Here is an interesting piece of info for those here who've been deriding the florida HSR for being a tourist train with low ridership while simultaneously supporting a central florida commuter rail with an abysmal projected daily ridership of 3,500.
QuoteDisney has signed on to High Speed Rail by donating land, BUT has not made clear whether it will encourage visitors to use the new service because of concerns over potential stops at International Drive (with hundreds of other potential hotels for visitors to go to).
The state, in its $2.5 billion application for federal funding for the high-speed train, does not count on picking up any passengers with Disney or I-Drive stops. They put the potential ridership at 1.9 million to 2.2 million. The I-Drive stop could add 530,000, while Disney could go from none to 2.2 million.
http://www.transitmiami.com/2009/10/20/sun-rail-floridas-high-speed-rail-future/
Florida's HSR will be the spine of rail travel, from which commuter rail and LRT branches will emanate.
Faye............I agree! Everything should go off from a HSR Loop.......including LRT and local! The key will be to establish HSR on existing tracks.............upgrades not withstanding, but we need to use what we have then expand past there! It is a matter of prioritizing and getting established then go from there!
Faye, this article is old news. I'm pretty sure it has already been posted on site and debated. The numbers are cooked.