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Xanny t1_ix033l3 wrote

Reply to comment by A_Damn_Millenial in First time seeing the 2002 Baltimore Region Rail Map. Moore, make it happen! by A_Damn_Millenial

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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