This is great news from where I sit. Raleigh-Atlanta would be great to build on; but so might a direct Raleigh-Charlotte-Columbia service be a supplement.
The Columbia-Charlotte Interurban Rail Project would serve as a potential connection to the Raleigh-Atlanta High Speed Rail Corridor to link surrounding areas with a future high-speed rail route reaching Washington, D.C.; Richmond, Va.; Raleigh; Charlotte; Greenville, S.C.; and Atlanta. The 113-mile commuter-rail line would be established on existi
It could probably be done with no new equipment by just extending the Piedmont and Carolinian. All three of those trains terminate in Charlotte now so most of the track work would be in SC.
Phoebe: This sort of goes along with the thread last year on extending AMTRAK service to Columbia to connect with the Silver Star. I believe that it was determined the Carolinian extended to Columbia would connect to Silver Star both ways? Maybe even with a thru car(s)? Piedmont(s) extended to CLB also would work. Main problem I see is if any layovers in CLB a new storage track(s) with minor repair facilities would be needed. Turning trains at CLB fairly easy if old full wye still in place at the old Columbia Union station location. This might cause a decline in CLT repair facilities unless scheduling rotates Piedmont trains to layover CLT and Raleigh.
As was discussed before the present political persons in the state capital of SC make this proposal anything but problematic. Anything proposed by present administration of city may be shot down to embarass them. What is the present political setup in Columbia city? The city of Columbia may have their hands full trying to get anything thru state legislature even though state could be kept off the hook for any funds?
The political arena underlies all of railroading and transit to a lesser or greater degree. Many of the issues are influenced by money from such interests as road builders, oil, and the automotive industry. Party affiliation is secondary to how much appreciation is shown to MOC who support these interests.
I would imagine that more highway capacity would come at a dearer price than start-up for a Columbia-Charlotte interurban service. Charlotte is emerging as quite a center in the Southeast located between Raleigh and Atlanta.
For another interesting story about possible passenger train service between Charlotte, NC and Columbia, SC; see my post dated 05-12-2010 on the Additional train in NC thread on the Passenger forum.
For another interesting story about possible passenger train service between Charlotte, NC and Columbia, SC; see my post dated 05-12-2010 on the Additional train in NC thread on the Passenger forum.
I saw the talking heads discussing this on the tube a few days ago. I was kind of expecting a NS official to weigh in on this since they own the rails (R line) but that didn’t happen. Maybe it hasn’t occured to them to get the railroad’s permission. I don’t know for sure which route they have in mind- CSX goes to Charlotte, too.
How would you use CSX to get from Charlotte to Columbia–Charlotte to Hamlet (77 miles) thence Hamlet to Columbia (106 miles)? Offhand, I do not know of any shorter routing over CSX.
