# Largest Cities in US Without Rail



## MrFSS (Jan 24, 2008)

I found this list on another site. Can't vouch for the accuracy, but interesting.


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## Green Maned Lion (Jan 24, 2008)

MrFSS said:


> I found this list on another site. Can't vouch for the accuracy, but interesting.


Thats only ones without internal rail, not ones without rail service by Amtrak.


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## AlanB (Jan 24, 2008)

Interesting that Milwaukee gets a yes with 7 Amtrak trains per day, but Hartford which sees 6 Amtrak trains per day doesn't get a yes. I'm not sure how one less train per day doesn't qualify as frequent Amtrak service.


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## DaveKCMO (Jan 24, 2008)

kansas city has four amtrak trains daily... more than cincinnati, san antonio, columbus, and indianapolis! milwaukee should definitely be off the list is this is urban rail. austin's DMU service is in testing now, correct? while cincinnati may have subway tunnels, they are only planning on a downtown streetcar in the near future.


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## Trogdor (Jan 24, 2008)

AlanB said:


> Interesting that Milwaukee gets a yes with 7 Amtrak trains per day, but Hartford which sees 6 Amtrak trains per day doesn't get a yes. I'm not sure how one less train per day doesn't qualify as frequent Amtrak service.


I agree. That list seems to have a double-standard.

Most of those "NONE OF ANY KIND" cities have Amtrak service, even if only one or two trains per day. If "Frequent Amtrak to Chicago" counts, then Amtrak counts as "any kind" of rail. Therefore, the only cities on that list with no access to passenger rail would be Louisville and Columbus.


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## GG-1 (Jan 25, 2008)

Aloha

I was about to make the same comments that most of you said because I knew Hartford had rail service, but GML correctly pointed out the list referred to internal city transportation.

Mahalo

Eric


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## AlanB (Jan 25, 2008)

GG-1 said:


> Aloha
> I was about to make the same comments that most of you said because I knew Hartford had rail service, but GML correctly pointed out the list referred to internal city transportation.
> 
> Mahalo
> ...


I would buy that arguement but for the fact that Milwaukee does not have internal city transportation, at least of the rail type. Therefore if it gets a mention, and specifically an Amtrak mention, then at the very least so should Hartford which only has one less RT per day than MKE.

The other cities that only see one Amtrak train in each direction per day might be more debatable, but MKE can't qualify if Hartford doesn't.


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## Trogdor (Jan 25, 2008)

Unless, of course, they count MKE-MKA as intracity rail. I doubt there are too many people (if any) that use Amtrak as a commuter route to downtown.


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## PerRock (Jan 28, 2008)

I was recently talking from someone who used to live in Milwaukee. He said that there are a number of people that commute from Milwaukee to Chicago. Maybe that is what they are referring to.

peter


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## Green Maned Lion (Jan 28, 2008)

The Hiawatha service looks like a commuter rail operation to me. Unreserved coach, fairly frequent departures at ideal work hours, and no snack car.


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## AlanB (Jan 28, 2008)

Green Maned Lion said:


> The Hiawatha service looks like a commuter rail operation to me. Unreserved coach, fairly frequent departures at ideal work hours, and no snack car.


Take away the unreserved coach, and that description fits mosts of the runs on the Inland Route that serves Hartford.


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## PRR 60 (Jan 28, 2008)

I think the list is locally funded rail service. The Hiawatha service is state funded and counts as a local initiative. The Springfield shuttle through Hartford is Amtrak funded and is not a local initiative. Ditto for the Amtrak service through Richmond VA.


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## John Bredin (Jan 29, 2008)

PRR 60 said:


> I think the list is locally funded rail service. The Hiawatha service is state funded and counts as a local initiative. The Springfield shuttle through Hartford is Amtrak funded and is not a local initiative. Ditto for the Amtrak service through Richmond VA.


No, state sponsorship can't be the criteria, because Kansas City and Oklahoma City are listed as rail-less but both are served by state-sponsored Amtrak trains.


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## Green Maned Lion (Jan 29, 2008)

Conclusion: This list was compiled by someone without all the information.


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## blueman271 (Mar 10, 2008)

What is this lists definition of a city, because if memory serves me correctly New York City proper only has a population in the 8 mil. range and the entire metro area is in the 18 mil. range.


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## Green Maned Lion (Mar 11, 2008)

8 million hardly qualifies for an "only"


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