Train study to look at use of private tracks

[thelakelander]

From the subtitle of the article, the Times-Union still does not understand the difference between commuter and light rail.  If any TU reporters are reading this, light rail can not operate on existing railroad tracks with freight trains.

JTA wants to know the feasibility as it considers adding light rail.

By LARRY HANNAN, The Times-Union

Bill Lewis knows the practical reasons for bringing a commuter rail system to Northeast Florida.

He just prefers to focus on the fanciful.

"A train would be wonderful because it's a romantic way of traveling," the 65-year-old Jacksonville resident said. "A bus just isn't the same."

Lewis does have practical reasons for hoping a passenger rail system is built in Jacksonville, though. Gas prices of $4 a gallon and traffic congestion make rail much more attractive, he said.

The question is whether the premise will be supported by the findings of a $400,000 study being done for the Jacksonville Transportation Authority. The feasibility study by Gannett Fleming Inc. of Pennsylvania is expected to be completed early in 2009.

This study will look at where rail service could go by using some existing rail lines owned by private companies, CSX and Florida East Coast Railway. In addition to Jacksonville, service would go to St. Augustine, Green Cove Springs and Yulee.

JTA does not want to build new tracks and the study will look at using the existing rail lines, said James Boyle, regional transportation planner for JTA.

Still to be determined is how much such service would cost and what type of trains would be used.

While no decisions will be made until the study is completed, JTA officials have said they believe commuter rail is coming to Jacksonville.

JTA Chairman Cleve Warren said it's important to have all the details. He believes commuter trains are coming, but cautions it might not be in the immediate future.

Long-term, JTA needs to look at expanding bus routes and starting water and rail transportation to deal with growth, Warren said.

With the price of gas going up, the idea of commuter rail service is exciting to people in the Jacksonville area, Boyle said. People seem more open to the idea than they have in the past, he said.

Reader reaction would suggest just that. Jacksonville.com readers were asked Wednesday to e-mail comments about whether they thought commuter rail was a good idea. More than 90 people posted comments online and 30-40 people e-mailed the paper. Most expressed support for commuter rail.

Arlington resident Eric Johnson, 46, who works on University Boulevard, said light rail with parking is needed around exits to Interstate 95 and Interstate 10 near Jacksonville.

A rail system also should go to major shopping areas around town and congested parts of Interstate 295, Johnson said.

Mandarin resident Susan Jackson, 37, said if commuter rail came to Philips Highway and Butler Boulevard more people from Southside and Mandarin would use it to go downtown.

Orange Park resident Mike Forde, 52, said commuter trains would be great if used correctly. But he doesn't think there is a rail system now in place that would make commuter trains feasible.

No one will use commuter trains just because they exist. They will have to offer a balance of convenience and cost effectiveness greater than what is now available, he said.

Study Chugs Ahead

A study on the feasibility of commuter rail will focus attention on three existing private train tracks:
- A rail line owned by Florida East Coast Railway that goes from downtown Jacksonville to St. Augustine.
- A rail line owned by CSX Corp. that goes from downtown Jacksonville to Green Cove Springs.
- A rail line owned by CSX that goes from downtown Jacksonville to Yulee. Jacksonville Transportation Authority

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/060208/met_285261792.shtml

[Driven1]

very cool article.  good news.  i love that "BRT" was not mentioned at all.