SunRail: Next Stop on Gov. Scott's Hit List?

[Lunican]

SunRail: Next Stop on Gov. Scott's Hit List?

Gov. Rick Scott's rejection of high-speed rail may have laid the groundwork for derailing a Central Florida commuter train.

SunRail, a planned $1.2 billion line running through four counties, doesn't have the sex appeal of a high-speed train, but it has strong political ties to state GOP leaders.

"High-speed rail was President Obama's train. SunRail is the Republicans' train," says Matthew Falconer, an Orlando-based commercial real-estate owner who ran for Orange County mayor last year.

"We're thankful that Scott rejected the high-speed project. If he applies the same logic to SunRail, he'll do the same. It's a black hole," Falconer said.

Scott has not signaled his intentions, saying only that he is "reviewing" SunRail. And if he wants to stop the project in its tracks, he will have to traipse through a field of political land mines.

Full Article:
http://www.sunshinestatenews.com/story/sunrail-next-stop-gov-rick-scotts-hit-list

[thelakelander]

Orlando is still moving forward with plans for additional passenger rail lines within their region.  The Orange Blossom Express would connect Lake County commuters with DT Orlando and Sunrail.

Orange Blossom Express could ferry commuters between Lake County and Orlando
A long-discussed train gains steam when a state agency agrees to help pay to upgrade tracks

Mention commuter rail and Central Floridians think of SunRail â€" the line from DeLand to Poinciana via downtown Orlando â€" or the high-speed train between Orlando and Tampa.

But a proposal for another commuter train is gaining steam: The Orange Blossom Express, which would shuttle passengers between Eustis and downtown Orlando with stops in Apopka and Tavares.

For Lake County residents, it could mean commuting to Orlando to work or taking in a Magic game. For Orange County residents, it could provide a hassle-free ride to northeast Lake County to check out, for example, the popular Mount Dora Arts Festival. The Orange Blossom train also could link with SunRail lines in downtown Orlando, supporters say, to create a regional passenger-rail network.

"This is really a unique opportunity for Central Florida," said T.J. Fish, executive director of the Lake-Sumter Metropolitan Planning Organization. "I tell people that if we have train stations, that land will be close to the value of beachfront property. That's been proven all over the country."

The Orange Blossom trains "feasibly" could be up and running by early 2014, Fish said, and could draw from as many as 200,000 residents in north Lake County.

But it hinges on whether local governments are willing to collectively shell out millions for track improvements along the route to speed freight trains and allow for passenger lines.

full article: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-lake-orlando-commuter-rail-20110227,0,6498404.story

[fsujax]

Just got finished reading an article in this months Trains Magazine about Rail Runner in Albuquerque. It seems the new governor out in NM has her sights set on getting rid of the commuter rail service. She first wants to try and sell it to a private operator.

[FayeforCure]

Just got finished reading an article in this months Trains Magazine about Rail Runner in Albuquerque. It seems the new governor out in NM has her sights set on getting rid of the commuter rail service. She first wants to try and sell it to a private operator.

Hmmm yeah, the railrunner which has been in operation since 2006 has been very successful. But as in any state, when you elect a highly conservative governor, rail is in jeopardy!!!

Plans to expand high-speed rail service are already under way in several U.S. regions. Illinois was the first of 31 states to receive a portion of the funding to begin building high-speed rail lines linking Chicago and St. Louis. A recent report found that high-speed rail in the Midwest would reduce air travel by 1.3 million trips and car travel by 5.1 million trips per year by 2020, saving 188,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions (equivalent to taking 34,000 cars off the road while still getting everyone to and from work).

Funding is also slated to go to California, where trains traveling up to 220 miles per hour will move people between San Diego and San Francisco in less than three hours. California's high-speed rail system, which should be in service by 2020, is expected to cost about half as much as would expanding highways and building new airport runways and gates to accommodate fast growing passenger transportation demand.

Not everyone is on board with high-speed rail. Florida's Republican Gov. Rick Scott recently rejected $2 billion in federal funding to build an 85-mile high-speed rail line between Tampa and Orlando, arguing that cost overruns would likely leave Florida taxpayers making up billions of dollars for something they don't need. Scott's move in killing the Tampa-Orlando run calls into question whether or not Obama can push his plans through in other parts of the country that are also conservative strongholds.

No matter how quickly Americans get up to speed on high-speed rail, the U.S. certainly has some catching up to do. According to statistics from the International Union of Railways and other sources, China leads the world with upwards of 2,800 miles of high- speed rail lines in operation and another 5,500 miles planned. Spain, France and Japan each have about 1,200 miles in operation; Germany has 800 miles and Italy has 577. The U.S. has only 226 miles in operation currently. The Obama administration would like to see Americans riding on more than 16,000 miles of high-speed rail lines by the middle of the century.

http://www.journaltimes.com/lifestyles/relationships-and-special-occasions/article_29d4d2e2-4048-11e0-ab4e-001cc4c002e0.html

[peestandingup]

I have a prediction that much of the south (and mid-west) are all gonna be doing similar things in the name of "fiscal responsibility". While the rest of the country is moving forward, we're gonna be going backwards. Then gas prices are gonna kick everyone in the ass. They'll have options, we'll have none.

You wait. These Teabaggers will set half of this country back decades (on top of what it already is).

[Jdog]

I didn't know until today that Scott ordered FDOT to lock-in contract prices until his review over SunRail is complete in July. 

I wonder how that is going. 

[FayeforCure]

I didn't know until today that Scott ordered FDOT to lock-in contract prices until his review over SunRail is complete in July. 

I wonder how that is going. 

Hmmm, yeah, "his review" consists of listening to the Tea Party.

[mtraininjax]

SunRail, a planned $1.2 billion line running through four counties, doesn't have the sex appeal of a high-speed train, but it has strong political ties to state GOP leaders.

Sunrail is Florida bred, Scott is going to need politicians in Tally before he can get Education and Medicaid passed. He will not derail this. The waves of discontent would grow to Jacksonville as CSX would not have the 60 million plus to invest into the Port area. Scott has already said he favors port growth with limited funds.

It does not help that Mayor Peyton cut all the lobbyist budget for this year, so we have little to NO say in Tally this session.

[Ocklawaha]

SunRail, a planned $1.2 billion line running through four counties, doesn't have the sex appeal of a high-speed train, but it has strong political ties to state GOP leaders.

Sunrail is Florida bred, Scott is going to need politicians in Tally before he can get Education and Medicaid passed. He will not derail this. The waves of discontent would grow to Jacksonville as CSX would not have the 60 million plus to invest into the Port area. Scott has already said he favors port growth with limited funds.

It does not help that Mayor Peyton cut all the lobbyist budget for this year, so we have little to NO say in Tally this session.

Ya know Mtrain, Lil' Johnny Peyton, might be a fine friend, a cool fishing or drinking buddy, or the life of some party, but he has spent 8 years as the most clueless mayor in the country. For his own sake, let's hope Peyton can claim that "REALLY BIG CORPORATE RELOCATION" rumored in downtown Jacksonville, because without it, his legacy looks more like an explosion in a pillar factory, albeit one with a freeway in front and unfinished floors.

As for SUNRAIL, I think Mica and some others would whoop his ass if he turned on the only immediately feasible urban rail project in Florida. I have perhaps the same gut feeling that the Republican team might use
"Sunrail," as a poster child for "SEE WE ALL LOVE TRAINS..." in the next election.

HEY FAYE? A string of really cool new commuter rail equipment in Jacksonville with giant roadrunners painted on them would be really cool. Too bad Richards couldn't gain more steam in his presidential bid. For folks that don't know, both Former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson are both rising stars and HUGE SUPPORTERS of rail and mass transit.



OCKLAWAHA

[tufsu1]

Sunrail is Florida bred, Scott is going to need politicians in Tally before he can get Education and Medicaid passed. He will not derail this. 

ah...but he has delayed the decision until July...the Legislature finishes up in May...so he can get most of his agenda passed this year, then cut SunRail

[JeffreyS]

And somewhere a Tea Party member raises his can of beer in pride, cries one solitary tear, whispers joy to the world and then sings tribute to the heroic Governor Scott.

[FayeforCure]

Sunrail is Florida bred, Scott is going to need politicians in Tally before he can get Education and Medicaid passed. He will not derail this. 

ah...but he has delayed the decision until July...the Legislature finishes up in May...so he can get most of his agenda passed this year, then cut SunRail

Yup, that's the plan and the legislature seems to be falling for it:

orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/os-mike-thomas-commuter-rail-031511-20110314,0,3439819.column

OrlandoSentinel.com
Rick Scott is holding SunRail hostage to push his agenda through Legislature
Mike Thomas

COMMENTARY

6:39 PM EDT, March 14, 2011



The odds of riding SunRail to downtown Orlando are now about the same as riding Moby Dick to Atlantis.

This is not all that surprising.

SunRail has been a dead train chugging since Rick Scott became Florida's first Maximum Leader.

It's how he is going about this that is so awe-inspiring.

He could have derailed it without warning. That's what he did with the super-duper high-speed train to Tampa, bushwhacking one of its biggest supporters, Sen. Paula Dockery of Lakeland.

Dockery was one of Scott's earliest backers. She was mentioned as a possible lieutenant governor. He picked her for his transition team.

This is how he treats his friends.

His enemies get much worse.

So Scott is drawing out his decision on SunRail. He says he needs more time to reflect on it. He will let it twist in the wind until July.

Please. He killed the train to Tampa faster than it would have taken to ride the train to Tampa.

This guy makes more snap decisions than Peyton Manning in a two-minute drill.

There is nothing more to know about SunRail.

It has been studied, debated, killed and resurrected more than a biblical figure.

Just what new information will magically materialize on June 30?

Scott kidnapped the train. He has it tied up in a room with a stick of dynamite and a video feed to the Central Florida legislative delegation.

Do what I want, or the train gets it.

Scott wants big tax cuts. He wants to gut spending. He wants to slash Medicaid and education and public-employee pensions.

He doesn't want anyone to get in his way. And since he is not one to waste time on making friends or influencing enemies, he acts unilaterally and takes hostages.

Tallahassee has never seen the likes of Rick Scott.

By comparison, Jeb Bush was a fuzzy-wuzzy bear.

Legislative leaders have opted for a strategy of appeasement.

Scott may have violated the state Constitution by selling the state plane without legislative approval.

They let it slide.

Then he killed high-speed rail all by himself.

They not only let that slide, but they also nodded their heads in agreement, sort of like when I hold a Milk-Bone in front of my Labrador's face and move it up and down.

Now they are cowering before his threat to kill SunRail.

The problem is that history shows appeasing people with his personality does not work. It only encourages the behavior.

[mtraininjax]

ah...but he has delayed the decision until July...the Legislature finishes up in May...so he can get most of his agenda passed this year, then cut SunRail

Political suicide so early in his term? Sunrail is like a flea on an elephant compared to Education and Medicare/Medicaid. How many fires can you fight from so many different angles? Even I as a republican am astonished that he could want to radically change the republican party so much he would take a flamethrower to everything he deems a waste.

Sunrail in Central Florida is better than HSR in Central Florida. The problem we have is that Sunrail in South Florida has lots of issues and the fear is that Sunrail in CF will not be much better. FDOT has little solid leadership.

[tufsu1]

Sunrail in Central Florida is better than HSR in Central Florida. The problem we have is that Sunrail in South Florida has lots of issues and the fear is that Sunrail in CF will not be much better. FDOT has little solid leadership.

huh?  I suppose "sunrail in south florida" is Tri Rail?  You do know that FDOT doesn't operate that, right?

[JeffreyS]

ah...but he has delayed the decision until July...the Legislature finishes up in May...so he can get most of his agenda passed this year, then cut SunRail

Political suicide so early in his term? Sunrail is like a flea on an elephant compared to Education and Medicare/Medicaid. How many fires can you fight from so many different angles? Even I as a republican am astonished that he could want to radically change the republican party so much he would take a flamethrower to everything he deems a waste.

Sunrail in Central Florida is better than HSR in Central Florida. The problem we have is that Sunrail in South Florida has lots of issues and the fear is that Sunrail in CF will not be much better. FDOT has little solid leadership.

I agree with your analysis the problem being egomaniacs often commit political suicide.  They do so in office politics, neighborhood associations, the pta ect. ect.

I also agree with you that the Governor thinks education, Medicare/Medicaid and public transit are wastes.  Coming from his point of view I guess they are.  What do they do for rich people? They would just make labor more expensive.  Long term investment like education wouldn't pay off until he is long gone. So if he is running things like big business now a days that would mean you rarely look past your next quarterly report.