Silver Star and Augusta, GA

[LookingGlassTie]

Hey y'all

I know this has been discussed previously in another thread (I posted in that one), but I really do think that it is possible (not necessarily from a funding standpoint but from an infrastructure one) to re-route the Silver Star between Savannah, GA and Denmark, SC so as to include the Augusta, GA area. Now, I realize that the freight railroads and Augusta/Richmond County officials would need to be "on-board", but it would be nice to have Augusta as a medium-sized stop for Amtrak. I didn't suggest the Crescent, Palmetto or the Silver Meteor because those routes are too far away for a re-route to be practical.

Or, Amtrak could provide thruway bus service from Denmark to Augusta, if routing a train through the CSRA (Central Savannah River Area) would not be feasible.

 

[John Bobinyec]

Are you suggesting that Denmark, SC, be skipped, then?

jb

 

[the_traveler]

Why do you say not the SM? :huh: South of Savannah, both the SM & SS use the same tracks! (Except for the Tampa dogleg.)

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Why do you say not the SM? :huh: South of Savannah, both the SM & SS use the same tracks! (Except for the Tampa dogleg.)

Augusta is NORTH of Savannah, so the SS goes closer to Augusta than the SM, right (on it's way to Columbia).

 

[Railroad Bill]

I would think that pulling traffic from eastern/central GA market might add more to revenue on the SS. A bus bridge from the Crescent in Atlanta to Augusta might enhance Florida traffic from southern states as well. (now that a renewed Sunset looks doubtful at best). But of course, getting NS or CSX to agree to trackage might be a formidable challenge?

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

I would think that pulling traffic from eastern/central GA market might add more to revenue on the SS.

By the time the SS gets as far south as GA, just how empty is it? I would think that by then it has accumulated all the passengers, and once it hits FL, it starts to loose passengers.

 

[jis]

Getting NS and/or CSX to upgrade tracks for passenger speeds may be another challenge. Realistically, there are so many other more worthwhile projects to worry about right now that this may best be addressed by a Thruway Bus.

 

[dogbert617]

Getting NS and/or CSX to upgrade tracks for passenger speeds may be another challenge. Realistically, there are so many other more worthwhile projects to worry about right now that this may best be addressed by a Thruway Bus.

Augusta would be a nice stop for Amtrak to make, but then I have no idea what freight railroad is in charge of the tracks that are just west of Denmark, SC. I agree with this poster, a Thruway Bus would probably be the best hope for those in Augusta who wish they had Amtrak long distance train service of some sort. Which honestly, it'd be easier to have a bus from either Denmark or Columbia to Augusta to service those passengers. My guess is that they'd do the bus out of Columbia, since it's staffed unlike Denmark.

As for New Orleans-Jacksonville, wasn't the talk now not so much about extending the Sunset eastward into Florida, but now via either extending the City of New Orleans south and east into Florida after New Orleans, or starting a new regional corridor train service between NOLA and Jacksonville?

 

[Seaboard92]

It's not really possible to reroute that way. It takes a freight on the current infrastructure six hours to go AUG to SAV. And the freight line to Columbia is now 25 mph. And the other line to fairfax then to Denmark needs a new leg of a wye. Just not possible.

 

[Anthony V]

A good time to do an experimental test of such a reroute would be during the second Thursday-Sunday weekend in April. Why? At that time every year, the Masters Golf Tournament is held in Augusta, bringing hundreds of tournament spectators to that city that weekend. Amtrak service would relieve the strain on highways and airports in Augusta around that time every year.

 

[LookingGlassTie]

Are you suggesting that Denmark, SC, be skipped, then?

jb

Nope, just suggesting that Augusta be included as a stop between Savannah and Denmark.

 

[jis]

Given the current situation of tracks that is completely unworkable.

 

[LookingGlassTie]

Why do you say not the SM? :huh: South of Savannah, both the SM & SS use the same tracks! (Except for the Tampa dogleg.)

Understood, but the SM would have to deviate further once north of Savannah than the SS does. Because the SM takes the route closer to the coast.

 

[LookingGlassTie]

Why do you say not the SM? :huh: South of Savannah, both the SM & SS use the same tracks! (Except for the Tampa dogleg.)

Augusta is NORTH of Savannah, so the SS goes closer to Augusta than the SM, right (on it's way to Columbia).

Yep, the SS does go closer to Augusta.

 

[LookingGlassTie]

I would think that pulling traffic from eastern/central GA market might add more to revenue on the SS. A bus bridge from the Crescent in Atlanta to Augusta might enhance Florida traffic from southern states as well. (now that a renewed Sunset looks doubtful at best). But of course, getting NS or CSX to agree to trackage might be a formidable challenge?

True. I wonder how feasible my idea is or if it's just a "pipe dream".

 

[WoodyinNYC]

... pulling traffic from eastern/central GA market might add more to revenue on the SS. ... But of course, getting NS or CSX to agree to trackage might be a formidable challenge?

True. I wonder how feasible my idea is or if it's just a "pipe dream".

Pipe dreams are allowed. Posting them here allows constructive criticism, and usually adds good information.

My pipe dream in this region is built on Charlotte-Columbia service. (Some assembly required.) That could be an extension of one or more Piedmonts Raleigh-Charlotte.

OR it could be a new long distance train, NEC-D.C.-Richmond-Raleigh-Greensboro-Charlotte-Columbia-Charleston-Savannah-Florida.

OR NEC-D.C.-Charlottesville-Lynchburg-Greensboro-Charlotte-Columbia-Charleston-Savannah-Florida.

OR ... now to get back on topic LOL ... Charlotte-Columbia-Augusta-Savannah-Florida.

The current government in South Carolina won't spend a dime on passenger rail. And somebody would have to build a few miles of connecting track (NS and CSX) just north of Columbia. But sometimes politics can change very quickly.

 

[west point]

It is too bad that there could not be an extension of the Carolinian during the masters or at least day before and after its over. That extension would work for just a single use on Wednesday down and D/H back to CLT. Then D/H down Sunday to pick up riders..

 

[Philly Amtrak Fan]

... pulling traffic from eastern/central GA market might add more to revenue on the SS. ... But of course, getting NS or CSX to agree to trackage might be a formidable challenge?

True. I wonder how feasible my idea is or if it's just a "pipe dream".

Pipe dreams are allowed. Posting them here allows constructive criticism, and usually adds good information.

Unfortunately it also allows unconstructive criticism too often (not you Woody but others).

I know Amtrak has studied rerouting the SS via CLT which I think would be a great move but said it wasn't feasible at the time.

My pipe dream in the Southeast has always been some train from ATL to Florida. I'd certainly love a through branch off the Crescent heading to Florida. If we're really dreaming, how about ATL-Augusta-SAV or ATL-Augusta-Charleston SC?

 

[Bob Dylan]

I resemble that remark Philly!

But once you quit advocating killing the Cardinal and/or other Trains to get your Pennsylvania Trains, you'll get no criticism from most of us!

 

[Seaboard92]

... pulling traffic from eastern/central GA market might add more to revenue on the SS. ... But of course, getting NS or CSX to agree to trackage might be a formidable challenge?

True. I wonder how feasible my idea is or if it's just a "pipe dream".

Pipe dreams are allowed. Posting them here allows constructive criticism, and usually adds good information.
My pipe dream in this region is built on Charlotte-Columbia service. (Some assembly required.) That could be an extension of one or more Piedmonts Raleigh-Charlotte.

OR it could be a new long distance train, NEC-D.C.-Richmond-Raleigh-Greensboro-Charlotte-Columbia-Charleston-Savannah-Florida.

OR NEC-D.C.-Charlottesville-Lynchburg-Greensboro-Charlotte-Columbia-Charleston-Savannah-Florida.

OR ... now to get back on topic LOL ... Charlotte-Columbia-Augusta-Savannah-Florida.

The current government in South Carolina won't spend a dime on passenger rail. And somebody would have to build a few miles of connecting track (NS and CSX) just north of Columbia. But sometimes politics can change very quickly.

You might just get your wish soon. If the things I'm hearing from multiple sources. SS won't be the only train rerouting.

 

[Anthony V]

... pulling traffic from eastern/central GA market might add more to revenue on the SS. ... But of course, getting NS or CSX to agree to trackage might be a formidable challenge?

True. I wonder how feasible my idea is or if it's just a "pipe dream".

Pipe dreams are allowed. Posting them here allows constructive criticism, and usually adds good information.
My pipe dream in this region is built on Charlotte-Columbia service. (Some assembly required.) That could be an extension of one or more Piedmonts Raleigh-Charlotte.

OR it could be a new long distance train, NEC-D.C.-Richmond-Raleigh-Greensboro-Charlotte-Columbia-Charleston-Savannah-Florida.

OR NEC-D.C.-Charlottesville-Lynchburg-Greensboro-Charlotte-Columbia-Charleston-Savannah-Florida.

OR ... now to get back on topic LOL ... Charlotte-Columbia-Augusta-Savannah-Florida.

The current government in South Carolina won't spend a dime on passenger rail. And somebody would have to build a few miles of connecting track (NS and CSX) just north of Columbia. But sometimes politics can change very quickly.

You might just get your wish soon. If the things I'm hearing from multiple sources. SS won't be the only train rerouting.

What sources are those?

 

[west point]

Reroute any train ? Ridiculous. Negotiations for any would have been announced long ago. Then you have the problem of different stations. Even the gulf coast has not fixed all its stations and platforms.

 

[WoodyinNYC]

... pulling traffic from eastern/central GA market might add more to revenue on the SS. ... But of course, getting NS or CSX to agree to trackage might be a formidable challenge?

True. I wonder how feasible my idea is or if it's just a "pipe dream".

Pipe dreams are allowed. Posting them here allows constructive criticism, and usually adds good information.

Unfortunately it also allows unconstructive criticism too often (not you Woody but others).

I know Amtrak has studied rerouting the SS via CLT which I think would be a great move but said it wasn't feasible at the time.

My pipe dream in the Southeast has always been some train from ATL to Florida. ... How about ATL-Augusta-SAV or ATL-Augusta-Charleston SC?

If there was a clear shot at ATL from Augusta, I'd have included it among my dream options. But unless you have a more optimistic map than I found, there's not an attractive semi-straight line, or even a good roundabout way via Athens or Macon.

There's not a straight-line way from Augusta to Charleston that I can see. Need to go Augusta-Columbia-Charleston, which is not too bad. Not that Columbia-Charleston enjoys passenger service now, tho it should.

 

[Anderson]

I remember musing a month or two back about the viability of a New York-Atlanta-Florida train. The through business wouldn't be great but I suspect that both "legs" would do quite well, and depending on your scheduling if you could eat a bad time at NYP you might also get the WAS-ATL day train that's been desired for quite some time. FWIW my best guess is that the train would be pretty well in the black north of ATL and within FL but have a bit of a hole from ATL-JAX.

 

[west point]

Ignoring the ATL station problem the Crescent does very well north of ATL at night. Its hard to say but overnight ATL <> JAX might do just as well if anyone has ever noticed the ATL traffic on I-75 south of ATL.