T-U article on possible Amtrak routes.

[DetroitInJAX]

Just came across this as I thumbed through the Times Union:

Amtrak to Miami or New Orleans?
Posted: Monday, October 20th, 2008 at 11:28 am
The United States Congress has ordered Amtrak to come up with a plan to reestablish passenger service from Florida to New Orleans in the next nine months. This doesn’t mean passenger service will definitely be reestablished, but Amtrak has been ordered to come up with a plan.

Amtrak officials say their preference is to focus on establishing a connection from Jacksonville to Miami on the Florida East Coast tracks.

Amtrak currently offers passenger service from Jacksonville to Miami on the Silver Star and the Silver Meteor trains. But the Silver Star takes nine hours and the the Silver Meteor takes almost 11 hours with both trains going through Orlando on tracks owned by CSX.

The Florida Times-Union wants to know which route is more important to Jacksonville residents. Would you prefer to see Amtrak reestablish service to New Orleans? Or would you prefer a faster train to Miami that stays on the east coast of Florida and makes stops in cities like St. Augustine, Daytona Beach, Fort Pierce, West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale?

Let Florida Times-Union staff writer Larry Hannan know what you think by calling him at (904) 359-4470 or e-mailing him at larry.hannan@jacksonville.com.

Personally Id like to see both, but if I had to pick, definitely the faster train to Miami along the FEC tracks.

[thelakelander]

I don't know why the TU thinks its an either/or situation.  Both should and can be implemented. 

[Ocklawaha]

Both and toss in ATLANTA via VALDOSTA and the NS route up the I-75 Corridor and we're back in business... Oh except our passenger station wont be able to handle the trains so they'll terminate in the metropolis of SANFORD rather then Jacksonville because Sanford has a decent depot or two.

Time for the City to pull-their-heads-out and kick the Prime Osbourne onto another location...

OCKLAWAHA