Having ridden the Greensboro-Birmingham leg of the Crescent a few times (also a few years ago), it was my experience that getting from NC to ATL on the doubletrack main took 4-5 hours, then getting from ATL to B-ham on a curvier singletrack main took almost as long - and that was when things were pretty much on schedule. I imagine increased traffic leading to more meets and delays on the ATL-BHM stretch. Hopefully someone in Jacksonville kicks himself occasionally for making the decision to abandon the Seaboard line between ATL and BHM...but that isn't directly related to this thread. Jeff
While I agree CSuX probably regrets abandoning the ATL-BHM main, but I dont think this would affect the Crescent much as it travels on the NS miles to the south. CSX's crazy route of traveling southwest from Atlanta on the old WRA and then north into BHM from the south is beyond pointless. It is sad to see the Crescent fall by the way like the Starlate, it used to be one of Amtrak's best. Brad
I am hoping that when CSX re-opens the NO&M sub on February 1st, bringing 30-34 trains a day back onto home rails, the traffic jams between Atlanta, B'Ham, and Meridian will ease and the Crescent will get back on schedule. I hoping for this because I have been asked to go to NY the end of February and I would MUCH rather take the Crescent than fly!
Charger, I agree that CSX's BHM-ATL route (or lack thereof) wouldn't impact the Cresent's NS routing much - I was simply thinking about the bigger picture of relieving the congestion on both CSX and NS in and around the ATL-BHM. Jeff
#20 arrived Greensboro at 5:14AM Wednesday morning. You must have been still warmly snuggled in bed....
