Why Does Florida Need Amtrak?

[transitlover]

The MPOs and cities along the FEC line have shared their interest in having AMTRAK service along this line with FDOT and AMTRAK

[thelakelander]

Has the City of Jacksonville recently submitted a Resolution of Support letter to FDOT and Amtrak, like Palm Coast, Jupiter and other coastal municipalities have?  If so, I wonder why our media has decided not to cover this important issue?

[Steve]

The MPOs and cities along the FEC line have shared their interest in having AMTRAK service along this line with FDOT and AMTRAK

This is the issue in Jacksonville.  All of our governmental offices are within a mile of each other, but these organizations apparently don't talk.  Right now, Palm freaking Coast has a resolution supporting this in writing.  Can you please point me to where the Jacksonville City Council's is?

[thelakelander]

Yes, it would be good if some type of public level of support could be expressed by Jacksonville (council/mayor's office).  One would think that vocal support by the State's largest municipality would carry more weight than something produced by Palm Coast.

If this letter has already been issued, Metro Jacksonville would love to publish it to prove our city supports additional transportation alternatives.

[Lunican]

Sound familiar?

June 3, 2009
Amtrak Signs Agreement with Virginia to Provide New Passenger Rail Service

Nation's Railroad Uniquely Positioned to Develop Partnerships with Other States

WASHINGTON - With a new agreement signed with Virginia, Amtrak is now the choice of 15 states to operate their state-funded passenger rail service and is uniquely positioned to develop partnerships with other states, said Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman.

"Amtrak is excited to establish new passenger rail service for Virginia and is seeking opportunities to partner with other states to provide additional rail transportation options," Boardman stated, highlighting the national reach of the railroad's extensive network of stations and mechanical and operational facilities as well as its equipment fleet and reservations system.

Boardman stressed that a primary objective of Amtrak is to be the operator of the national high speed rail system being developed by states with new federal funding provided in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Amtrak understands the needs, opportunities and challenges associated with creating and operating new passenger rail service and is able to provide the leadership and technical assistance necessary to successfully help states reach that goal, he said.

Under the Virginia agreement, Amtrak will receive $17.2 million from Virginia over a three-year demonstration period to provide new daily service to Washington, D.C. from Lynchburg beginning in October 2009 and from Richmond beginning in December 2009. Detailed schedules and fares will be finalized by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and Amtrak in the coming months.

In addition to Virginia, Amtrak currently has partnership agreements with the following states to operate state-funded passenger rail services: California, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.

About Amtrak

Amtrak has posted six consecutive years of growth in ridership and revenue, carrying more than 28.7 million passengers in the last fiscal year. Amtrak provides intercity passenger rail service to more than 500 destinations in 46 states on a 21,000-mile route system. For schedules, fares and information, passengers may call 800-USA-RAIL or visit Amtrak.com.

[Ocklawaha]

Almost half of these listed states have experienced "Corridor type growth", along their rail lines, which begs the question, "Where the HELL is Florida?" We have got to get active and LOUD, Yesterday!

BTW, a New York, Washington, Charlottesville, Charlotte, Columbia, Savannah, JAX train makes great sense, perhaps we should push for this. This train was NEVER operated in the old days due to company loyalitys, but today it would be popular. In fact today we can operate Amtrak across former competitor boundries, so what are we waiting for. We once had a round-about train to Charlotte called the "Carolina or Skyland Special"  maybe it's time to revisit this on a direct Ashville-Salsbury-Charlotte-Columbia-Savannah, JAX, Tampa/Miami route.

OCKLAWAHA

[tufsu1]

Biden apparently told CA the same thing he told FL about high speed rail

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/06/though-california-is-in-the-throes-of-a-budget-crisis-vice-president-joe-biden-said-today-that-the-states-high-speed-rail.html

[jason_contentdg]

^ Yes, sounds like they are in the running for over 10% of the 8 billion.

[nicktooch]

wrote to yarborough... he said "Thank you for your email regarding Amtrak service and the FEC line."

[Lunican]

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.

[tufsu1]

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

[Garden guy]

Why...hmm...there are so many reasons...for one...this state..."the sunshine state"..is world known...everone around the world knows our name and where we are...to make it easier and more efficient it make complete sense that we lead our nation in train development..our thief of a governor wants to make it easier for large corporations to make more money here than anywhere else yet he plans on defunding education and keeping this state last in education...who is going to work at these high end jobs he promises that deregulation will create..this state's foundation .which is its children, are some of the most uneducated students in the world yet he thinks they are all going to get these awesome jobs..this thief has nothing but money on his mind which is what got him in trouble with the feds and why he paid the fines..which is an admission of guilt. This liar needs to be empeached now before he does too much damage.

[mtraininjax]

This liar needs to be empeached now before he does too much damage.

And Alex Sink's supporters come out of the woodwork. Where is Alex these days?? Surely she has a voice on the subject since every politician with something to GAIN from HSR has spoken in the last few hours.

[BridgeTroll]

This liar needs to be empeached now before he does too much damage.

And Alex Sink's supporters come out of the woodwork. Where is Alex these days?? Surely she has a voice on the subject since every politician with something to GAIN from HSR has spoken in the last few hours.

If only they had bothered to vote...

[thelakelander]

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

Realistically, a decision like today (assuming it stands) probably puts us back a decade on future commuter rail and intercity statewide amtrak alternatives.  You're not going to see much new state investment on projects like this during Scott's term (they're simply not in his idealogy) and we'll probably miss the Obama boat for good for landing federal money on these types of projects.  We better hope decent money is raised through the mobility fee to get a small 3-4 mile streetcar starter line off the ground in the next few years.  If not, the only thing fixed in this community for the next generation will be the existing skyway (assuming Mullaney doesn't shut it down, lol).  Detroit is looking better everyday!