Charlotte VS Jacksonville VS Nashville

[monsoon]

Charlotte has one of those as well. The NCDOT operates daily passenger rail out of Charlotte to Raleigh and back. It stops in numerous cities between the two and is very popular. This is a 187 mile long route which is considerably longer than the trip from Dallas to Ft. Worth.

[Viper]

Isn't that considered a step up from Heavy Rail? I forget the term at the moment but it uses national tracks and not something specifically designed and made for transport between just the two. The tracks are shared with other commuter and freight trains.

[bobliocatt]

The Carolina Train looks to be nothing more than Amtrak. This looks nothing like typical commuter rail, like South Florida's Tri-rail system that typically has stops every other mile or so. Isn't the Trinity Railway Express a commuter rail line with several stops between Fort Worth & Dallas?

[monsoon]

The Carolina Train looks to be nothing more than Amtrak.  This looks nothing like typical commuter rail, like South Florida's Tri-rail system that typically has stops every other mile or so.  Isn't the Trinity Railway Express a commuter rail line with several stops between Fort Worth & Dallas?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Carolinian is rented from Amtrak. It provides the opposite service for the Piedmont which is owned by the state. The NCDOT is also looking at purchasing another train for midday service.

[Viper]

According to the map, the Carolinian goes up to DC and New York. If that is so then how is it just considered a state regional transport system?

[eastsider]

The Carolina Train looks to be nothing more than Amtrak.  This looks nothing like typical commuter rail, like South Florida's Tri-rail system that typically has stops every other mile or so.  Isn't the Trinity Railway Express a commuter rail line with several stops between Fort Worth & Dallas?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, theTRE has 7 or 8 stops between dallas & fort worth. One stop connects to a direct bus line to dfw airport. The trains run something like every 45 min - 1 hr.

[bobliocatt]

^So the Trinity is definately commuter rail. How often does the Piedmont and Carolinian run?

[JunktionFET]

Isn't that considered a step up from Heavy Rail? I forget the term at the moment but it uses national tracks and not something specifically designed and made for transport between just the two. The tracks are shared with other commuter and freight trains.

No it is heavy rail--most of it in NC is class IV rail specifically. The terms "heavy" and "light" rail just refer to the class of track. All track in this country is the same pitch, so you could theoretically roll a freight train down tracks for LRVs or streetcars, or roll a street car down a CSX mainline--would be pretty funny to see actually.

The Piedmont train is owned by NCDOT and runs specifically from Charlotte to Raleigh and back everyday. It is one of three such state train programs in the country. The track it uses is owned by NCRR and has been heavily upgraded to ensure a smooth ride and higher speed with greater safety.

Most commuter lines use existing rail lines--that is the beauty of them. Just look at NJT, VRE, etc. Many of them have mixed traffic as well. An up and coming example of existing rail commuter line is Nashville's starter system.

Amtrak operates the Piedmont for NCDOT because they are a department of transportation, not a transportation authority. The state could easily just turn over the train to an in-house authority and the only thing that would change is the name--maybe NCT (North Carolina Transit?) The Piedmont is designed as a long range commuter system and gets used quite a bit by business commuters who live in Raleigh and have temporary assignments in Charlotte, or vice versa.

NC heavily subsidizes the Carolinian, which runs to NYC (making it inexpensive). It is an interstate route though and more like a conventional Amtrak train (uses Amtrak engines)--though it is an NC invention. It can still provide handy service which compliments the Piedmont.

The NCRR corridor features stops at many towns along the way in the state and serves to connect NC's big three metropolitan areas. NCDOT has given a lot of money to restore the historic (100+ year old) train stations in each town, returning them to their former glory though modernized. In some cases where the historic station was not available or beyond repair, they have built new ones. For example, Cary's station (built in 1995?) features provisions to serve future TTA Rail, etc.

[JunktionFET]

^So the Trinity is definately commuter rail.  How often does the Piedmont and Carolinian run?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Like other long range commuter lines, there are 4 trains per day (2 Piedmont, 2 Carolinian). Due to increased popularity since its inception in 1994, NCDOT is considering adding a midday Piedmont service, meaning this train would likely be rolling almost all day--only a brief amount of idle time between trips.

[Viper]

I think what I was trying to get at is by the diagram shown, the Carolinian travels out of state to DC and NY. To me, that seems to be more than just a local commuter train.

[monsoon]

I think what I was trying to get at is by the diagram shown, the Carolinian travels out of state to DC and NY.  To me, that seems to be more than just a local commuter train.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

LOL, considering that it is 187 miles from Raleigh to Charlotte, you could not consider even the Piedmont a local train.

The Carolinian actually runs from Charlotte to NYC, then returns. Once it leaves NC, its stops are much less frequent. It is subsidized by the NCDOT and would not exist otherwise. As I mentioned earlier it provides complimentary service to the Piedmont.

[cheeriokid61]

How is this comparing Charlotte to Nashville and Jacksonville?

[JunktionFET]

How is this comparing Charlotte to Nashville and Jacksonville?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's just a discussion, sharing information. I hope everyone is taking notes--there will be a test later on

[nashvol85]

It's just a discussion, sharing information. I hope everyone is taking notes--there will be a test later on

Dammit!! I didn't study for this one...I hope I don't get kicked off of the forum!

[ATLBrain]

Why isn't Tampa in this? Orlando? And what is with all these damn NC forumers?

[Viper]

Why isn't Tampa in this?  Orlando?  And what is with all these damn NC forumers?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Because Tampa is already a big player in the South. The question is which city will be next to join the likes of Tampa?

[cheeriokid61]

And because Nashville, Charlotte, and Jacksonville have been compared the most recently.

[Viper]

They also seem to make up the majority of the forum posters. If I remember, a graph was shown a while back that displayed the activity of each board and the top three cities were these three or at least very close to it.

[monsoon]

They also seem to make up the majority of the forum posters.  If I remember, a graph was shown a while back that displayed the activity of each board and the top three cities were these three or at least very close to it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think you are doing too much analyzing. The thread starter just picked these 3 cities. Can't be any more simple than that.

Its easy enough for anyone to start another thread if they want something different.

[sleepy]

All those cities have great qualities. And I always like cities for certain cultural attributes--not necessarily museums, galleries, even history, etc., By culture, I mean things in the fabric of the place--I guess their defining features.

Charlotte I would find interesting because it defines itself--I think--as a city in the making, and it would be interesting to witness that.

Jacksonville--I always liked old working urban Southern cities and have seen pics of Jacksonville which set it apart from the normal glitz of the rest of Florida. Plus, it's got a coastal thing. Maybe a Birmingham Del Mar?

Nashville--I like the music and the historic old parts of town. Combine that with the economic boom there and you get this electric country vibe--whatever that means--which is interesting.

[RiversideGator]

Birmingham Del Mar. hahaha. I always thought that if you could somehow combine Bham and Jax into one large city it would be incredible. You would have the hills and the river and the ocean (and all of the Alabama girls). It would be very nice.

[bobliocatt]

Birmingville or Jacksonham....a coastal city with hills. Sounds like the making of the San Fransico of the South?

[Charleston native]

Birmingham Del Mar.  hahaha.  I always thought that if you could somehow combine Bham and Jax into one large city it would be incredible.  You would have the hills and the river and the ocean (and all of the Alabama girls).  It would be very nice.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wow. I'd like that! I already love Jacksonville as it is, but that would just make it really cool. I've always considered Jax and the Northern part of FL including the Panhandle the "more Southern" part of Florida. I mean no disrespect to the southern areas of the state such as Orlando, Tampa, or Miami, but those areas have many more implanted Northerners than Jax. They are also more international in nature...taking in other cultures that are not uniquely American. I'm not saying this is bad, it's just what sets Jax apart.

I consider Jax as having the original spirit of Florida. I just wish I could get a chance to go there and settle down. I would never move again...even with hurricanes!

[afh]

Wow. I'd like that!  I already love Jacksonville as it is, but that would just make it really cool. I've always considered Jax and the Northern part of FL including the Panhandle the "more Southern" part of Florida. I mean no disrespect to the southern areas of the state such as Orlando, Tampa, or Miami, but those areas have many more implanted Northerners than Jax. They are also more international in nature...taking in other cultures that are not uniquely American. I'm not saying this is bad, it's just what sets Jax apart.

I consider Jax as having the original spirit of Florida. I just wish I could get a chance to go there and settle down. I would never move again...even with hurricanes! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I would venture to say that Jax has a number of implants from all over the country which sets it apart from its counterparts. Not just northerners but people from the Midwest, West, Southwest and the South. Also, I don't know if you know this, but there are other cultures in Jax. You should try living there sometime to find this out. That's what I did for the last couple of years as well as living in Miami. Everyone that I meet was from somewhere else. I could barely find people who were actually from Florida. The barbershop I went had was frequented by Haitians, Cubans, Whites and Blacks. There is more diversity there than you now and I've experienced it first hand. I live in Phoenix now and I would venture to say that there are probably more cultures livings in Jax than what I have seen in Phoenix. Phoenix is just like Jax in the sense that no one is from here. The old stereotype of Jax, which you're going by is useless now. So when you say that having other cultures is what sets Jax apart I feel you need to revisit Jax and actually learn what makes it like the others. Go over to the Jacksonville thread and check out the languages thread. That will give you a start.

As far as the original spirit of Florida is concerned, I have no clue what that is and I grew up in Florida so you've lost me on that one. Jax embodies the current spirit of Florida which is diversity in everything from race, to where you're from.

[RiversideGator]

Not being as enthralled with the cult of "diversity" as AFH, I have to agree with Charleston. As a 3rd generation Jacksonville native, I also think I know more about Jacksonville than someone who lives in Phoenix. Of course Jacksonville, as a fairly large city, has people from different regions of the country and from around the world, but the core of the city is still Southerners, both white and black. Historically this has been true in FL as well. I believe this is what Charleston was refering to and he is correct. So AFH, please dont give us your liberal condescension on here.