Crescent, Lake Short Limited and Silver Service

[oltmannd]

The Crescent takes 18 hours between Atlanta and NYP, which is better, but still too long for a day train.

I would disagree. The primary market for a day train on the Crescent’s route isn’t ATL-NYP, it’s connecting the Piedmont region to the northeast and Atlanta.

[oltmannd]

I think a possible service would be an Atlanta to Charlotte to Raleigh daily train, essentially extending a Piedmont to Atlanta. But it would be less than 750 miles and thus require state funding support, probably from both Georgia and NC, which could be difficult to get. It would also have to wait until enough new equipment is available and for a new station in Atlanta to be built. Maybe in 5-6 years.

I think you mean SC instead of NC. Getting any money out of SC will be difficult so it is imperative that Amtrak leads the process. GA will be hard, but not quite as bad… Brookwood station can handle a second train. I wouldn’t want to make Atlanta’s new station a prerequisite for service. Better to get something going as quick and cheap as possible. A quick and dirty stop on the northern suburbs would probably have more boardings than Brookwook anyway.

[Alan_F]

I think you mean SC instead of NC. Getting any money out of SC will be difficult so it is imperative that Amtrak leads the process. GA will be hard, but not quite as bad… Brookwood station can handle a second train. I wouldn’t want to make Atlanta’s new station a prerequisite for service. Better to get something going as quick and cheap as possible. A quick and dirty stop on the northern suburbs would probably have more boardings than Brookwook anyway.

No, I meant NC. If GA and NC were willing to support an Atlanta to Raleigh train, no need to try to get SC support. Maine via NNEPRA pays for the Downeaster which provide good service to NH stops, even though the state of NH contributes nothing. NC pays for the Carolinian, even though it provide additional train service to VA. If a state is willing to pay for a corridor train that passes through a bunch of other states, no need to get funding from the other states. But GA would be a challenge to get funding, seeing what is going on with MARTA and transportation funding at the state level.

I expect that NS would say no to second daily train in Atlanta until there is a new station with pullover tracks to clear the tracks for freight trains while the passenger train is stopped at the station. Would also probably want the new station facility in Raleigh (now funded), the storage and maintenance facility in Charlotte, and the track upgrades for additional daily Piedmonts completed before starting a Atlanta to Raleigh service. NC is refurbishing enough equipment to support 4 daily Piedmonts between Raleigh and Charlotte, not sending one set all the way to Atlanta. Either refurb more old cars or wait until Amtrak has ordered a large batch of single level corridor cars. Not going to be a service that can be started in the near te

[oltmannd]

I expect that NS would say no to second daily train in Atlanta until there is a new station with pullover tracks to clear the tracks for freight trains while the passenger train is stopped at the station. Would also probably want the new station facility in Raleigh (now funded), the storage and maintenance facility in Charlotte, and the track upgrades for additional daily Piedmonts completed before starting a Atlanta to Raleigh service. NC is refurbishing enough equipment to support 4 daily Piedmonts between Raleigh and Charlotte, not sending one set all the way to Atlanta. Either refurb more old cars or wait until Amtrak has ordered a large batch of single level corridor cars. Not going to be a service that can be started in the near term.

Getting NS to say yes won’t be free, but it shouldn’t be too tough. As long as the schedule clears the existing intermodal fleet (and proposed Crescent Corridor future additions), it should be OK. The line is not anywhere near capacity, yet.

The Atlantic Steel lead is currently used for the “short turned” Crescents during the yearly Alabama Div trackwork. It’s the perfect spot for an Atlanta day train layover.

Much of Amtrak’s capacity issues with Brookwood Sta. would be relieved if they put in a suburban stop. Duluth or Buford would do. Do it cheap. Timber and asphalt platform, gravel parking lot (you could us SE RR museum lot - if Duluth), timber ramp for ADA compliance (ala SEPTA).

[blue_streak_1]

I expect that NS would say no to second daily train in Atlanta until there is a new station with pullover tracks to clear the tracks for freight trains while the passenger train is stopped at the station. Would also probably want the new station facility in Raleigh (now funded), the storage and maintenance facility in Charlotte, and the track upgrades for additional daily Piedmonts completed before starting a Atlanta to Raleigh service. NC is refurbishing enough equipment to support 4 daily Piedmonts between Raleigh and Charlotte, not sending one set all the way to Atlanta. Either refurb more old cars or wait until Amtrak has ordered a large batch of single level corridor cars. Not going to be a service that can be started in the near term.

Getting NS to say yes won’t be free, but it shouldn’t be too tough. As long as the schedule clears the existing intermodal fleet (and proposed Crescent Corridor future additions), it should be OK. The line is not anywhere near capacity, yet.

The Atlantic Steel lead is currently used for the “short turned” Crescents during the yearly Alabama Div trackwork. It’s the perfect spot for an Atlanta day train layover.

Much of Amtrak’s capacity issues with Brookwood Sta. would be relieved if they put in a suburban stop. Duluth or Buford would do. Do it cheap. Timber and asphalt platform, gravel parking lot (you could us SE RR museum lot - if Duluth), timber ramp for ADA compliance (ala SEPTA).

Don; SE RR Museum does have merit. as a bonus the west side could have a station track and the area is not built up yet for good station parking. + museum does have some parking track space.

[WhiteLeather]

I agree. I also wonder if by having a schedule like this the 2 trains could each be a couple of cars shorter, thus making the trip a bit easier on the locomotives, allowing quicker acceleration, shorter braking, etc. Labor would be a big factor, and they’d need more locos. But if a 2 loco train of 12 cars is broken into 2 trains each of 1 loco and 6 cars, that would be interesting to explore.