Recent content by Glenn W

From my view here in Nashville a ton of work would be needed to get the old L&N-NC&STL lines back up to "passenger speeds". CSX is clogged with a lot of freight traffic. Then I was reading of a $$5Bil proposal to do a MagLev from Nashville to Atlanta. Most of that $$ would be spent digging new...

In the early 80's, I made 2 trips West. THe first time., I rode the CZ thru Denver to SLC. There, the train split into 3, with a CZ, DW & Pioneer. Actually the F40 & a coach/baggage picked up some cars from Chicago. It's possible the train also carried the diner, since the lounge seems to have...

THe October 2007 isue of Railfain & Railroad put Nashville's Music City Star on the front cover!! THe article includes a lot of good information. Y'all invited to come ride our little train!

I don't know how much funding from the extra trains comes from the State. With the budget in OT AFAIK there may be some cuts? This July I was in Illinois. They jacked up the price of gas $.50 in one day. Gas prices were the highest in the nation. Hold onto your wallets here it comes again.

Good thing you have a year to plan your trip. I assume you already have a guidebook & a map to see what you want to. Next item will be an Amtrak Timetable & Trip Planner to see if you can fit it all in. The TimeTable & Calendar should help you plan on each segment of the trip. The Travel...

It appears you may have a combination of factors to allow any commuter rail service: 1) A shortline railroad with little online traffic. THe big class 1's appear to be clogged with freight. THey don't want any dinky commuters get in the way of the freight. Local control over operation of the...

If you look at a modern map, the Downtown Chicago Area outgrew the Loop & the Commuter Train Stations 20years ago. State Street is a ghost of it's former self. There's a lot of new downtown skyscrapers, not to mention all the development of North Michigan Avenue & Navy Pier, the new Soldier's...

A better question may be with the RTA board. AFAIK each county pays gas tax into the RTA fund. Each county in the system gets a share. I'm not sure what the breakdown between Metra/Pace/CTA is. I'm not sure if the tax adjusts for inflation. Metra may be in better shape to have funds for new...

Not sure how quick your hair gets dirty? My suggestion would be to wait till you get to your hotel in CA. After travelling from VA to CA you will definitely need a break. I'd also be sure the hotel has a free pickup service. Trying to find your way could be the last thing you need. The best...

Ridership rising on commuter train By KATE HOWARD Staff Writer Ridership on the Music City Star commuter rail rose by about 75 to 100 people daily in April and May, Regional Transportation Authority officials said. “Ridership has been trending upward all year,” project manager Allyson...

FYI the Memphis Amtrak station is located near the Police Station. Officers working the Depatch Center park their cars there. Could be the safest place to park a car! I have heard good news folks that use this option. AFAIK the CONOL has an excellent OTP. CN must be doing a good job running the...

AFAIK Michigan has the highest gas prices in the States? Nashville prices have peaked at $2.95-3.19, average about $3.05-3.09.

I doubt that the Drury on Donelson Pike is close enough to be able to walk to the station. Have the folks at the Drury find you a new Nashville tourist map. At least LebanonPk (US70) is N of I-40. It appears Lebanon Pk may be 2-3 miles N of I-40. From Donelson turn L (West) & look for the train...

The EB can be a very enjoyable trip. A lot will depend on the equipment available on the EB & how full it is. You could find empty seats in the coach to escape from the sleeper. Take advantage of any service breaks to get off the train & get some photos. You may want to check out the station...

Perhaps the "railfan friendly" bit means "visitors to Nashville". The "New Schedule" moves times up 5-10min in the AM. The big change is the Friday Nite Train. The MCS has a very small staff, typical of a short line where jobs may be shared. Conductor one day, engineer the next, & so on. Recent...