TDOT asks Amtrak to expand operations in state

The state of Tennessee has taken one more step toward the creation of an Amtrak rail line that would connect Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Atlanta. TDOT has sent a letter of intent hoping to bring passenger rail back through the center of the state for the first time since the 1970s. Amtrak already operates a line in Memphis with terminuses in New Orleans and Chicago. The cities of Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Atlanta have also sent applications asking for passenger rail services to connect their cities. Nashville is at present the third largest city in the country without Amtrak services. In addition to Nashville and Chattanooga, other new Amtrak stations could be added in cities like Murfreesboro, Shelbyville, and Tullahoma.