Story in Progressive Railroading this morning
I do not know if this is even an approximation to what some here consider true HSR; the corridor is not very long in route-miles and traverses some fairly heroic territory. But an 88-minute travel time between Atlanta and Chattanooga is nothing to sneeze at.
Also from the story:
The report provides information on train technology, maximum operating speeds and station location options. Decisions on those issues — as well as the exact alignment within the preferred corridor — would be part of a Tier II study under the federal National Environmental Policy Act if additional funding is secured, FRA officials said."
Don, the news item mentions a proposed Southern Crescent station near the airport. Do you have any idea as to what the routing would be?
Thanks,
Johnny
http://www.dot.ga.gov/InvestSmart/Rail/Documents/Atl-Chatt/Atlanta-ChattanoogaHSGT-DEISExecutiveSummary.pdf
Highest ridership route is 102 minutes. 13,000 riders a day in 2040.
Chattanooga? Less than 1/2 million in metro area. A smallish "dot" to connect Atlanta to...
I-85 corridor to the NE is much richer "fishing grounds".
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
oltmanndhttp://www.dot.ga.gov/InvestSmart/Rail/Documents/Atl-Chatt/Atlanta-ChattanoogaHSGT-DEISExecutiveSummary.pdf Highest ridership route is 102 minutes. 13,000 riders a day in 2040. Chattanooga? Less than 1/2 million in metro area. A smallish "dot" to connect Atlanta to...
With the right transportation, Chattanooga could be an Atlanta suburb.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
BaltACD oltmannd http://www.dot.ga.gov/InvestSmart/Rail/Documents/Atl-Chatt/Atlanta-ChattanoogaHSGT-DEISExecutiveSummary.pdf Highest ridership route is 102 minutes. 13,000 riders a day in 2040. Chattanooga? Less than 1/2 million in metro area. A smallish "dot" to connect Atlanta to... With the right transportation, Chattanooga could be an Atlanta suburb.
oltmannd http://www.dot.ga.gov/InvestSmart/Rail/Documents/Atl-Chatt/Atlanta-ChattanoogaHSGT-DEISExecutiveSummary.pdf Highest ridership route is 102 minutes. 13,000 riders a day in 2040. Chattanooga? Less than 1/2 million in metro area. A smallish "dot" to connect Atlanta to...
So could Clemson/Anderson/Greenville/Spartansburg - and the could be a Charlotte "suburb" as well.
I'd bet the Charlotte - Atlanta corridor has over 10 million people in it. 5.5 for Atlanta, 2.5 for Charlotte, 2+ for Anderson - Spartansburg.
Oltmannd has pointed us in the right direction. The problem is IMHO the traffic on I-75. An observation of license plates between Chattanooga <> Cartersville shows most are states north of Tennessee. South of Cartersville very heavy local Georgia traffic.
What Tennessee license plates that are observed most are not Hamilton county ( Chattanooga ). So cannot see the ability of a HSR route CHA <> ATL being viable. The CHA - ATL route is not covering the high traffic potential of mid-west above the Ohio river. Now if there was some kind of connecting service north of CHA that would be a different subject to explore.
On the other hand the I-85 corridor has a good mix of Georgia, SC, NC , & VA cars. All which can be served by a HrSR ATL - CLT to tie in with the planned HrSR CLT - Raleigh - WASH.
blue streak 1Oltmannd has pointed us in the right direction. The problem is IMHO the traffic on I-75. An observation of license plates between Chattanooga <> Cartersville shows most are states north of Tennessee. South of Cartersville very heavy local Georgia traffic. What Tennessee license plates that are observed most are not Hamilton county ( Chattanooga ). So cannot see the ability of a HSR route CHA <> ATL being viable. The CHA - ATL route is not covering the high traffic potential of mid-west above the Ohio river. Now if there was some kind of connecting service north of CHA that would be a different subject to explore. On the other hand the I-85 corridor has a good mix of Georgia, SC, NC , & VA cars. All which can be served by a HrSR ATL - CLT to tie in with the planned HrSR CLT - Raleigh - WASH.
'Field of Dreams' - 'Build it and the will come!'
The better and more convient the transportation option the more people will use it.
I-75 between Cartersville and Atlanta has grown into a continuing parking lot, thus restricting development North of Cartersville. Build better transportation options and development will fill in between Cartersville and Chattanooga.
The real question is, where do local govenments want to develop?
Would be interesting .. nice if TN is looking at extending it to Nashville. Could also eliminate problematic regional airline service from CHA-ATL seeing that there is a station near ATL.
BaltACD blue streak 1 Oltmannd has pointed us in the right direction. The problem is IMHO the traffic on I-75. An observation of license plates between Chattanooga <> Cartersville shows most are states north of Tennessee. South of Cartersville very heavy local Georgia traffic. What Tennessee license plates that are observed most are not Hamilton county ( Chattanooga ). So cannot see the ability of a HSR route CHA <> ATL being viable. The CHA - ATL route is not covering the high traffic potential of mid-west above the Ohio river. Now if there was some kind of connecting service north of CHA that would be a different subject to explore. On the other hand the I-85 corridor has a good mix of Georgia, SC, NC , & VA cars. All which can be served by a HrSR ATL - CLT to tie in with the planned HrSR CLT - Raleigh - WASH. 'Field of Dreams' - 'Build it and the will come!' The better and more convient the transportation option the more people will use it. I-75 between Cartersville and Atlanta has grown into a continuing parking lot, thus restricting development North of Cartersville. Build better transportation options and development will fill in between Cartersville and Chattanooga. The real question is, where do local govenments want to develop?
blue streak 1 Oltmannd has pointed us in the right direction. The problem is IMHO the traffic on I-75. An observation of license plates between Chattanooga <> Cartersville shows most are states north of Tennessee. South of Cartersville very heavy local Georgia traffic. What Tennessee license plates that are observed most are not Hamilton county ( Chattanooga ). So cannot see the ability of a HSR route CHA <> ATL being viable. The CHA - ATL route is not covering the high traffic potential of mid-west above the Ohio river. Now if there was some kind of connecting service north of CHA that would be a different subject to explore. On the other hand the I-85 corridor has a good mix of Georgia, SC, NC , & VA cars. All which can be served by a HrSR ATL - CLT to tie in with the planned HrSR CLT - Raleigh - WASH.
GADOT's answer is reversable HOT lanes, nearing completion. ...for better or worse. They also recently finished reversable HOT lanes on I-75 south of Atlanta, too.
When will GADOT be willing to invest in passenger rail transport? Other than some limited expansion of MARTA, no time soon.
HSR to Chatt as land development tool? Sure. As cost effective transport? Nope.
rdamon Would be interesting .. nice if TN is looking at extending it to Nashville. Could also eliminate problematic regional airline service from CHA-ATL seeing that there is a station near ATL.
Now you're creeping up to a useful application of passenger rail. Nashville is a "big dot". But, getting TN even interested in looking at it?
oltmannd BaltACD blue streak 1 Oltmannd has pointed us in the right direction. The problem is IMHO the traffic on I-75. An observation of license plates between Chattanooga <> Cartersville shows most are states north of Tennessee. South of Cartersville very heavy local Georgia traffic. What Tennessee license plates that are observed most are not Hamilton county ( Chattanooga ). So cannot see the ability of a HSR route CHA <> ATL being viable. The CHA - ATL route is not covering the high traffic potential of mid-west above the Ohio river. Now if there was some kind of connecting service north of CHA that would be a different subject to explore. On the other hand the I-85 corridor has a good mix of Georgia, SC, NC , & VA cars. All which can be served by a HrSR ATL - CLT to tie in with the planned HrSR CLT - Raleigh - WASH. 'Field of Dreams' - 'Build it and the will come!' The better and more convient the transportation option the more people will use it. I-75 between Cartersville and Atlanta has grown into a continuing parking lot, thus restricting development North of Cartersville. Build better transportation options and development will fill in between Cartersville and Chattanooga. The real question is, where do local govenments want to develop? GADOT's answer is reversable HOT lanes, nearing completion. ...for better or worse. They also recently finished reversable HOT lanes on I-75 south of Atlanta, too. When will GADOT be willing to invest in passenger rail transport? Other than some limited expansion of MARTA, no time soon. HSR to Chatt as land development tool? Sure. As cost effective transport? Nope.
Virginia has implemented reversable TOLL HOV lanes on I-95 between Springfield and Woodbridge (and the toll is stiff). In addition to the Toll HOV lanes there are HOV lanes on the 'free' portion of I-95. Personal observations, I-95 is still a commuter parking lot Morning and Evening.
Virginia is viewing Richmond to DC as commuter territory by 2040. VRE was created about 1990 to reduce highway traffic between Fredericsburg - Manassas and DC and are operateing about 10 trains per weekday between each location and DC in each direction. Plans are in process to streach VRE to Richmond, when is the question.
The planning though process taking place today is not about 2020. It is about 2040-2050. Mortals that most people are, they can only see 2018 through fuzzy glasses and can't comprehend the planning processes necessary to have needed facilities for 2040-2050 and beyond.
BaltACD I-75 between Cartersville and Atlanta has grown into a continuing parking lot, thus restricting development North of Cartersville. Build better transportation options and development will fill in between Cartersville and Chattanooga. The real question is, where do local govenments want to develop?
Maybe GA DOT is avoiding the Cresent corridor so they don't have to deal with Amtrak.
MidlandMike Maybe GA DOT is avoiding the Cresent corridor so they don't have to deal with Amtrak.
Of course this assumes GADOT pays much attention to this stuff.
Studying HSR to Chattanooga is politically motivated. The whole study got started only because of an outfit outside of Atlanta that is monkeying around with mag-lev. The original study was for a mag-lev line. This current study is just more of the typical Georgia Legislature/DOT/consultant mutual back-scratching game. They throw money around for these studies, never planning on actually funding any construction.
Maybe they can use the California model and start construction between Calhoun and Dalton and then work on the rest over 50 years ...
rdamon Maybe they can use the California model and start construction between Calhoun and Dalton and then work on the rest over 50 years ...
When what they really need is Atlanta to Marrietta! (just like California could really use LA to Bakersfield)
oltmannd When what they really need is Atlanta to Marrietta! (just like California could really use LA to Bakersfield)
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