If YOU had the power to build a railroad, what railroad would YOU want to bring
back or build???
Start with PRR New Main Line (the '20s version) rather than completing the South Penn Railroad. (For competition, fini***he New York & Chicago Air Line, or perhaps the earlier Weed Electric Railroad high-speed line).
Electrification all the way across the Alleghenies, past Pittsburgh and (if possible) through to the West.
Appropriate and seamless link to a Western road with similar infrastructure and operations, or acquisition/improvement of appropriate lines – a combination of Harriman and van Sweringen approaches.
Appropriate high-speed line either through or closely surrounding the Chicago area, eliminating any need for delays or diversions. At least double-track, grade-separated from both vehicular and other railroad traffic.
Note that lots of nostalgia or fan-related stuff could be inserted here – and I suspect later posts on this thread will do just that. I’d love to ‘bring back’ things that I’m nostalgic about, just because I miss 'em – GG1s in contemporary service, for example. I’m resisting that temptation. (Even so, I’d be interested in unusual motive power)
I’d also like to see things like damped track, magic wear rate, and other infrastructure improvements implemented. That includes proper, nondeterministic PTC and dispatcher assistance, properly using flexible cells and NDGPS. And at least some of the 110mph corridors built and properly ‘populated’ with equipment and service that will attract patrons.
I’d bring back the North Shore Line. Only with better entrance in Chi and Mke.
Overmod…A land company, in connection with the local 'lectric company dumped a pot of dough at Coffee Creek outside of Chesterton, Indiana. The same creek that saw the huge fill of the New York-Chicago Electric Air Line, that wiped out their cash reserves. So far the Land Company and development have been a big bust. Seems every hundred years some scheme sucks millions into Coffee Creek.
Mitch
I’ll second that, I don’t think the Skokie Valley route entrance to Chicago was bad at all. I may even want to extend the RR to the northern milwaukee suburbs using the TM line to Port Washington.
Randy
OMG, that’s ironic.
What in heaven’s name were they doing?
Great Lakes and Atlantic including the revival of the CASO subdivision.
The Washington & Old Dominion as a direct commuter line from the northern Virginia suburbs to Washington DC
The Rock! The M&StL! Rock Island Southern! Hell bring em all back !
…Overmod…The South Penn line has “been built” in the shape of the Pennsylvania Turnpike…well, roughly the same route. The 1940’s version of it…160 miles. Some of it has even been abandoned now, including 4 tunnels…! And they were South Penn bores too…but not bored through during the RR construction.
Hallelujah, brother!! What an idea!
The Milwaukee Road!
It had the shortest, fastest route to the coast, and their trains
ran down Hauser Way in Renton, Washington! Probably still
would if the road still existed.