PAL Inspection Train & Bus Event
On the morning of November the 8th, 2008, Jefferson, Hardin, and Meade counties will play host to something not seen in a generation in these areas: passenger rail service along the Paducah and Louisville Railway.
For one round trip only, there will be a commuter "inspection train" operating from Louisville, through Shively, West Point, Fort Knox, Mulldraugh, North Radcliff, Vine Grove, and Cecilia.
The trip is to draw attention to the huge economic potential that the Paducah and Louisville tracks hold in terms of adding capacity to Highway 31-W aka "Wide Wide Dixie Highway", one of the regions most congested corridors.
About the Inspection Train
Seating on the inspection train is going to be extremely limited, because we can use just the two passenger cars you see above. Because of that, seats are invitation only, and reserved for elected officeholders, transportation professionals, members of the media, and a small staff of volunteers, most of them FRA certified.
Update: New photo-op location added at Southwest Government Center - more info below the fold.
To double our carrying capacity, we're going to take one load of passengers from Louisville to Cecilia, and take a completely different load back. People will be returned to their original point of departure through Miller Transportation Motor Coaches. This is part of the project: typically Motor Coaches are the best way to prototype ridership on any proposed rail line. They can begin running after finding only parking lots for Park-n-ride lots.
Timetable - Louisville Delegation
- 9:30am Depart Louisville Union Station via TARC Shuttle
- Board train at 13th and Kentucky near PAL Yards
- Arrive Cecilia Baptist Church around 11:30am
- noon: luncheon reception, keynote address by Terry Bebout of Nashville's Music City Star
- Depart Cecilia by Motor Coach at 1pm.
- Arrive back at Union Station at about 2pm.
Timetable - Hardin & Meade County Delegation
- Motor Coach makes pick-ups in
- West Point - Caboose -
10:30am8:30am (West Pointers: you'll be travelling to Louisville and following the Louisville Delegation path until returning to West Point at 3:10pm) - Muldraugh - City Hall - 10:40am
- Radcliff - City Hall - 10:55am
- Elizabethtown - Pritchard Center - 11:15am
- West Point - Caboose -
- Arrive at Cecelia Baptist Church at about 11:30am
- Board train and travel to Louisville - 1pm - 2:30pm
- Motor Coach makes drop-offs at
- West Point - Caboose - 3:10pm
- Muldraugh - City Hall - 3:20pm
- Radcliff - City Hall - 3:35pm
- Elizabethtown - Pritchard Center - 3:55pm
Note to the Press - Video & Photo Locations
We are making available several locations where you can get footage of the day's events.
- Louisville - 13th & Kentucky St - 10am*
- Louisville - Southwest Government Center back parking lot - 10:15am new!
- West Point - W. Main & RR - 10:30am
- Vine Grove - W. Main & RR - Caboose 11:05am
- Cecilia - Robinson St - 11:30am* and 1pm*
- Vine Grove - W. Main & RR - 1:20pm*
- Louisville - 15th and Oak St - 2:30pm*
Asterisk means passengers will get on or off at that location. All other times are pass-through only. All times are approximate. Allow plenty of slush time to get the footage you need.
Fort Knox
We plan to travel through Fort Knox without stopping. No passengers will board or exit at Fort Knox. Our primary point of contact has been Joe Yates. If the system we're proposing were to actually be built in the future, Fort Knox's personell would be a primary beneficiary.
About the Proposed System
This inspection is to draw attention to the tremendous resource we have in the form of the Paducah and Louisville tracks. In elder days, the "Green Diamond" serviced parts of this corridor with timely, fuel-efficient service.
Photo from the collection of David Hayes
We would like to focus attention providing rush-hour commuter service from Elizabethtown, through Fort Knox, and into downtown Louisville. Click the map below to take a closer look at station and track proposals.
This system is modelled on Nashville's Music City Star system. In the past CART and other groups have led a tour of the system and written or linked to several articles on it's unique characteristics.
For inquiries please see our contact page.