Future Amtrak Services Could and Should Serve Tennessee
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January 15, 2020: At long last there is new and increasing discussion about the future direction Amtrak, our national rail passenger system.
TARP is pleased to note that new discussions and proposals coming from Amtrak, the Rail Passengers Association, and elected representatives in Tennessee prove that Tennessee is on the map for future expansion of intercity passenger rail service. Tennessee's growing and diversifying population, not-to-mention our state's thriving tourism industry, are making that case. Also working in our favor is our state's growing traffic congestion, especially in the greater Nashville/Davidson County region. TARP members are following and contributing to the discussion. Here are a few articles to read (with more to follow): Memphis Commercial Appeal: Amtrak Pitches New Memphis-to-Chicago, other Tennessee lines to State Legislators WSMV News 4: Amtrak Wants to Connect Nashville to Atlanta |
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Virginia Infrastructure Investment May Benefit Tennessee
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The Long Bridge, a railroad bridge that connects Washington, DC and Northern Virginia, is a critical piece of infrastructure that supports the movement and freight and passengers to and from our nation's capital.
Strained capacity at this bridge is a barrier to passenger rail expansion could serve East Tennessee in the foreseeable future. TARP is very pleased to learn that the Commonwealth of Virginia is moving forward with a $3.7 billion dollar transportation plan that will include a new bridge over the Potomac River. Here are a few articles for further reading on this very important development: Washington Post Richmond.com WTOP |
Long Bridge, Potomac River, Washington, DC
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Resolution from Bristol, Tennessee City Council
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Dec. 3, 2019: BRISTOL, Tenn. (WJHL) – There’s been a vote of support for the extension of passenger rail service to Bristol, Virginia and south into Tennessee.
It’s in the form of a resolution by the Bristol, Tennessee City Council that will be sent to the Tennessee General Assembly next year. Click on the following links to read further: WJHL.com WCYB.com |
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We made the front cover of PTJ!
Tennesseans should be proud! Our one and only commuter train made the cover of Passenger Train Journal!
This is the 3rd quarter 2019 edition.
You can buy PTJ at Barnes & Noble bookstores or online at www.passengertrainjournal.com.
The old-timers in TARP will especially remember the commuter rail experiment using equipment from the Broadway Dinner Train to prove that the demand was there! We played a large part in those successful trial runs!
The article also mentions the two transit-oriented developments along the route and the expansion of parking at Mt. Juliet to meet growing demand.
We salute our fellow Tennessean Ralcon Wagner for his good work on this article!
STAR will get rebranded under WeGo Transit
The article in PTJ also mentions the ongoing work to rebrand the Music City Star under RTA's new brand name: WeGo Transit.
The goal of the rebranding is to create a more marketable name for the region's public transportation system. Under the new brand, the name of the train will be simplified and the cars, locomotives, and other identifiers will have a new color scheme.
We haven't found any enthusiasm among the Star riders regarding this plan. Sure, everybody wants a more marketable transit system. However, the Star has more serious issues that need be addressed, such as schedule frequency.
We truly hope that the rebranding is part of a more successful train service for Davidson and Wilson County. At the very least, we are proud to say that Tennessee has the only commuter train in the entire mid-South!
This is the 3rd quarter 2019 edition.
You can buy PTJ at Barnes & Noble bookstores or online at www.passengertrainjournal.com.
The old-timers in TARP will especially remember the commuter rail experiment using equipment from the Broadway Dinner Train to prove that the demand was there! We played a large part in those successful trial runs!
The article also mentions the two transit-oriented developments along the route and the expansion of parking at Mt. Juliet to meet growing demand.
We salute our fellow Tennessean Ralcon Wagner for his good work on this article!
STAR will get rebranded under WeGo Transit
The article in PTJ also mentions the ongoing work to rebrand the Music City Star under RTA's new brand name: WeGo Transit.
The goal of the rebranding is to create a more marketable name for the region's public transportation system. Under the new brand, the name of the train will be simplified and the cars, locomotives, and other identifiers will have a new color scheme.
We haven't found any enthusiasm among the Star riders regarding this plan. Sure, everybody wants a more marketable transit system. However, the Star has more serious issues that need be addressed, such as schedule frequency.
We truly hope that the rebranding is part of a more successful train service for Davidson and Wilson County. At the very least, we are proud to say that Tennessee has the only commuter train in the entire mid-South!
