Can the Carolinas be connected by train to/from Jacksonville?

[Dog Walker]

That train is bigger than it looks, then.  No people in the pictures to give it scale.

[Ocklawaha]

There has been a lot of study on car body shapes, if you watch one of the Amtrak trains at Jacksonville's Amshack, you will see the 1950's vintage diner and baggage cars with straight side walls, and the newer Amfleet round look cars (the ones without sideframes on the trucks/bogies), and finally the sleepers (with "two story" windows) that are the newest Viewliner designs, fat at the beltline. Wonder what they'll think of next?

OCKLAWAHA

[heights unknown]

Why would we want to be connected to the Carolinas and vice versa?

"HU"

[CS Foltz]

Well the proposed HSR is Tampa to Orlando........ultimately then to Miami but that is the wrong direction to up and out anywhere! Tracks are already in place for parts north so if we can't go  down and over, then up is the next best route! Either way we need to get started now and not later!

[Ocklawaha]

Heights, it's just a matter of linking two pre Amtrak routes, as you can see from the photo, this track is NOT and WAS NOT bad at all.

Why would we want to be connected to the Carolinas and vice versa?

"HU"

A little known fact is though Jacksonville is the third largest east coast city in the USA, it is NOT under New York, Washington, or Richmond, in fact we are not even under Charlotte! Jacksonville is under Cincinnati, Ohio.

................Lattiude.................Longitude
[LGA]  40.77 NORTH   73.90 WEST New York/LGA,NY ...is WAY east of us.
[CLE]  41.42 NORTH   81.87 WEST  Cleveland,OH.........is DIRECTLY above us.
[CLT]  35.22 NORTH   80.93 WEST  Charlotte,NC..........is EAST of us by a full degree.
[JAX]  30.50 NORTH   81.70 WEST  Jacksonville,FL........Isn't our location cool?
[LAL]  28.03 NORTH   81.95 WEST  Lakeland,FL............if we draw a line straight down it goes through; Lakeland and Naples, NOT Miami, which is another full degree east of us.

making us the western most port on the Atlantic Ocean. A never before tried Amtrak route between Columbia and Charlotte would open a whole new combination route between the northeast and Florida. This is how it would look:

(Not all stations shown)

New York
Philadelphia
Wilmington
Baltimore
Washington
Charlottesville
Charlotte
Columbia
Savannah
Jacksonville
Jacksonville............SPLIT SECTION 1
St. Augustine
Daytona Beach
Melbourne
West Palm Beach     
Ft. Lauderdale
Miami

Jacksonville............SPLIT SECTION 2
Palatka
Deland
Orlando
Lakeland
Tampa

With much of Florida using the Smokey Mountains, North Carolina, The Blue Ridge, North Georgia and Eastern Tennessee as a playground, this is a can't miss route. It's also nearly a direct shot North, before turning northeast at Charlotte. It's 100% FAST TRACK - 79 - 90 mph.

The addition of this route would bring our total possible routes north back up to THREE.

OCKLAWAHA

[CS Foltz]

Ock it sounds to me like most, if not all of that tracking system is already in place..........so lets start building some fires! Use what we have first and then expand out, upgrade, add additional trains, possibilities are limited by our imagination!

[Ocklawaha]

Every rail is already in place and still in heavy use. A train would have first class track all the way up the route, 79 mph. Sure would be nice to have a sleeper service to Charlotte, with decent departure and arrival times, not to mention an additional route and service to the Northeast.

Yes, we need to set fire to these decision makers. MJ and friends will have MUCH MORE on this shortly, as we not only carry the latest urban stories, in some cases WE MAKE THE STORIES! We're working hard on our transportation options and hope to report back soon. Anyone wanting to join in, we can post some guidelines of what we are seeking.

OCKLAWAHA

[CS Foltz]

Ock...........you post your guidelines and I'll help as I have the time!