Comments on: Meridian, Mississippi: What Trains Can Do for a City http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/06/03/meridian-mississippi-what-trains-can-do-for-a-city/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:07:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kenney http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/06/03/meridian-mississippi-what-trains-can-do-for-a-city/comment-page-1/#comment-69253 Kenney Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:45:29 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6214#comment-69253 I love Mayor Smith! I was there at the T4 event in February, and he was phenomenal. He's the only person I know aside from Governor Rendell who can talk about infrastructure for a whole hour, and make it sound like the most compelling issue that confronts the country today. I love Mayor Smith! I was there at the T4 event in February, and he was phenomenal. He’s the only person I know aside from Governor Rendell who can talk about infrastructure for a whole hour, and make it sound like the most compelling issue that confronts the country today.

]]> By: Woody http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/06/03/meridian-mississippi-what-trains-can-do-for-a-city/comment-page-1/#comment-69227 Woody Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:44:25 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6214#comment-69227 High speed rail for Meridian? Sure. But first, how about more frequent service, better connections, and trains to more places? If you look at the Vision map of the National Association of Railroad Passengers, http://www.narprail.org/cms/index.php/resources/more/the_map_of_narps_vision/ you can see a suggested new route through Meridian. It would run Atlanta-Anniston-Birmingham-Tuscaloosa-Meridian-Jackson-Monroe-Shreveport-Dallas-Fort Worth-Abilene-Odessa-El Paso-L.A. The new train would double the frequency Meridian-Birmingham-Atlanta. It would be a new train to the state capital of Jackson, and on to Texas and California, with connections to Memphis, Chicago, St Louis, and Oklahoma City. Expanding Amtrak routes like this is not as exciting as building high speed rail. But it would be cheaper to do, quicker to put into place, and serve many passengers while we get together the many many billions needed to make HSR a reality. High speed rail for Meridian? Sure. But first, how about more frequent service, better connections, and trains to more places?

If you look at the Vision map of the National Association of Railroad Passengers,
http://www.narprail.org/cms/index.php/resources/more/the_map_of_narps_vision/ you can see a suggested new route through Meridian. It would run Atlanta-Anniston-Birmingham-Tuscaloosa-Meridian-Jackson-Monroe-Shreveport-Dallas-Fort Worth-Abilene-Odessa-El Paso-L.A.

The new train would double the frequency Meridian-Birmingham-Atlanta. It would be a new train to the state capital of Jackson, and on to Texas and California, with connections to Memphis, Chicago, St Louis, and Oklahoma City.

Expanding Amtrak routes like this is not as exciting as building high speed rail. But it would be cheaper to do, quicker to put into place, and serve many passengers while we get together the many many billions needed to make HSR a reality.

]]> By: vnm http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/06/03/meridian-mississippi-what-trains-can-do-for-a-city/comment-page-1/#comment-69197 vnm Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:52:29 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6214#comment-69197 Actually, I've been to Meridian -- because of its existing Amtrak station. I was bound for a wedding in Jackson, Mississippi, and Meridian was the place to transfer between Amtrak's Crescent and Greyound. Great town. I walked around downtown a little, spent some money. This is a place that understands how transportation investment can benefit a local economy. Actually, I’ve been to Meridian — because of its existing Amtrak station. I was bound for a wedding in Jackson, Mississippi, and Meridian was the place to transfer between Amtrak’s Crescent and Greyound.

Great town. I walked around downtown a little, spent some money. This is a place that understands how transportation investment can benefit a local economy.

]]> By: cindy http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/06/03/meridian-mississippi-what-trains-can-do-for-a-city/comment-page-1/#comment-69196 cindy Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:06:46 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=6214#comment-69196 it's fantastic to see somebody in the deep south taking initiative with rail! my parents have lived in Birmingham for the past 5 years. having lived there and traveled extensively through all of the deep south, i can say that they have the worst rail infrastructure in the eastern US, hands down. to see this kind of initiative in Mississippi, arguably the most infrastructurally challenged of the four deep southern states, gives me a lot of hope. it’s fantastic to see somebody in the deep south taking initiative with rail! my parents have lived in Birmingham for the past 5 years. having lived there and traveled extensively through all of the deep south, i can say that they have the worst rail infrastructure in the eastern US, hands down. to see this kind of initiative in Mississippi, arguably the most infrastructurally challenged of the four deep southern states, gives me a lot of hope.

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