Trains On The Florida East Coast One Step Closer

[thelakelander]

^True, but it helps make the case to go out and secure funds from a variety of sources, including the Feds.  Unlike most transit based projects, this may turn a profit.  Adding profit-making to the case, creates opportunities for unique financing solutions.  Also, I fully expect the Feds to toss in some cash at some point.  When, is the magic question.

[mbwright]

I thnk this is a great idea.  It would be even better if the route to New Orleans was also re-established, with stations in Tallahassee, Pensacola, and others.  I think it would be lots of fun.

[Ocklawaha]

According to Amtrak, the Jax-Mia route would turn a profit. That's something that shouldn't be overlooked.

Perhaps, but it could easily turn into a weapon to be used against rail projects if they fail to achieve such a lofty goal. I'd much rather they say something like, "According to studies the FEC route will have excellent cost recovery."
This is a problem that TUFSU only touched on, 'profitability' on rail projects can't be measured at the fare box and we shouldn't demand such. Capital costs are almost never factored in when statements are made like "Amtrak's high speed Acela makes money." Fact is, capital cost included, they don't, Acela doesn't, and no other route 'makes money'. The other touchy subject broached by TUFSU is frequency. Does Amtrak REALLY think they'll make money supporting station services, crew costs, food service, etc. with one lousy train a day?

My crystal ball says PROFIT WON'T HAPPEN if they run just a single train (which in railroadese means a northbound AND a southbound Silver Star daily). If Amtrak would extend the Palmetto to Miami via the Florida East Coast (currently rather insanely operated as a NYC - Savannah train), with a 11:55 departure southbound from Jacksonville and a 6-7 something AM arrival in Miami, then those station services would be divided between two widely separated trains. The Silver Star would run in the AM, and the Palmetto in the PM. Sometime later the addition of The Silver Meteor, hopefully running as far from the Silver Stars schedule as possible and still maintaining a decent arrival time in South Florida, then those services would be split between 3 trains.

Essentially this one train daily crap is the exact reason why the Sunset's eastern leg failed. The train failed large enough that Amtrak used the hurricane as an excuse to kill it without the required public hearings. Amtrak didn't even operate the Sunset Limited as a daily train, rather they operated it tri-weekly, which is even worse. BTW, CHRISUFGATOR, if you REALLY want to make a splash and exercise that hard earned bar, the fact that we still haven't had those public hearings could be challenged in court... if your game, I'm your huckleberry. My belief is, 3 trains on the Florida East Coast, would have a real chance at cost recovery with a surplus, I didn't say profit, but recovery of all operating costs is a real possibility.

Since the Sunset limited was tossed into the mix here I'll address it too. Several factors contributed to it's failure but the driving force was the fact that arrival and departure times in New Orleans require it to roll overnight to Jacksonville, and roll overnight in the least densely populated segment of the whole route. The stations were non existant, most of them put to shame by the better JTA bus stops. No agent, no checked baggage, no AC, no Heat, poor lighting, no restrooms, few directional signs, short bare platforms, vague parking locations, inconvenient, basically a platform and a glorified garden shed. Did I mention inconvenient? Skipping stops in Marianna (one of the larger and historically railroad friendly towns on the route) or Bonifay, or Ponce De Leon, or Quincy, for a 'consolidated stop' in Chipley. So not only were they serving towns with populations of 6,500, they weren't even stopping in them! Chipley's population is about 3,500. 

Sending the train south of Jacksonville to Orlando, then deadheading it to Sanford for servicing was equally stupid. Jacksonville - Orlando ALREADY HAVE Amtrak service, so in a cash strapped operation, those Sunset cars should have been attached to the Silver Meteor or Star in Jacksonville and allowed to continue to Miami or Tampa. To the west, giving up on the through train to Los Angeles, would also make sense, an all daylight trip from Jacksonville - New Orleans would have a much better chance of success. The historic streamliner on this route was the 'GULF WIND', and I'd fully support its reincarnation as a daytime JAX - NOL run.

Any questions?

OCKLAWAHA

[fsujax]

This will be discussed today at the TPO meeting and FDOT is seeking public comment on its TIP, this is where the funding is identified in year 2014, if it can survive the Governor.