Feasibility of Chicago-Atlanta Train via Evansville

[brianpmcdonnell17]

Whenever a Chicago to Atlanta train is proposed, poor track conditions between Louisville and Indianapolis are always an issue. Is it possible to route a train south on the CONO route before turning southeast to Evansville, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Atlanta? I believe it is CP on the CONO route and CSX the rest of the way.

 

[ParanoidAndroid]

There are problems with the Atlanta station. Birmingham might be an option though, then south to Pensacola then Florida? Maybe?

Otherwise, slow tracks (I think) from Centralia IL to Evansville IN, and Evansville station does not exist anymore. I think track conditions south of Murfreesboro TN thru Chattanooga TN to Atlanta GA is slow and windy? I think?

I don't know any other problems, though I am sure that they exist.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

I would think that any routing on that would require a lot of money to get up to snuff for reasonable service (in addition to stations, rolling stock, etc) so why not spend the money on bigger cities first and upgrade the track that would bring the most passengers?

 

[CCC1007]

I think that the cono operates on CN, not CP.

 

[jphjaxfl]

Chicago - Evansville-Nashville-Chattanooga- Atlanta or Chicago- Indianapolis- Cincinnati-Chattanooga-Atlanta are viable rail lines but congested with freight traffic as has been discussed a number of times. Capacity on those lines could be increased. Keep in mind those rail lines were built in the mid 19th century with very little upgrading so any lines through the Applicians are slow and windy compared to modern interstate highways that were built in the later 20th century when engineering and equipment had drastically improved. Any upgrades would be very expensive and if they could be done cost effectively NS and CSX would have already completed upgrades to improve freight movement.

 

[west point]

Cincinnati - Chattanooga since SOU RR passenger service thru the rat hole has been upgraded by SOU and later NS by the city of Cincinnati which owns that line. How much that would decrease timekeeping on that section is unknown. AS well SOU and later NS has upgraded CHA - ATL again what speed up is unknown.

Atlanta is the big problem. The present station would require two trips thru Howell interlocking which is a spaghetti of tracks, switches, diamonds, & wyes. That is a maze of ~ 12 tracks ( that number could be more or less depending on what tracks are counted ) within one mile of that CP.

 

[FormerOBS]

Nostalgia:

The first time this sheltered Northern boy ever saw grits was at breakfast in an L&N diner somewhere around Terre Haute on the C&EI/L&N "Hummingbird" running Evansville to Chicago. I think this was 1965.

Tom

 

[Bob Dylan]

Nostalgia:

The first time this sheltered Northern boy ever saw grits was at breakfast in an L&N diner somewhere around Terre Haute on the C&EI/L&N "Hummingbird" running Evansville to Chicago. I think this was 1965.

Tom

Did you put butter or syrup on them? Both schools of thought claim this is the ONLY way to totally enjoy Grits!

( and please don't call them Hominy Grits, which is what they are! )

The way you used to know for sure you were in the South was when the waitress ( never a Waiter) would ask "Hashbrowns or Grits?" when you ordered Breakfast!

The only time I hear this now-a-days is in an Amtrak Diner!

 

[ParanoidAndroid]

I got biscuit or grits on my last trip . . .

Do they still have has browns? I love them.

I was thinking Chicago - Evansville - Nashville - Birmingham ( - Pensacola - Tallahassee - Jacksonville - Orlando) possibly. Yes, lots of money spent, but lots of new cities!

 

[FormerOBS]

Bob Dylan:

I looked at them with a quizzical look, then looked up to the waiter and said something like, "What's that? I ddn't order it".

The waited said "Them's grits!"

I just looked at him for a few seconds.

He said "Try puttin' some butter on 'em. Maybe some salt & a little pepper".

I did that, and agreed they weren't at all bad.

Tom

 

[nshvlcat]

There are problems with the Atlanta station.

There may be problems with the Atlanta station but a passenger terminal in Nashville is non-existent. Union Station was converted into a luxury hotel back in the '80's.

 

[jis]

Did you put butter or syrup on them? Both schools of thought claim this is the ONLY way to totally enjoy Grits!

( and please don't call them Hominy Grits, which is what they are! )

The way you used to know for sure you were in the South was when the waitress ( never a Waiter) would ask "Hashbrowns or Grits?" when you ordered Breakfast!

The only time I hear this now-a-days is in an Amtrak Diner!

I guess it is time for you to visit Florida

 

[neroden]

Atlanta station is the giant unsolved problem for any proposal going through Atlanta. The current situation isn't even acceptable for the one-a-day Crescent. Nobody who's looked at it will consider additional Atlanta service without a new station.

So that really should be the focus. Ideally, the station should be located so that trains can approach it from any of the available track directions, opening up future options for service.

 

[west point]

Atlanta is a Hobson's choice for a station. Ideally a new station would be built downtown but it would need a balloon track to reverse trains such as the Crescent. But even more important the delays at Howell can only be solved by rebuilding it with flyovers. It would be much more complicated than Amtrak's ZOO or the present proposed Chicago Create project that includes Englewood and west.

 

[Seaboard92]

Honestly a fly over similar to Kansas City's. Then a split level station like Berlin and it could be a working solution. I mean the station should be on a siding no matter what.

 

[west point]

If you are proposing a station near Howell - No way. Not in the best of neighborhoods or near potential passengers. Surface transportation to ideal sites for an Amtrak station non existent. As said Hobson's choices.

 

[Anthony V]

There are problems with the Atlanta station.

There may be problems with the Atlanta station but a passenger terminal in Nashville is non-existent. Union Station was converted into a luxury hotel back in the '80's.

Union Station Nashville.JPG

Yes, but it wouldn't be too difficult to restore rail access to Nashville Union Station. It can be done in a similar fashion to how Louisville did it for the Kentucky Cardinal.

 

[Anthony V]

Atlanta station is the giant unsolved problem for any proposal going through Atlanta. The current situation isn't even acceptable for the one-a-day Crescent. Nobody who's looked at it will consider additional Atlanta service without a new station.

So that really should be the focus. Ideally, the station should be located so that trains can approach it from any of the available track directions, opening up future options for service.

That's why the Atlanta Multi-Modal Passenger Terminal needs to be built. Unfortunately, the project has been stuck in environmental reviews for several years now and Georgia has no interest in getting the project moving again so it can be eligible for federal funding.