INSANITY? OUTRAGE? STUPID? or just clueless Transit Advice?

[Ocklawaha]

Gannett Flemming, do any of these photos look like this is Yulee?



THIS IS DISNEY WORLD FOR THE RAILROAD SET!

This is not about FDOT, it is not about JTA, in fact it isn't even a home town company. This is about a World Respected Rail Consultanting group that I myself might have chosen to lead our Commuter Rail Study.

A close review of the three proposed commuter rail routes in Jacksonville suddenly set off a series of red signals that NO TRAIN is going through. Looking at the SW line and the SE or North lines there is an interesting
but complete sleeper in the consist:

The CONS:

A 500 foot walk connecting the SW line with the N. and SE lines at UNION TERMINAL (sorry JTA, I simply can't bear to call that building Transportation Center). Now one has to wonder why in hell you would have to walk 500 feet, cross Bay street? and cut through the terminal? to get between trains? REALLY?

Someone at the consultants must have seen the City or old FDOT/AMTRAK image of a 2/4 track Amtrak Station downtown. So rather then dig out the fill and put the tracks in a tub (also a stupid idea). They have now moved the entire N. and SE lines to the NORTH OF THE STATION under the Skyway? At least this is all on paper... in someones mind...floating around town. This doesn't even take into account the old tunnels that could reach from Skyway-under Bay-under concourse-trackside.

What it sounds like they are now proposing is to split up the rail station. Amtrak and one commuter line use the current FEC track area. The other two lines split off and have a terminal North of the station. We need every track we can get if Amtrak pulls off it's Florida expansion and we plan to retain the rail hub of Florida status. Splitting up the yard would be like Delta's Atlanta flights landing at CRAIG and all others at JIA.

We need this aparent screw up exposed and out. Is this the truth? Not even Batman could fix this mess.

WILL SOMEONE PLEASE DESIGN A COMPACT 10 TRACK YARD! (oh wait, that's my job, RFP anyone?)

OCKLAWAHA
*BOHICA JACKSONVILLE!
*(old Navy term meaning: Bend over - here it comes again!)