Woodstock: trains and downtown commute? (Atlanta, Marietta: new home, neighborhood, live in)

[billl]

(Moved from the Georgia forum...) We are considering a move from Johns Creek to Woodstock and I wanted to get some information from folks who live there. We are looking at new homes just north of downtown Woodstock along Main Street. There's a freight line that runs through town and is quite close to the neighborhood we are considering. How often and at what times do trains usually run on that line? Are there any that come through (loudly) in the middle of the night? My wife works in downtown Atlanta. Anyone know how long the typical commute is from Town Lake Pkwy (I-575, exit 8)? Her current commute is usually 80 minutes each way. She would consider anything under 60 to be "fantastic". We also like the Xpress bus that stops right in Woodstock. Many thanks!
Bill

[BobKovacs]

I can't comment on the exact frequency of the trains, though we live in Holly Springs (the next town up on that line) and I've only seen two in the year we've been here.

The commute to downtown depends on the time of the commute. I leave my house in Holly Springs at about 5:30 and can be at my office at Exit 249c in downtown in less than 45 minutes. I've left later on different occasions, and barring an accident or bad weather, it normally isn't more than an hour to 1:15. In the afternoon I leave at around 4 and I'm home in less than an hour on most days- I left yesterday at 4:30, and even with the Friday traffic I was still home in and hour and 15 minutes.

One of my coworkers takes the 6:00 Xpress bus from the stop on Arnold Mill, and it's normally an hour ride. The buses don't really save much time, since there's no HOV lane until you get inside 285. That portion of the trip is therefore a bit shorter, but it doesn't help when 575 gets slow.

[billl]

Thanks! She would be getting off at exit 8. You're about 10 minutes north of there?

[ready2move]

My husband travels and when he goes down to the airport, he takes Canton Road to I-75 instead of 575. He said it bypasses 575 traffic early in the am.. Rt 5 which is main street and is also Canton Road after crossing over hwy 92.

BTW, we live in Woodstock, off 92 back behind the Jeep dealership and I do hear the trains from here. There seems to be no ryme or reason when I hear them, but have never them late at night.

I love downtown Woodstock, very quaint and cozy. Now if they would open the rest of the restaurants and rebuild the Magnolia Thomas house, it would be perfect.

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by billl

Thanks! She would be getting off at exit 8. You're about 10 minutes north of there?

Roughly, yes. I get off at Exit 11, and it takes about 7-8 minutes on the local roads to get from there to our house in Harmony on the Lakes.

As noted above, there are a number of back roads that you can take to circumvent 575 and the portion of 75 north of Exit 261. I don't take them in the morning because they'd likely take longer (lots of lights and 40mph areas), but if there's alot of traffic on the way home I'll get off at Exit 263 and take backroads home- it's probably not saving any time, but it sure is less annoying than sitting and staring at the car in front of you at 10 mph. From Exit 263 the backroads to our house take around 45 minutes- you could take a slightly different route and probably be home in around 30-35 minutes from 263.

[Mattie]

We moved to Milton three years ago, and on some quiet evenings, while sitting on our deck, my husband and I could swear we heard a train whistle off in the distance. We've asked neighbors, and they all swear there are no trains anywhere near us. At least now I know I'm not hearing things!

[ccathey]

Anybody ride the Xpress from Ga. State to Cumming, ga. in the late afternoon? It doesn't say what time it picks up downtown to return to the Cumming station. Also, what time should I leave Cumming, Ga. in order to catch a ride on the Xpress and make it to Ga. State by 9:00am?

[devin1229]

I live just north of downtown Woodstock and I very rarely hear a train. Come to think of it, I would say it had to be at least 6 months since I heard one last. Although when I hear them, they're usually in the evening but not too late.

I work downtown and left my house at 8:45 AM yesterday and rolled into the parking garage at work around 9:35 AM. Not too bad. But if there's an accident or bad weather don't expect it to take any shorter than 1:15...

[roxyrn]

When we were first looking at Atlanta area houses, my husband found his "dream house" online for a fabulous price. What they didn't show in the pics, was the side of the house that overlooked train tracks. Our agent said that the sound of the train was such a nostalgic one that we would not mind it at all. That evening we drove back to the house around 7:00 pm and not only did the train go through, but it also stopped for about 10 minutes. Carrying chemicals. Crossed that one off of our list.

[Saintmarks]

We lived off of Canton Road and Blackwell Rd in Marietta zip 30066 back in the 90s. Our property backed up to that same rail line. Whenever the odd train came thru it had very few cars, moved very slowly and was barely noticeable. It is nothing like the major freight trains that roll thru Kennesaw. Haven't been in the area for 9 years so can't say if it has changed, but my experience is similar to what others are saying, a little used line, trains very infrequent.