Light rail and the S Line

kaiser715

kaiser715

Doing hard time
Joined
Jun 1, 2006
Location
7, Pocket, NC
A while back, the state got control/ownership of the S-Line, a set of rails running from the Va. Line to SC. Plans are for a light rail/commuter line connecting Hamlet, Southern Pines, Sanford, Cary, Raleigh, Wake Forest, and Henderson. Supposedly, the track between Raleigh and Sanford is in the best operating condition, and they are talking about that being the pilot section for the entire project. Sanford is already a bedroom community for Raleigh, with thousands of folks making the daily commute (well, pre-covid). Commuter rail, if done right, will make this area even more attractive (and it is more affordable living down here).

rantnc.com

Passenger rail’s (very) possible return to Sanford

It’s been decades since Sanford — named for a train engineer — has had passenger rail service available to the public. The state and the city are hoping to change that in the coming years. By…
rantnc.com rantnc.com

rantnc.com

What rail’s return in Sanford could look like

State awarded $900K grant for the S Line that will connect Virginia and S.C. borders; stop in Sanford could mean new downtown train station Above: A computer rendering concept of a potential passe…
rantnc.com rantnc.com

Thirteen stops border-to-border are planned, with an emphasis on "TOD" - transit-oriented development: housing, restaurants, entertainment, etc within walking/biking distance of the stations. People living a short walk to the station, for an easy commute to Raleigh. Others from up and down the line coming to town for dinner, etc.

Local assumption is that funding will come easier and faster under the new administration, being a "green" project and all.

I know it is likely several years out before even a trial section becomes reality. Which means it may be a great time to invest in some way in areas near the station that may "boom" in a few years. Downtown (mostly noted for micro-breweries, local theatre, and thrift stores right now). The area just east of the tracks is the "wrong side of the tracks". Mostly older, smaller houses, in a "transitional" neighborhood. As in cheap to buy. Rent for now, wait for the trains in a few years, then upgrade, raise the rent, or sell out to a developer that's going to put in a downtown apartment complex.

Anybody else been eyeing this rail project?
 
Nothing to add other than after living up here for almost four months now we have loved having the metro.
Being able to travel around without having to fuss with traffic and parking. Plus it’s dirt cheap and all I need is my phone to board.

I’m a big fan.
 
Raleigh is so spread out which is why it has never worked so far. If you are coming from Sanford it will need to go all over for it to be reasonable or you will need to get on another type of transportation once you get here. That combined with traffic isn’t too bad here makes people just drive. I don’t see it really working. We don’t have the concentrated populations, traffic, job areas that mass transportation really works on.
 
tknopp said:
I hope they form a transit police unit. Otherwise all the thugs and loosers will ride it for free. That is what has happened on Charlotte's light rail.
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The good thing about this is its longer distances. Thugs (hopefully) don't want to get far from home turf. Stops every 20-40 miles instead of 1/2 mile.
 
DSM Turbos said:
Raleigh is so spread out which is why it has never worked so far. If you are coming from Sanford it will need to go all over for it to be reasonable or you will need to get on another type of transportation once you get here. That combined with traffic isn’t too bad here makes people just drive. I don’t see it really working. We don’t have the concentrated populations, traffic, job areas that mass transportation really works on.
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Would work great only if the transit-oriented development comes along at a fast pace...get people living near the stations on the "home" end. Few minutes walk or bike. Then, shuttle van/ride share, taxi or uber or whatever once in Raleigh/Cary.
 
kaiser715 said:
The good thing about this is its longer distances. Thugs (hopefully) don't want to get far from home turf. Stops every 20-40 miles instead of 1/2 mile.
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What they ran into in Greenville is especially when it gets cold, homeless folks jump on buses and trains and just stay there for warmth. No desrie tog et anywhere just out of the elements.
 
@kaiser715 it seems like a viable idea if you are not too late to the party. The local gov reps usually snatch all the good properties up before such notices become public.

On another note, I've spent most of my life thinking "this would be the best state ever if there were just a train from Hamlet to Henderson" :laughing:
 
jeepinmatt said:
n another note, I've spent most of my life thinking "this would be the best state ever if there were just a train from Hamlet to Henderson" :laughing:
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I see it as two train routes....hamlet to raleigh and henderson to raleigh. Especially as it gets more and more expensive to live in Raleigh area.
 
awheelterd said:
I can't figure out what you two, @jeepinmatt @kaiser715 , think is in henderson that anyone wants to go see or do.
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Good point. Maybe I'm thinking about it backwards. Its the Henderson to Hamlet route, because everyone wants to leave Henderson and go work in Hamlet at a chicken processing plant.
 
I rode public transportation on a work trip in St. Louis.

Fuck that noise. Never again. I'll pay for a rental. I'll pay to park it. I'll pay not to get on a bus or train.

Now this maybe different. But, it may not.
 
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