Which path will the BeltLine take / abandoned line? (westside) (Atlanta: live, fences)

[bryantm3]

As I drew in the attached picture, it appears that the path for the BeltLine on the westside is not finalized, due to the problem of the CSX and Norfolk Southern rail lines that are pretty heavily used, and the yards (Tilford and Inman). The website for the BeltLine says that it could take any of the blue paths. Have there been any further decisions made about this, and if so, what are they?

Secondly, there is another abandoned line that I've outlined in yellow. Are there any plans for this? Because of this line, it seems Knight Park and English Avenue are basically barracaded off from the rest of the city by fences and abandoned railways grown up in weeds, along with fields of kudzu, and there are several unused bridges. It seems to be creating problems by just being there:




Google Maps


i have to admit, this is a pretty cool looking tunnel. but if the city won't cut off the kudzu it's blight:

Google Maps

[cqholt]

I say take Northside Drive to 17th street and connect with Arts Center Station or continue up Northside to the CSX tracks and run along to Piedmont Hospital.

[waronxmas]

Though I've never taken the time to look in to it, I believe that yellow is the old interurban line that used to go from Downtown to Marietta. If so, that would be a good option to look at as the surrounding area was built around that line.

Ashby Street Trolly Barn

[cqholt]

Ashby Street Trolly Barn

Fascinating article.

[residinghere2007]

Ver interesting article. I live near the yellow line so would like to see it go there. I haven't been to a beltline meeting in a while though so I'm not up to date on what the westside plan looks like now. I originally did hear that they were still trying to work out a deal with CSX and how that would affect the Maddox Park area so they were still working on the red line you have on the picture but haven't heard an update yet.

It would be a good idea, the yllow line you have since it will go by the GA dome and could provide another route there but I do like the blue because I feel it would benefit more people to have a train route that way for commuter puposes and I favor transportation that is for actual commuters going to work versus those just coming to watch a game on the weekend or tourists.

Also wanted to note that whoever drove the truck under that overpass is an idiot.

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by cqholt

I say take Northside Drive to 17th street and connect with Arts Center Station or continue up Northside to the CSX tracks and run along to Piedmont Hospital.

well the thing about the CSX line is what's the problem. CSX and NS don't want the beltline crossing their tracks, especially between knight park and hollywood road where the big railyard is. apparently they've been shipping some stuff that isn't for the public eye— i read a post recently where someone went to take pictures at the railyard— they were on public property on marietta street— and the police ran them off because there was some kind of weaponry that was top secret going through.

Originally Posted by waronxmas

Though I've never taken the time to look in to it, I believe that yellow is the old interurban line that used to go from Downtown to Marietta. If so, that would be a good option to look at as the surrounding area was built around that line.

Ashby Street Trolly Barn

are you saying that the line was the streetcar/trolley line? i don't know about that— it looks like an industrial railbed that used to go downtown.

Originally Posted by residinghere2007

It would be a good idea, the yllow line you have since it will go by the GA dome and could provide another route there but I do like the blue because I feel it would benefit more people to have a train route that way for commuter puposes and I favor transportation that is for actual commuters going to work versus those just coming to watch a game on the weekend or tourists.

Also wanted to note that whoever drove the truck under that overpass is an idiot.

i don't blame him, i've had a lot of stupid accidents myself. if the bridge isn't marked for low clearance it seems like an easy mistake.

as for the beltline, i agree, the route on the blue line is a better route, but it seems like there is a possibility for a line connecting to downtown there along the yellow line.

[cqholt]

CSX and NS don't want the beltline crossing their tracks, especially between knight park and hollywood road where the big railyard is

It would use Northside Dr ROW, in-street, to cross the tracks. Therefore avoiding the issue with CSX and NS about crossing the rail yards.

[waronxmas]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

are you saying that the line was the streetcar/trolley line? i don't know about that— it looks like an industrial railbed that used to go downtown.

Looks like my hunch was sort of right. It wasn't the Marietta Interuban line (that ran on the rails just to the west of Marietta Street that are still in use today). Rather it was the #22 English Avenue line and the #19 River Line as seen on this map. A matter of interesting fact, the last trolley to run in the City of Atlanta was the #19.

This page (Georgia Railway & Light) has a lot of interesting info on those and other routes.

[cqholt]

this map.

Amazing map. Too bad the streetcars routes were torn up and replaced with buses before the public takeover. If not the way we travel in Atlanta would be completely different from today.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Amazing map. Too bad the streetcars routes were torn up and replaced with buses before the public takeover. If not the way we travel in Atlanta would be completely different from today.

I will have to say, however, that a lot of people who lived with the old trolleys thought they were a mess. They clogged traffic, were hard to maintain and required an ugly nest of overhead lines. Many thought that getting rid of them was a huge step forward.

A lot of our bus routes today basically duplicate the trolley lines.

By the way, here's a photo of the old interurban line to Mayretta. Probably workers heading off to the Bell Bomber plant.