Speeding Up: Race Is On to Grab Stake in Rail Effort

[FayeforCure]

Well, since Florida gets only 30 cents back for every "transportation" tax dollar sent to Washington:

WHEREAS, Florida has consistently been a donor to the federal trust fund for highway and transit dollars with Florida receiving less than 30 cents back for each transit dollar it generates

http://www.myfloridacfo.com/PressOffice/Newsletter/2009/091809/September_1809Alt2.htm

We better push to get the $2.5 billion requested for HSR.

Here is a list of all the rail companies that are rearing to go, and provide jobs from the stimulus monies.


SEPTEMBER 8, 2009
Race Is On to Grab Stake in Rail Effort
By CHRISTOPHER CONKEY


WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration is poised to spend $8 billion in stimulus funds on high-speed-rail projects, kicking off a scramble among states and railroads, train makers, construction firms and other companies angling to profit from the unprecedented stream of federal funding.

The National Railroad Passenger Corp., better known as Amtrak, said it is working with 24 states and the District of Columbia on high-speed-rail applications.

HNTB Corp., a Missouri-based planning, design and construction-management firm, said it helped Florida and at least five other states craft their applications.

Speeding Up
See details on 10 rail corridors that could be upgraded.



More interactive graphics and photos Companies based outside the U.S. have the most experience with high-speed rail, and several are jockeying to curry favor with California, Illinois, Florida and other leading candidates to receive funding.

Siemens USA, a subsidiary of Germany-based Siemens AG, has spent $26 million to expand a factory in Sacramento, Calif., where it builds rail cars. The company has already provided passenger vehicles for light-rail systems in San Diego, Denver and Salt Lake City, and it plans to hire more than 100 workers in the year or so ahead as it competes for stimulus-funded contracts.

The fastest trains currently running in the U.S. -- operated by Amtrak as the Acela service between Washington and Boston -- were built by the Canadian firm Bombardier Inc. and France-based Alstom SA. Both companies continue to be major players in the U.S. market.

Although the Obama Administration is promoting "high speed" rail service, truly high-speed rail service, where bullet trains whiz by at 200 miles per hour or more, "is really decades down the road," said Stephan Koller, a spokesman for GE Transportation, a subsidiary of General Electric Co. The Acela trains go as fast as 150 mph.

The initial rail programs will focus heavily on existing routes where trains currently travel at top speeds of only 79 mph. Work on those routes will likely benefit a range of engineering firms, construction companies, freight railroads and Amtrak.

Mr. Koller said GE, which made about 200 of the slower-speed Amtrak locomotives currently in use, is focusing on "higher-speed rail" where trains run between 110 and 124 mph on existing infrastructure.

Pennsylvania-based Wabtec Corp. has already benefited from the stimulus bill, thanks to transit agency purchases by Virginia and Chicago, and the company is looking to expand deeper into the passenger rail market.

National Railway Equipment Co., of Mt. Vernon, Ill., is known for its fuel-efficient freight locomotives, but Vice President Jim Wurtz said the company now "sees a market opportunity for the development and production of...passenger locomotives."

Railroad operators like Union Pacific Corp., which own and maintain almost all of the lines used by Amtrak and regional commuter rail operators today, also stand to benefit from the stimulus money. An Illinois proposal to lay a second track between Chicago and St. Louis, a project designed to reduce the Amtrak trip between the cities by 90 minutes, would also boost the number of Union Pacific freight trains that can operate in the corridor.

States have submitted 215 applications for ready-to-go projects under the first phase of the program, which will begin awarding grants in a matter of weeks. States will submit another round of applications next month seeking even more funding to construct high-speed rail corridors, such as one California is proposing between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

As soon as this week, Joseph Szabo, administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and other senior White House officials will start deciding how to award the grants. A Transportation Department spokesman said the officials won't meet with any lobbyists or state transportation officials.

In an recent interview, Mr. Szabo indicated that clear winners will emerge from the process.

"We have to come away with very tangible success," Mr. Szabo said. "One of the worst things we can do is spread the money around so thin" that no major impact is seen.

Write to Christopher Conkey at christopher.conkey@wsj.com

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125201220447984485.html

[JeffreyS]

We know the Chicago based midwest projects will be the biggest winners. My prediction on the next in line will be California HSR and Florida Amtrak corridors. Florida HSR I say 30% not bad.

[FayeforCure]

We know the Chicago based midwest projects will be the biggest winners. My prediction on the next in line will be California HSR and Florida Amtrak corridors. Florida HSR I say 30% not bad.

JeffreyS, you are probably right. The Florida HSR project is the least expensive and can come on line the soonest, that's the main thing Florida has going for it.

[JeffreyS]

Faye you know I am more interested in speeding up and expanding the  Amtrak corridors but I would love to ride on that Florida HSR. I do think it would provide a tourist boost.

[CS Foltz]

I agree kids..........just disagree with the proposed area to start it off with! Mouseville can afford to build it themselves if they were so inclined and I think there are better places to begin with........not with standing Jacksonville......more routes in and out and the ability to expand with existing tracks in place. To me that is the key.....making use of what is available right now without have to build trackage! Just the engines and the cars and away we go! To me that is a no brainer but that's my take on the situation!

[Captain Zissou]

Florida already has High Speed Rail...... Kumba, Montu, Gwazi, Red Dragon, Blue Dragon, Hulk, and Rockin' Roller Coaster.  IMO, all of these rail projects are just as needed as Florida HSR.  Get Amtrak up to speed, then build Thunder Mountain Railroad Pt 2.

[JeffreyS]

Well then HSR gets really good rider numbers here.

[Captain Zissou]

Well then HSR gets really good rider numbers here.

Hahahahaha, true true.

[tufsu1]

Well, since Florida gets only 30 cents back for every "transportation" tax dollar sent to Washington:

WHEREAS, Florida has consistently been a donor to the federal trust fund for highway and transit dollars with Florida receiving less than 30 cents back for each transit dollar it generates

This is an interesting stat....we actually get about $0.94 back on every $1.00 in gas tax revenue...but as noted, transit is far les.

Kind of makes the argument about "wasting taxpayers $ on transit" stupid...after all, would you rather have your $ stay here or go to other states?

[DavidWilliams]

This is an interesting stat....we actually get about $0.94 back on every $1.00 in gas tax revenue...but as noted, transit is far less.


Where does that number come from? Is that post tax (federal, state local)?

[FayeforCure]

This is an interesting stat....we actually get about $0.94 back on every $1.00 in gas tax revenue...but as noted, transit is far less.


Where does that number come from? Is that post tax (federal, state local)?

Not sure where it comes from, but it was mentioned in the proclamation signed by Charlie Crist and our Chief Financial Officer. Alex Sink ( posted on her state government website), in support of HSR and the Jax-Miami passenger rail connection, so it's got to be true.

You can give Alex Sink's office a call to ask. She and her staff are usually very helpful.

[tufsu1]

This is an interesting stat....we actually get about $0.94 back on every $1.00 in gas tax revenue...but as noted, transit is far less.


Where does that number come from? Is that post tax (federal, state local)?

David....its part of the Federal SAFETEA-LU legislation....so-calld "donor' states used to get as little as $0.75 back on every $1 in federal gas tax revenue they put in....with ISTEA in 1991, this number began creeping up...and is now no less than $0.94

While it doesn't seem fair on first glance, obviously large rural states like Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska (yes Ms. Palin) don't genrerate much revenue but still have miles of roads that need to be funded.

The donor/donee state thing goes back to development of the interstate system...but now that it is complete, the next reauthorization is supposed to bring all states closer to a 1/1 relationship.

As for transit, the problem in FL is we don't have many local (or intercity) rail systems...so states like NY, IL, and PA get our dollars.

[thelakelander]

As for transit, the problem in FL is we don't have many local (or intercity) rail systems...so states like NY, IL, and PA get our dollars.

This sounds like a problem we created ourselves by continuing to keep transit on the backburner and embracing sprawl.

[Ocklawaha]

As for transit, the problem in FL is we don't have many local (or intercity) rail systems...so states like NY, IL, and PA get our dollars.

This sounds like a problem we created ourselves by continuing to keep transit on the backburner and embracing sprawl.

This comes from an extremist point of view, afflicting most Florida politicians since Hector was a Pup.
Florida sits mostly on limestone, and guess what you can make with LIME? (no I don't mean Cocaine) try Concrete. So you have a huge highway lobby AND a large mining lobby to fight, and until capacity became a railroad issue again, you also had the railroads pushing anything else that would move automobiles. While that loose coalition seems to be breaking up, their legacy is ignorance in Tallahassee, and at the local levels. We should have had a "CalTrain" network of our own 20 years ago.

I heard of a souvenir alligator once that when the string on it's back was pulled it said, "visit Florida, Turnpikes, Highways, Turnpikes, Highways, Turnpikes..."

It takes grass roots urban warfare to knock these people out, the brightest hope for us is to look at big sister in California. Without a doubt Regan Country, and the most AUTOCENTRIC society on earth. After the Loma Preita Earthquake knocked out I-5...but NOT the railroad tunnels (earthquakes rarely do damage beneath the surface) emergency rail equipment was sent from Canada, as well as other commuter operations to set up a temporary solution for North-South travelers. Even that went through some hell fire battles, Burbank and the San Fernando Valley turned into big NIMBY's.

Today they call that temporary fix the LOS ANGELES METROLINK, and that success has spawned dozens of commuter lines, new districts, subways, light rail and even BRT. LA is nothing like it used to be! It's a railroad convert!


OCKLAWAHA

[FayeforCure]

As for transit, the problem in FL is we don't have many local (or intercity) rail systems...so states like NY, IL, and PA get our dollars.

This sounds like a problem we created ourselves by continuing to keep transit on the backburner and embracing sprawl.

This comes from an extremist point of view, afflicting most Florida politicians since Hector was a Pup.

It takes grass roots urban warfare to knock these people out, the brightest hope for us is to look at big sister in California.

You forget to mention that Democratic Politicians look much more favorably to public transportation. CA is a Democratic state.

BTW I was in LA during the Loma Preita earthquake in Oakland,.........how did that have anything to do with Burbank or the San Fernando Valley? ( I lived in Reseda at the time)