Spartanburg County Commuter Rail

[GSP Tiger]

Does anyone think Spartanburg and its immediate surroundings are worthy enough to have commuter rail? I think it has that possibility should it have some connection with Greenville in the future.

Central Station: Renaissance Park

North Line

*Wofford College

*Spartanburg Regional Heathcare

*USC Upstate

*Inman

*Campobello

*Landrum

Northeaset Line

*Converse College

*Hillcrest

*Cowpens

East Line

*Cedar Springs

*Croft

South Line

*Arkwright

*Roebuck

*Moore

*Woodruff

West Line

*Westgate

*Wellford

*Lyman

*Duncan

*Greer (connects with Greenville's commuter rail system)

[Spartan]

I think that is abitious I would love to see Spartanburg embrace rail, but as it stands now we can't even get our bus system and trolleys to be successful.

The only thing I would add is a stop at SMC and Tech. Not sure how Tech would fit in there though. Also at the new Easton complex and BMW. And make stops more frequent.

I drew a map of my idea at one point, but I can't seem to find it...

[GSP Tiger]

I think that is abitious I would love to see Spartanburg embrace rail, but as it stands now we can't even get our bus system and trolleys to be successful.

The only thing I would add is a stop at SMC and Tech. Not sure how Tech would fit in there though. Also at the new Easton complex and BMW. And make stops more frequent.

I drew a map of my idea at one point, but I can't seem to find it...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I guess SMU and Spartanburg Tech can both be serviced out of the Westgate stop by a bus loop. Before I can come up with a more realistic plan to include those stops, I'm better off looking at a map.

I think a connection to BMW could be better served by the Greer spur route mentioned in my idea in the Greenville Commuter Rail thread. Greer would be a transfer station for three destinations: Greenville, Spartanburg, and GSI.

I'm trying to remain realistic about creating commuter rail routes in my ideas. Using as few routes as possible, you want to have enough centralized stops to a few major points of interest in that area. Stops should be spaced far enough that they're not so clsoe together.

[Spartan]

If you want to be truely realistic you need to stick with existing rail lines as much as possible, and require minimal new construction. I'll post a map of my stops later.

Part of the problem is that the main places to stop are not mass transit friendly, so some how it will have to be projected and planned where the most dense developments will go, then develop mass transit accordingly. Spartanburg is still small enough that we could control the density before it starts and as it grows. The problem there is that the County doesn't have any real zoning controls.

[GSP Tiger]

Existing railroads do not have to be the answer for commuter rail. I'm using my ideas for another type of commuter rail, monorail. It is cheaper, more enviromentally friendly, opens up more land, and can connect more places. Check out monorails.org for information on monorails. This is something that could make Greenville, Spartanburg, and the entire upstate unique.

[Spartan]

Interesting. Exitisting rails are certainly not the only solution, but the right of ways are already there. In many cases you would just need to expand the ROW to make room for another line.

A monorail would indeed be an interesting option. Ill have to ponder that one:)