Long-discussed plans for passenger rail service linking Atlanta to several major Tennessee cities are moving ahead, as planners focus on using existing rail infrastructure to keep costs down.
Because high-speed rail is considered too expensive, planners are targeting conventional passenger service along current freight corridors to connect Atlanta with Chattanooga, Nashville, and Memphis.
Ellis Smith, who is helping lead the effort, says the main challenge has been scheduling passenger trains around slower-moving freight traffic. The proposed solution involves adding sidings, or sections of double track, so freight trains can move aside while passenger trains pass…