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A Few Cool Stories
We took a brief break in newsletters during the holidays. Here are some important stories you may have missed.
Atlanta-Charlotte DEIS public meetings held
The Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina Departments of Transportation held public meetings regarding the draft Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Atlanta-Charlotte corridor. The DEIS compared three alternatives, two of which are true high-speed lines. The I-85 routing would have end to end running time of 2:50. The “greenfield” corridor is projected to have significantly lower construction cost, would include stops in Athens (GA) and at the Greenville-Spartanburg airport (GSP), and would have running time of 2:06 to 2:44. Both would offer hourly service is proposed for each and both would generate a significant operating profit. The third option, rebuilding the existing Norfolk Southern line, would not perform well.
Click here for the official website
Atlanta Journal Constitution: Atlanta to Charlotte in 2 hours 6 minutes?
Virginia Agrees to Major Expansion
The Commonwealth of Virginia has reached a deal with CSX to take control of hundreds of miles of railroad in three corridors. This sets the stage for a new bridge over the Potomac River, additional service to Richmond and a new east-west route across the Commonwealth.
We agree with Danny Plaugher of Virginians for High Speed Rail: This is a game changer.
Railway Age: Virginia, CSX, Amtrak Get Serious About Passenger Rail
Gov. Cuomo Goes Big
During his state of the state speech, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that a panel of engineers would review past plans for high-speed rail linking New York and Buffalo. They will be charged with developing with fresh, creative ideas for an affordable high speed rail program.
“High-speed rail is transforming economies around the world,” Cuomo said in a statement. “We’ve been told that bringing this technology to our state is too expensive, too difficult and would take too long — that’s not an acceptable attitude for New York.”
A DEIS issued in 2014 highlights the challenges with electrifying Amtrak’s Hudson River Valley line among other issues that make this a difficult project to design. It may be necessary to include Cleveland and Toronto in their analysis to justify the investments closer to New York.
Times Herald- Record: Gov. Cuomo: Let’s fast-track high-speed rail
Cuomo also announced aggressive plans to expand Penn Station in New York. The proposal includes new tracks, new entrances and better pedestrian flows.
The presentation is worth a look.
New York Times: Can Penn Station Handle 175,000 More Riders? Cuomo Thinks So
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Save the Date - Annual Meeting March 28 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Maggiano's Banquets, 111 W Grand Ave. Chicago, IL
The agenda and speakers will be posted as they become available.
