urbanSTL

symphonicpoet wrote: ↑

Aug 14, 2024

^I built something fairly close to the orange route in my own NIMY rails game. (And even colored it IT orange.) I'm very tempted to build the Alton route as well. It's a shame we lost all that IT interurban infrastructure. Most of the local stuff would have fit quite nicely into Metrolink.

Wouldn't the Alton route possibly be better served as a regional rail line? (seen some documents mention this) Also any work on improving rail lines for said service would also improve Amtrak as well due to using the same corridor. Starting to build said regional rail would fit nicely with Metrolink, Metrobus, and Amtrak as a comprehensive transit strategy.

^Oh, I've got regional rail on the Alton route. (In my fantasy world.) And long distance rail as well. (As in reality.) In reality regional rail might be okay, but there was something closely akin to streetcar service all the way there and at least intermittent service continuing to Grafton. (For which the preserved railbusses were used. MoT has one. Not sure if the one in Grafton is original or a replica, but that's why it's there.) I'm inclined to think Metrolink to Alton could work pretty well. I'd love to see it to Granite City and Edwardsville. Alton would be a bit more of a stretch, but I figure more than just the Lincoln Service would be useful. In an ideal world. It's one of several lines on which I'd really like to see commuter service, but Metrolink along an abandoned RoW is a not unattractive prospect.

I really think that including SIUE should be the number one goal for any future Madison County MetroLink line. 

Including the Gateway Center would be appealing as well. 

I'd go with Orange first, Pink second, and I'd like that Blue Alton line to be a commuter rail that runs through downtown St. Louis all the way out to Washington, MO. 

In 2004 I probably would have leaned towards commuter rail from Alton, but today we live in a much less downtown-centric STL. Metrolink stops in Downtown Alton, Downtown Wood River, and Downtown Granite City could be top tier TOD destinations and truly change the fortunes of all three towns.

A stop should also be added for Madison, Pontoon Road in North Granite City, Southwestern Illinois College, maybe Hartford? and East Alton. The stops would be far enough apart for trains to get up to full speed.

There is so much legacy urbanism in this corridor that could be fairly easily reactivated, and it's all actually oriented towards the train tracks unlike much of the areas around the stations of our current system.

^That's kind of my thinking. They have potential beyond merely bedroom communities. Washington could be a great commuter rail stop. It's a place people might want to live while working in the metro area, but it's not much of a destination otherwise. There's not a lot of reason for more full time connection. But Granit City and Alton have heavy industry. And there's something more akin to full-time entertainment in Alton with the casino. And the center of each could be a regional anchor. Alton is a bit of a stretch, but I feel like it could use more than just commuter rail. (Especially if you could create a direct connection to north county bypassing the city altogether. Mind you, that's not what I've actually done in my fantasy world, but maybe it should be.)

Thing is traditional commuter rail isn't really done anymore because the dynamics of travel patterns have changed. Any existing examples are switching to having service throughout the day and on weekends as more of a regional rail. As for going to Alton either option could work and possibly both. For Metrolink would potentially use a portion of the route going to SIUE. Regional rail option may be less expensive and improving the rail lines for it also has the benefit of improving Amtrak service at the same time. In addition it opens the possibility for extending service towards Jerseyville.

Regional rail overall likely deserves its own thread and discussion on how one could be created in the metro area.