Birmingham to Atlanta High Speed Rail Study announced (Savannah, Boston: vacation home, construction)

[netdragon]

Is this signs of change?

Birmingham to Atlanta high-speed rail study announced | The Terminal - Birmingham AL's hub

"Ball stated during prepared remarks that the study would cost $500,000 with half of the funds available due to a portion of the federal stimulus bull. It will be a partnership between the RPCGB, the Georgia Department of Transportation and Norfolk Southern. The study is scheduled to begin on July 1 and take one year to complete."

[atlantagreg30127]

My guess would be a portion of the funds would find their way into vacation homes for those pushing for the study.

A good steady and daily higher speed service that serves the East Coast from Miami to Boston with a slightly off-course stop in Atlanta along the way would be a good thing, and yes, we do need to bring back rail of some sort via of the mid-century type with more modern engines to many other areas that rail has long since abandoned. But I don't see the purpose in a very costly higher speed service from Birmingham to Atlanta. The older study that never went anywhere about Atlanta to Chattanooga had a purpose at least - to connect the two airports. What's in Birmingham that would benefit high speed to Atlanta - horse racing? I don't see it.

[netdragon]

A newer article: EDDIE LARD: Catching the high-speed rail wave | al.com

atlantagreg30127: Birmingham is on the national high speed rail map as a small hub between Atlanta and the coastal areas and eventually Houston, Texas.

[SEAandATL]

HSR from ATL via Birmingham to the Gulf Coast would be cool and all, but I think that ATL to Charlotte and ATL to Savannah should be priority. But if they could somehow build all of them at the same time than that would be cool, as well as ATL via Chattanooga connecting to the Chicago Hub Network.

[DarkWolf]

Originally Posted by netdragon

A newer article: EDDIE LARD: Catching the high-speed rail wave | al.com

atlantagreg30127: Birmingham is on the national high speed rail map as a small hub between Atlanta and the coastal areas and eventually Houston, Texas.

Unfortnatly that map is old and the Midwest Hub and Super Northeastern Network's will now get most of the $$$ over the rest of the Country in Federal $$$. Raise it via a gas tax or something else if you hope to get a line. + Theres no base system in Birmingham , so it would be a huge waste. Thats one of the Problems with the Southeast , only Atlanta and Charlotte have solid base systems with future plans.

[FlyiMetro]

I like the Idea of High Speed Rail.....Atlanta is in a great location. I dont know much about Birmingham, other than that where Jordon played baseball. High Speed to Houston or Miami would be more attractive to me, but I guess they have to start some where.

[Adric]

I don't put much stock into these studies anymore. I think the chamber of commerce of any given city knows it's an inexpensive way to make the city look like it's more progressive than it actually is. Show me a solid plan with an actual rail line drawn on the map, some potential sources of funding for construction after the study, collaboration between city governments, SOMETHING, then I'll take it seriously. If all they do is say they're doing a (vague) study then I look at it as a PR move.

[netdragon]

Originally Posted by Nexis4Jersey

Unfortnatly that map is old and the Midwest Hub and Super Northeastern Network's will now get most of the $$$ over the rest of the Country

You're right - the midwest hub will get a lot of money since that's part of the contentious but always possible Canada to Mexico commerce super-highway (NAFTA superhighway) for the North American union some parts of the governments are working on behind the scene, especially those states that would economically benefit the most.

[leydenhouse]

Georgia, S.C., N.C. to receive $4.1 million for intercity rail planning

This grant award is multi-state funding for GA, SC and NC with GA as the lead state for the Charlotte-Atlanta Corridor Plan.

Georgia, S.C., N.C. to receive $4.1 million for intercity rail planning | Atlanta News & Opinion Blog | Fresh Loaf | Creative Loafing Atlanta

[testa50]

Originally Posted by netdragon

You're right - the midwest hub will get a lot of money since that's part of the contentious but always possible Canada to Mexico commerce super-highway (NAFTA superhighway) for the North American union some parts of the governments are working on behind the scene, especially those states that would economically benefit the most.

I work in teh trains and I can tell you firsthand this NAFTA superhighway theory is ridiculous nonsense as commonly hashed on the internet. Kansas City Southern bought a Mexican railroad and is trying to use it to link a Mexican port (Lazaro Cardenas) to Texas. That's all. The major flaw is that the great circle route from Asia to Mexico is longer than the great circle from Asia to the US West Coast. And nobody has any money to do anything--KCS remains a tiny railroad in relation to the others.

So no, this isn't going to happen, and this isn't a factor whatsoever.