Atlanta/Marietta rail line dusted off (Smyrna, Kennesaw: income, lease, jobs)

[willrusso]

edit: double post

[willrusso]

Originally Posted by MMANN

Well if they dont expand it to the suburbs, it will remain as it is today: useless for the majority of Atlantans. If people actually want to get commuters to ride marta, it needs to go to where people live: the suburbs.

For Marta to be such a "useless" system that doesn't go anywhere, it sure attracts a lot of riders. 451,064 people a day to be exact.

Originally posted by Frankie117 I stand by the fact that MARTA is light rail. MARTA is not a subway, although subways, EL, etc. all use the same style cars (once again going back to standard design and standard gauge). Light rail is a term used to describe ANY rail that does not handle freight.

If Marta is not a subway, then what is it? Light rail does NOT go underground.

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority or MARTA (pronounced /ˈmɑrtə/) is the principal rapid-transit system in the Atlanta metropolitan area and the ninth-largest in the United States. Formed in 1971, MARTA operates a network of bus routes linked to a heavy rail rapid transit system consisting of 48 miles (77 km) of track with 38 train stations. MARTA operates primarily in Fulton and DeKalb counties..

Direct Link to above quote Here:Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Light Rail: Unknown City. This is a perfect example of light rail. Overhead power supply and... slow.




Heavy Rail: Peachtree Center Marta Station

[PeteyNice]

Originally Posted by J2rescue

You bring up a good point.

Its often said that Marta "doesn't go anywhere" when its probably more accurate to say theres nowhere esle for Marta to go, meaning that it covers almost every place that would warrant heavy rail (and many that don't) in this low density city.

I don't think that is true at all. Running the North Line up to Roswell or Alpharetta would be a good start. Especially since that area of Fulton county is underserved by MARTA. I also think spurs to Stone Mountain, Emory and Turner Field would be excellent. I don't know how feasible that is but if MARTA rail was to expand within its current service area those would be useful. I can't see MARTA style trains running up to Marietta but close in areas (Mableton, Norcross, Tucker, etc) could handle it. Of course that would mean suburban counties vote to fund MARTA so this will never happen.

[KevK]

I don't see it as happening. Not as long as the Republicans are running things here. They hate anything that could be called "public transportation".

[KevK]

Originally Posted by willrusso

For Marta to be such a "useless" system that doesn't go anywhere, it sure attracts a lot of riders. 451,064 people a day to be exact.



If Marta is not a subway, then what is it? Light rail does NOT go underground.



Direct Link to above quote Here:Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Light Rail: Unknown City. This is a perfect example of light rail. Overhead power supply and... slow.




Heavy Rail: Peachtree Center Marta Station

Light rail is not necessarily "slow". Many of those trains are capable of speeds of 50 or more MPH.

[Frankie117]

Originally Posted by willrusso

If Marta is not a subway, then what is it? Light rail does NOT go underground.

Subway is a completely (majority?) underground system, hence the prefix sub-. Light rail can go underground, it is not limited to the surface. Light rail can also have third rail power instead of overhead.

MARTA might have subway style cars, but that doesn't mean it is one. The system as a whole is not a subway.

Originally Posted by willrusso

Light Rail: Unknown City. This is a perfect example of light rail. Overhead power supply and... slow.

Light rail doesn't have to be slow, if it was, then what would the purpose of it be? (can't compete if its slower than a car). I believe you are thinking about a 'tram'. I think our difference is I use 'Light Rail' as a more general term (non-freight rail), while you seem to use it as a more specific definition.








Removed photos from quotes...no sense in double posting them.

[RainyRainyDay]

Originally Posted by Frankie117

I think our difference is I use 'Light Rail' as a more general term (non-freight rail), while you seem to use it as a more specific definition.

According to Wikipedia, Light Rail does have a more specific definition. Light rail - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It probably makes sense to use the more specific meaning, since it appears well-established.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by KevK

I don't see it as happening. Not as long as the Republicans are running things here. They hate anything that could be called "public transportation".

Not sure that's correct. I for one would vote for it, but I'd like to see light rail or electric trolley buses go from Marietta to places like Roswell and Alpharetta, not always to or through downtown.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by wxjay

I am not a train expert, but I do not think light rail and commuter rail can share the same tracks. The map you point to has two clearly distinct paths that might share a station, but not the same tracks. The proposal given in this thread would be for commuter rail only, and so my point was that the smaller, local stops would not work. I do agree that light rail would be needed instead.

Yep you're right, they can't share the same rail...but they can share the same right-of-way (with the necessary precautions of course).

[aries4118]

MARTA is heavy rail. Period.

Light rail can be on surface streets, but can also function in its own right-of-way. Kind of like a heavy rail, but slower.


MARTA could go out to the suburbs. BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) is a heavy rail system that is very similar to MARTA (they were considered sister systems...a lot has changed though) and it goes well into the Bay Area suburbs...farther than one might think (with more plans for expansion). BART is known for being a somewhat unique heavy rail system, because it functions as an urban, heavy rail subway system, but also somewhat like commuter rail as it goes further out (MARTA's future perhaps? ...Or wishful thinking?)

BART - Bay Area Rapid Transit District