Group Wants Atlanta-Savannah Passenger Rail Line (to buy, airport, moving)

[phillipmaloney]

I concur withthe suggestion for a Megabus route to Savannah. I wish their Jacksonville route would make Sav a stop and then just go down I95 with a stop in Brunswick to give the beaches some access. I am retired and suffer from mobility issues and cant drive anymore. I would love to have some travel options.

[cqholt]

We need a better national rail system. With gas prices rapidly rising, travel will be effected. With a national rail network, Atlanta could become the hub of the southeast, as it once was, with trains departing in all direction many times a day.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

Why bother? Delta can fly you there in about an hour.

And by the time you drive (or take MARTA) to the airport, wait around for your flight, fly, deplane, etc. you could have driven there in less time.

If there was a train to Savannah I'd probably go down there three times a year. As it is, I only go there once every three or four years.

That's real money sitting on the table that nobody seems to want.

[gtcorndog]

Originally Posted by JPD

And by the time you drive (or take MARTA) to the airport, wait around for your flight, fly, deplane, etc. you could have driven there in less time.

If there was a train to Savannah I'd probably go down there three times a year. As it is, I only go there once every three or four years.

That's real money sitting on the table that nobody seems to want.

How many daily riders do you think would ride the route and how much would taxpayers have to subsidize that route? Heck, the Orlando commuter rail route expects to bring in only about 25% of their operating expenses from ticket revenue. I can't imagine that a train to Savannah would even come close to that figure given that the ridership would likely be low.

There are other solutions in place. Greyhound runs to Savannah and with just one weeks notice, I found a round trip fare for $54. While not the fastest method at 4 hours and 30 minutes, it is an existing economical alternative to flying.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by gtcorndog

How many daily riders do you think would ride the route and how much would taxpayers have to subsidize that route? Heck, the Orlando commuter rail route expects to bring in only about 25% of their operating expenses from ticket revenue. I can't imagine that a train to Savannah would even come close to that figure given that the ridership would likely be low.

There are other solutions in place. Greyhound runs to Savannah and with just one weeks notice, I found a round trip fare for $54. While not the fastest method at 4 hours and 30 minutes, it is an existing economical alternative to flying.

I don't know, nor do I care. We also subsidize highways and roadways all over the state and country. The cvast majority of which I will never, ever use. It's a fact I don't let bother me. Eventually cars and busses are going to be a horrible option. I'd rather prepare now than wake up in 30 years regretting that we all stood around scratching our asses when we could have been preparing for the furutre we ALL knew was coming.

[gtcorndog]

Originally Posted by JPD

I don't know, nor do I care. We also subsidize highways and roadways all over the state and country. The cvast majority of which I will never, ever use. It's a fact I don't let bother me. Eventually cars and busses are going to be a horrible option. I'd rather prepare now than wake up in 30 years regretting that we all stood around scratching our asses when we could have been preparing for the furutre we ALL knew was coming.

Good series of articles here which discuss the economics of high speed rail. While I haven't heard you advocate this as a high speed line, the economics on even a conventional train route are similar.

Running the Numbers on High-Speed Trains - NYTimes.com

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by JPD

And by the time you drive (or take MARTA) to the airport, wait around for your flight, fly, deplane, etc. you could have driven there in less time.

Well, you'll have to drive or take MARTA to the train station. Wait for the train and board, ride the train possibly at an effective slower speed than a car, get off the train and have to find additional transport. Plus you'll have to worry about the train's departure times and they'll probably be few running. And the train's cost might make driving or even flying more attractive.

If there was a train to Savannah I'd probably go down there three times a year. As it is, I only go there once every three or four years.

That's real money sitting on the table that nobody seems to want.

Apparently Amtrak, CSX, and Norfolk Southern don't see it. Even Delta, Southwest, and Air Tran aren't making the most of this lucrative market

[GRS86]

Looking at the ATL - SAV route from an aviation POV, when considering the fact that one can drive from Atlanta to Savannah in 3.5 hours, flying really isn't feasible when considering the time and effort of going through security, the actual flight time, plus the fact that once you arrive in Savannah, you still have to arrange for ground transportation. When figuring all of that in, it's cheaper to hop in the vehicle for the 3.5 hour drive and call it a day.

From a rail POV, the only way that it would have a real opportunity to be successful, would be for it to be a high speed rail, on a dedicated track, capable of making the entire trip in a hour and forty five minutes, to two hour time span. Just merely putting a passenger train over existing freight lines isn't going to work. It would end up being a four to five hour trip, and again, one would be better off driving.

[Newsboy]

Next time any of you are in Savannah, be sure and tour the historic Central of Georgia Roundhouse Railway Museum and the Ships of the Sea Museum (both on MLK BLVD) to learn all about the history of passenger train service and CRUISE SHIP service that used to operate out of Savannah. IT WILL MAKE YOU CRY TO SEE WHAT THIS STATE USED TO HAVE!!!

The Nancy Hanks ran daily passenger service between Atlanta and Savannah until 1971 -- in my lifetime! And the Savannah Steamship Company ran luxury passenger cruises up and down the east coast from the late 1800s until WWII broke out. Fascinating history, but very sad that we lost it.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

Next time any of you are in Savannah, be sure and tour the historic Central of Georgia Roundhouse Railway Museum and the Ships of the Sea Museum (both on MLK BLVD) to learn all about the history of passenger train service and CRUISE SHIP service that used to operate out of Savannah. IT WILL MAKE YOU CRY TO SEE WHAT THIS STATE USED TO HAVE!!!

The Nancy Hanks ran daily passenger service between Atlanta and Savannah until 1971 -- in my lifetime! And the Savannah Steamship Company ran luxury passenger cruises up and down the east coast from the late 1800s until WWII broke out. Fascinating history, but very sad that we lost it.

This just shows that this state is moving backwards. Many here are content with that. They'd rather make life difficult for all of us well into the future rather than paying for needed infrastructure.