High Speed Rail Dodges the Fort

[Hotbox]

Well, with Obama's "Vision for HSR in America" plan http://www.fra.dot.gov/Downloads/RRdev/hsrmap.pdf clearly choosing the /Toledo/South Bend/Chicago route in preference over the once described "option" of bringing the route through the Fort on the former PRR, I'd just like to ask how many of you truly believed the "Fort Wayne option" was a sincere possibility?

To me it ALWAYS appeared to be a "smoke and mirrors" presentation

[douglas804]

All things are possible - if you have the right lobbying group going for you!

[Rob]

The reason I heard the "southern route" was preferred, was due to costs of getting this thing through the South Bend to Goshen area while remaining something like 90 feet away from NS rails, otherwise, if closer, slower speeds were required.Can never seem to find where i read that at, but i would suppose the costs for that would exceed the amount that will ever be found. Probably end up with a promise of high speed some day, and be another 79mph train for decades with additional costs to all. Probably the same for the southern route too though,it seems anything ran through the government has a rough time being what is intended to be when planned.

[rrnut282]

Apparently, O administration doesn't listen to studies undertaken by those who will be asked to spend the money. This is very enlightening:

http://www.in.gov/indot/files/NorthernI ... gStudy.pdf

They (NS and CSX) want 26' track centers for speeds above 79. I find it interesting that "NS is considering additional tracks in the Fort Wayne-New Haven area."

[Hotbox]

very interesting reading indeed......

still, the cynic in me says it wil "never happen"

[D.L.]

Most of us would be grateful if reg Passenger service would return to downtown Ft.Wayne.
Wife and I would love to take a summer train trip vacation (and I'm NOT driving to Waterloo or Bryan or Windy City to get a train!) ---although the new 4-lane 24 sure makes it much more pleasant to drive in Ohio!!!
Mikey, Mikey, have you bin a truckin; on the new road, yet???

P.S. That new overpass on the 5th district is the cat's meow. WOW!

[Ibflattop]

Did you guys actually think that HSR was really going to make it back to Ft.Wayne? Come on Fellas pull off your Rose colored Glasses!!!!! Kevin

[chowetrains]

We used to have HSR back in the Pennsy days when trains routinely ran 100-120 mph on their way to Chicago As someone who REFUSES to fly ANYWHERE, I know I would make EXTENSIVE use of HSR if they built it through Ft. Wayne. Otherwise, I guess I'm just stuck catching late night or early morning Amtrak trains to get anywhere until then.