NASHVILLE — The Music City has the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Grand Old Opry, great food and impressive 21st century architecture. Many people move to this cultural metropolis every week, which contributes to a regional population of almost 2 million. While not currently served by Amtrak (The Floridian last stopped there in 1979), it has one unique asset that similar-sized neighbors Columbus, Ohio; Milwaukee; and Indianapolis do not: a rail commuter service.
The Music City Star was started in September 2006, running between downtown Nashville and Lebanon, Tenn., a 30-mile one-way ride, at morning and evening rush hours. Two person crews guide the two- and three-car push-pull trains on runs between the two endpoints. The Nashville Riverfront Station on the eastern end is a newly built station opened for the start of the run in 2006, a little more than 1,000 commuters use the service daily, but there are big plans afoot.
And there will be, hopefully, augmentation of rail service for all of greater Nashville, both light- and heavy-rail.
The next critical date for Metro Nashvillians will be May 1, 2018, when voters are expected to make a decision on a more than $5-billion dollar mass transit referendum. Based on raising taxes, this 14-year-long proposal will implement many things to make the transportation more relevant for a growing Nashville, 60-percent of that would be for brand new light rail, with 26 miles that would have to be built, which would bring a line to Nashville International Airport. Operation is slated to begin in 2026. The entire project would be complete by 2032.
And for rail commuters, the Music City Star is expected to participate in the build-out. It would expand to 18 hours of operation from 12; 40-minute service intervals during rush hours, 60 minutes during off-peak hours on weekdays and weekends; and the purchase of four more passenger cars to provide for the enhanced service. This would be a $30-million part of the package, about 75 percent of what the original startup costs were for the Star.
And, with the help of federal funds, the Music City Star may reach Clarksville, Tenn. Under the Northwest Corridor Study, the 50-mile transit corridor between Nashville and Clarksville is being looked at to upgrade commuter service, including two possible rail corridors. One being considered is on a right-of-way that is partly Nashville & Western track, and partially abandoned Tennessee Central right-of-way, now a rail trail with most of the roadbed still in place. The other rail option would be on CSX Transportation trackage, which would involve different operational practices from the current line to Lebanon. This facet is not included in the referendum.
With luck, funding, and voting, the nation’s smallest commuter line, will not have to bear that title eternally. The spirit of the little engine that could is alive and well in The Music City.
While I’m a staunch supporter of Amtrak and passenger rail, in doing the research for my “auto-train” book last year, I took a look at the separate and combined services offered by Amtrak and auto-train corporation. Please keep in mind that this was in the 1970s with Amtrak trains being powered by SDP40Fs, which were restricted by most railroads, and equipment that was of older, steam-heated variety. And in my research, I spoke with a number of people familiar with both operations.
The routes the Floridian and auto-train took (all that were tried) were plagued with horrible track, that resulted in running times that were a full ten hours longer between Louisville, KY and Sanford, FL alone, than it took to drive. Crews I talked to spoke of the engines and cars bottoming out, because of the roughness of the track. It was SO bad, in fact, that when the first Amtrak test train arrived in Florida, several of the rented vehicles in the auto carriers were damaged. Auto-train had an on-going relationship with a couple of repair shops in Sanford, FL, to fix cars and replace bumpers.
Had Amtrak committed to newer (HEP vs steam heated equipment) and F40s or P30s on the Floridian, and been able to reduce travel time, it might have helped keep it going until the current surge in riderships might have kept the corridor going. That’s a matter of conjecture. That there IS a market for travel between the midwest and Florida exists, is not the question. How to tap it IS, and given the that the current atmosphere between the host railroads and Amtrak is one of tolerance, as opposed to cooperation, I personally don’t see that route ever being resurrected. This is why it is important to prevent the loss of service. Witness the Sunset from Florida to New Orleans. Once it’s gone, it’s GONE.
I agree with Paul E. Vinson. ’nuff said.
Mr. Norton I doubt that the nation suffers from the lack of passenger service between Alabama and Florida. Since Amtrak loses money on every train it runs, then the Floridian would also lose money and Amtrak losses would be higher than they are now. I agree with Mr. Staten that the Phoenix metro area is larger than the Nashville metro area.
I used the Floridian numerous times in the 70’s and its predecessor the South Wind before then. The reason the Floridian was doing so poorly in those times was due largely to unreliable schedule keeping. It was anyone’s guess when the train might arrive, rarely on time and often many hours late. Frequent air conditioning failures didn’t help ridership either. Schedules were changed several times too, keeping potential passengers confused. Restoring service on this line would be of great value towards improving the rail passenger network.
Forces are already mobilizing to fight this all the while thinking nothing of the recently announced $1.2 Billion “overhaul” Nashville International Airport.
Meanwhile, the Music City Star remains landlocked from the national passenger rail network. Discontinuing “The Floridian” was a big mistake. And, it smacks of hypocrisy on the part of the Carter Administration that touted environmental conservation.
Just an FYI I think the Phoenix area is the largest area in the country without national rail service, that being said I think both areas should have Amtrak service.
Bring back the Tennessee Central!
Considering how bad traffic is in Nashville, I hope it passes……..
Mr. McGuire: The ridership numbers trump your observations of the time. That aside, Nashville is currently at the “epicenter” of THE most populous region of the nation without passenger rail system. Want to ride Amtrak from Alabama to Florida? Thanks to the loss of the Floridian one most go via Washington DC! The termination of the Floridian was the most illogical and short sighted cut Amtrak has ever experienced! The system still suffers from it.
As one who didn’t care to much for Jimmy Carter, I think he did the right thing in getting rid of the “Floridian”. When I rode it during the shoulder season of 1978, I doubt if there were more than 100 people on board at any one time. Less most of the time. Rail advocates like to point out the environmental benefits of trains but those benefits only exist when the train is running full (or close to it). When the Downeaster uses 250 gallons of fuel to haul 250 people the 95 or so miles from Portland to Boston on Saturday morning there is an environmental benefit but not so much when those 250 gallons are used to haul 25 passengers between the same two points mid-day, mid-week in the off season. Better to spend the money on airport improvements that far more people will actually use.