13 replies to this topic

[Southron]

With a new President (and a VP who rides Amtrak almost daily) taking office in January, maybe we can get some big rail projects going in Alabama.  High speed rail (or just passenger rail of any kind) along the I-65 corridor needs to be implemented sooner rather than later, as well as more connections to major cities in neighboring states.  

The time is now to get funding for these projects, while we have an administration that supports them.  We'll really have to push our in-state politicians, though, to get them to support anything other than highways.  

California voted to fund a bullet train program this year.  If the most car-centric state in the Union can do it, so can we.  Our fellow Southern state North Carolina is actively developing a  passenger rail program.  So why can't we?  We can't afford to risk our economic future by insisting on an automobile-only transportation system.

Thoughts?  What passenger rail connections do our Big 4 have now and what additional connections are needed?

[Southron]

Linked below are good examples of the predicament that we're in with any form of transportation not involving the automobile.  Compare ALDOT's rail section web page to the website of North Carolina's NCDOT Rail Division.  It's obvious that ALDOT doesn't care at all about intercity rail transportation, and this primitive 1995-ish web page with no useful information makes this crystal clear.

ALDOT Rail

NCDOT Rail Division and future service


It's also disappointing that there is very little about Alabama in the following 2007 federal document concerning intercity rail through 2050, and I suspect that a lack of effort or concern from (ALDOT and our state politicians) is largely to blame.  We need a governor to appoint an ALDOT director that will clean out the cobwebs in that agency and get something done besides subsidize the road builders who contribute to certain political campaigns.

Vision for the Future:  U.S. Intercity Passenger Rail Network Through 2050 -  IntercityRail2050.pdf   1.44MB   76 downloads

[kayman]

Well Southron, we have to realize that people are just much to blame in this state as the leadership because they either to apathetic to vote or consistently reelecting the same "do-nothing" politicos.  Also as both of us realize, Alabama is a state that seems to have apprehension towards progressive ideas and change in general.  Honestly, I doubt any major efforts towards progressive measure such as intercity and high-speed rail here before 2030 at the earliest.

[Southron]

kayman, on Dec 13 2008, 08:32 PM, said:

Well Southron, we have to realize that people are just much to blame in this state as the leadership because they either to apathetic to vote or consistently reelecting the same "do-nothing" politicos.  Also as both of us realize, Alabama is a state that seems to have apprehension towards progressive ideas and change in general.  Honestly, I doubt any major efforts towards progressive measure such as intercity and high-speed rail here before 2030 at the earliest.

I agree that there is a lot of ignorance about such things, but a good leader can get people to change their minds.  Right now no one with a real platform is talking about any transportation alternatives here.  We need to be planning now for the rights of way for future rail corridors, before they are over-developed and harder to coordinate.  What we need is a plan, a comprehensive transportation plan that addresses highway needs, intercity rail, public transit within our metro areas, bicycle infrastructure and pedestrian amenities.  ALDOT only seriously addresses highways now, gives lip service to everything else, and there is no credible long-term plan to speak of.  One way or another this is going to have to change.

[tombarnes]

I think the best approach might be a regional one.  Why not create a commission to study a light-rail system which could create hubs in, say, Birmingham, Mobile, Montgomery, Memphis, Jackson, New Orleans, Atlanta and so forth.  Long-distance trains aren't going to attract much demand, but the idea of funding fast trains for shorter routes might be more attractive.  The South must overcome its reluctance to fund rail projects.  Perhaps it can be a leader in this regard.

[Southron]

tombarnes, on Dec 14 2008, 04:57 PM, said:

I think the best approach might be a regional one.  Why not create a commission to study a light-rail system which could create hubs in, say, Birmingham, Mobile, Montgomery, Memphis, Jackson, New Orleans, Atlanta and so forth.

Tom, you made a great point about regional cooperation.  I Googled this subject and found that there is actually an organization, the Southern High-Speed Rail Commission, that promotes passenger rail in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.  The commission held a rail summit in October in Meridian and discussed passenger rail proposals for the area.  

There is a Gulf Coast High Speed Rail Corridor that includes potential future routes from Houston to Mobile and from New Orleans to Atlanta via Birmingham.  ALDOT is involved in this planning, but for whatever reason isn't publicizing the effort.  I didn't see any mention of a Nashville to Mobile route that would connect all four of our major metros along the I-65 corridor.

BusinessWeek:  Industry leaders gather in Meridian for rail summit


Amtrak map with Gulf Coast high speed rail corridor:    map_amtrak_2008_gulf_corridor.pdf   262.82K   74 downloads
SHSRC document about the state of passenger rail in Alabama:    SHSRC_alabama_10_08.pdf   160.51K   88 downloads

[Southron]

Current Amtrak service in Alabama:

The Crescent provides service from New Orleans to New York City, with stops in Tuscaloosa, Birmingham and Anniston.

The Sunset Limited provides service from Los Angeles to Orlando, with stops in Mobile and Atmore.  However, service east of New Orleans has been suspended since 2005 due to hurricane damage.

According to historical information on the SHSRC site, Amtrak operated the Gulf Breeze from Birmingham through Montgomery to Mobile between 1989 and 1995, but service was cancelled due to Amtrak budget cuts.

[kayman]

Southron, on Dec 14 2008, 07:10 PM, said:

Current Amtrak service in Alabama:

The Crescent provides service from New Orleans to New York City, with stops in Tuscaloosa, Birmingham and Anniston.

The Sunset Limited provides service from Los Angeles to Orlando, with stops in Mobile and Atmore.  However, service east of New Orleans has been suspended since 2005 due to hurricane damage.

According to historical information on the SHSRC site, Amtrak operated the Gulf Breeze from Birmingham through Montgomery to Mobile between 1989 and 1995, but service was cancelled due to Amtrak budget cuts.

Yeah, it was a little less than 15 years ago when Alabama had a better rail network in the state with Amtrak, but that's only part of the story.  Actually ALDOT is more to blame than Amtrak.  According to work I know of from working for ALDOT directly, because suspended funding the route (which was funded by both Amtrak and ALDOT) because the state viewed it as not being very profitable.

[Southron]

The chairman of the Southern High-Speed Rail Commission says the state of Alabama has not paid $120,000 in dues to the organization for the past two years.  ADECA had been paying the dues.  Why?  Where the hell is ALDOT?

Official: Alabama hasn't paid dues for high-speed train study

[Southron]

Actually, the story is much worse than what's mentioned in the little AP blurb linked above.  Alabama is behind in organization dues, but more importantly, has not funded a study of the New Orleans-to-Atlanta route through Alabama.  Without the study, the proposal may lose out on potential stimulus funds that could have a 125 mph train operational within three years.  This is absolutely ridiculous and the entire leadership team at ALDOT should be permanently fired.  Shame on the governor for not making the future of our transportation system a priority.

Alabama accused of blocking high-speed rail plan

Funding derails high-speed trains in Alabama

[kayman]

Southron, on Mar 23 2009, 02:39 PM, said:

Actually, the story is much worse than what's mentioned in the little AP blurb linked above.  Alabama is behind in organization dues, but more importantly, has not funded a study of the New Orleans-to-Atlanta route through Alabama.  Without the study, the proposal may lose out on potential stimulus funds that could have a 125 mph train operational within three years.  This is absolutely ridiculous and the entire leadership team at ALDOT should be permanently fired.  Shame on the governor for not making the future of our transportation system a priority.

Alabama accused of blocking high-speed rail plan

Funding derails high-speed trains in Alabama

This is not surprising at all considering my track record of dealing with the state.  All non roadway-oriented transportation projects are forwarded to ADECA rather than ALDOT.  It's ashame that the state has yet to make an consolidated effort to merge to two agencies because economic development is directly tied to transportation, and they should realize that alternative modes of transportation other than roads is the long-term solution.  However, it maybe another decade before anyone in this state does anything substantial towards this realization.  Another reason why people need to get most of "Old Guard" politicians and figure heads out of power in this state.  
n't
However, like Atlanta, Birmingham should fund the study along the corridor here in Alabama since it would benefit the most from a high-speed rail.  Also with the upgrading of Central Station to become a multimodal transportation hub it could accelerate its project.  Ultimately, like what happened in Georgia, it will take the largest city to get the ball rolling for progressive ideas in Alabama.

For the record, the state is not "broke" as Riley claims because if it was it would be wasting funds with forming the Anti-Gambling Task Force...

[Southron]

kayman, on Mar 25 2009, 05:57 PM, said:

All non roadway-oriented transportation projects are forwarded to ADECA rather than ALDOT.

That's insane.  ALDOT isn't in the highway business, it's in the transportation business - all forms of transportation.  It's time to clean house at ALDOT and get rid of the hillbilly highway-only mentality once and for all.  I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for that to happen though.

Governor Riley directed ADECA to begin paying the commission dues, so at least there is hope that the needed study may get funded.  According to the article below, about $700,000 is needed to match a $1.3 million grant for the study.

Governor Riley agrees to pay dues to high-speed rail commission

[kayman]

Southron, on Mar 28 2009, 09:54 AM, said:

That's insane.  ALDOT isn't in the highway business, it's in the transportation business - all forms of transportation.  It's time to clean house at ALDOT and get rid of the hillbilly highway-only mentality once and for all.  I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for that to happen though.

Governor Riley directed ADECA to begin paying the commission dues, so at least there is hope that the needed study may get funded.  According to the article below, about $700,000 is needed to match a $1.3 million grant for the study.

Governor Riley agrees to pay dues to high-speed rail commission

Yeah, it is insane.  In Louisiana, they have a Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD), which serves the purpose of both what we have here with ALDOT and ADECA.  If someone with common sense and basic efficiency would merge the two to make it one agency serving the purpose transportation and development.  

I'll give the Governor that with getting the ball rolling on the study, but I still have my reservations because of his "moral high horse" he's on wasting state funds on the Anti-gambling Task Force.  There is a crucial need for better way to get around this state, particularly the urbanized region of Central Alabama.  I hope the funds are found regardless, so that people will be able to get from Birmingham to and from New Orleans and Atlanta without having to drive all the time.

[kayman]

Now this ironic, on April 11, the Birmingham City Council decided to take up a resolution that would allocate city funds towards funding the Southern High-Speed Rail Corridor.  Also they want to figure out a way so the City can tap into the federal funds allocated for intercity rail, i.e., the regional rail system.  Finally, Mayor Langford is also coordinating a venture/partnership that would form a "Mid-South High Speed Rail Commission" amongst the cities of Memphis, Atlanta, New Orleans, Birmingham, Mobile, Anniston, Meridian, Biloxi, Gulfport and Tuscaloosa on April 30.  

It looks like either somebody was reading the site and noticed what I said or was thinking what I was notioning towards.  LOL

http://birmingham.bi...06/daily38.html