...by 13 minutes

http://www.wbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=14300848

Quote :

"$461 million project will speed train trip to Raleigh by 13 minutes RALEIGH, N.C. (AP/WBTV) - North Carolina transportation officials say they've reached an agreement that will allow them to obtain $461 million in federal grants to improve train service. The agreement will allow faster and more frequent passenger service between Charlotte and Raleigh. State transportation secretary Gene Conti says the agency will seek bids for contracts for tracks, bridges and trains. Officials say the new service would cut travel time from Charlotte to Raleigh to less than three hours, even with seven stops along the way. However, the ride will only be 13 minutes faster. The project is expected to create nearly 5,000 jobs. With the millions, the state will be taking out a zig-zag Norfolk-Southern and CSX trains have to maneuver through in Charlotte's Fourth Ward area. The project will also add miles of double track and miles of passing track so trains can pass each other. The work will also straighten out some of the lines and build bridges where the trains intersect with roadways. Money will also go to begin developing a huge train station in Fourth Ward north of the Panthers stadium. That will be called the Charlotte Gateway Station, which will bring together Amtrak, a future commuter rail to north Mecklenburg and a streetcar through Charlotte. North Carolina had to obtain an agreement with Norfolk Southern Railway to qualify for the grants. The Federal Railroad Administration had been concerned that slower freight trains might hamper the new service."

3/23/2011 3:26:07 PM

Uggg, what a waste.

And, if I could snap my fingers and instantly be in Charlotte, I still wouldn't visit that shit hole town.

3/23/2011 3:27:15 PM

I hate you too

3/23/2011 3:28:19 PM

if they can't trim that short trip to a reasonable 90 minutes or less they're wasting their time.

3/23/2011 3:28:45 PM

misleading title is misleading

3/23/2011 3:30:04 PM

Does it drop the travel time by 13 minutes every time we spend $461 million?

If so I say we just go ahead, bite the bullet, and spend several billion to create instantaneous travel.

3/23/2011 3:30:23 PM

Now 13 minutes X a huge diesel running (GPM)X twice per day x 365 x price of diesel per gallon = financial savings per year...


Also keep in mind this is the media and they pick out random facts out of context and then begin bitching...
I'm willing to bet they may also be seeing a reduction in rent from CSX for having the train on their tracks most of the time. As well as maybe bringing some more business into the area because some huge trains just cannot maneuver the zig zag they are speaking of.

Local governments don't spend money like defense contracts... someone told them this was a good idea and they hired an engineer to verify the numbers.

I wish they would just dump the amtrack train and have 2 nc owned and operated ones.. because ours don't smell like urine and aren't 2 hours late because the CSX lines in VA slowed the train down to 35mpg because of some stupid emissions law in VA.

[Edited on March 23, 2011 at 3:52 PM. Reason : .]

3/23/2011 3:50:35 PM

What they should do is have express high speed rail once an hour or so that only stops at Raleigh, Greensboro, and Charlotte. Bet that would be faster.

3/23/2011 3:52:18 PM

Charlotte is 700 feet above sea level

Raleigh is 300





[Edited on March 23, 2011 at 3:55 PM. Reason : x]

3/23/2011 3:54:27 PM

Everytime I start thinking Peter isn't a moron he goes off and does something like this

[Edited on March 23, 2011 at 4:16 PM. Reason : Too easy to get shot on the zipline, can't use your weapon]

3/23/2011 4:15:31 PM

(700-300)/(685,000) = 0.058% drop

3/23/2011 4:16:16 PM

Just make the first part steeper and let gravity do the rest

3/23/2011 4:17:03 PM

All passenger service should start with sitting on a 45 degree incline hearing TICK TICK TICK TICK TICK TICK TICK TICK.

They should throw in a loop halfway through as well.

3/23/2011 4:18:39 PM

You have a point.

3/23/2011 4:18:51 PM

A pit stop in Greensboro. You can eat at Bert's Seafood and then defecate at Ernie's house.

3/23/2011 4:21:35 PM

There will be multiple stops along the route, right? Like^said, a stop in Greensboro?

3/23/2011 4:27:42 PM

3/23/2011 4:28:49 PM

ACTUALLY, I THINK THIS IS MORE OF A SHELBYVILLE IDEA

3/23/2011 4:46:57 PM

Quote :

"Everytime I start thinking Peter isn't a moron he goes off and does something like this"

Most, if not all, of my activity on this website is for the lulz...more specifically, my lulz

and in any case this story is getting national exposure via Drudge Report, so its one of those "EVERY TIME NC IS IN THE NEWS" situations

3/23/2011 4:53:27 PM

Quote :

"Most, if not all, of my activity on this website is for the lulz...more specifically, my lulz"

also, I thought this said to 13 minutes at first. I was like WATTTT

3/23/2011 4:58:21 PM

Quote :

""EVERY TIME NC IS IN THE NEWS""

...for creating 5,000 jobs?

3/23/2011 5:13:51 PM

isn't there a train expert on TWW?

paging eleusis and Noen

3/23/2011 5:15:06 PM

trains? this is the 21st century, not the 19th.

3/23/2011 5:15:38 PM

SOME OF US OCCASIONALLY USE TRAINS DAMN IT

3/23/2011 5:30:04 PM

The new train station is Berlin is baller as fuck. We should get one of those.

3/23/2011 5:31:27 PM

Of course that's a great benefit, in addition to the increased efficiency of additional track lines that will undoubtedly decrease wasted time now that trains can pass each other.

I hope this helps you in the slightest, please PM with any questions boo

3/23/2011 5:32:54 PM

Quote :

"Just make the first part steeper and let gravity do the rest"

Bank of America building = 871 ft tall

1571 - 300 = 1271 ft drop

3/23/2011 5:58:43 PM