heykey4

Does anyone know about the Eclectic Electric Museum? Is it still available to schedule an appointment to see it? And how does one do that? I had never even heard about it until yesterday and there is very little online about contact info. Thanks!

So trains will run on both sides of the James from Richmond to Hampton Roads.....I guess the only question is, when? http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/business/transportation/article/B-VDOT18_20100217-215203/325042/

No, Broad Street Station being used is fantasy world talk, but it would be neat in my opinion. Here's some pictures of the Hull Street Station renovation by the Old Dominion Chapter of the NRHS: http://www.odcnrhs.org/Museumproject.htm My reservations about MSS for High Speed Rail are that trains will have to go through Acca. Now, I believe I read recently that a bypass would be built for passenger traffic through Acca, is that correct? I'd love to see MSS used like they want to, but I'm not sold yet. I'm intrigued about the new station at Parham Road.

Sadly, the best option may be to use Broad Street Station. In an ideal world....or maybe a fantasy world, could the Science Museum and a train depot occupy the same building? Granted, even in this fantasy world I speak of, the rail loop that made Broad Street Station so accessible for ACL and RF&P trains would have to be reconstructed. In reality, a new rail station at Staples Mill seems to be the most logical.

Walmart seeks to open in urban markets, http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8a5ffa1e-c728-11de-bb6f-00144feab49a.html Love it or hate it, Walmart attracts customers, sometimes at the expense of "mom & pop" stores, but not all the time. Living a stone's throw from the Mechanicsville Walmart, I can attest that the place is always busy. If Walmart ever decided to open in Richmond (I know there's one at Forest Hill & Chippenham, but I'm talking non-annexed areas) I could see it occupying the old Sears building on Broad Street (I don't know what's in that building now). But parking would be an issue, and Lowe's & Kroger have built suburban type stores in the vicinity already.

Hampton Roads leaders come together to get high speed rail from Richmond Main Street Station to Norfolk using the Norfolk Southern tracks from Petersburg to Norfolk. Here's the article from the Pilot online, http://hamptonroads.com/2009/10/leaders-agree-push-highspeed-rail-norfolk I wonder, will this put importance, more importance or no importance on a station at Petersburg? If I read the SEHSR documentation correctly, they are going to use the A-Line from Centralia to Collier Yard in Petersburg, aiming for a new station at Ettrick instead of coming downtown to use Petersburg's Union Station....which, if true, is a shame, but logical. However, if a high speed train is going to branch off and head to Norfolk, what does that mean for routing? Is there a CSX, NS interchange at Collier Yard? Or could they rebuild the tracks at Dunlop in Colonial Heights and come into Downtown Petersburg to access NS tracks? At the same time, the leaders of our eastern neighbors aim to improve service along the already Richmond-Newport News route. Maybe that means more service to and from Richmond? Richmond leaders should push for a rail stop at Richmond International Airport as part of any improvements to that Peninsula line.

Just read on the T-D's website that Harvey Hudson, who was a Richmond institution on radio, has passed away at the age of 88. He was also prominent on the PBS documentary, "Richmond Memories". http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/HHOBGAT01_20091101-143802/303016/

well, I know they've got one set to go over VA-895 for the interchange. It also looks as if they may have one go over Charles City Road, but I'm not sure.

Why has there been a giant "X" flashing at the beginning (or end) of the runway closest to US 60? Or is that always there?

Sonic Drive-In is commencing construction of a new location on Mechanicsville Turnpike across the road from Victory Nissan. They will tear down the former Bill's Barbecue (Mattress Discounters) building, no word on when they are scheduled to open. I think this will be Sonic's fifth location in the Richmond area in the last three years, with the most recent one opening at Washington Highway and Sliding Hill Road just north of the Henrico/Hanover line. The added benefit to this new location is it's proximity to Lee-Davis High School, and my neighborhood. Here's hoping Bojangles' opens a Mechanicsville store.

I'm intrigued by the genealogical center....that could potentially be a huge draw, more and more people seem to express an interest in knowing their family history. Hopefully, they'll not put all their hope in getting funding from the government, I just don't see it coming from there right now....there's got to be some big shots with money who have a passion for this. From an architectural standpoint, it will certainly draw curiosity from those passing along I-95....and if Main Street Station picks up more rail traffic, it could be quite the front door into Richmond.

High Speed Rail will use the CSX Main Line through Hanover County. http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/business/...-223403/271778/

For here in Richmond... It could have been the FedEx jet...it has a different flight path than any other plane I see coming into RIC. Plus it is huge. The military is known to do training around here and you'll occasionally see large cargo aircraft or the ones with the big radar dish on top flying around. ...and then the aforementioned Air Force One plane can be seen around here from time to time. I think they practice touch and go procedures here at Richmond. I did notice low flying military helicopters flying around Mechanicsville yesterday. Very low, with their side doors open. With the race in town, there's bound to be an increase in air traffic of all kinds.

Thanks Burt, very interesting discussions.

Harris Teeter expanding VA presence... from today's Times-Dispatch http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/business/...-064803/186584/ maybe this could mean expanding into Richmond?

Thanks for the map, that's a good thing to have. I haven't thought of a Richmond-Roanoke route. But I guess that would fall under jurisdiction of the Transdominion Express which, by the way, has nothing new on its website (the last news piece is from last January). I was reading somewhere (maybe on this board, forgive if I read it here and have forgotten) about how when Amtrak began service in the 70s and they moved to Staples Mill Road station, people bound for Charlottesville had to be taken by bus to Chickahominy or maybe Atlee to board the train. But at 95 miles from MSS to C'ville....that's a two hour ride probably. Perhaps why it was discontinued. It would seem to me (and I'm biased because of my fondness of trains) that rail service between Richmond - Petersburg - Southside Hampton Roads would be the next logical step. Not knowing prices, does it make sense that investing in such a service would be less expensive than say making I-64 six lanes from Richmond to the tunnel? And, since funding for the US 460 realignment project may be uncertain, passenger rail service may be an option. I don't know the conditon of the NS tracks from Petersrburg to Norfolk, they still carry freight service, but at one time those tracks supported trains capable of 110 mph. This invisioned train coming west from Norfolk could have unstaffed stops in Wakefield, Waverly, Petersburg Union Station, Chester....and then the question would be does it go up the A line or the S line, with the S line going to MSS. Two trains daily like the Northeast Regional, it's plausable. And eastbound such a train could terminate in Norfolk somewhere for people to connect with their light rail which may possibly one day go to the oceanfront. If the state, Amtrak, VRE, Transdominion, a combination there of, or anyone else for that matter once to invest in such a service, it could prep the area for the Southeast Highspeed Rail. On the other hand, if it's found that instead the passenger service should run Norfolk to Roanoke then a stop in Petersburg should allow people to transfer to trains bound for Richmond but then we digress from Richmond Region transportation. The bottom line is that passenger service isn't forthcoming because for one, money and track conditions, but also a perceived lack of demand. The paradox is that if the service were there, the demand would probably come....the "if you build it they will come" mentality. But that's a big gamble for any locality, state, or business to undertake especially in these times. A pipe dream it may be, but with the nation gravitating back to rail service due to recent high oil prices (which may spike again as the economy heals), highway congestion, and the lack of governments to finance highway expansion, rail planning should be going on to a point that if the stars align and they can begin work they can go forward quickly.

Thanks! I appreciate that. I'm way behind in uploading photos but aim to catch up soon. Burt, I too hope that money is spent on rails. What I am curious about is whether or not it's been considered by Amtrak to reopen routes discontinued years ago (i.e. Richmond - Charlottesville). Perhaps there isn't enough demand for rail service between here and there. Also, why the line from Petersburg to Norfolk/Virginia Beach isn't addressed. I know it's under consideration for the Southeast High Speed Rail, but couldn't they begin service on standard trains in the meantime. My guess again is low demand and/or subpar tracks for passenger use. A Norfolk-Petersburg-Richmond route possibly could ease I-64 traffic though I doubt the rails connect like they used to in Petersburg. Norfolk & Western ran a train from Norfolk to Richmond via Petersburg. They entered Atlantic Coast Line trackage at Petersburg and ran north. So at one time the tracks connected. P.S. after posting this I went to maps.live.com and looked at the rail configuration in Petersburg. I doesn't appear Norfolk Southern and CSX tracks have a connection anywhere in the area anymore (none seem to even cross at grade). It looks like they'd have to rebuild the tracks from Petersburg's Union Station up along the old railbed of the ACL track that was taken up years ago in Colonial Heights to where it meets the mainline at Dunlop (near Ellerslie Ave. & Boulevard).

The spur is still operational, but the original configuration....which allowed trains from any direction to pull into the station w/o having to back in or out, is long gone. As to the SAL freight depot, here's a picture I took of it, I'll have to find one I took that shows the entire building...it sits in front of the burial grounds recently in the news and I've heard and read talk of using the building as a Slave trail stop.

Having just looked through that GRTC report, I don't like that idea of using MSS's shed for bus transfer. It's beginning to appear that it's way too bad that they gave up Broad Street Station. The track configuration and size would have been ideal for what they want to do now. But since it has become the Science Museum the track loop around the station is gone....plus I highly doubt they'd evict the SMV. The Seaboard freight depot sits to the west of MSS, maybe that could be utilized for bus transfer? I doubt it.

Burt, this may be of interest to you. I came across it yesterday in a Richmond Rail forum over on Yahoo. It discusses what upgrades need to be made to the Peninsula Subdivision. It's dated January 8, 2009. (in PDF format) http://www.drpt.virginia.gov/projects/file...on%201-8-09.pdf Just to clarify, did you mean a station at US301 & 288 or US301 & I-295? 301/288 is in Chester while 301/295 is at the Hanover{sodEmoji.|}Henrico line. I think you probably meant 301/295 which isn't too far from the old C&O's Chickahominy commuter stop or the station at Atlee. The storage yards and wye you describe, I think could easily be built in the old Brown Street yards just below the MLK Bridge. I imagine CSX still owns the property. If life were logical, the work you describe needed should be included in the development of Shockoe Center....but since when is life, especially in Richmond, logical. In regards to the aforementioned Peninsula Subdivision study, I think they're missing out on not planning a station at RIC airport. It appears to me it would greatly increase passenger traffic on Amtrak trains from RIC to MSS for those with business in the city. A ticket would be what? $10? That's got to me less than a taxi ride.

I have...it is some kind of good also. A Popeyes opened across from Rutland Commons on Atlee Road and I had lunch there Saturday.

I was very impressed with the new Kroger at Rutland Commons on Atlee Road. Stopped over there this past Saturday, it's a nice store....hopefully they'll lease out some of the other shops around there.

I just discovered that Bojangles is building or has built a restaurant in Hopewell. They left the Richmond market some years back because of poor performance, I wonder what's changed and whether we'll be seeing any other locations open around town. They have the best chicken of any fast food and their fries are amazing.

The state is getting money to improve the tracks around Main Street Station. http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-co...09-30-0173.html

where would the Richmond-bound trains wait while the Newport News-bound trains are at MSS? Does it wait on the viaduct in Shockoe Bottom? Or does it wait at Fulton Yards? I'll have to head down there one morning to photograph it.