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What's wrong with that? It means our economy is doing well. Would you rather live in a place with a good economy or a bad one? Shouldn't be a hard choice.
What's wrong with that? It means our economy is doing well. Would you rather live in a place with a good economy or a bad one? Shouldn't be a hard choice.
I'm not worried about money. Then again, I am a young person so I don't have to worry about it right now.
"Money can't buy life"-Bob Marley(yes, he was a stoner but you get the picture)
Well...this whole "cultural dilution" thing does not exist. I have reviewed census maps, as well as some IRS data...and for the most part, South Carolina's cities have grown from migrants from WITHIN our own state. Now yes, there is a 40% out of state block, but that isn't majority. Transplants assimilate (usually) into our culture, not take away from it.
Of course, these maps don't do North Carolina much justice. But commuter rail has 0 influence on that .
Well...this whole "cultural dilution" thing does not exist. I have reviewed census maps, as well as some IRS data...and for the most part, South Carolina's cities have grown from migrants from WITHIN our own state. Now yes, there is a 40% out of state block, but that isn't majority. Transplants assimilate (usually) into our culture, not take away from it.
Of course, these maps don't do North Carolina much justice. But commuter rail has 0 influence on that .
Shall I point you to say, Atlanta or Florida?
I don't think transplants always assimilate into our culture being that they have half of Greenville's Southerners saying "you guys", which sounds like fingernails on a chalkboard to me. Not the phrase itself, but the fact that Southerners have picked it up.
Back in the days of Bush II.. there was alot of talk about Amtrak being disbanned and privatized with the exception of the cash cow NE Corridor between DC and Boston. One of the potential benefits could be more of a "regionalized" system that could be tailored to the needs of those regions.
Example if SC, NC and Georgia were considered to be in the same region..train service segments could be Savannah, Columbia, Charlotte, Raleigh;and Charleston, Columbia, Atlanta; and Atlanta Greenville, Charlotte; and Greenville Charleston Columbia ....just to name a few, but others could be created with Macon, Augusta, and other relavent regional cities while serving the towns in between...along existing tracks. Amtrak service would only remain in the region's major cities and small towns would be served by "regional" service. Amtrak train travel times could greatly increase though travelers from the small towns would have to transfer at one of the major regional cities in order to go beyond the region.
In Columbia's case.. the long haul Silver Star which comes through Columbia at 2am both going and coming because it is obviously serving the major cities along the route.. NYC, DC and Miami would continue however.. travel time should improve and the arrival/departure time may be changed to better hours because the train would only stop when traveling through this region in Savannah, Columbia, and Raleigh. Small towns like Demark,SC; Camden, SC; Hamlet,NC etc along this route would either have to take a "regional" train to one of these regions major cities listed and transfer OR travel directly to one of these cities and to board the train.
The purpose of the "regional" system would be to provide customized service to fit those major cities and small towns in the region...while the traditional Amtrak service would be freed up to service only the major cities in the region and along the east coast relying on the regional service to funnel people from the regions small towns once served by Amtrak to the regions major cities for transfer. It also opens up the opportunity for commuter rail segments to be created between some of the regions major cities and towns.
Granted this scenario depends on cooperation of the freight carriers, improved infrastructure, funding, politics, and must be well coordinated in terms of timetables.. but it could certainly be an improvement over what we have now. Another challenge that could also improve Amtrak's performance would be for the other states in the NYC to Miami corridor to form their own "regional" systems and remove their smaller communities from Amtrak service in similiar manner. For VA to partner with MD to form their own "regional" rail service would not be outside of the realm of possibility since both states currently have commuter rail service into DC operated by their respective states. These services could be enhanced and have selected trains along the Amtrak routes to pick up the towns that would be abandoned by Amtrak. Florida also has Tri-Rail that serves W. Palm Beach to Miami. It could have selected trains provide service to the smaller FLA towns along the Amtrak route that where service would be discontinued.
Taking Amtrak from Miami to NYC could improve greatly and cut the number of cities served by almost half with regional service filling in the gaps..
Granted this is an oversimplified and overly optomistic musing.. but it certainly offer improvements in service if implemented.
Last edited by Woodlands; 06-17-2009 at 09:37 AM..
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