MARTA News (Atlanta, Clayton, White: racist, required, building)

[MattCW]

Commuter rail, yes. However, expansions of the electrification don't occur on freight-owned lines. In fact on SEPTA's West Trenton line on the west side of Trenton, NJ, CSX and SEPTA split the double-track line so that one track is exclusively CSX and could be de-powered, and the other side is exclusively SEPTA and can remain powered. Positive Train Control systems were also an issue leading to the line being split split. In cases where freight operates under the wire, it's at best a legacy installation from when the railroads themselves installed electrification (N&W, PRR, Conrail, etc.) and due to the passenger use they can't take it down. Or, the freight railroad doesn't own the line and just operates limited freight traffic. Between Washington Union Station and Boston South Station, none of the Northeast Corridor is owned by any freight railroad, yet the freights do operate freight trains over portions of this line. These systems are also always high voltage AC rather than low voltage DC which in some ways is easier to deal with. As to commuter rail in Atlanta being electrified? Yes, absolutely, I agree. But again, that's commuter rail for regional service, not light rail for local service. The only places where "light rail" operates where freight runs, are in limited places on a few systems, where the transit agency has purchased the rail line, and they must be time-separated. The freight trains aren't allowed except for limited windows of time at night when the transit service isn't operating. That freight service is limited to serving a few industries that aren't going to relocate, no mainline trains. Now yes, most of these are electrified, but I believe these systems are de-energized when the freight service operates.


The CSX line along the Clifton Corridor isn't like this. It's a mainline between Atlanta, Athens, and onward into North Carolina and eventually the east coast. A typical day sees one general freight train each way, one autorack train each way, one or two coal trains each way, one or two grain trains each way, and one local that goes both directions. Overall, this line sees 6-10 freight trains each day, CSX is not going to be willing to try and operate this segment in a few hours at night. There is no way to utilize the CSX line here for light rail other than being a relatively clear and easy to build dedicated right of way similar to the existing MARTA heavy rail lines next to and above the freight lines.

[primaltech]

Originally Posted by MattCW

CSX sharing Right of Way is one thing, but actually sharing the rails would require a lot more infrastructure. It would also completely change the train type due to the incompatibility of freight rail equipment with light rail equipment. CSX also would not want 750vDC wires above their tracks where their train crews and workers have to deal with them.

I'm aware. I was referring to DMU's. FRA-compatible metro rail, or regional rail, or whatever you want to call it.

Man, what I want for Atlanta, is this:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uh-...kloyl-aNM/view

I wish MARTA, GDOT, ATL, whatever all the various agencies could get together and just do that.

[MattCW]

I don't disagree, but what does that have to do with the Clifton Corridor? That's what we've been talking about here.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by MattCW

CSX sharing Right of Way is one thing, but actually sharing the rails would require a lot more infrastructure. It would also completely change the train type due to the incompatibility of freight rail equipment with light rail equipment. CSX also would not want 750vDC wires above their tracks where their train crews and workers have to deal with them.

Is there enough room in the CSX right of way to allow for the addition of commuter or light tracks?

And if so, is CSX willing to share the ROW for that purpose?

[SEAandATL]

Originally Posted by MattCW

I like they claim it's "three" options when in reality it's two, with the possibility of ART service to Decatur for the BRT option.

You know you can count on them choosing the cheapest solution.

[MattCW]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Is there enough room in the CSX right of way to allow for the addition of commuter or light tracks?

Yes, most of the railroads around Atlanta are single-track, but the right of way in most places is easily wide enough to add a second full track instead of just in places as exists now.

And if so, is CSX willing to share the ROW for that purpose?

For the right price, sure. That's why it galls me how badly MARTA botched the negotiations with NS over the Clayton line. Instead of proposing an entirely separate MARTA-controlled track in the RoW, they should have proposed adding an extra track that any train on the line could use just like almost every other commuter rail system in the nation!

[SEAandATL]

Originally Posted by MattCW

Yes, most of the railroads around Atlanta are single-track, but the right of way in most places is easily wide enough to add a second full track instead of just in places as exists now.


For the right price, sure. That's why it galls me how badly MARTA botched the negotiations with NS over the Clayton line. Instead of proposing an entirely separate MARTA-controlled track in the RoW, they should have proposed adding an extra track that any train on the line could use just like almost every other commuter rail system in the nation!

The board will convene next month for the Clayton County plan, and if they approve the BRT plan, it will officially overturn the commuter rail plan.

The sad thing is they are looking at Indianapolis as an example to follow.

https://www.ajc.com/neighborhoods/cl...GTD4HRXJDZWLA/

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by MattCW

Yes, most of the railroads around Atlanta are single-track, but the right of way in most places is easily wide enough to add a second full track instead of just in places as exists now.


For the right price, sure. That's why it galls me how badly MARTA botched the negotiations with NS over the Clayton line. Instead of proposing an entirely separate MARTA-controlled track in the RoW, they should have proposed adding an extra track that any train on the line could use just like almost every other commuter rail system in the nation!

Well, that is plain dumb on MARTA's part! Good grief, they've had half a century to think about this.

And why sit around and let costs balloon? They should have acted long ago.

[arjay57]

Looks like MARTA is making progress on the new transit line along Campbellton Road.

The Campbellton Road project is part of MARTA’s Atlanta expansion plan, made possible when city voters approved a new half-penny transit sales tax in 2016. Other major projects include the Summerhill bus rapid transit line, an Atlanta streetcar extension to Ponce City Market and the Clifton Corridor transit line from Lindbergh station to the Emory University area.

Full article...Feds give preliminary OK to new MARTA transit line
https://www.ajc.com/news/commuting-b...P4QONRPKPZKGE/

[SEAandATL]

MARTA unveils the new rail cars. It has more hi-tech information systems and a button to push to open the doors as necessary.

https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/mar...arrive-atlanta