During a talk at the Commerce Club, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed opened up about the possibliity of a high-speed rail between Atlanta and the coastal city of Savannah. “We can create a trail of prosperity between those two regions,” Reed said.
Reed said the idea for the train came to him after hearing complaints from a server at one of his favorite restaurants that Atlanta was not close enough to the coast and the ocean.
The talk also comes on the heels of a Las Vegas developer striking a deal with Union Pacific Railroad last week to create the Las Vegas Railway Express X Train, a luxurious “party train” complete with big screen TVs, recliners and two ultra lounges.
A different high-speed rail project has been proposed that would connect Los Angeles to Las Vegas, but has been met with sizable opposition because it would be a multi-billion-dollar proposal that would require setting new tracks specifically designed for high-speed rail.
The rail idea being considered by Reed would be a modern-day, high-speed train going an average of 200 miles an hour. That would put the coast within a 75-minute ride from Atlanta.
“We stand here on the precipice of great things,” said Reed, who freely admitted that he’s been focusing on the basics of running a city. “But the basics should not stop us from dreaming what our city should be. We can’t be afraid of doing large things.”