Atlanta GA to Savannah GA by train?

[user 1215]

I would love to see the Nancy Hanks II or something equivalent run between Savannah and Atlanta again. But as has been mentioned, the windy path between Savannah and Macon is way too slow to compete with other forms of transit. A new ROW would really be the only way it could be plausible. The tracks between Clifton & Oliver have been pulled up (though I think that was an older routing). A new route would have to go through Springfield to connect at Oliver. The rest of the route is in OK shape, but OK ain't good enough for a competitive route.

I'm just guessing, but based on the amount of freight traffic that exists in Macon today, I would imagine it to be pretty difficult trying to fit a passenger train between Macon and Atlanta. They can't even seem to get a commuter train through planning.

 

[xyzzy]

Plenty of capacity Atlanta-Macon if somebody restores the ex-CofG route to 70 mph, allowing nearly all NS freight to remain on the ex-Southern parallel route. Cost of rehab would be in the nine figures.

Atlanta-Macon-Jesup-Savannah would be only a little longer than the CofG Atlanta-Macon-Savannah, but with much greater hopes for fast running.

But all of this is pointless conjecture at present.

 

[MattW]

With the amount of money needed from Macon to Savannah for track rehab and upgrades, it would probably be far more effective just to use the median of I-16 and run them as fast as they'll go.

 

[George Harris]

With the amount of money needed from Macon to Savannah for track rehab and upgrades, it would probably be far more effective just to use the median of I-16 and run them as fast as they'll go.

NOPE. Think a minute: The most expensive rehab would essentially be a complete replacement of track and additon of signals. If you build all new, then you have the grading, structures, and if in a highway median, replacement of overpasses, intrusion barriers, etc in addition to the track and signals. The only thing that would not be in the median railroad that would be in the rehab would be grade crossing upgrades and signals, and that would be peanuts compared to the other items. (Since the value of the components in the existing track will exceed the cost of getting it out, that cost need not be plugged into the upgrading costs.)

 

[MattW]

I didn't say cheaper, I said more effective. How fast would NS let a train run on their tracks? 79? Maybe 90 if the State begged? In the median, you could easily have trains reach 125mph if not all the way to 220mph. By then for Savannah to Atlanta, you start having the total travel time get competitive with airlines, and beat the buses in scheduled time by as much two hours.

 

[neroden]

Sadly, the Downtown Atlanta Vs. Everywhere Else politics of Georgia (to put it politely) guarantee that we will see precisely no new train service in Georgia for many years. If there are signs that the politics is realigning to eliminate this pattern, I would love to hear about them.

 

[xyzzy]

About 10 years ago, NS quoted about one million dollars per mile to renovate Asheville-Salisbury for passenger service. Currently most of that route is a 45 mph railroad with automatic block signaling. Yes, about 15 miles of it is very challenging mountain territory, but on the other hand there have been 10 years of inflation since then. I suspect the cumulative amount spent to improve Greensboro-Raleigh-Selma is also approaching one million dollars per mile. So that's a reference number for rehab of Atlanta-Macon (CofG), Macon-Savannah, or Macon-Jesup to 79 mph. 90 mph would take more money.

New construction, if the state owned the ROW? Probably twice that, if you're satisfied with 79.

 

[user 1215]

With the amount of money needed from Macon to Savannah for track rehab and upgrades, it would probably be far more effective just to use the median of I-16 and run them as fast as they'll go.

NOPE. Think a minute: The most expensive rehab would essentially be a complete replacement of track and additon of signals. If you build all new, then you have the grading, structures, and if in a highway median, replacement of overpasses, intrusion barriers, etc in addition to the track and signals. The only thing that would not be in the median railroad that would be in the rehab would be grade crossing upgrades and signals, and that would be peanuts compared to the other items. (Since the value of the components in the existing track will exceed the cost of getting it out, that cost need not be plugged into the upgrading costs.)

Not to mention that the cops in Metter are pretty bad and they'd likely try to ticket a train going over 70 MPH...

 

[me_little_me]

With the amount of money needed from Macon to Savannah for track rehab and upgrades, it would probably be far more effective just to use the median of I-16 and run them as fast as they'll go.

Most overpasses have a solid block of concrete support right in the middle of the median - an expensive issue.