Columbus mayor pushing high-speed rail to Atlanta (Dallas, Greenville: transfer, cost)

[gtcorndog]

Originally Posted by MattCW

500 miles is right about the sweet spot distance for HSR. Flights are scheduled for 2 hours, but when you factor in time at both the airports, you're looking at about a 4 hour trip. A train that averages 160mph would make the trip in about 3.5 hours, and there is significantly less station time than airport time so the two modes are directly competitive. The line would also have the advantage of serving the intermediate destinations which the airlines can't do.

The current rights of way are too curvy to support 150+ HSR, it would require new RoW and lots of eminent domain.

True and true.

[Tryska]

Originally Posted by MattCW

The current rights of way are too curvy to support 150+ HSR, it would require new RoW and lots of eminent domain.

Good info - thanks. I was under the impression that most of the ROWs are in place - at least to Macon, and Columbus. But it is also "higher speed" and not the 150+ HSR.

[MattCW]

Originally Posted by Tryska

Good info - thanks. I was under the impression that most of the ROWs are in place - at least to Macon, and Columbus. But it is also "higher speed" and not the 150+ HSR.

"Higher Speed" 90-110 I don't know, but I know the RoWs are very curvy. While the Griffin line is a bit harder to make judgements about, I know the Jackson line has a lot of reduced-speed curves from the normal speed limit of 60mph. I don't know if the curves can be fixed without broadening them (by adding superelevation) which would require land acquisition.

[Tryska]

Originally Posted by MattCW

"Higher Speed" 90-110 I don't know, but I know the RoWs are very curvy. While the Griffin line is a bit harder to make judgements about, I know the Jackson line has a lot of reduced-speed curves from the normal speed limit of 60mph. I don't know if the curves can be fixed without broadening them (by adding superelevation) which would require land acquisition.

You sound like a trackman...

[MattCW]

Originally Posted by Tryska

You sound like a trackman...

Unfortunately no, just someone who has intently studied railroads for a very long time.

[Tryska]

trainspotter, it is! ;-)

[Tryska]

The Bullet Train That Could Change Everything – Next City

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by Tryska

The Bullet Train That Could Change Everything – Next City

Awesome article. I would love to see the private high-speed rail get done in Texas.

[MathmanMathman]

There are some topics like HSR that I wish could be banned. I don't see a network of HSR happening to "connect" Georgia. People won't be living in Savannah and Augusta and commuting to Atlanta.

An LA-SF line probably will be done, maybe Dallas-Houston. Texas is good because of the flat land and not a whole lot between cities. Actually, lines to Austin might be more useful. If it happens, connecting major cities will happen first before the mid-sized cities.

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

There are some topics like HSR that I wish could be banned. I don't see a network of HSR happening to "connect" Georgia. People won't be living in Savannah and Augusta and commuting to Atlanta.

An LA-SF line probably will be done, maybe Dallas-Houston. Texas is good because of the flat land and not a whole lot between cities. Actually, lines to Austin might be more useful. If it happens, connecting major cities will happen first before the mid-sized cities.

once again, the merits of a charlotte-atlanta-raleigh line could be tremendous for our region.