NEW PASSENGER TRAIN ROUTE! Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? (Maybe So?)

[Ocklawaha]

Remember those terrible railroads that JTA can't even talk to? That one with the blue engines that "shoot" anyone going near their property and keep officials away with guard dogs? Well do tell...

Thursday, April 17, 2008
PALM BEACH POST

A long-discussed plan for passenger rail service along Florida's east coast between Miami and Jacksonville may get a push Friday.

The Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council will consider a resolution urging Gov. Charlie Crist and other state and federal officials to ask Amtrak to do a preliminary analysis and ridership forecast on providing service along the corridor.

"This is a great opportunity for everyone," said Kim Delaney, the council's growth management coordinator. "Transit is a high priority for all of the communities along the Treasure Coast."

The idea is not new. In 2001, Amtrak and the Florida East Coast Railway reached an agreement that would have allowed twice-a-day service along the east coast, with stops in Stuart, Fort Pierce and Vero Beach.

But the plan stalled a couple of years later because of Amtrak's financial problems. The carrier now is in a position to consider new alignments and expansion.

Amtrak runs on the CSX Transportation tracks in Florida, bypassing a big section of the east coast.

Between Miami and West Palm Beach, Amtrak trains share the tracks next to Interstate 95 with Tri-Rail. From there, Amtrak travels west through Central Florida to Tampa before heading back east to Jacksonville.

The east coast route ties into a state study now under way to revive passenger service on the FEC through Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. If a multitude of details can be worked out, it would be four to five years at the earliest before commuter trains could use the FEC, which goes through the heart of 28 South Florida cities.

Several alternatives are being considered to link the CSX and the FEC lines in the West Palm Beach-Mangonia Park area.

In a state like Florida, where commuting patterns run north and south, a better transit system is a must, Martin County Commissioner Doug Smith said.

"We have people who commute daily from Martin and St. Lucie counties to Palm Beach County," Smith said. "If we could take some of them off the road and put them on transit, that would be fantastic."

Service along the east coast also would tie into the development of the Orlando-area commuter rail. Long-term plans call for the line to connect to the east coast.

Last year, more than 840,000 passengers boarded or got off Amtrak trains in Florida, including 43,643 at the West Palm Beach station. Statewide ridership was up 10 percent over 2006.

Let's try that again...Maybe the Times-Union is watching! NOT! (JTA told them they'd get the door slammed in their face if they said "FLORIDA EAST COAST" and "PASSENGER TRAIN" in the same line of print.


I was in the lounge car asking for COOKIES! and SOCO!

TREASURE COAST SEEKS NEW RAIL PASSENGER SERVICE
FT LAUDERDALE SUN-SENTINEL

Amtrak line under review
BY DEREK SIMMONSEN | Scripps Treasure Coast
April 19, 2008
  Treasure Coast residents one day could leave their cars behind and catch a train south to see a Miami Dolphins game, take a cruise from Fort Lauderdale or hit the shops in West Palm Beach if local government officials have their way.

Amtrak's improved financial situation and a study already ongoing into whether passenger service should be expanded between Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties on the Florida East Coast Rail Corridor could be the push that Treasure Coast officials need to convince Amtrak that the line should reach into Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River counties.

The company has indicated that if Gov. Charlie Crist or state Transportation Secretary Stephanie Kopelousos would ask for it, Amtrak would include the Treasure Coast in a study looking into the demand and feasibility of passenger rail service in the area.

The Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council agreed Friday to ask Crist and local congressional representatives to make their case to Amtrak. Representatives from the governor's office were not immediately able to comment.




"As we grow and our urban areas become more congested, the automobile needs to be de-emphasized, both in reality and in our planning," said St. Lucie County Commissioner Charles Grande, who sits on the council. "We need to start thinking in that direction."

It's not the first time Amtrak service has been suggested on the Treasure Coast. In 2000, talk began about including the three-county area in plans for expanded rail service from South Florida, but it was derailed in 2002 amid concerns about Amtrak's budget and debt. That's not a problem now, council staff said.

"They're actually ready again to begin looking at new routes," said Kim DeLaney, growth management coordinator for the planning council.

If Amtrak agrees, it would be paying for the study, a process that looks at an area's demographics, transportation alternatives and travel trends, said Jeff Mann, senior director for strategic partnerships at Amtrak. The result is a model that shows whether Amtrak pursuing rail service in an area makes economic sense, in light of expected operating and construction costs and possibly subsidies from local governments and the state.

"All of this analysis would take four to six months and possibly longer," he said. If the study finds service would be a good idea, it still could take years for all of the elements â€" such as building stations and securing rights from the owners of rails â€" to fall into place.

The FEC Corridor â€" the rail line along Florida's East Coast established by Henry Flagler â€" is considered the only line that could be used for passenger rail service, a council memo states. Vero Beach, Fort Pierce and Stuart were all once stops on the Flagler line and have downtown areas that could be nice locations for train stations, but other locations also could be considered, the memo notes.

The new passenger service, which would attract people taking shorter trips with more frequent stops, would run parallel to the current Tri-Rail system between Miami-Dade and Palm Beach, a service that tends to attract long-distance commuters.

Amtrak's current route north goes from Miami to West Palm Beach before branching west to Okeechobee, over to the Orlando area and then moving back east to Jacksonville, where the route mostly hugs the East Coast of the United States through New York City, stopping in Portland, Maine.

So Mr. Blaylock? Mr. Peyton? City Council? Party Members? Where are the minions on this, after all WE STAND TO BE THE HUB OF IT ALL! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Oh, I forgot, FDOT said "JTA told us the whole system would be rubber tire. Bite the coin and see if it's gold, bite the rubber and call it good mass transprtation and you'll be deluded.

Ocklawaha
"The Transit Monster"

[thelakelander]

Lovely, we should be supporting these efforts.  It would be a great way to get St. Augustine and possibly a few areas between that city and downtown Jacksonville linked by rail, piggybacking off the desires of these South Florida communities.

[JeffreyS]

Can you imagine if Treasure coast has commuter rail before Jacksonville.

This makes the argument for Jacksonville commuter rail even stronger.  The Prime Osborn with commuter rail, the skyway, trolleys  or streetcars and improved Amtrak service to other major cities in the state that have mass transit.  Lets make downtown Jax the epicenter.

[JeffreyS]

The least our local government could do is lobby the governor to ask that this link be included in Amtrak's study.

So Metro Jacksonville email the city council, the mayor and the Governor directly.

[thelakelander]

We'll probably have to.  Our local government does not believe passenger rail is worth pursuing locally at the moment.

[fsujax]

We'll probably have to.  Our local government does not believe passenger rail is worth pursuing locally at the moment.

Well said Lake, it isn't JTA you need to persuade, its the ELECTED OFFICIALS!!

[thelakelander]

We'll probably have to.  Our local government does not believe passenger rail is worth pursuing locally at the moment.

Well said Lake, it isn't JTA you need to persuade, its the ELECTED OFFICIALS!!

Correct.  We just have to make sure the BRT plans and the expense associated with them don't permanently kill the idea of mass transit being expanded in Jacksonville.  Other than that, there will be a new administration (hopefully with more progressive views and visions) in a few years.

[stephenc]

Right now Amtrak says it would take about 10 hours to go from here to Miami by way of Orlando. How much shorter of a travel time would to be with a direct east coast connection. I cant help but think it would be about 7 hours or so. Also by plane you can fly from here to the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area for about $175-$200 round trip and the flight is only an hour and 15min. The price would have to be extremely cheap for me to take a 7 hour train to Miami when i could fly there in an hour.

[JeffreyS]

Right now Amtrak says it would take about 10 hours to go from here to Miami by way of Orlando. How much shorter of a travel time would to be with a direct east coast connection. I cant help but think it would be about 7 hours or so. Also by plane you can fly from here to the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area for about $175-$200 round trip and the flight is only an hour and 15min. The price would have to be extremely cheap for me to take a 7 hour train to Miami when i could fly there in an hour.

How about one year of unlimited travel for $249 with the Florida Amtrak rail pass?

[stephenc]

that would help some.

[Jason]

"This is a great opportunity for everyone," said Kim Delaney, the council's growth management coordinator. "Transit is a high priority for all of the communities along the Treasure Coast."

The Delaney's seem to get it....   

[Ocklawaha]

So sorry AA (American Airlines) but this isn't your momma's 12" wide seat.My daughters want one of you to try the second photo while flying DELTA to New York.

You miss the point in rail travel... it's not all about speed, but comfort, relaxing with a drink, eating peanut soup and Oriental baked chicken cooked to order. Meeting new people, and having time to share a few stories. Catch up on that presentation. Check into a rolling hotel room, take a shower, have your bed turned down... Fresh OJ and shoes shine by morning light. Listening to the piano player in the lounge car, taking the requests over adult beverages. The card game at the tables penny a point. Sweetie wants to come along? That's okay, there are bedrooms for two, even for families. Coach seats bigger then any first class seat that you've ever seen in the air. Cut glass and crystal, china and linnen for all, coach passengers too. Cruise ship on land.


My favorite spot in Canada!

Now what was that about flying to Ft. Lauderdale for $200 bucks? Be my guest, while your finding a parking space, I'll be reclining in my plush seat, leg rest extended. When you get through security, I'll be sipping hot coffee over a danish at the bar, while flashing through Moultrie at 90 MPH. While your on approach to Ft. Lauderdale, I'll be taking in the sights of Spruce Creek, South of Port Orange. My New York Steak and mushroom sauce, tender baby peas spread before me, while seated with an interesting and lovely lady doctor from Charleston. Your touching down and our converstation rises and falls to a distant horn, tales of the Confederacy and raids on New Smyrna. As you get into the gate, and push your way to baggage claim I'm 1/2 way there streaking like a silver bullet through endless hammocks and palms somewhere below Melbourne. You've got a cab to catch, or a rental car, and your off to find the exit from the airport. My new doctor friend has invited me to walk her back to the lounge car... hey they even have SOCO. Converstation turns to medicine in Medellin, while your at your hotel room. Damn, your beat up, you could use a nap but that meeting, no time, no time, no time... Meanwhile we realize we've rolled through West Palm Beach, Out the window the cars on I-95 seem to be going backward now. somehow we've switched to the CSX line. As the sun sets and the streetlights come on, the doctor and I exchange business cards. Doors clank open and brakes squeak as we ease to another stop. Good bye new friend, I feel GREAT, hey I know a little place called Alligator Alley, they've got live blues til late night...


Meals on Wheels or a fine restaurant with changing views?

Based on former FEC passenger schedules which included 16 stops between Jacksonville and Miami (Miami being number 17) The SOUTH WIND trains left Jax at 9:55 AM and arrived in West Palm at 3:23 PM, Ft. Lauderdale at 4:44 PM and Miami at 5:40 PM on an easy schedule. The EAST COAST CHAMPION trains left Jax at 8:40 AM, St. Augustine 9:14 AM, Daytona 10:13 AM, Melbourne 12:04, Ft.Pierce at 12:57 PM, West Palm 2:08 PM, Ft. Lauderdale 3:17 PM and Miami at 4:10 PM for a 7 hour dash and 19 stops!


You airplane types think of LOUNGE in terms of a metal soft drink can on a plastic table and a tiny sample of Jose Cuervo with a napkin... WELL EXCUSE ME BUT THIS IS A LOUNGE! and the bar isn't on a 2' cart.


By the way all of these trains had access to stops at South Jax, Bowden, Bayard, St. Augustine and Bunnell... So FDOT and JTA are you watching this?


But if you insist you can enjoy this airplane comfort, drop me a card when the jet lag wears off.

Ocklawaha
"Me Want TRAINS!"  

[stephenc]

I guess its just difference in opinion. While I have never been on a train (plan on flying to Philly this summer then taking Amtrak to DC and maybe NYC, to see the historical sites), I think the comfort would be nice. I just would rather hurry and get to where im going and then relax. Then again, I'm still young and not beat after a 1 hour plane ride. Also, I guess I'm part of this young generation who has this fast, get as much done as possible mentality. Granted I would much rather take a 3 hour train to Orlando then drive there and deal with all the traffic.

[thelakelander]

The way I view it, I probably won't catch a train from Jax to Miami, but it would be an attractive option to go from Jax to spend the day in St. Augustine, depending on the schedule and costs.  For the communities between Jax, it offers them the option of catching a train directly to the major cities since they currently have no option, other than putting their car on I-95.

[Ocklawaha]

For the communities between Jax, it offers them the option of catching a train directly to the major cities since they currently have no option, other than putting their car on I-95.

Now you guys are getting it! That imagined airplane flight didn't do a damn thing for St. Augustine, Palm Coast/Bunnell, Daytona, Titusville, Cocoa, Melbourne, Ft. Pierce, or West Palm. The train will directly impact each and every one of them in a very positive way. Let's not forget trains can split and join somewhere along the way too... and that's where JACKSONVILLE TERMINAL comes into play. Bring it in from New York with 3 engines and 22 cars then quietly bust it up while the passengers gaze at our city. One engine, and 8 cars head to Miami down the FEC, Another engine with 8 cars head down through Palatka to Orlando, Lakeland and Tampa. A third engine and 6 cars head down through Starke, Ocala, Lakeland and the states new proposed route to Ft. Myers. Tell me which city get's the jobs and the crew base, the maintence and fuel, the washer, the catering, diesel and oils, carpet and... and.... and..... WAKE UP AND HEAR THE HORN JAX!

Ocklawaha