Music City Star
Encyclopedia
The Music City Star is a regional rail service running between Nashville
and Lebanon, Tennessee
. The service uses the existing track of the Nashville and Eastern Railroad
. The line currently has six stops: Riverfront Station
, Donelson
, Hermitage
, Mt. Juliet
, Martha (Tennessee State Route 109
and U.S. Highway 70), and Lebanon. The operation covers 32 miles (52 km) of rail line. Service began on September 18, 2006.
, with a projected daily ridership of 1,500 passengers. The service launched with an estimated cost of $3.3 million dollars, of which $1.3 million was covered by revenues.
By the first month after service began, ridership failed to reach the projected goals, a situation which continued for several years, culminating with a financial shortfall of $1.7 million by the summer of 2008, of which the state of Tennessee covered $1 million in a bailout of the service.
Financial difficulties continued into the next year; in June 2009, the service was nearly shut down for lack of funds until state and local authorities granted the service $4.4 million to continue service until 2011.
During 2010, a third passenger car was added to all Music City Star trains to accommodate increasing ridership.
, Columbia
, Murfreesboro
, Dickson
, Springfield
, and Clarksville
via Ashland City
. All are planned to use existing CSX Transportation
railroad lines. The planned seven lines meet in central Nashville in a star formation, hence the name of the system, which also alludes to the city's many country music
stars
.
The Star is the first passenger train service of any kind for Nashville since the discontinuation of Amtrak's
Floridian
in 1979. The Nashville and Eastern line
, part of the former Tennessee Central Railway
, had not seen passenger service for many decades prior to the Star, with the exception of excursion trains operated by the Tennessee Central Railway Museum
.
The Music City Star regional rail service is currently served by three rebuilt Amtrak
EMD F40PH
locomotives and eleven former Chicago Metra
coaches, all of which are standard gauge
. The coaches are bi-level gallery cars
with seating on both levels.
.
The current line is 32 miles long with 6 stations. The line is mostly one track, so this limits arrivals and departures to how long each train has to wait for the other to pass. The first "starter line" cost $41 million, or just under $1.3 million per mile, which made it the most cost efficient commuter rail start-up in the nation. By comparison: San Diego Coaster
, $91 million for 41 miles; Seattle Sounder
, $860 million for 33 miles; Salt Lake City FrontRunner
, $360 million for 43 miles; and New Mexico Rail Runner Express
, $125 million for 29 miles.
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
and Lebanon, Tennessee
Lebanon, Tennessee
Lebanon is a city in Wilson County, Tennessee, in the United States. The population was 20,235 at the 2000 census. It serves as the county seat of Wilson County. Lebanon is located in middle Tennessee, approximately 25 miles east of downtown Nashville. Local residents have also called it...
. The service uses the existing track of the Nashville and Eastern Railroad
Nashville and Eastern Railroad
The Nashville and Eastern Railroad is a short line railroad which administers 137 miles of track between Nashville, Tennessee and Monterey, Tennessee, of which 130 miles are currently operational. The company is based in Lebanon, Tennessee....
. The line currently has six stops: Riverfront Station
Nashville Riverfront (Music City Star station)
Nashville Riverfront is a station on Nashville's regional rail line, the Music City Star. It currently serves as the western terminus for the line. The station is located at 108 South 1st Avenue in downtown Nashville near the Shelby Street Bridge...
, Donelson
Donelson, Tennessee
Donelson is a neighborhood of Nashville, Tennessee located east of downtown Nashville along U.S. Highway 70. It is named in honor of John Donelson, co-founder of Nashville and father-in-law of Andrew Jackson, Nashvillian and seventh President of the United States...
, Hermitage
Hermitage, Tennessee
Hermitage, Tennessee is a section of Metropolitan Nashville, Tennessee located in eastern Davidson County, adjacent to, and named in honor of, The Hermitage, home of Andrew Jackson, seventh President of the United States...
, Mt. Juliet
Mt. Juliet, Tennessee
Mt. Juliet is a city located in the western portion of Wilson County, Tennessee, U.S.A. It is a suburb of Nashville, and is approximately east of downtown. It is located roughly between two major national east-west routes, Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 70. As of the 2010 census, the city had a...
, Martha (Tennessee State Route 109
Tennessee State Route 109
State Route 109 is a primary state highway in Wilson County and Sumner County, Tennessee. It runs from the intersection of SR 265 and SR 840 near Lebanon, north through Gallatin to the Kentucky state line and US 31-W....
and U.S. Highway 70), and Lebanon. The operation covers 32 miles (52 km) of rail line. Service began on September 18, 2006.
History
The train began operations on September 18, 2006, becoming the 18th commuter rail system in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, with a projected daily ridership of 1,500 passengers. The service launched with an estimated cost of $3.3 million dollars, of which $1.3 million was covered by revenues.
By the first month after service began, ridership failed to reach the projected goals, a situation which continued for several years, culminating with a financial shortfall of $1.7 million by the summer of 2008, of which the state of Tennessee covered $1 million in a bailout of the service.
Financial difficulties continued into the next year; in June 2009, the service was nearly shut down for lack of funds until state and local authorities granted the service $4.4 million to continue service until 2011.
During 2010, a third passenger car was added to all Music City Star trains to accommodate increasing ridership.
Overview
The Star is considered a "starter" project to demonstrate the effectiveness of commuter rail service to the metro Nashville area. Expansion plans include as many as six more lines, terminating in GallatinGallatin, Tennessee
Gallatin is a city in and the county seat of Sumner County, Tennessee, United States, along a navigable tributary of the Cumberland River. The population was 23,230 at the 2000 census. Named for U.S...
, Columbia
Columbia, Tennessee
Columbia is a city in Maury County, Tennessee, United States. The 2008 population was 34,402 according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. It is the county seat of Maury County....
, Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 108,755 according to the United States Census Bureau's 2010 U.S. Census, up from 68,816 residents certified during the 2000 census. The center of population of Tennessee is located in...
, Dickson
Dickson, Tennessee
Dickson is a city in Dickson County, Tennessee, United States. It is part of the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 12,244 at the 2000 census.-Demographics:...
, Springfield
Springfield, Tennessee
Springfield is a city in Robertson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 14,329 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Robertson County.-Geography:Springfield is located at ....
, and Clarksville
Clarksville, Tennessee
Clarksville is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States, and the fifth largest city in the state. The population was 132,929 in 2010 United States Census...
via Ashland City
Ashland City, Tennessee
Ashland City is a town in Cheatham County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 3,641 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Cheatham County.-History:Ashland City was created in 1856 as a county seat for the newly-established Cheatham County...
. All are planned to use existing CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
railroad lines. The planned seven lines meet in central Nashville in a star formation, hence the name of the system, which also alludes to the city's many country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
stars
Celebrity
A celebrity, also referred to as a celeb in popular culture, is a person who has a prominent profile and commands a great degree of public fascination and influence in day-to-day media...
.
The Star is the first passenger train service of any kind for Nashville since the discontinuation of Amtrak's
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
Floridian
Floridian (Amtrak)
The Floridian was an Amtrak route that ran from Chicago to Miami and St. Petersburg, Florida. Its route mainly followed that of several former Louisville and Nashville Railroad passenger trains, including the Humming Bird...
in 1979. The Nashville and Eastern line
Nashville and Eastern Railroad
The Nashville and Eastern Railroad is a short line railroad which administers 137 miles of track between Nashville, Tennessee and Monterey, Tennessee, of which 130 miles are currently operational. The company is based in Lebanon, Tennessee....
, part of the former Tennessee Central Railway
Tennessee Central Railway
The Tennessee Central Railway was founded in 1884 as the Nashville and Knoxville Railroad by Alexander S. Crawford. It was an attempt to open up a rail route from the coal and minerals of East Tennessee to the markets of the midstate, a service which many businessmen felt was not being adequately...
, had not seen passenger service for many decades prior to the Star, with the exception of excursion trains operated by the Tennessee Central Railway Museum
Tennessee Central Railway Museum
The Tennessee Central Railway Museum is a railroad museum located in Nashville, Tennessee.It is a small non-profit facility which is preserving the heritage of rail transport in Tennessee and the central South...
.
Rolling stock
| Model | Built | Number | Road Numbers |
|---|---|---|---|
| F40PH EMD F40PH -Amtrak NPCU Conversions:In later years, as Amtrak's F40PH fleet was being replaced by the newer GE Genesis-series locomotives, Amtrak converted a number of the retired units—generally ones with major mechanical problems limiting their value in the resale or lease marketplace—into "Non-Power... |
3 | 121-122, 381 | |
| Gallery Car | 11 |
The Music City Star regional rail service is currently served by three rebuilt Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
EMD F40PH
EMD F40PH
-Amtrak NPCU Conversions:In later years, as Amtrak's F40PH fleet was being replaced by the newer GE Genesis-series locomotives, Amtrak converted a number of the retired units—generally ones with major mechanical problems limiting their value in the resale or lease marketplace—into "Non-Power...
locomotives and eleven former Chicago Metra
Metra
Metra is the commuter rail division of the Illinois Regional Transportation Authority. The system serves Chicago and its metropolitan area through 240 stations on 11 different rail lines. Throughout the 21st century, Metra has been the second busiest commuter rail system in the United States by...
coaches, all of which are standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
. The coaches are bi-level gallery cars
Bilevel car
The bilevel car or double-decker coach is a type of rail car that has two levels of passenger accommodation, as opposed to one, increasing passenger capacity ....
with seating on both levels.
Lines
Currently there is only one line, with six more planned to other satellite cities around NashvilleNashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
.
San Diego Coaster
The San Diego Coast Express Rail, or Coaster , is a commuter rail service that operates in the Central and Northern coastal regions of San Diego County, California, United States. The service is operated by TransitAmerica Services on contract with North County Transit District . The service has...
, $91 million for 41 miles; Seattle Sounder
Sounder Commuter Rail
Sounder commuter rail is a regional rail service operated by BNSF on behalf of Sound Transit. Service operates Monday through Friday during peak hours from Seattle, Washington, north to Everett and south to Tacoma. As of 2011, schedules serve the traditional peak commutes, with most trains running...
, $860 million for 33 miles; Salt Lake City FrontRunner
FrontRunner
FrontRunner is a commuter rail system operated by the Utah Transit Authority , serving the northern portion of the Wasatch Front from Salt Lake Central Station to Ogden Union Station. The system opened 26 April 2008...
, $360 million for 43 miles; and New Mexico Rail Runner Express
New Mexico Rail Runner Express
The New Mexico Rail Runner Express is a commuter rail system serving the metropolitan areas of Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico. It is administered by the New Mexico Department of Transportation and the Mid Region Council of Governments , a regional government planning association, while...
, $125 million for 29 miles.
East Corridor line
- Riverfront Station (Nashville)Nashville Riverfront (Music City Star station)Nashville Riverfront is a station on Nashville's regional rail line, the Music City Star. It currently serves as the western terminus for the line. The station is located at 108 South 1st Avenue in downtown Nashville near the Shelby Street Bridge...
- DonelsonDonelson (Music City Star station)Donelson is a station on Nashville's regional rail line, the Music City Star. Service began 18 September 2006.-External links:*...
- HermitageHermitage (Music City Star station)Hermitage is a station on Nashville's regional rail line, the Music City Star. Service began 18 September 2006.-External links:*...
- Mount JulietMount Juliet (Music City Star station)Mount Juliet is a station on Nashville's regional rail line, the Music City Star. Service began 18 September 2006.-External links:*...
- MarthaMartha (Music City Star station)Martha is a station on Nashville's regional rail line, the Music City Star. Service began 18 September 2006.-External links:*...
- LebanonLebanon (Music City Star station)Lebanon is a station on Nashville's regional rail line, the Music City Star. Service began 18 September 2006.-External links:*...
Ridership
In the first quarter of 2011, average weekday ridership was 1000 passenger trips per day. The service's highest ridership on a single day occurred on February 19, 2011, when 1,339 passengers were carried. During the fiscal year covering the year ending on June 30, 2011, the service carried more than 250,000 people, the highest one-year total in its history.May 2010 floods
On May 2, 2010, the East Corridor line was closed because of damage related to the floods that hit Middle Tennessee. Flood waters pushed tracks off a concrete trestle over Sinking Creek in downtown Lebanon. This trapped Star trains at their Lebanon storage yard, causing RTA to suspend service until the trestle was repaired. MTA substituted chartered buses instead, picking up passengers at all stations except Martha. The line was repaired in one week.External links
- Music City Star – Official Website