Why Does Florida Need Amtrak?

[mtraininjax]

Detroit is alot colder. Did hear though that a friend of mine is seeing people go around up north asking $250 per house to shovel off the snow. Gotta love the entrepreneurial  spirit!

[Ocklawaha]

With the Florida High Speed rail plan down in flames today, it's time to take another look at Amtrak corridor service and what it could do for Florida.

good luck with that....I doubt Scott has any interest in funding (subsidizing) it...heck, he even mentioned the TriRail subsidy in his decision to abandon HSR.

Remember...very little state money would have been used for HSR...the same can't be said about Amtrak

Just day's ago we were all set to blow $300 Million dollars of State money on a USELESS HIGH SPEED RAIL LINE. The total cost for the FLORIDA EAST COAST RAILWAY (2 trains each way daily) is $265 Million... Assuming that Scott would fund the FEC project (he won't BTW) and not the HSR, we could install the FEC trains and still have $35 million in the bank.

You are correct though that with HIGH SPEED RAIL $300 million was very little money, with Amtrak it's a fortune.

OCKLAWAHA

[Mattius92]

The FEC should be far more important then the proposed Orlando-Tampa HSR. Scott is a narrow-minded idiot to see past that. Let me think, Florida has a 2010 census population of 18 million, of that 18 million, at least 10 million people are on the east coast of Florida. So just adding a passenger rail line from J-ville to Miami could potentially effect 10 million people. And let me think there are no less then 5 international airports on the east coast too. And these aren't small airports either (Jacksonville and Melbourne International are probably the smallest, but still kicking out 5 million+ passengers a year). On top of that you have millions of tourists and the booming cruise industry. Say someone in like Jacksonville wants to go cruising on the new Oasis of the Seas in Miami, well start your vacation on the train, instead of dealing with 300 miles of I-95 (hell you would need a cruise after dealing with that). Dang I do say for all the money that flows through Florida, and all the people that live along that route, that we lay down at least $265 million and create the route. Yep this is a pure case of stupid.

[Jaxson]

The FEC should be far more important then the proposed Orlando-Tampa HSR. Scott is a narrow-minded idiot to see past that. Let me think, Florida has a 2010 census population of 18 million, of that 18 million, at least 10 million people are on the east coast of Florida. So just adding a passenger rail line from J-ville to Miami could potentially effect 10 million people. And let me think there are no less then 5 international airports on the east coast too. And these aren't small airports either (Jacksonville and Melbourne International are probably the smallest, but still kicking out 5 million+ passengers a year). On top of that you have millions of tourists and the booming cruise industry. Say someone in like Jacksonville wants to go cruising on the new Oasis of the Seas in Miami, well start your vacation on the train, instead of dealing with 300 miles of I-95 (hell you would need a cruise after dealing with that). Dang I do say for all the money that flows through Florida, and all the people that live along that route, that we lay down at least $265 million and create the route. Yep this is a pure case of stupid.

+1

[mtraininjax]

So just adding a passenger rail line from J-ville to Miami could potentially effect 10 million people.

With 11% unemployment, how does this translate to jobs? Sure it would be nice to take the train to Miami in 6 hours, but we are in jobs mode in the state with Scott now.

Besides, you can take a one-way trip for 5 bucks, roundtrip for 10 at the moment on one of the luxury buses that has started operations in Jacksonville. Still no driving and luxury of traveling on the roads....

[cityimrov]

So just adding a passenger rail line from J-ville to Miami could potentially effect 10 million people.

With 11% unemployment, how does this translate to jobs? Sure it would be nice to take the train to Miami in 6 hours, but we are in jobs mode in the state with Scott now.

Besides, you can take a one-way trip for 5 bucks, roundtrip for 10 at the moment on one of the luxury buses that has started operations in Jacksonville. Still no driving and luxury of traveling on the roads....

Simple.  For example, let's say I want expand my Jacksonville based business by opening a branch in Miami.  To do that, I need a way to get there fast, cheap, and efficiently so I can monitor my business in Jacksonville as well as Miami.  If possible, I want to leave Jacksonville in the morning, go to Miami and do business, then come back home in the evening.  Driving is unproductive and flying is too expensive and complicated with the TSA and all.  The train sounds like a good alternative if you can make it cheaper for me upfront and less complicated than flying.

That bus is a good option but I don't think their business model can survive - especially if gas prices jump.  If there is some way we could electrify those tracks, I think you can create a good alternative for me to get to Miami to start a branch so I can go off and hire people there.  

Now, if you can make the train service very cheap, I can send people from Jacksonville to Miami and back all day allowing me to be very flexible with my personnel. 

[thelakelander]

So just adding a passenger rail line from J-ville to Miami could potentially effect 10 million people.

With 11% unemployment, how does this translate to jobs? Sure it would be nice to take the train to Miami in 6 hours, but we are in jobs mode in the state with Scott now.

Short term jobs would be created in constructing the system and stations in each of the communities along the corridor.  Long term up would come in the form of those employed in operating the service (ex. ticket sales, etc.), maintaining it (ex. yard operations in Jax for switching trains at the terminal), transit oriented development spin-off employment and support services (ex. a train with dining has to purchase food and drinks from someone).

The last job creation estimates I saw with this Amtrak East Coast project were 2,100 short term (3 years) and 6,300 through 2025.

[mtraininjax]

Now, if you can make the train service very cheap

How cheap is VERY CHEAP?

I can drive from Jax to Miami in 5 hours, maybe 4.5 if I get on the turnpike. A tank of gas for 60 bucks and my time in the vehicle which I can trade with calls and educational audible.com productions.

Bus maybe 6-7 hours, hey, right now it runs 10 bucks round trip.

Right now the Silver Star will take 11 hours and cost me $113 each way.

American from Jax to MIA is $360, but it only takes about 1.5 hours takeoff to touchdown (No accounting for TSA).

Would I rather take a 6-hour train ride, sure thing. Governor Scott was in favor of the East Coast Amtrak solution, said it would cost 150 million to build the stations and improve the signals, new spurs, etc. I think its doable, but unless its close in cost to driving, I would probably only use it to get to Miami for a cruise deal.

[tufsu1]

Just day's ago we were all set to blow $300 Million dollars of State money on a USELESS HIGH SPEED RAIL LINE. The total cost for the FLORIDA EAST COAST RAILWAY (2 trains each way daily) is $265 Million...

2 incorrect statements

1. The $285 million remaining for HSR was to be covered by the private sector
2. Amtrak/FEC is $285 million bare bones...the full project is $500 million...and that doesn't include Jax. Terminal

[Mattius92]

Regardless, what do you think is a better investment, the Orlando-Tampa HSR or the FEC??

[mtraininjax]

FEC/Amtrak all the way.

[thelakelander]

FEC/Amtrak....

[JeffreyS]

FEC/Amtrak.

[rainfrog]

Bus maybe 6-7 hours, hey, right now it runs 10 bucks round trip.

I must be out of the loop a little. What bus line can get you to Miami and back for $10? I looked into RedCoach, and it seemed to only have direct routes to Orlando and Tampa from here.

EDIT: Okay, I see you must be taking that into account, as it seems to be set up for quick transfer to a bus to Miami from the Orlando hub (5 minutes between arrival and departure).

[fsujax]

FEC/AMTRAK the money could be better spent by connecting the entire State with improved Amtrak service!