Columbus mayor pushing high-speed rail to Atlanta (Savannah, Macon: car rental, rent)

[tikigod311]

I think this line can serve a good amount of people, but I am considering local service to Newnan, Fairburn, Union City, and maybe eventually PTC and Senoia too. Yes those aren't the densest areas around, but why wait until it reaches critical mass? It will happen along that corridor, do it now if we can.

IF this is a line that is something we can do somewhat painlessly, lets DO IT. A larger regional connection would be a better option over this one, but that doesn't seem like it will happen soon. Plus, if this line already exists, it adds significant value to the idea of building out a high speed inter city network.

I look forward to seeing what comes out of Texas and their partnership with this Japanese company. I think if anyone comes out with a system that could be compatible with Georgia, its gonna be that combination.

[sedimenjerry]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

gtcorndog: would you support a high speed rail line that linked atlanta and charlotte, by way of gainesville, anderson, greenville, and spartanburg? because that line from atlanta to charlotte is going to look a lot like the boston-washington corridor by 2060:

Rail along the 85 corridor to Charlotte is a much better idea. I've been through Columbus a lot but just on my way to Panama City. That's the only other thing of interest beyond Columbus economically. Compare that to what's beyond Charlotte, the growing NC cities like Raleigh and Durham and top notch universites like UNC and Duke. And what if you keep following 85? You get to 95 and pretty soon you're at DC and the megalopolis. Maybe one day high speed rail will connect Atlanta to DC, Philly, NYC and Boston. That line would go through Charlotte and Greenville. There's just nothing of interest after you get to Columbus. That line would serve Columbus mainly. It just isn't as beneficial to the state (or southeast) as a line to Charlotte.

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by gtcorndog

I've said for years Atlanta to Charlotte is the only line that has potential to work for HSR (for Atlanta).

But let's not go nuts... Even in 2060 that doesn't look at all like Boston -> NYC -> Philly -> DC looks like today. It gets more dense, but not even close to that scale. Such hyperbole is why those so blindly passionate about loving the coho choose train can't be taken seriously. Look at facts and leave the exaggeration out. If the facts speak loud enough, no need to inject over the top false statements.

Connecting 5.5 million people in Atlanta to 2+ million in Charlotte >>>> connecting Atlanta to a 190,000 person town in Columbus

agreed, then. of course, the charlotte-atlanta corridor won't have anything like NYC, but imagining atlanta, charlotte, and greenville becoming as dense and populated as washington, philadelphia, and providence by 2060 isn't really hyperbole.

[Columbus1984]

Originally Posted by gtcorndog

I've said for years Atlanta to Charlotte is the only line that has potential to work for HSR (for Atlanta).

But let's not go nuts... Even in 2060 that doesn't look at all like Boston -> NYC -> Philly -> DC looks like today. It gets more dense, but not even close to that scale. Such hyperbole is why those so blindly passionate about loving the coho choose train can't be taken seriously. Look at facts and leave the exaggeration out. If the facts speak loud enough, no need to inject over the top false statements.

Connecting 5.5 million people in Atlanta to 2+ million in Charlotte >>>> connecting Atlanta to a 190,000 person town in Columbus

Yes Columbus doesn't have the population like Charlotte. However, it is home to around 205,000 in the city, about 320,000 in the metro, and a CSA of 500,000 or so. That's a better way to look at it. Yes, Columbus stands to gain tremendously compared to Atlanta. Wonder if this rail line helps propel Columbus to be something like a Raleigh or Nashville or Birmingham one day? We are talking decades into the future. If Georgia wants high-speed within the state, Columbus makes a perfect opportunity IMO.

[gtcorndog]

Originally Posted by Columbus1984

Yes Columbus doesn't have the population like Charlotte. However, it is home to around 205,000 in the city, about 320,000 in the metro, and a CSA of 500,000 or so. That's a better way to look at it. Yes, Columbus stands to gain tremendously compared to Atlanta. Wonder if this rail line helps propel Columbus to be something like a Raleigh or Nashville or Birmingham one day? We are talking decades into the future. If Georgia wants high-speed within the state, Columbus makes a perfect opportunity IMO.

So billions should be spent to one day maybe make Columbus a real city?

Nah.

Spend the money where it makes sense and impacts the most people.

Sorry Columbus, hop on megabus because that is a better fit for your town.

[Columbus1984]

Originally Posted by gtcorndog

So billions should be spent to one day maybe make Columbus a real city?

Nah.

Spend the money where it makes sense and impacts the most people.

Sorry Columbus, hop on megabus because that is a better fit for your town.

Just like billions have been spent to make any city what it is. It's an investment and risk for sure. You have to start somewhere. I'm all for high-speed rail to Charlotte and beyond. Time will tell if this thing or any high-speed ever happens.

[-StarBright-]

Originally Posted by Columbus1984

Yes Columbus doesn't have the population like Charlotte. However, it is home to around 205,000 in the city, about 320,000 in the metro, and a CSA of 500,000 or so. That's a better way to look at it. Yes, Columbus stands to gain tremendously compared to Atlanta. Wonder if this rail line helps propel Columbus to be something like a Raleigh or Nashville or Birmingham one day? We are talking decades into the future. If Georgia wants high-speed within the state, Columbus makes a perfect opportunity IMO.

GIVE IT UP! Its a bad idea and you know it. Any person in their right mind can see that its a waste of time and money to have a rail going from Atlanta to Columbus. Its not a heavily travel route now, and a high speed rail surely won't make it one.

[magnetar]

It would probably be in Georgia's interest to support a second city that wants to urbanize, and this would be one way to do it. Connections between Atlanta and Charlotte, or Nashville, etc. are good, but Texas and North Carolina clearly benefit from having multiple serious cities inside the state, something Georgia has never had.

[MattCW]

Originally Posted by -StarBright-

GIVE IT UP! Its a bad idea and you know it. Any person in their right mind can see that its a waste of time and money to have a rail going from Atlanta to Columbus. Its not a heavily travel route now, and a high speed rail surely won't make it one.

A rail line on its own to Columbus isn't a bad idea, the problem right now is there's no way to do it cheaply. The line from Durand through Pine Mountain was torn up a few years ago, and even it wasn't a great line for passenger service. The cheapest way to do it is to run to LaGrange, then run down I-185. This last segment would likely be done at 110mph-125mph because by the time you build a 60mph-80mph new rail line, the marginal cost to go to the higher speeds isn't much. But Columbus and Augusta need to be "later" projects. As gtcorndog I think pointed out somewhere above, for $3.6 Billion is a LOT of money. For that cost, you could build Commuter rail out to every city along an Interstate out to 30-40 miles (Acworth, Suwanee, Villa Rica, Newnan, Jackson, Covington) and probably have money left over. That entire $3.6 Billion system would have significantly more ridership than an HSR segment between Atlanta and Columbus.

Where a "standalone" HSR startup line might make sense however is Atlanta to Orlando. It's the busiest destination out of Atlanta airport, and well within the air vs HSR competition range time and mileage wise. If this or an Atlanta-Charlotte segment was the proposed line, I could get behind a full 220mph alignment, but I can't do that for Columbus to Atlanta.

[AnsleyPark]

But what do you do after you arrive in Columbus? Unless you are commuting for work, you'll have to rent a car. Might as well just drive and avoid the hassle.