$1.2 billion downtown terminal on track for 2017 opening (Atlanta, Boston: 2015, subsidized)

[JoeTarheel]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Well, back in the day not being the nation's capitol didn't keep us from building a subway system, the country's busiest airport, a gigantic network of interstate highways, Buford Dam, the biggest skyline outside of NYC and Chicago, the largest aquarium, pro sports, CNN, the Olympics and a slew of other things.

We were known as a serious can-do place.

And we aren't known for it now? I think outside of Atlanta we are still...

I would say that much of the construction you listed took place before the economy tanked. Give it a chance to come back and I think (hope) we'll see the old Atlanta emerge.

[alco89]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Well, back in the day not being the nation's capitol didn't keep us from building a subway system, the country's busiest airport, a gigantic network of interstate highways, Buford Dam, the biggest skyline outside of NYC and Chicago, the largest aquarium, pro sports, CNN, the Olympics and a slew of other things.

We were known as a serious can-do place.

I'm simply talking about their ability to get billions of federal money for their transit systems.

It's a different day in age now when it comes to doing ambitious things because of the ridiculous costs. Half the stuff you mentioned doesn't even fall under that category. A dam?

[MattCW]

While I like the idea of a centralized transit hub, I'm afraid this won't work at all for current Amtrak service without some changes. The way the Crescent's route is setup, to access a central hub station would require at least one backing move. Either the Crescent can pull in forward, then back out to Howell Junction (roughly due west of the Brookwood spilt, Atlanta's railroads follow the interstates pretty closely including having a downtown connector) before pulling forward to head for Austell. Or, the Crescent can swing around Howell Junction and back down into the hub. Or the Crescent can swing around the triangle trackage (called a wye) that forms part of the gulch, and within which the MMPT platforms would be built. Any of these would add a lot of time to the Crescent's schedule.

This problem could be fixed by one of several solutions. One solution attractive to Atlanta, would be to run the Crescent through to the airport, then on CSX to LaGrange, Montgomery, and Mobile. This would put our airport on the national rail network, and provide a more direct link from Atlanta to the Gulf coast. Based on the sketches I've seen of the platforms, there would still be a backing move, but it'd only be about 3 train lengths or so (~3000ft). However, Birmingham, Jackson, and Hattiesburg would lose Amtrak service (and several other cities).

The better solution, is to keep the Crescent on the current route, but take back the beltline for passenger rail (Amtrak and the beltline's planned light rail could not legally exist without massive grade separation of both). This would also provide a more direct route to Charlotte and the Northeast and would keep trains off the railroads' "downtown connector" which is very busy with freight traffic as-is, so this would also help keep the freight railroads happier.

[StAubin]

The beltline belongs to the beltline. Construction has already started on the Decatur belt.

The best solution is to reconfigure the crescents trainset. Currently there are 2 locomotives at the front of the train south of dc. Change this to one on each end making backing up easy.

[mattee01]

Originally Posted by MattCW

While I like the idea of a centralized transit hub, I'm afraid this won't work at all for current Amtrak service without some changes. The way the Crescent's route is setup, to access a central hub station would require at least one backing move. Either the Crescent can pull in forward, then back out to Howell Junction (roughly due west of the Brookwood spilt, Atlanta's railroads follow the interstates pretty closely including having a downtown connector) before pulling forward to head for Austell. Or, the Crescent can swing around Howell Junction and back down into the hub. Or the Crescent can swing around the triangle trackage (called a wye) that forms part of the gulch, and within which the MMPT platforms would be built. Any of these would add a lot of time to the Crescent's schedule.

This problem could be fixed by one of several solutions. One solution attractive to Atlanta, would be to run the Crescent through to the airport, then on CSX to LaGrange, Montgomery, and Mobile. This would put our airport on the national rail network, and provide a more direct link from Atlanta to the Gulf coast. Based on the sketches I've seen of the platforms, there would still be a backing move, but it'd only be about 3 train lengths or so (~3000ft). However, Birmingham, Jackson, and Hattiesburg would lose Amtrak service (and several other cities).

The better solution, is to keep the Crescent on the current route, but take back the beltline for passenger rail (Amtrak and the beltline's planned light rail could not legally exist without massive grade separation of both). This would also provide a more direct route to Charlotte and the Northeast and would keep trains off the railroads' "downtown connector" which is very busy with freight traffic as-is, so this would also help keep the freight railroads happier.

Well, I believe Amtrak's plan was to abandon the current station that was never meant to really be a 'main station' and possibly go underground with the rail into the gulch station, placing it alongside the Marta station underground.

This would seem much more appealing, as there is no way you're going to cut out all of those cities from Amtrak service, and the beltline light rail doesn't need any interference.

[Atlwarrior]

It about time, that Greyhound Station Downtown is an embarrasment for the City of Atlanta, hopefully it will be the first to move there.

[MattCW]

Originally Posted by StAubin

*snip*

The best solution is to reconfigure the crescents trainset. Currently there are 2 locomotives at the front of the train south of dc. Change this to one on each end making backing up easy.

Amtrak won't do that for a variety of reasons. First, all the seats face forward, and all the passengers would want forward facing seats once reaching Atlanta, and turning around several hundred seats wouldn't go over well with the crew. Second, if a locomotive dies en-route, the train would be very delayed either finding a freight locomotive to face the right way, or turning and running the other unit the right way around. Third, I don't believe Amtrak's coaches used on the Crescent are "trainlined" to allow push-pull operation like you're describing and Amtrak is not going to modify 32 coaches that would have to remain captive to the Crescent (the Crescent needs 8 trainsets, and runs with 4 coaches each). Fourth, That would make adding the locomotives at DC much more operationally challenging in an already heavily congested station.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by arjay57

It looks like we better get moving on this thing if we want to stay in the game. Amtrak is sizing up Philadelphia for $3 billion to build two new stations and a 10 to 12 mile tunnel linking the two.

New rail stations, tunnel to airport eyed for Philadelphia - Philly.com

And they've just announced a $7 billion upgrade for Union Station in Washington, DC.

Amtrak to propose $7 billion overhaul at Union Station - The Washington Post

There are considerable questions about where the money is going to come from.

Amtrak should pay for it out of their profits...oh...wait.

Amtrak's losses hard to chew on - Times Union

[carrot]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

There are considerable questions about where the money is going to come from.

Amtrak should pay for it out of their profits...oh...wait.

Amtrak's losses hard to chew on - Times Union

Under that thought…all new highway improvements should be paid for with profits from our highways!...oh…wait.

Rail should be privatized anway…

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

There are considerable questions about where the money is going to come from.

They'll get it done if they want to. It's all about having the can-do attitude.