Recent content by Ashland Train Enthusiast

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  1. Ashland Train Enthusiast

    Extension of the Night Owl to Charlotte

    Richmond's my 2nd home station (after ASD) so can provide some context here. For probably the most comprehensive, current look at the track layout, the DC2RVA project maintains an interactive map on their site that includes the current tracks as well as planned enhancements as part of that...
  2. Ashland Train Enthusiast

    Checking up on Amtrak's (lack of) ADA compliance

    I left out of ASD today, and grabbed a picture of the progress. They are wrapping up pulling up bricks from the southern half of the current platform and after talking to the foreman, in the next week they'll start breaking ground on widening the footprint for the new platform. ~ATE
  3. Ashland Train Enthusiast

    Ashland, VA Station

    The Iron Horse is still doing quite good business; as Palmland mentioned, it has transitioned itself into more of an upscale, fine dining establishment (well worth the increased price imho, but a place my wife and I more go to for a special occasion than a regular night out on the town)...
  4. Ashland Train Enthusiast

    Ashland, VA Station

    The plan is to ultimately put a slightly raised (I think 12 or 18" above the rail) platform to the North of the station, and to have it wide enough to accommodate wheelchair lifts (which would necessitate widening the east (college) side of the platform and potentially reduction in parking spots...
  5. Ashland Train Enthusiast

    Infill Amtrak stops

    Anderson, do you know the latest discussion around the Orange station stop? I was involved in some conversations with the CoC a couple of years ago about making the case to DPRT and Amtrak based on the experiences ASD had, but haven't heard anything about this moving one way or the other...
  6. Ashland Train Enthusiast

    Wine Question (packed in carry-on bags?)

    From experience, I see no concerns in any ability to bring multiple bottles of wine in your carry-on, as long as you follow good safe-luggage precautions like you mentioned. When my wife and I travel anywhere, we always make it a point to try to visit at least one local winery/wine store to...
  7. Ashland Train Enthusiast

    Overnight travel with toddler & a group

    As someone who has traveled overnight with a toddler before (San Antonio -> Richmond, VA), we found that a bedroom served us just fine.  Our little girl was sleeping in her own bed at the time (she was just about 2 then), so we were comfortable with her sleeping in the upper berth on her own...
  8. Ashland Train Enthusiast

    Amtrak train with GOP congressional members hits truck (1/31/18)

    You seem very confident in this. As a fellow rural Virginian, I'll take the over on this happening in the next couple of decades, much less my lifetime. And I'm of the millennial generation, so I've hopefully got plenty of life ahead of me ;-) ~ ATE
  9. Ashland Train Enthusiast

    Sleeper car with an infant?

    Just came across this post, and wanted to share some of my own experiences. Last October, my family (wife, 16 month old (at the time) daughter) and I took the train from San Antonio, TX to Ashland, VA, changing in Chicago and DC. We splurged for a bedroom both ways, as we felt that having the...
  10. Ashland Train Enthusiast

    Marshall TX is getting an elevator!

    There was a discussion on this in a thread a while back: http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/68988-back-bay-westerly-two-more-unstaffed-stations/?p=681567. Ashland has a wheelchair lift on the western platform, and that platform is wheelchair accessible from the street. It's only...
  11. Ashland Train Enthusiast

    VA Releases SEHSR Recommendations

    Here's some of the latest indicating the direction that the town is leaning, which is being willing to forego all rail service to prevent an at-grade 3rd rail option: http://www.richmond.com/news/local/ashland/article_03f695bd-6efb-5948-b047-cfb8b2954432.html. ~ ATE
  12. Ashland Train Enthusiast

    VA Releases SEHSR Recommendations

    This is the biggest issue. Being able to run consistently at 70 MPH is very different than running at 70, then dropping to 35, then back up to 70, with intermittent trains stopping to mess with the dispatcher's cadence. In reading the full initial draft EIS (all 1400+ pages of it are available...
  13. Ashland Train Enthusiast

    VA Releases SEHSR Recommendations

    I'd agree with this as an ideal approach, however think it's a non-starter with CSX for the reasons identified. What I'd be interested to see is the impact for a partial BBRR eastern bypass; I'd wonder about the magnitude of impacts south of town though, as the tracks only get further apart...
  14. Ashland Train Enthusiast

    VA Releases SEHSR Recommendations

    I think the reaction would inherently depend on how it was presented. Dropped in as the "preferred" alternative with no opportunity for feedback or input, I think it would be summarily rejected by folks' who would wonder why the project couldn't just use a "perfectly good" railroad to the east...
  15. Ashland Train Enthusiast

    VA Releases SEHSR Recommendations

    Sure. My up close and personal view more has to do with the western bypass option, as that's the direct impact to myself and my neighbors, however I can speak to the through-town approach as well. I think the biggest concern here revolves not around the goals of the project (although, as...
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