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Xanny t1_iwzz3j3 wrote

The purple line in this proposal was never going to happen, it uses Amtraks northeast corridor tracks. In theory you could try to widen it with an extra 2 tracks to accommodate local light rail along those rights of way, but huge portions of that route are through tunnels and widening those would be a nightmare. But the way it was proposed they were just assuming Amtrak could logistically fit local trains on the existing infrastructure even though the tunnel past West Baltimore to Penn is already a bottlneck for the trains already on the line.

One thing that I've never heard a proposal for would be to expand the CSX right of way that runs north of Penn Station through Charles Village east to the northeast corridor exchange. Its currently dual tracked for freight, and CSX will never give up that right of way, but I think its feasible to build light rail and stations surrounding those tracks that would make a lot of useful connections. It would take no demolitions and just two bridges and could hook into the existing light rail with an interchange.

The yellow line though is basically part of the NS corridor proposal from MTA, and if Wes can manage to refund the red line, build the heavy rail variant of the NS route, and extend the existing metro line to its originally intended terminus, we would be in really good shape in a decade.

But at the same time, we also need vastly expanded bike infrastructure and a major overhaul of city zoning. Vastly reduce the number of zoning categories and rezone everywhere near fixed transit to the highest degree of transit oriented development. Building the transit is pointless if all it goes to is parking lots and stroads and none of the city can build up density in response.

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A_Damn_Millenial OP t1_ix00f4p wrote

>The purple line in this proposal was never going to happen, it uses Amtraks northeast corridor tracks.

The purple line is labeled as MARC, and partially exists as the current Penn line, which they already share with Amtrak. I don’t think it would be completely unreasonable to expand service.

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Xanny t1_ix033l3 wrote

If you read the written proposal from 2002 its not just making MARC trains stop more often at more stations, its adding new local trains because the MARC rolling stock is all diesel locomotives that are ill fit to make stops that regularly. It uses the same right of way and shares stations, but it was proposed to be a separate local rail line.

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A_Damn_Millenial OP t1_ix042cw wrote

Makes sense. I’ll have to track it down and read the proposal.

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idriveahyundai t1_ix08lln wrote

My understanding of the proposal for the purple and orange was a more hybrid rail approach like a septa regional rail, but running a more local service. still service intervals of around 30 minutes . this way it’s a more baltimore centric commuter service, but not necessarily rapid transit.

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jasonpbecker t1_ix0d6fl wrote

Yes, but it should be making MARC trains stop more often with new EMU rolling stock. None of this map works without having fully electric transits without the stop/acceleration penalties of stops with these frequencies. Of course, the NEC is already electrified and for some time MARC did use electric locomotives, but our idiot transit agencies swapped to diesel and are continuing to invest in diesel.

That said, I’m not sure I’d want the frequency of stops on local trains on the purple line. Certainly that’d be the last priority— I think it’s more important to use EMUs to get an easy, at minimum, 30 min ride to DC consistently leaving at :00 and :30 at least 12 hours a day.

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Xanny t1_ix0f4wc wrote

I don't think making commuter rail trains stop as if they were metrorail makes sense. They serve different functions. MARC will never get the headways at the proposed stops to make "don't look at the schedule" transit a feasible reality, and the extra stops slow down commuters that want to use the line for its original purpose as a DC to Baltimore rail service.

I would definitely love to see what you are proposing though, if we could see that kind of Penn line frequency with that short of a travel time it would be huge for the Maryland economy. But understand that adding stations and more stops is directly contrary to having fast trains between two major hubs.

I don't think its infeasible to eventually widen the NEC to enable local metro trains, but its a really, really far off project we probably can't see realized in our lifetimes. It would have to come after so much other stuff is done - the red and yellow lines, the green line extension, etc. Unless Amtrak and the fed wants to pay for it.

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reeking_lizaveta t1_ix1gsf5 wrote

The MARC investment plan from around the same time as this rail plan would have had four tracks along the northeast corridor, allowing MARC and Amtrak to separate their operations. The state has implemented or is the process of implementing some of the proposals from that plan - rebuilding the west Baltimore Marc station, new BWi station, b and p tunnel replacement, and additional tracks between halethorpe and new Carrollton.

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Xanny t1_ix1jdak wrote

That would be awesome if they managed it. Would definitely enable that corridor to be used for local rail too which would be awesome.

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