Mike's Railroad Crossing Forum

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/ ... 03286.html

This would be the first passenger train service to Madison since 1971. The idea for some form of reinstated passenger rail in the Madison area has been tossed around for at least 15 years now, and it looks like this is what was needed to finally make it happen.

On the downside, from a railfan standpoint, a lot of 8" lights, gateless crossings, and mechanical bells along the proposed route would bite the dust.

Much of the planned route (ALL of the propsed route within the city of Madison) is currently track warrant controlled, 10 MPH branchline track, so MAJOR upgrades would be needed to the ROW and track, and a new block signaling system would have to be installed from scratch.

These are the crossings in Madison that the proposed route would pass through (a few of which have already been upgraded), in the order a train approaching Madison would pass through them:

http://www.rxrsignals.net/Wisconsin/L-P ... /L-P/Lien/
http://www.rxrsignals.net/Wisconsin/L-P ... /Thompson/
http://www.rxrsignals.net/Wisconsin/L-P ... /Sycamore/
http://www.rxrsignals.net/Wisconsin/L-P ... toughtonE/
http://www.rxrsignals.net/Wisconsin/L-P ... Stoughton/ (this would most likely become grade-seperated again)
http://www.rxrsignals.net/Wisconsin/L-P ... toughtonW/ (this would probably disappear along with Stoughton Rd., or at least be relocated)
http://www.rxrsignals.net/Wisconsin/L-P ... Fair_Oak1/
http://www.rxrsignals.net/Wisconsin/L-P ... -P/Powers/
http://www.rxrsignals.net/Wisconsin/L-P ... Milwaukee/
http://www.rxrsignals.net/Wisconsin/L-P ... Y/Waubesa/
http://www.rxrsignals.net/Wisconsin/L-P ... A-K/Corry/
http://www.rxrsignals.net/Wisconsin/L-P ... /Division/ (now called Union Corners Path)
http://www.rxrsignals.net/Wisconsin/L-P ... Winnebago/
http://www.rxrsignals.net/Wisconsin/L-P/Madison/0-9/4/
http://www.rxrsignals.net/Wisconsin/L-P/Madison/0-9/2/
http://www.rxrsignals.net/Wisconsin/L-P ... n/0-9/1(1)

NYS would get some money too (apparently not much compared to what other states are getting, but that's another story). At the least it would upgrade and install more tracs between the Albany and Rennslear train stations. IDK what, if any, signals would be affected.

Interesting... wonder if in the short term though, B&B ARMR gates might be considered until money rolls around to re-seperate the US 51 crossing...

I think there's something going on that's similar to that for the Oregon and Washington areas as well: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financia ... GVQ680.htm

TRAINS Magazine:

http://www.trains.com/trn/default.aspx?c=a&id=6257

Well, as some of you may or may not have heard, this was effectively killed with the election of Governor Scott Walker in November, 2010. He used it as a campaign issue, then returned the $800 million+ federal grant upon taking office.