Crescent to be re-routed out of BHM?

[Crescent ATN & TCL]

At one time wasn't the Crescent split at Birmingham and a segment ran south to Mobile through Montgomery? If I remember correctly the state of Alabama paid for it but it was short lived due to low ridership. It would make sense to run a train from NOL to FL on the Sunsets Route and then run one from CHI through Nashville, Birmingham, Montgomery, and down to Mobile. I know these routes would probably be similar the routes of the Gulf Breeze and the Floridian.

 

[Bill Haithcoat]

At one time wasn't the Crescent split at Birmingham and a segment ran south to Mobile through Montgomery? If I remember correctly the state of Alabama paid for it but it was short lived due to low ridership. It would make sense to run a train from NOL to FL on the Sunsets Route and then run one from CHI through Nashville, Birmingham, Montgomery, and down to Mobile. I know these routes would probably be similar the routes of the Gulf Breeze and the Floridian.

Yes, the train was at one time split at BHM. The section to NOL was called the Crescent-- the section to Montgomery and Mobile was the Gulf Breeze. Each train had through equipment, coach and sleeper, from NYC.

The Floridian's route was CHI, Indianapolis, Louisville,Nashville, Birmingham, Montgomery, Waycross, JAX, MI.

 

[wayman]

Yes, the train was at one time split at BHM. The section to NOL was called the Crescent-- the section to Montgomery and Mobile was the Gulf Breeze. Each train had through equipment, coach and sleeper, from NYC.

Some while back, when we were talking about those "two extra empty coaches" from ATL to NOL, I asked about the possibility of running them from ATL to JAX and back, which seemed like a generally good concept to other folks here (though of course there would be implementation details to work out, some money would have to be found, etc).

Sounds like sending those two coaches from Birmingham to Mobile and back is another option, if we're considering things to do with them. It wouldn't be the Gulf Breeze as it was (with through coach and sleeper), but it would serve Mobile again. Any sense on which of those two is "better" for passengers, or easier to implement?

Or, given a choice between the three of these:

(i) NOL-JAX (restoring pre-Katrina service)

(ii) BHM-MOE (split two coaches from Crescent using engine and cafe car based in BHM)

(iii) ATL-JAX (split two coaches from Crescent using engine and cafe car based in JAX)

Which route would you prioritize and why?

(I'm guessing JAX is a better place to base things for (iii) since it's already a major Amtrak facility, though perhaps that confuses things more than basing things in ATL? I'm not working out the details, just sketching ideas.)

 

[Kramerica]

Or, given a choice between the three of thesei) NOL-JAX (restoring pre-Katrina service)

(ii) BHM-MOE (split two coaches from Crescent using engine and cafe car based in BHM)

(iii) ATL-JAX (split two coaches from Crescent using engine and cafe car based in JAX)

Which route would you prioritize and why?

Of course, I don't live in the South, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt.

My first choice would be to restore the Sunset. It seems to me that it is a useful part of the national system. Makes travel to Florida a lot more convenient for people from Mississippi, Louisianna, Texas, and even farther west of that.

My second choice would be ATL-JAX. My impression is that Atlanta does have ties with Florida and would benefit from the service. Plus, implementing this would update the track. Then we'd be 1/3 of the way to having the right track for what I see as a big hole in the national network: Chicago to Florida. I think a lot of people would take that train. In fact, I see this as a potential corridor for a second Auto Train. Plus you'd be able to use the existing terminal in Sanford, so you'd only have to build one on the southern Chicagoland area.

That leave my third choice of BHM-MOE. I guess I just don't see the need to have a line so close to the Crescent. (in terms of the current national network with its big gaps; if we had a good network already, this would be a good link)