Commuter Rail should be "Plan B" for Atlanta Transportation

[MattCW]

Uh...any passenger service would require fixing the single-track so that's moot. But the argument has always been "too busy for the existing freight much less passenger" so that's obviously not true. If you make the line double track, you don't need "sidings" anymore, it just runs. Commuter trains make stops every so often and freight trains usually don't so yes, the max speeds might be a little different, but the average speed could well be the same, or lower than the freight traffic. No other city with good commuter rail service and "busy freight lines" has near the problems Atlanta claims to have.

I don't get where this notion of "no one commutes into Atlanta" comes from. The rush hours with the peak direction being morning-in and evening-out would say that plenty of people commute to or through Atlanta. No, a standalone Cobb line wouldn't help the through commuters, but that's why you don't just build one line and be done with it.

[fourthwarden]

Maybe if GDOT, through a private-public partnership with CSX and Norfolk Southern to expand out the lines around and through the commuter rail corridors to not only allow passenger service, but to improve improve the freight speed as well. Increase total volume and speed over the used lines, with a certain amount of track rights dedicated for the GRTA trains or what ever it would be?

If we can't get the state to really invest in the metro transit directly, maybe we can convince them to invest in industry and commercial instead, and get room for commuter trains as a bonus?

[kferq]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

Maybe if GDOT, through a private-public partnership with CSX and Norfolk Southern to expand out the lines around and through the commuter rail corridors to not only allow passenger service, but to improve improve the freight speed as well. Increase total volume and speed over the used lines, with a certain amount of track rights dedicated for the GRTA trains or what ever it would be?

If we can't get the state to really invest in the metro transit directly, maybe we can convince them to invest in industry and commercial instead, and get room for commuter trains as a bonus?

Well said. The 2014 update of the GDOT Rail Plan is underway and the 2nd public presentation specifically addresses bottlenecks which affect freight, but also are important for commuter rail. There is a slide on the problems at Howell Junction which is critical for linking the MMPT with the lines to Athens and Gainesville.

http://www.dot.ga.gov/travelingingeo...ondRd-8-14.pdf

[MattCW]

Actually the better line to Athens heads east through Hulsey Yard where it takes the Inman Belt (which ironically is nowhere near Inman Park, the Decatur Belt is which became the beltline) past Emory to avoid Howell junction and shorten the route. I know all of the route plans have gone through Emory and across to Howell, but I'm sure the analyses will show the route through Hulsey as being much better.