Would you ride a train to Gainesville?

[Ocklawaha]

The bad old days on the SUNSET LIMITED...

You are right of course on both counts. The Sunset Limited was the flagship train of the former SOUTHERN PACIFIC and ran from New Orleans to Los Angeles for 100 years. Under Amtrak, it's schedule has gone to hell in a handbasket and though it still carries the honor of NUMBER 1 and 2 in the whole AMTRAK system it is a shadow of it's onetime royal class. Southern Pacific tried in vain to kill the train before Amtrak and thus they would not have to run it in the new "order of things". It went from daily sleepers, lounges, dining cars and an array of cool experience cars, to a 2 or 3 times a week, coach and vending machine step-child. Dirty cars, broken AC (in the desert southwest), no heat (in the mountains) no hot food, schedule keeping from hell became the order of the day. Somehow the train held on until 1971 when the government made a show at rescue. Fact is, they did little to fix the Sunset and it hobbled on for years under the Amtrak name. Finally with some effort from Lawton Chiles, the train got the attention it had long needed. New cars, new menus, new locomotives, bedrooms, suites, roomettes, lounges, pubs, some of them nicer then the original streamlined equipment had been back in the 1930's. Florida formed a party of states and bowing to pressure to restore the "GULF WIND" between Jacksonville and New Orleans, our state got Amtrak to extend the re-equiped Sunset to Jacksonville, then on to Miami, and finally to Orlando.

Jacksonville was the logical eastern Terminal, as long as we maintain a fleet of North-South, trains.

The worst accident in railroad memory, and one of the worst in the entire 3,000 year history of railroads happened that foggy night that a tug boat first officer, got off course, went down a channel that wasn't even open, and smacked the bridge, minutes before the Sunset was due. No effort was made to warn the railroad, in fact they didn't even know where they were or what they had done until the swamp exploded with flying Amtrak cars. Horrible.

Now, long after the bad-old-days of "train killing passenger departments" and "Amtrak's bumbling infancy and accident era" we seem to have entered a new era of proper equipment, better schedules and FINALLY some railroads that WANT TO PLAY TRAINS! (Gee what a novel thought!) Union Pacific (owner of the former Southern Pacific) and Amtrak have finally reached some understanding. Bottom line is UP will run trains on-time and Amtrak won't sue the railroad. Something similar seems at hand with CSX as well... FINALLY.

This presents a great opportunity for us in Jacksonville (or Austin) to get moving with a grass roots citizens for passenger rail movement. By focus on the New Orleans-Jacksonville segment, we could push for emerging corridor status. A through car or two off the Sunset bound to or from Jacksonville would round out the consist of any little "GULF WIND" that Florida/Jacksonville pushed.

I would recommend a daily flagship DAYTIME train:

GULF WIND
Jacksonville-New Orleans (daily-daylight train)

1 Locomotive
1 baggage car
2 two long distance coaches
1 dining car (full service)
1 Lounge car (reserved seats as 1St class)

GULF BREEZE
Jacksonville-New Orleans (daily-night train)
1 locomotive
1 baggage car
2 two long distance coaches
1 dining car
1 sleeping car
1 lounge car
(possible through coach and sleeper to/from Sunset Limited)

GULF COAST SPECIAL
Jacksonville-Pensacola (daily train)

1 locomotive
1 baggage-coach combine car
2 coaches
1 buffet lounge

I'll toss in a possbie schedule concept and some maps for Jeffery in a few hours.

Ocklawaha

[Ocklawaha]

http://www.youtube.com/v/PiAWkxVP_Tw&hl=en_US&fs=1?color1=0x402061&color2=0x9461ca

Looks just like the track between Gainesville and Alachua right down to the line side industry and housing. If you have wondered what Ocklawaha's Gainesville "Growling Gator" train would look like, here tis!

"The Growling Gator" A regional passenger train concept.


As of today, I have raised the interest of:

THE CITY OF STARKE
THE JTA
THE GAINESVILLE RTS

I also had a very promising converstation with the Secretary of Transporation several months ago, and a very interesting call today... She is from... S T A R K E !

Still to go after:

COJ
City of Gainesville
City of Alachua
City of Baldwin
City of Brooker
City of Lawtey

Various county governments and Chambers...  Thus far 100% POSITIVE acceptance and offers to assist.

I'm making this public because Gainesville and Starke want to meet big sister...

It's time to get this drive rolling beyond my laptop!

Want to volunteer to meet and assist?

Proposed route:

Jacksonville (Jacksonville Terminal)
Marietta
Baldwin
Lawtey
Starke
Brooker
Alachua
Gainesville (6th and University)

Proposed equipment

pair of RDC-1 cars with small lounge section.

OCKLAWAHA

[uptowngirl]

OCK I tried to plan a train trip out west, I thought it would be fun. Well planning it was a HUGE pain in the rearend, I could not find a straight trip (so you lose your cabin on some parts of the ride) and it was going to take eight freaking days to get there. I WANT to ride the train, but goodness, I can't take eight days of that! America has the worst set up ever and it is truly sad. The only train trip I have seen worth taking thus far is the coastlight, not that is a nice trip.

[Jaxson]

OCK I tried to plan a train trip out west, I thought it would be fun. Well planning it was a HUGE pain in the rearend, I could not find a straight trip (so you lose your cabin on some parts of the ride) and it was going to take eight freaking days to get there. I WANT to ride the train, but goodness, I can't take eight days of that! America has the worst set up ever and it is truly sad. The only train trip I have seen worth taking thus far is the coastlight, not that is a nice trip.

Back in 2005, I took the Sunset Limited to Los Angeles.  The trip took three and a half days and I enjoyed seeing the nation from my coach seat and from the observation car.  There were hassles, like the train running behind schedule.  I however, saved money on my trip (vs. flying into LAX) and have nothing but good things to say about this unique experience.  I was comped for dinner as our train approached Los Angeles and received a voucher for a future trip. 
I prefer taking the train because I do not like the way the airlines treat us today.  I also prefer taking the train because it beats having to drive.  There is a niche for rail travel and I wish that more people saw that is has its place in our society.

And, YES, I would take the train to Gainesville.  If that option was available to me before, I would have gladly gotten aboard, too!

[Ocklawaha]

Pronunciation:/ˈtravəl/
verb
(travels, -el·ing, traveled; also chiefly British travels, -el·ling, travelled)

1 [no object] make a journey, typically of some length or abroad:the vessel had been traveling from Libya to Ireland we traveled thousands of miles

[with object] journey along (a road) or through (a region):he traveled the world with the army

(usually as adjectivetraveling) go or be moved from place to place:a traveling exhibition  (Oxford)

Train travel beats the hell out of a bag of nuts and a cola in a can!

As a rule, modern American's do not travel, which is to sojourn or to pass through the land. The typical citizen today rushes to a concrete box north of the city, goes through a near strip search, boards a flying Greyhound Bus, and 7 hours later, steps off ready to collapse. This feat is called "a trip", but it is not TRAVEL.

While I can see that 8 days is ridiculous, there is NO REASON why we shouldn't be able to cross the country in 3 days-4 nights (or the other way around) by train.

I have ridden the COAST STARLIGHT, both before and after Amtrak. Before Amtrak it was the Coast Daylight to San Francisco, then a change to Oakland for a trip on to Seattle on the Shasta Daylight. These were beautiful trains, the Daylight also had nocturnal sisters a huge ad for which is still visible under a freeway near Mission Tower as the train leaves Los Angeles.  "Ride The Lark and The Owl to the Bay Area nightly."  Over on the Santa Fe they ran a shuttle service between Oakland and Bakersfield, with a dozen buses that met trainside in Bakersfield for various "Southland LA" destinations. If you want to see photos of a few truly beautiful trains check out the San Francisco Chief, The Coast Daylight, and the queen of the rails, The California Zephyr.

Trains on the east coast are pretty fast and in spite of Florida's lack of support we still manage to have 3 each way daily to the Northeast (one runs through Jax without stopping). But the Wizards of Washington have so screwed Amtrak since it's inception that it is hobbled by a lack of routes, equipment, crews and budget. A favored whipping boy for any Conservative tax slasher. However the Liberals have done it no favors either with the worst damage being delivered by President Jimmy Carter, who with a swipe of the pen eliminated The Washington-St. Louis NATIONAL LIMITED, The New York-Florida CHAMPION, The Chicago - Florida FLORIDIAN, The Chicago - Houston TEXAS CHIEF, The Chicago - Seattle NORTH COAST HIAWATHA. In every case except the Champion, the cuts would mean entire 1,000+ mile routes were eliminated along with whole states.

Amtrak itself fell victim to an early case of what I call "END POINT THINKING," that is more or less an airline style of planning that has little or no consideration for anything in the middle. In fact Congress set this up in 1971 by naming city pairs that "MUST" be connected. This might be great on a 737, but it sucks on a train when you blow right through many intermediate towns. Hell's bells, what is a train for if it isn't an intimate journey through the land?

Right now we have NO service to Chicago, or New Orleans, or Atlanta, a situation which even if it were pogo sticks would long ago have been fixed. They call Amtrak a "national system" but when the holes in your system are big enough to swallow Wyoming, or South Dakota and 99% of Tennessee, then something is dreadfully wrong.

My suggestion would be buy yourself a good book, take a pocket full of spending money, and park out at our Amshack on the Northwest side of town some early morning. Buy a round trip ticket "COACH" to Winter Park, Florida, Returning the same day on the latest train. The trip is just long enough to relax and/or eat a fine meal and when you detrain, your right in the middle of one of the most upscale shopping experiences in the south.
Even if the budget only allows for window shopping, hey they have good ice cream shoppes. Late in the afternoon you'll catch the northbound back home, again in time for an evening meal.

A word about the meals. Meals are served in the Dining Car, and you will be seated by your steward, it is polite and acceptable to allow a stranger to share your table, if you can. Just tell the steward if he/she doesn't ask. Full dinners are ordered by writing your requests on the card they will hand you. Costs are about the same as a better chain restaurant. A light meal can be had at any time in the lounge car, (my favorite place on the train - look for me!) sandwiches, pastrys, and all the drinks you can afford. IN EITHER CASE, as the Florida trains run quite full, make damn sure the CONDUCTOR knows you want to eat ASAP when you board. This way in case they have already made a "First call for breakfast-lunch-dinner" you will not be left out. If you seek the lounge car simply ask how soon you can head back there. Some crews want you to stay in your seat until they have collected your ticket, others will allow you to go there immediately making note of where to find you. ASK!

Lastly the trip to Richmond, Washington, Baltimore, Wilmington, Philadelphia, New York and Boston is just overnight, if you've never been rocked to sleep this is your big chance. Airline customers who don't think they "have the time" are discovering this as a way to arrive refreshed after a good night on the train and that it beats the rat races at the airports.

After your trip, or anyone else who takes me up on this, write back with your experiences. I'm so sure you'll fall in love that I fully expect you'll join me in the fight to expand our rail presence.


OCKLAWAHA

[Jaxson]

Ock ---
You forgot to mention that unlike the sardine can-like Greyhound bus in he sky, Amtrak allows passengers to use their electronics (laptop computers, cell phones, mp.3 players, etc.) for the entire trip.  Electronics don't interfere with the operation of the train! 
I am going to have to try out the trip to Winter Park.  I already love Amtrak, but this would be icing on the cake!

[uptowngirl]

I am on board for the Winter Park trip. I took the train a LOT in California while there and LOVED it (the lounge is one of my fav places too!). I would much prefer the train over flying, but the service man, we gotta fix the service.

[ChriswUfGator]

A train that ran to Gainesville would make my life much easier. I am always enlisting people to give me rides since 8 years after leaving U of F I still get my car serviced at Continental Imports over there. I guess loyalty dies hard.

Also, count me in for a Winter Park trip. I love Winter Park and have always wanted to take that trip.

[Jaxson]

I am on board for the Winter Park trip. I took the train a LOT in California while there and LOVED it (the lounge is one of my fav places too!). I would much prefer the train over flying, but the service man, we gotta fix the service.

It is perplexing how we have a higher tolerance for B.S. from the airlines than we do with other modes of transportation.  Why do the airlines continue to come up with new ways to screw over their passengers?  Because the passengers, like willing masochists, put up with it.  I understand that airlines do best with long distance routes, but passenger rail is a better options for long distances that that would normally be 12 hours or less by car.  Like Ock said, we are more interested in making the trip and less interested in traveling...

[heights unknown]

No I wouldn't.

[Cliffs_Daughter]

No I wouldn't.

I agree - what's in Gainesville for anyone who doesn't follow the Gators?

[Ocklawaha]

No I wouldn't.

I agree - what's in Gainesville for anyone who doesn't follow the Gators?

Some of the coolest museum's, parks, VA Hospital, research library's, bike trails, and oop's a LIVE DOWNTOWN with a swinging night life.


OCKLAWAHA

[CS Foltz]

Ock.............I thought that a "Rail Commission" had been established in Tallahassee? I remember something that was being setup regarding rail as passenger/freight? Thought they were taking over from FDOT since they were trying to set that up as a separate agency? What you have posted makes tooooooo much sense big fella! The powers that be will send a hit squad after you if your not carefull! LOL! With the money being spent on HSR down Ratville way, we would have had the chance for some real interstate rail from Tallahassee to Orlando to Miami and then to Jacksonville but noooooooo! Idiots! Instead we get from nowhere to nowhere but its gonna be HSR.............what a crock of bull end product! But wait .....at some point in the future its gonna go to Miami! Still don't have either engineering, ROW or the funds to do it, but Ratville will have a stop and its a bargain at only $1.2 Billion Dollars! I am kinda tired of getting screwed over by nincompoops who just expect me to pay for it, never mind use it! I digress................good idea's, now how do we force feed this down the bovines throats?