Northstar Commuter Rail Service begins in Minneapolis

[tufsu1]

ok fine CS....but those tracks are owned/operated by CSX and FEC....if we wanted to use them for commuter rail, Florida would still have to pay the companies for their use...and the liability issues w/ SunRail would also be in play here.

So, once again, I ask why you are opposed to SunRail?

[Ocklawaha]

ok fine CS....but those tracks are owned/operated by CSX and FEC....if we wanted to use them for commuter rail, Florida would still have to pay the companies for their use...and the liability issues w/ SunRail would also be in play here.

So, once again, I ask why you are opposed to SunRail?

Your certainly right about Sunrail and "JAXTRAX", the relationship is like kissing cousins, as one goes, so goes the other.  We can still get Sunrail without getting derailed by the "RATRAIL" High Speed plan.

While it would take money, CS has a point, actually we should own all of the potential commuter routes within Duval County and lease them back to the railroads for operations. At the very least, the COJ should own the "S" Line from Jacksonville Terminal all the way to the airport road. At best right now, we should seek funding to buy that track from Jacksonville Terminal all the way into Georgia. We ought to also initiate talks with our Peach State Neighbors on immediate reinstatement of Jacksonville - Valdosta - Macon - Atlanta train service, and securing the balance of the former "S" right of way all the way into Savannah. (Can you spell SEHSR? Let's just load their cannons)

OCKLAWAHA

[tufsu1]

Ock...the leasing agreement you are suggesting is exactly what the state is trying to do w/ SunRail...and look at all the people trying to defeat it!

[Lunican]

Here are some nice photos of the new Northstar train.

http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?railroad=Northstar

[Ocklawaha]

Jacksonville as a RAILROAD Mecca? You bet your sweet bippy we are!

Yep, as P.T. Barnum once said, "There's a Sucker Born every minute!" a statement that amply describes the Florida House and Senate. They've been duped by the Highway Lobby for so long they only think in terms of roads and "FREEways".

The ownership and lease back would actually have more benefits in Jacksonville then elsewhere in Florida and would do 4 things for us.

1. Upon rebuilding the "S" line link from Springfield to Jacksonville Terminal would once again open up the entire local network to through and neutral service to Jacksonville's northside and ship terminals.

2. Ownership of the line into Georgia, and eventually perhaps to Savannah, puts a City/State/Georgia partnership in ownership of the shortest railroad route between New York and Florida. The bridges are still intact, and for Southeast High Speed Rail, it would be an almost turnkey opportunity.

3. Ownership of local lines such as the "S" from Jacksonville Terminal to Kingsland and Fernandina Beach, gives us the unbelievable opportunity to reestablish passenger train or commuter train service or even Light Rail over that same trackage.

4. Ownership of the Springfield, Export, Honeymoon, MDT, and Bush Yards would give the city a golden opportunity to develop more rail based industry, such as rail car builders and service firms. The city should remember we are the Headquarters for over 40 railroads.

We certainly have the infrastructure and presence in the Rail Industry to whip the tea-totaled Shit out of our competition, either in the South or the Nation. Little hometown has quickly become a railroad powerhouse!



FIRST COAST RAILROAD, Fernandina Beach Yard

ALABAMA AND GULF COAST RAILWAY (AGR)
ARIZONA AND CALIFORNIA RAILROAD (ARZC)
BAUXITE AND NORTHERN RAILWAY (BXN)
CSX RAILROAD (CSXT)
CHESAPEAKE AND ALBEMARLE RAILROAD (CARR)
CAPE BRETON & CENTRAL NOVA SCOTIA RAILWAY (CBNS)
CENTRAL RAILROAD OF INDIANAPOLIS (CERA)
CHICAGO, FORT WAYNE & EASTERN RAILROAD (CFE)
CALIFORNIA NORTHERN RAILROAD (CFNR)
CENTRAL RAILROAD OF INDIANA (CIND)
CENTRAL OREGON AND PACIFIC RAILROAD (CORP)
CAROLINA PIEDMONT RAILROAD (CPDR)
Cascade and Columbia River Railroad (CSCD)
CONNECTICUT SOUTHERN RAILROAD (CSO)
Dallas Garland & Northeastern Railroad (DGNO)
EASTERN ALABAMA RAILWAY (EARY)
FIRST COAST RAILROAD, FCRD
FLORIDA EAST COAST RY (FECR)
Goderich-Exeter Railway (GEXR)
GRAND RAPIDS EASTERN RAILROAD (GR)
HURON AND EASTERN RAILWAY (HESR)
INDIANA AND OHIO RAILWAY (IORY)
INDIANA SOUTHERN RAILROAD (ISRR)
JAXPORT TERMINAL
KIAMICHI RAILROAD (KRR)
KYLE RAILROAD (KYLE)
Mid-Michigan Railroad (MMRR)
MISSOURI AND NORTHERN ARKANSAS RAILROAD (MNA)
MICHIGAN SHORE RAILROAD (MSR)
MASSENA TERMINAL RAILWAY (MSTR)
NORTH CAROLINA & VIRGINIA RAILROAD (NCVA)
NEW ENGLAND CENTRAL RAILROAD (NECR)
OTTER TAIL VALLEY RAILROAD (OTVR)
OTTAWA VALLEY RAILWAY (OVR)
Point Comfort & Northern Railway (PCN)
PUGET SOUND AND PACIFIC RAILROAD (PSAP)
Rockdale, Sandow, & Southern Railroad (RSS)
South Carolina Central Railroad (SCRF)
SAN DIEGO AND IMPERIAL VALLEY RAILROAD (SDIY)
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY RAILROAD (SJVR)
SOUTHERN ONTARIO RAILWAY (SOR)
TALLEYRAND TERMINAL RAILROAD (TTR)
TEXAS NORTHEASTERN RAILROAD (TNER)
TOLEDO, PEORIA AND WESTERN RAILWAY (TPW)
VENTURA COUNTY RAILROAD (VCRR)


FLORIDA NORTHERN RAILROAD in High Springs

WATCO Maintenance Facilities for contract work and for the WATCO family of Railroads Including:

Alabama Southern Railroad
(ABS)                 
Alabama Warrior Railway
(ABWR)                                                    
Arkansas Southern Railroad
(ARS)                                                    
Austin Western Railroad
(AWRR)                                                    
Baton Rouge Southern Railroad
(BRS)                                                    
Boise Valley Railroad
(BVRR)                                                    
Eastern Idaho Railroad
(EIRR)                                                    
Great Northwest Railroad
(GRNW)                                                    
Grand Elk Railroad
(GDLK)                                                    
Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad
(KO)    
Kaw River Railroad
(KAW)                                                    
Louisiana Southern Railroad
(LAS)                                                    
Mission Mountain Railroad
(MMT)                                                    
Mississippi Southern Railroad
(MSR)                                                      
Pacific Sun Railroad (PSRR)                                                    
Palouse River & Coulee City Railroad
(PCC)                                                    
Pennsylvania Southwestern Railroad
(PSWR)                                                    
South Kansas & Oklahoma Railroad
(SKOL)                                                    
Stillwater Central Railroad
(SLWC)                                                    
Timber Rock Railroad
(TIBR)                                                    
Vicksburg Southern Railroad
(VSOR)                                                    
Yellowstone Valley Railroad
(YSVR)                    
Combined Midwest System
(KO-SKOL-SLWC)                                                          

Plus we have service from NORFOLK SOUTHERN RR, second largest on the East Coast as well as Amtrak, and the shops for TTX.

The FLORIDA NORTHERN RAILROAD - in Newberry, and the ST.MARYS RAILROD - just across the state line in Georgia, are also "neighborhood railroads." The Pinsley Shortlines are headquartered nearby in Plymouth Florida, North of Orlando.

Talleyrand Terminal proposed paint scheme


Let's see ATLANTA, CHARLOTTE, MEMPHIS, WASHINGTON, etc... match this!


OCKLAWAHA

[CS Foltz]

tufsu1 .....I don't believe I said anything against "SunRail"? Other than funding has not been dedicated at this point, just talk! $2 Dollar Fee on rental cars will not be enough to sustain operations of anykind......right? SunRail is not in this area is it? No agreements have been signed between the State/CSX or FEC right? If all three could come to an agreement then that agreement could be used as a basis for discussion in all of the rest of Florida correct? So looking beyond just "SunRail" is important to me since I live in Jacksonville and see what should be rather than what is! I am not against "TriRail" either and feel bad that the Legislators have forced the 3 counties that fund it to continue to do so! I do not want that to happen anywhere so funding should be dedicated from the start period..........not on a wish or a guess or maybe we will tax this or that! Beyond that and the region, I have nothing against SunRail!

[tufsu1]

tufsu1 .....I don't believe I said anything against "SunRail"?

Your words from another thread...

"My biggest issue with the Orlando/Tampa region is everything is revolving around that Mickey Mouse Feeder system being up and running! I don't see an actual benefit in hard dollars other than the construction/maintenance and operations. Not to mention CSX receives a pot full of dollars and no liability issue's stemming from useage of their tracks!"

[CS Foltz]

tusu1 that is a correct quote at that time but I have come to a different conclusion! My being against that part of the world getting what is needed here is inmaterial and not applicable! I still say that is not the region that would best showcase a true HSR application! But Sunrail is a different animal..........that is a local commuter system and has possibility's wether it is a Mouse Feeder or not! But to tie the two together is flat out wrong! We are talking about two........two different systems with two different end games but funding is tied to each of the two and that is wrong! Funding for anything is critical and that must be in place before anything takes place. lake has pointed out the funding could come from transportation funds but if the State has been upfront  with their figures ............it will not happen! Liability issue's can be worked out but the funding is still in the air is it not? Special Session has produced nothing other than lip service and that won't pay for squat. By the way, you need to look at the date from my quote......it was not yesterday was it?

[tufsu1]

By the way, you need to look at the date from my quote......it was not yesterday was it?

No...it was way back on December 5th, 2009!