. Kevin, you must be thinking of the Georgia Central's U-Boats. The GC operates over the old MD&S (Macon, Dublin & Savannah) from Macon to Vidalia and then over the old SAL mainline from Vidalia into Savannah. Lee
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.