3 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

Chattanooga, TN Times-Free Press, 7/29/14:

Lisa Maragnano, executive director at Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA), said a new rail line could complement the city’s bus line and offer new transportation alternatives outside of the driving passenger cars.

The entire article

[Sloan]

 

Light rail possible for Chattanooga, but bullet train unlikely, Berke says

Chattanooga is exploring the possibility of building light commuter rail throughout the city. But Mayor Andy Berke says a 17-year-old plan to connect the Scenic City to Atlanta with a bullet train is likely stopped in its tracks.

 

http://www.timesfree...y-berke/306014/

Edited by Sloan, 25 May 2015 - 02:18 PM.

[Sloan]

 

 

Chattanooga holds final public meeting on passenger rail lines

These days, the Incline Railway is about the only passenger rail car in the city.

But that could change.

http://newschannel9....nger-rail-lines

 

From O Scale Trolley Modelers:

 

The city of CHATTANOOGA has held its final public meeting on initial proposals for an urban passenger rail system, WVTC-TV reported. Although it's being called "light rail," it most likely would be diesel multiple-unit [DMU] using existing rail freight or abandoned rights of way. Chattanooga is the fourth largest city in Tennessee and has a metro population of 528,000. Chattanooga once had streetcar service but it ended by 1933:

[KevinKorell]

I don't think Chattanooga is a big enough city to support a network of commuter rail lines (or even a single commuter rail line like Nashville, for example, has). Light rail would probably work to connect downtown and outlying areas in the near suburbs. The DMU mentioned could probably be something like the WES line near Portland, or even a more transitized diesel light rail like New Jersey's RiverLINE, if they are looking to do this on the cheap without electrification.