Jacksonville Commuter Rail Plans Progressing

[CS Foltz]

I agree with thought of separating JTA into two separate agencies.......which they need to be at the very least! JTA (just talking out our a**/very cute stjr!) may have persons on-board with the smarts and the vision but those in the seats of power control what is done,where it is done and the end game result! These are the people that are holding up some positive progress and until they are gone.........it will not happen! We appear to spend money on "studies and consulting" and not very much appears to come to fruition! If and when it does happen, its half done and nothing that anyone can use except for a select few! I offer up the Skyway as an example, next up will be BRT......especially downtown! Untill the current Administration leaves town and we round file all of JTA above the worker bee level.............will not happen!

[tufsu1]

How many mass transit studies has JTA been connected to? 

Well in the case of commuter rail, that would be 1....JTA conducted an initial study to see if the idea was feasible, and if so, on what corridors....they study narrowed down to 3 corridors with end points at St. Augustine, Green Cove Springs, and Yulee.

Now JTA will begin the processof getting FTA approval for one or more corridors....the environmental studies reqauired for Federal fundiung are pretty extensive so no one should think this is something simple that "anyone can do".

Once the environmental studies are done, JTA can move onto preliminary engineering and then final design and construction.

If everything goes smoothly and $ is available, we could have commuter rail in about 5 years.

[Ocklawaha]

I like the corridors they have chosen, however I would include limited service on the line WEST from the get-go.

! ! ! OCKLAWAHA'S CRYSTAL BALL ! ! !

I'm also going to predict a little different future then JTA and it's consultants see:

JTA will propose new equipment, DMU technology, or push-pull trains... It will be a MISTAKE if they don't start with the RDC cars available remanufactured. (* SEE NOTE)

CSX from Orange Park to Jacksonville Terminal is going to be the star performer and should be phase 1, line 1.

Jacksonville-Belt RR/CSX lines north will serve more local then through traffic, performance will be disappointing until the system reaches the Airport Connector Road and a bus shuttle is established.

The Branchline from Gateway Mall South would be better served by Light Rail or Streetcar, swinging into the downtown grid behind the Arena. If this is done, it will be one of the better trafficked lines in the STATE.

FEC RR, to Avenues is going to sputter, when it reaches St. Augustine, it will start to perform better. One of the curses of this line is lack of visibility by the fools stuck in traffic on 95 or US1 or SR13.

SEE OCK'S CHOICE FOR YOUR COMMUTER TRAIN being remanfactured:

Click the link below then click on  "Remanfactured RDC UNIT slide show"

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.industrialrail.ca/images/slideshow_rrdcu.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.industrialrail.ca/services.php&usg=__aYqd_Ve6Uv7Cf7WjC5cFUexOt4s=&h=60&w=250&sz=7&hl=en&start=12&sig2=Og9i1vU-irZh00Hu0ZZ7AQ&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=Y-qaHSFdITv4kM:&tbnh=27&tbnw=111&prev=/images%3Fq%3DRDC%2Bremanufactured%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=2QcwTICVMoP6lwfL1bSuCQ




*NOTE
In the railroad world "rebuilt" means using the same engine, frame, and anything else usable, with typical new upholstry, light bulbs, cleaning the air filters, replacing all wires and hoses or other wear items...

"remanfactured" means using the frame, and body, EVERYTHING else is up dated and brand new, engine, transmission, interiors, mechanical's, heat, air, even windows and doors. The RDC's are offered this way and good for another 30 years +.

OCKLAWAHA

[thelakelander]

I believe a "non downtown centric" starter that includes a combination of lines will work best for ridership and economic development.  The ability to tap into existing dense residential areas and major destinations will be critical from day one.  For example, an "U"- Orange Park to Avenues could be something worth exploring initially because of its ability to serve parts of the core and multiple suburban destinations.  Another option could take the FEC or CSX A lines and combine them with a short segment of the North Corridor, to a location like Shands.  Again, such a route, hits suburban destinations, DT and major urban core destinations like Shands and Durkeeville.  

On the other hand, I'm not so sure LRT/streetcar will immediately pull in high ridership between DT and Gateway, via the old F&J/S-Line ROW.  Although, the ROW is there for such a service, it basically "misses" just about every major destination in the urban core.  For such a route to work, we'll be counting mostly on a bus system being reconfigured to force Northside riders onto it at its end points.  However, because it misses just about all Northside destinations, you'll still need bus lines, other mass transit modes or streetcar extensions to serve those areas.

All of this just goes to show why additional studies will be needed along all of these corridors.  To select the best initial line, there will be several things that produce their own pros and cons (and come with their own costs) that will have to be evaluated in detail.

[CS Foltz]

I am not sure about current day, but at one time there was quite a bit of ROW corridors allready established! So I guess this is going to start from scratch again? It would seem to uneducated me, we are inventing the wheel one more time!

[Charles Hunter]

For the commuter rail, the corridors are there - pending agreements with each railroad to allow commuter trains on their freight tracks - but right of way will still be needed for stations, especially those with parking lots.

[JeffreyS]

I believe a "non downtown centric" starter that includes a combination of lines will work best for ridership and economic development.  The ability to tap into existing dense residential areas and major destinations will be critical from day one.  For example, an "U"- Orange Park to Avenues could be something worth exploring initially because of its ability to serve parts of the core and multiple suburban destinations.

That is the way the blue line works in Chicago.