As Jacksonville Grows...

[Jason]

I don't think that the bridge is much of a nusance to commercial river traffic either, just the pleasure boaters.

[thelakelander]

Any concern on the amount of traffic being delayed by trains using the tracks in the Southbank?  At what point is it time to start considering constructing a grade separated crossing at either Hendricks or San Marco Blvd?

[Ocklawaha]

Yesterday's Florida East Coast Railway


Please forgive my lateness, I've been chasing a future grandson, to Orlando and back. Still no baby, but the Doc thinks any day...hour...minute...?

FEC currently originates 8 freight trains daily Southbound from Bowden Yard. It terminates 9 Northbounds at Bowden. Only one Southbound is out in the AM hours, and 5 Northbounds are in during the AM hours. Everything else happens in the PM. This works well for Jax. as the commuter trains are running North in the AM, right in sinc with the FEC rolling into Bowden. Out of these a couple each way are built in Atlanta and Macon on the Norfolk Southern and pretty much "run through" to Miami.

To put all fears to rest, I've calculated the following imaginary schedule, based on current FEC times and REAL track speeds.

AM NORTHBOUND TRAINS

From:

St. Augustine.............6:20 AM.....7:10 AM.....8:26 AM......9:14 AM
Durbin/Nocatee..........6:37...........7:27..........8:43...........9:31
Bayard/Dog Track.......6:43...........7:33..........8:49...........9:37
Greenland/Avenues.....6:45...........7:35..........8:51...........9:39
Bowden/University......6:51...........7:41..........8:57...........9:45
S. Jax/San Marco.......6:58...........7:48..........9:03...........9:52
Jacksonville Terml.......7:10 AM......8:00 AM.....9:15 AM.....10:04 AM

Jacksonville Terml.......7:25 AM......8:15 AM
S. Jax/San Marco.......7:37............8:27
Bowden/University......7:44............8:34
Greenland/Avenues.....7:47............8:37
Bayard/Dog Track.......7:49............8:39
Durbin/Nocatee..........7:55............8:45
St. Augustine.............8:07 AM.......8:57 AM

This demonstrates the typical dance of two sets of DMU trains, running the morning shift to/from St. Augustine. The afternoon would just mirror the morning, I could work it up if anyone is interested. Ditto for the "S" or "A" lines. It does give a snap shot of what commuter rail in Jacksonville could look like with what we already have on the ground.

As for the friend that says the railroads are over crowded, yes, they are VERY busy, ton miles are running at an all time high, however, train miles are way down from peaks in WWII and the 50's and 60's. FEC was running it's freights with 12, COUNT THEM 12 passenger trains a day in 1961! They were:

#75 The Havana Special (SB)
#76 The Havana Special (NB)
#29 Local Express (SB)
#30 Local Express (NB)
#5 City of Miami/South Wind (SB)
#6 City of Miami/South Wind (NB)
#7 Miamian (SB)
#8 Miamian (NB)
#1 East Coast Champion (SB)
#2 East Coast Champion (NB)
#87 Florida Special (SB)
#88 Florida Special (NB)

This was all dispatched by telegraph key, and block, each order handed up on "flimseys" or tissue copys to the crew with wooden hoops as the train sped past. If they could do this in 61 under those conditions, why would anyone think with modern computerized signals and sidings, all automated, we can't do it today? Give me a break...

As for Track Cost? $3-4 Million a mile, on grade such as the FEC or CSX. Closer to 4 down City Streets but that INCLUDES the cantenary (electrical) for streetcars. $68 Million? Not a chance, unless we reconstruct the railway to Key West maybe. Someone has read far too many JTA, (find the most expensive rail projects in history reports).

Oh, the humanity...  


Tomorrow's Florida East Coast - Jacksonville Commuter Rail Image?


Ocklawaha

[thelakelander]

Tell your daughter I said congrats on the new trolley buff!  When you get a chance to get around to it, see if you can come up with a potential schedule for the CSX A and S-Line segments as well.  Thanks.

[Ocklawaha]

Okay y'all, I'll do the whole set of schedules...

Ocklawaha

[gatorback]

Including but not limited to some arbitrary stop near JIA.  Then for me, it would be just a short hop over the pond to Austin on some random commuter flight.  If I can't physically get there at the moment to support my family's current existential freak-out meltdown at least I could get there in my mind.   

[Ocklawaha]

Working on it Gatorback. It will include a Airport Station. The station would be located due East of the Airport just past the River City Marketplace.

Ocklawaha

[gatorback]

You're awesome Ock!  What is the chance of having bike racks to get more credits from the US Gov.? 

[Ocklawaha]

Gatorback and other riders rejoice! The standard City bus rack holds 2 or 3 bicycles... The average LIGHT RAIL VEHICLE holds 15, INSIDE. They can be ordered with more space if demand warrants it.  


Train or LRV type bike storage


Your basic everyday bus rack

Ocklawaha

[gatorback]

can it be an electric bike (wt apprx. 90 lbs) or an electric scooter?  That would be nice.

[Ocklawaha]

As long as it uses the same space, I don't see why not.

Ocklawaha

[Silky]

 Ok people $ilky here. Let me tell you about our fine city. Over the years we have made big improvements like removing the tolls (only to move crime to regency), the NFL team (only to mow down low income housing around the stadium and disperse the consumers to Arlington and other outlying areas) and the brand new ghetto the built next to the old ghetto on State Street. (Note, even old ghettos were new once- my house is old but I still have plumbing and no holes in the wall.) You charge on in your quest to grow Jacksonville into this” culturized” city, I prefer the good ol’ days I’ll pay the 35 cents to move about and watch the Dolphins play on Sunday.
Shalom

[jbm32206]

Ock...have you looked at the riverline in New Jersey? It runs from Trenton to Camden. It's a really nice little train, and you can take your bike on it too.
http://www.riverline.com/

[jbm32206]

Ok people $ilky here. Let me tell you about our fine city. Over the years we have made big improvements like removing the tolls (only to move crime to regency), the NFL team (only to mow down low income housing around the stadium and disperse the consumers to Arlington and other outlying areas) and the brand new ghetto the built next to the old ghetto on State Street. (Note, even old ghettos were new once- my house is old but I still have plumbing and no holes in the wall.) You charge on in your quest to grow Jacksonville into this” culturized” city, I prefer the good ol’ days I’ll pay the 35 cents to move about and watch the Dolphins play on Sunday.
Shalom

I'm not sure how removing the tolls helped move crime to regency...it was always there, it's just that like just about everywhere else in the city, it's increased. That, you can thank the gun totting thugs. Same goes for the 'brand new ghetto" on State Street. As for the NFL/Jags...they pretty much enhanced the surrounding area, whereas most of it was run down...and the low income residents didn't all flee to Arlington. There's sections of Arlington that have been notorious for it's criminal activites for years, long before the stadium was remodeled.