AMTRAK FUNDED at last! - What Florida Needs?

[9a is my backyard]

I just took the train from NC to Jax Sunday and there wasn't an empty seat to be had.  It's cheaper than flying, there's 2x the leg room, and it was far more comfortable than I thought it would be.  There definitely is a negative stigma attached to train travel; maybe not quite as negative as bus travel, but very similar.  However, the past few times I've tried to book at ticket on Amtrak the day before or the day of travel, many are sold out or only have sleeper car upgrades available.  I would love to see a direct train connection to Atlanta or Charlotte. It's not the quickest nor the most convenient (it sucks showing up on time for your 1:30 am train when it's an hour late), but I found it more enjoyable than flying.

[Ocklawaha]

Miami should have more Amtrak connections. Miami should be able to go through Atlanta & Detriot. I know a Mia - Atl train would have Jax right in the middle. I don't get why they never run a route like that.

Miami has two carriers or rail lines northward, CSX turns NW at West Palm and heads for the Lakelander region of Winter Haven and a junction at Auburndale with it's Tampa-Lakeland-(Auburndale)-Orlando-Deland-Palatka-Orange Park-Jacksonville Route. The Florida East Coast shoots straight north all along the coast to Miami-West Palm- Melbourne - Daytona Beach - St. Augustine - Jacksonville.

Of those trains I named The following connected Miami with Atlanta via Jacksonville:

Dixieland
Dixieflyer
Southland
Flamingo

Royal Palm
Royal Poinciana
Ponce De Leon

There were many others that ran for a few seasons then were pulled off or renamed, but this was the stable. The shame here is other states are loudly involved in getting some of those new Amtrak funds and routes, even our neighbors. It would be such a small effort to get ourselves in the game via the city, the state or a JTA officer. IF WE DON'T FIGHT FOR POSITION - ORLANDO WILL! A 50 mile connection is in their plans right now to do just this. Orlando-Melbourne, CSX to FEC. It would allow all trains to go to Mickey then split for the East Coast, or Tampa, Ft. Myers etc... But it completely cuts North Florida out of the game, Ocala, Gainesville, Daytona Beach, St. Augustine could walk for all they care. "The Mouse that Roared". Meanwhile we sit on the railroad nerve center of the state and do,,,, do,,,, do,,,, NOTHING!

OCKLAWAHA

[9a is my backyard]

It would be such a small effort to get ourselves in the game via the city, the state or a JTA officer.

Any odds of this happening Ock?

[Coolyfett]

Miami should have more Amtrak connections. Miami should be able to go through Atlanta & Detriot. I know a Mia - Atl train would have Jax right in the middle. I don't get why they never run a route like that.

Miami has two carriers or rail lines northward, CSX turns NW at West Palm and heads for the Lakelander region of Winter Haven and a junction at Auburndale with it's Tampa-Lakeland-(Auburndale)-Orlando-Deland-Palatka-Orange Park-Jacksonville Route. The Florida East Coast shoots straight north all along the coast to Miami-West Palm- Melbourne - Daytona Beach - St. Augustine - Jacksonville.

Of those trains I named The following connected Miami with Atlanta via Jacksonville:

Dixieland
Dixieflyer
Southland
Flamingo

Royal Palm
Royal Poinciana
Ponce De Leon

There were many others that ran for a few seasons then were pulled off or renamed, but this was the stable. The shame here is other states are loudly involved in getting some of those new Amtrak funds and routes, even our neighbors. It would be such a small effort to get ourselves in the game via the city, the state or a JTA officer. IF WE DON'T FIGHT FOR POSITION - ORLANDO WILL! A 50 mile connection is in their plans right now to do just this. Orlando-Melbourne, CSX to FEC. It would allow all trains to go to Mickey then split for the East Coast, or Tampa, Ft. Myers etc... But it completely cuts North Florida out of the game, Ocala, Gainesville, Daytona Beach, St. Augustine could walk for all they care. "The Mouse that Roared". Meanwhile we sit on the railroad nerve center of the state and do,,,, do,,,, do,,,, NOTHING!

OCKLAWAHA

What a sec??? 7 lines that connected Atlanta to Miami were removed? And now Orlando wants a direct connection to Atlanta bypassing north Florida?? Am I reading you right Ock?

[Ocklawaha]

What a sec??? 7 lines that connected Atlanta to Miami were removed? And now Orlando wants a direct connection to Atlanta bypassing north Florida?? Am I reading you right Ock?

No, sorry for the confusion there my friend. 3 lines connecting Jax and Atlanta, and 2 JAX to Miami, once operated 7 flagship (really deluxe) trains. They each ran up one of the two Florida routes and from JAX they went up one of 3 Georgia routes. All three of the Georgia routes are still in place and in top shape, in Florida 1 is in place, and the second is somewhat changed, but usable, again both in top shape.

What Orlando is trying to do is keep all of the trains on the CSX south of Jacksonville, via Palatka-Deland-Sanford. Trains can be split up enroute, for example a train from Atlanta could be for Miami AND for Tampa. When it get's to Jacksonville, one engine and 1/2 the cars head down the Florida East Coast, and the other engine and other 1/2 head toward Tampa. Jacksonville terminal was designed to do this, we have all of the support facilities here in town to make this an easy catch...but we are sitting on our hands. Orlando meanwhile want's to "Play like a big city station" and bust up the trains and send different sections to different coasts. They want EVERY train to pass through Disney-Mouse-Shamu World... Screw Daytona, St. Augustine, Gainesville, Ocala, Brooksville, Dunnellon... Nobody want's to go there! (Well that's what Orlando seems to be working on).

OCKLAWAHA
We need a swift kick and an Amtrak-JTA officer

[Ocklawaha]

Any odds of this happening Ock?

JTA will change a bus route with 10 written requests, so they hear the voices... 2get1B1 ...I will speak, but I must be invited.

OCKLAWAHA

[civil42806]

City Boardings + Alightings
Deerfield Beach   22,218
Deland   22,077
Delray Beach   8,045
Fort Lauderdale   38,654
Hollywood   29,174
Jacksonville   57,777
Kissimmee   34,828
Lakeland   20,276
Miami   67,629
Okeechobee   3,067
Orlando   129,469
Palatka   10,791
Sanford (Auto-Train Station)   217,822
Sebring   15,227
Tampa   74,984
West Palm Beach   43,643
Winter Haven   17,923
Winter Park   26,491
Total Florida Station Usage:   840,095



LOL this is high usage? a total of 840 thousand usage over 1 year period, average that over a total year and compare the daily average to the states poputlation

[civil42806]

wonder what the jax intl airports departures were over the same period.

[Lunican]

I wonder what the numbers would be at Jacksonville International if there were 2 departures a day.

[civil42806]

wonder what the numbers would be for the amtrak station in jax, if there were 40 trains a day?

[Lunican]

They would be higher.

[WeeklyJoe]

H.R. 2095  (Federal Railroad Safety Improvement Act of 2007 ) passed in the Senate vote 74-24, and now goes to the Bush's desk with enough strength to override a veto.

Aside, all "nay" were Republican (including McCain-AZ, Coburn-OK, etc.), with two interesting Democrats not voting for their own reasons (Biden-DE, Kennedy-MA).

This out-of-towner would like to know if anyone from Jacksonville is still interested in moving the Amtrak station back to downtown, reinstating the Sunset Limited from JAX to New Orleans, and establishing a route along the entire Florida eastern coast?

There's still much to be done to make sure Amtrak actually gets the money. Some enthusiasm from your locals to promote the opportunities, and maybe show a new positive example of transportation planning on all levels, would personally be appreciated. It would certainly increase my room nights and money spent in JAX per year!

[Ocklawaha]

I wonder what the numbers would be at Jacksonville International if there were 2 departures a day.

wonder what the numbers would be for the amtrak station in jax, if there were 40 trains a day?

They would be higher.

1,150,000+ per year, based on current train numbers. Keeping in mind it should be even higher, as the society adapts to loss of auto freedom (cheap fuel) and all but long-distance air services. Also keeping in mind that WE ARE THE HUB for everything between Washington DC - Atlanta - Birmingham - New Orleans and everything else that is within FLORIDA. So networking and conectivity would start to play a huge roll if we just got back what we had when Amtrak started here, with the single addition of the Gulf Wind (a day time train to replace the Sunsets overnight run through the Panhandle to MSY/NORL or AKA: New Orleans). Flipping one NY-Miami / NY-Tampa train which would split at Jax about Midnight for the runs southward, would provide the through sleeping cars and coaches from the Gulf Wind and Points west to every point South. Early morning arrivals in Orlando-Lakeland-Tampa
and West Palm-Ft. Lauderdale-Miami. 

This out-of-towner would like to know if anyone from Jacksonville is still interested in moving the Amtrak station back to downtown, reinstating the Sunset Limited from JAX to New Orleans, and establishing a route along the entire Florida eastern coast?

Having taken the Sunset Limited to LAX in 1998, I can say that it's not likely a route I'd take again simply because of the time involved. A week's vacation turns into 1 day in your destination city. (If we were to get high-speed trains that could go JAX to LAX in a day, I'd definitely sign up!)

As for the Florida coast....YES PLEASE. I'd love to hop a train to Ft. Lauderdale or Miami for the weekend!

PART ONE: Amtrak, FDOT, the Southeast High Speed Rail Colition, Destination Freedom, United Rail Passenger Alliance, National Association of Rail Passengers as well as the National Railway Historical Society are all pushing or pulling for this:

Restore the Florida East Coast Route ASAP

Restore the Sunset-Gulf Wind Route

Restore the Waldo-Ocala-Wildwood-Lakeland-Tampa Route

Restore Jacksonville - Atlanta ASAP

Increase (many x) the numbers between NYC-Washington-JAX

Create Jacksonville-Savannah-Charlotte-DC-NYC (mainline track is available)

Restore Tampa-Sarasota-Venice

Restore Lakeland-Ft. Myers-Naples


PART TWO:

Doubt you'll ever see one-day LAX-JAX service. But you could see 3-5 cruise trains making the trip using some variations of the current routes. Typical Sunset, another via Dallas-Ft. Worth, Another Via Birmingham-Memphis, etc...

So sorry you didn't enjoy the LA trip, you hit it just at a time when Union Pacific (AKA: Uncle Pete) was trying to make things so bad for Amtrak that they would just give it up... Didn't happen, but some legal hardball did! Trains shine on the medium and shorter distance markets, and for those who take the time to see the county. People today don't know how to travel, it's almost a lost art form, to wit:


Crowded Skys bring on meyhem.


"It's not the getting there but the going thats good, on the train"

Definitions of travel on OXFORD and the Web:

travel

  • verb (travelled, travelling; US also traveled, traveling) 1 make a journey. 2 journey along (a road) or through (a region). 3 move or go from one place to another. 4 withstand a journey without adverse effects.


Flying on Instruments IFR

Travel is the transport of people on a trip/journey or the process or time involved in a person or object moving from one location to another. Reasons for travel include:*Tourism--travel for recreation. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travel

The act of travel(l)ing; a series of journeys; an account of one's travels; The activity or traffic along a route or through a given point; The motion of a piece of machinery; The length of a mechanical stroke; To be on a journey, often for pleasure or business and with luggage; to go from ...
en.wiktionary.org/wiki/travel


A Travel picture must express the feeling of a time and place, portray a land, its people or a culture in its natural state, and has no geographic limitations. ...
www.n4c.org/N4C%20Comp%20Classes/n4c_definitions.htm

A travel image is one that captures the feeling of place and time, and portrays a land, people or culture in its natural state. It may be taken either in a foreign land or anywhere in one's own country. ...
www.pacamera.com/categyDef.html

time should preferably be allocated in line with the purpose of the trip. If the trip is being carried out for work being carried out for a specific project or programme then it should be directly attributed to Teaching, Research or Other as appropriate. ...
www.fec.ed.ac.uk/docs/open/TRAC%20Manual/TRACmanualword%20files%20to%20zip/Annex_6.doc

The origin of the word 'travel'

A word that has long fascinated me because I am a travel writer is the word ‘travel’ itself. It came originally, I think, from the Latin ‘tripalium’ which was a three-legged instrument invented by Nero to torture people. That eventually became ‘travail’, the French word for work, and then travel. I think this all comes from the OED. When ‘travel’ was first introduced into the English language it meant something that was hard and difficult. It was work, one never travelled for pleasure! One undertook a ‘travail’ and only lately did travel become something associated with pleasure. It is a very interesting progression from torture, to work, to pleasure.

There are two entries in the OED. One is for ‘travail’, which is work or labour - it could have been the labour of childbirth or any sort of hard work. There is also the sense of ‘travel’, meaning moving around.



Why Did The Late Great Johnny Stucker Unplug The Airports Landing Lights? HE WAS AN AVID RAILROAD FAN!

And now, as Paul Harvey would say, you know the AIRLINE meaning of the word!

[pwhitford]

An update:

Wall Street Journal - Senate Approves $13 Billion Amtrak Funding Bill - OCTOBER 1, 2008, 9:27 P.M. ET - By JOSH MITCHELL | Dow Jones Newswires

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Congress passed legislation Wednesday to boost funds for Amtrak and expand passenger rail service at a time of record ridership.

The Senate voted 74-24 to approve the five-year, $13 billion bill, which also mandates new safety measures for trains, including collision-avoidance technology. The House passed the bill last week.

The legislation will now proceed to the White House for President Bush's signature. The president threatened to veto a previous Amtrak funding bill earlier this year. But the bill approved Wednesday passed by a margin large enough in both chambers to suggest there is enough support in Congress to overcome a veto.

Funding for the legislation requires further congressional action, which is not likely to happen before the end of the year.

The legislation authorizes $2.5 billion a year for Amtrak, almost double its current federal funding level. The money would cover operating and capital expenses, including equipment purchases and railroad repairs. About $1.4 billion would help pay down Amtrak's more than $3 billion in debt.

About $1.9 billion would fund a matching-grant program to encourage states to invest in rail expansion and repair.

Lawmakers have long debated whether taxpayers should continue to subsidize the nation's intercity passenger rail network, which ran a $1 billion deficit in the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2007. But momentum has grown in Congress to invest more in passenger rail service amid concerns over rising gas prices, climate change and traffic congestion.

That momentum comes as more and more Americans are turning to trains to escape high gas prices. Amtrak set another record in the year that ended Tuesday with more than 28 million riders, preliminary figures show, a double-digit percentage increase over the previous year.

The legislation will "substantially change our federal policy toward passenger rail travel," Sen. Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey said during Senate debate this week.

The legislation also contains provisions designed to make Amtrak's management more accountable, such as financial reporting standards.

It is the first time Congress passed an Amtrak reauthorization bill since 1997.

The other half of the legislation is designed to improve railroad safety. It requires a technology known as positive train control, or PTC, on passenger trains and certain hazmat rail main lines by 2015. The technology automatically stops trains that run a stop signal. A federal official has said PTC could have prevented the Sept. 12 train crash in California that killed 25 people.

The bill also caps work shifts at 12 hours and mandates 10-hour rest periods for train crews and signal employees.

[Jason]

Sounds like an all around solid plan.