Local High Speed Rail?

[Santa Fe buff]

You guys know I live right next door to Kankakee, IL, and look at this:

http://daily-journal.com/archives/dj/display.php?id=442054

Kankakee is VERY close to Bourbonnais, so if this goes through, it will likely mean that local trains for me will be fast ones. 

Joshua

[rustyrails]

WOW....I might have to move.  Closest rail to me is Amtrak through Cumberland, Md and that isn't much. Hope it works out.
Rusty

[CNE Runner]

Another exciting, modern concept is Light Rail. My wife and I rode the Rail Runner from Santa Fe to Albuquerque, NM and were very impressed. The train ride gave us a chance to sit back and enjoy the New Mexican scenery. Next year we plan on riding the new Light Rail from Chandler to Mesa, AZ (at least I think that is where it goes).

Ray

[jward]

close to cumberland? rusty, where ARE you? there isn't much close to cumberland but God's country. i envy you.

one of the proposed high speed lines is an extension of the harrisburg line to pittsburgh. that would, literally, be in my back yard, and it will be interesting to see how they straighten the 40 mph s curves in a densely populated area.

[Santa Fe buff]

Not to mention the many proposals for California.

jward,
I, to, love Cumberland. It's amazing in good ol' Pennsy. I have relatives all over the Eastern border... I, personally, prefer the East Coast over the West... Humid, so it the West Coast, hot? Not all the time. Besides, there's rich heritage everywhere in Pennsyvlania.

...and high voltage lines...

Joshua

[jward]

yes,
pennsylvania has alot of historical sites along with maryland and virginia.
this is where railroading started in the usa. especially in southwestern pa, there were rail lines everywhere, it wasn't uncommon to have towns served by 4 different companies. and yes, power lines.

when i worked the shelocta trains, i had access to the shelocta power plant. this is a huge plant, which boasts 4 cooling towers. it is the only power plant i've ever seen with that many. we were able to get up close to the generator building, the substations, and i've even been in the control room of the car dumper. unfortunately cameras were not permitted though i have a few photos i took of our locomotives in remote parts of the facility.

from shelocta, powerlines radiated out in every direction, most were the big 500kv lines. i believe somebody called traincat makes etched brass models of the steel lattice towers, i'd love to get some for the layout.

[RAM]

Ray, Another exciting, modern concept is Light Rail. You are correct.  However Rail Runner from Santa Fe to Albuquerque, NM is not light rail.

[CNE Runner]

Good morning RAM. I didn't know that. Thanks for informing me...we did enjoy the Rail Runner though - and will ride it again when we revisit New Mexico next year.

Ray

[jward]

light rail is not really a new concept. it is merely the interurbans of the early 20th century in new clothing. it is an exciting concept though.

[RAM]

Ray, What is fun to do and cheap.  Go to Dallas on a weekend and you can buy an all day ticket for DART for about $2.  ride the light rail as much as you want, and I think you can also take the train to Ft Worth. 

[CNE Runner]

RAM - We will definitely have to do that. We passed through Dallas on this past southwestern trip; but will make an effort to revisit the city in the future. Next year's trip will be through San Antonio. We do plan on riding the Phoenix light rail system though. Thanks for the suggestion.

Ray

[9911A E5]

That's cool because i live in the same area as josh.

9911AE5

[RAM]

Also remember the Taxas State railroad.  East of Dallas.

[Paul M.]

Ray, What is fun to do and cheap.  Go to Dallas on a weekend and you can buy an all day ticket for DART for about $2.  ride the light rail as much as you want, and I think you can also take the train to Ft Worth. 

Yep, the Trinity Railway Express will take you to Ft. Worth, and a Dart / T pass works on the light rail system, the busses, and yes, the TRE commuter train!

[RAM]

Paul, Do you know how much those passes cost for us old people?  It has been 4 or 5 years ago since I was there.  Do you know much about down town Ft Worth.  My wife an I would like to take the Train down from Ok. City, eat, spend about 4 hours and than go back.  One other thing since you model T&P in 1950.  In 1952 I was in boot camp, Great lakes,  We were right next to the North Shore, and the CNW.  A after local went by.  It had a 4-4-2 and two open platform cars.  One of my ship mates was a fireman for the T&P.  He said he would sure like to be firering that.  I told him that I did not know if I would, you see that is a hand fired coal burner.  His remark was "they burn coal"  Most everything in the southwest used oil.