Almost 63% Support for High Speed Rail According to Orlando Sentinel Poll

[FayeforCure]

Oct 27, 2009

Poll: Weigh in on high-speed rail in Florida
Do you support high-speed rail linking Orlando and Tampa?

Yes. Now that Disney is on board, maybe we'll finally get somewhere. (509 responses)

62.6%

No. We need to put our transportation money into fixing our local commuting problems first. (193 responses)

23.7%

Maybe. If it's easy to get from the stations to where I need to go -- and if tickets are cheap -- I'm for it. (111 responses)

13.7%

813 total responses

(Results not scientific)

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/volusia/orl-high-speed-rail-poll,0,2458703,post.poll

[CS Foltz]

Faye I am for HSR, even if it only starts from Orlando to Tampa, but it needs to be definitive with a clear plan for expansion to other parts of the state with a timetable and funding from the State end! I have no problem with a Federal financial partner but think that private enterprise would have a better  operational plan! It goes without saying that the ticketing needs to be user friendly for not only local useage but non-locals also. Biggest problem that I see is, I still question starting true HSR in that part of the world since there really is no room for reasonable expansion. I still feel that Jacksonville to Miami would be a better test of a real life situation!

[buckethead]

That poll would be more useful if it were in print.

My Carpet can always use more protection from the kitty's poopie paws.

[thelakelander]

I'm in favor of HSR.  Just not the crazy plan Florida currently has on the table.  If explained in further detail and presented with viable and more affordable alternative options, I'm sure a good amount of the 63% would feel the exact same way.

[mtraininjax]

If the plan creates thousands of jobs for floridians, I am in favor of it. I could care less if the state or feds built widgets, we need to get people back to work, and now.

[thelakelander]

Then you should be in favor of extending the skyway, building commuter rail and streetcars all across Jax.  After all, it creates jobs.

[mtraininjax]

Lake - Get 'er done.

[Ocklawaha]

We are back to square one Lake, FAYE doesn't know the difference in poll numbers or votes for a pet project, and facts stated by the industry. I'm not talking about facts from Doc, or Sentinels, or Mayors, I'm talking about pundits within railroading who support HSR, but not the current FL plan.

OCKLAWAHA

[FayeforCure]

pundits within railroading who support HSR, but not the current FL plan.

Pundits need to realize the funding that's available, and the current economic situation Florida finds itself in with its 11.5% unemployment.

For sure, we can always find a better route, as we all agree the Orlando-Miami route would be, but we are limited to the available funding and the shovel ready nature of projects that qualify under the High Speed Rail Program.

To fantasize about the perfect and let the good go to waste is futile.  As the fourth largest state in the nation Florida would be foolish to pass up federal funding that doesn't require matching state funds!!! Plain and Simple.

And all we need to do is show the federal government that we are willing to put up a dedicated funding source for the operational expenses associated with our successful Tri-Rail Commuter Rail, the ONLY existing commute rail system in Florida.

The tiny Skyway is no comparison.

[Ocklawaha]

Faye, "The Tiny Skyway, The Titanic, The Britannic, The Olympic, The Aqua-Car, Hydrogen Zeppelins, The Cincinnati Subway, The Rochester Subway, The Freeway, NONE of which are anything like our Florida High Speed Rail Project, ours is worse, and about to be added to the infamous list if we dupe President Obama, into buying a second rate plan, for a third rate HSR railroad, from a State that DOESN'T rate in rail transportation. "Yes we can," does not mean "...be stupid!"


It's not cool aid Florida, it's Titanic! "Drink TITANIC Beer, Goes Down Fast, Stays Ice Cold!"

OCKLAWAHA

[FayeforCure]

Ock,.........just your typical hyperbole from you. Blowing things completely out of proportion.

There never was a successful titanic, but there are plenty of successful HSR lines around the world.

[Ocklawaha]

http://www.metacafe.com/fplayer/2114885/spectacular_100mph_train_crash_test.swf

Ock,.........just your typical hyperbole from you. Blowing things completely out of proportion.

There never was a successful titanic, but there are plenty of successful HSR lines around the world.

It's the subject as a whole Faye, great failed, transportation projects of all time, and the fact that no matter the background of the people posting here, you keep parroting the lines of the State. That you won't try and understand, even though God knows Stephendare, Lakelander and I, have tried to help you fine tune your arguments, you don't hear us.

Your the one that brought the Skyway into this thread, and somewhere deep in the subconscious mind, Skyway - HSR and FAILURE, would seem to be linked. Remember me saying the Devil is in the details, when you complained that my posts are too detailed?  Here is an example of a typical bushwhacker attack:

OCKLARANT:
The Titanic, was a fantastic vessel for her era, but had several design flaws. She shipped water over the bridge when in high seas, so the other two "sisters" were modified. Her watertight integrity and life boat count was far ahead of her time, yet still too "wrong" to save her. The ONLY cure for the disaster would have been to REROUTE THE SHIP BASED ON THE WARNINGS SENT OUT AND RECIEVED!

Giantic, after Titanics loss this name was canceled.

Those other two failures? Britannic, was never finished and not unlike the Skyway, she went down in WWI, doing a job she wasn't built to do. No one knows what caused the explosion that sank her in 400 feet of water off of Greece.

Olympic, was the only one of the 3 sisters of the Olympic Class of ships that lived out a full life. Even so she was flawed from the start as well. Cunard had developed the Steam Turbine which was far more fuel efficient, but White Star, was unmoved. She served on mostly trans Atlantic cruises until 1935, when she was laid up and scraped in 1937.

The latest thing in Transportation Design? Hardly, the German Zeppelin corporation was 3 times faster on the same voyage, and every bit the equal in luxury. To add insult it injury, none of the Olympic Class ships would respond the the helm, the rudders were too small. They all burned through coal at 3 times the rate of the competition.

You want to imply that this means there were lots of successful cruise ships, thus building this trio was a great idea.

Lets ignore the details, "we don't need DON'T NEED ANOTHER OCK HISTORY LESSON, to hell with the yardstick of time, education, and most of all EXPERIENCE. Otherwise we would be building the best system for the money..."


OCKLAWAHA
Stephendare, Lakelander, Y'all ready for that life preserver yet?

[tufsu1]

Thats because they travelled at High Speed.

What does that have to do with the Orlando Tampa line?

168mph isn't high speed?

[thelakelander]

Its going to get up to 168mph between Tampa and Orlando's airport?  What stretch and for how long?

[FayeforCure]

"we don't need DON'T NEED ANOTHER OCK HISTORY LESSON, to hell with the yardstick of time, education, and most of all EXPERIENCE. Otherwise we would be building the best system for the money..."[/color][/b]

Wow, you mean to say you are the only one with experience? How much experience do you have with HSR, since besides Amtrak's Acela, which John Mica wants to replace, there isn't any HSR in the US yet!?

Besides I guess there are dozens maybe even hundreds of decision makers who don't listen to the all-knowing EXPERIENCED Ock, or BM

Federal Officials
U.S. Senator Bill Nelson
U.S. Senator Mel Martinez
U.S. Congresswoman Corrine Brown D-Jacksonville, Orlando
U.S. Congresswoman Kathy Castor D-Tampa
U.S. Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart, R-Miami
U.S. Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Miami
U.S. Congressman Alcee Hartings, D-Ft. Lauderdale and Miami
U.S. Congressman Alan Grayson, D-Orlando
U.S. Congressman Suzanne Kosmas, D-Orlando
U.S. Congresman Kendrick Meek, D-Miami
U.S. Congressman Adam Putnam, R-Lakeland
U.S. Congressman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Ft. Lauderdale
U.S. Congressman Robert Wexler, D-Palm Beach

State Endorsements (we continue to receive endorsements each day)
Florida Cabinet
Governor Charlie Christ
Attorney General Bill McCollum
Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink
Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson

State Senate
Jeff Atwater, Senate President, R-Palm Beach
Thad Altman, R-Melbourne
Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton
Victor Crist, R-Tampa
Nancy Detert, R-Venice
Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland
Mike Fasano, R-Tampa
Andy Gardiner - R, Orlando
Dennis Jones, R-Seminole
Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa
Charlie Justice, D-St. Petersburg
Evelyn Lynn, R-Ormond Beach
Nan Rich, D-Sunrise
Steve Oelrich, R-Cross Creek

House of Representatives
Larry Cretul, Speaker, R-Ocala
Tom Anderson, R-Holiday
Ronald  Brise, D-N. Miami
Dean Cannon, R-Orlando
Faye Culp, R-Tampa
Darryl Rouson, D-St. Petersburg
Jim Frishe, R-St. Petersbug
Joe Gibbons, D-Hallandale Beach
Rich Glorioso, R-Plant City
Bill Heller, D-St. Petersburg
Mike Horner, R-Kissimmee
Janet Long, D-Seminole
Seth McKeel, R-Lakeland
Peter Nehr, R-Tarpon Springs
Stephen Precourt, R-Winter Garden
David Rivera, R-Miami
Ken Roberson, R- Port Charlotte
Richard Steinberg, D- Miami Beach
Michael Scionti, D- Tampa
Will Weatherford, R-Welsley Chapel
John Wood, R-Polk County


Regional Endorsements

Bay Area Apartment Association
Building Owners and Managers Association -Greater Tampa Bay
Central Florida Development Council
Central Florida Partnership
Buddy Dyer, Mayor of Orlando
Rich Crotty, Mayor of Orange County
Buddy Fletcher, Mayor of Lakeland
Florida Audubon Society
Florida Building Trades Council - AFL-CIO
Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce
Greater Tampa Association of Realtors
Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce
Greater Orlando Aviation Authority
Haines City-Northeast Polk County Regional Chamber of Commerce
Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Organization
Hillsborough County Planning Commission
Hillsborough County Transportation Task Force
Pam Iorio, Mayor of  Tampa
Lakeland Chamber of Commerce
Lakeland City Commission
Manatee Chamber of Commerce
Metro Orlando Home Builders Association
MetroPlan Orlando - Orlando MPO
National Association of Industrial and Office Parks - Tampa Bay Chapter
New North Transportation Alliance
Old Seminole Heights Preservation Consortium, Inc
1000 Friends of Florida
Orange County Commission
Orlando City Council
Pinellas County Commission
Pinellas Realtors Association
Plant City Commission
Polk County Commission
South Florida Business Alliance
South Florida Regional Transit Authority
Tampa Bay Builders Association
Tampa Bay Partnership
Tampa City Council
Tampa Downtown Partnership
Tampa Bay Regional Coalition
Town of Malabar
University of South Florida
WestShore Alliance

http://www.fastrailconnectus.com/cms.php?action=Endorsements

I guess none of these folks appreciate your experience except John Mica who also has an ear for the teabaggers,..........going so far as to read the teabagger manifesto on the House floor!!!!