FECI Bringing Private Passenger Rail To Florida By 2014

[tufsu1]

Its a shame that so much effort has been put into more and more passenger train service between Jax and Miami while west Florida between jax and Pensacola is being treated like an unwanted stepchild where passenger trains are concerned. Amtrak arbitrarily snatched away the one train we did have with no plans to even implement an Amtrak bus service to the nearest passenger train stop. We need a private company other than Amtrak to look into implementing even a one or two car Train out here.

well south Florida alone has over 5 million people....and north Florida (from Jax. to Pensacola) has roughly 2 million people.

that said, Amtrak would love to resume service on both the FEC and Sunset Limited routes....but neither one will happen as long as Congress annually talks about cutting their budget!

[bill]

Its a shame that so much effort has been put into more and more passenger train service between Jax and Miami while west Florida between jax and Pensacola is being treated like an unwanted stepchild where passenger trains are concerned. Amtrak arbitrarily snatched away the one train we did have with no plans to even implement an Amtrak bus service to the nearest passenger train stop. We need a private company other than Amtrak to look into implementing even a one or two car Train out here.

I think you mean subsidy
well south Florida alone has over 5 million people....and north Florida (from Jax. to Pensacola) has roughly 2 million people.

that said, Amtrak would love to resume service on both the FEC and Sunset Limited routes....but neither one will happen as long as Congress annually talks about cutting their budget!

[yapp1850]

U.S. Rep. John Mica is doing everything he can to help Florida East Coast Industries establish passenger rail service from Miami to Orlando.

On Wednesday Mica, the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, announced that he was expecting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to fast track the approval of permits for the passenger rail service.

“With the right-of-way already in place there is no reason to drag this out,” Mica said in a letter to Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) Jo Ellen Darcy.  “This should not be a bureaucratic process."

FEC announced earlier this year that it was establishing private passener rail service within the next two years with stations in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Orlando. If it's successful, FEC will look at expanding the service to Tampa and Jacksonville.

[Ocklawaha]

Good catch Yapp, here is the complete text.

OCKLAWAHA

Mica Sets High-Speed Approval for Miami-Orlando Private Rail Service
06/18/12
Washington, DC â€" Promising to cut through the permitting red tape, U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-FL) is putting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on notice this week that he expects the agency to fast track the approval of permits for privately sponsored passenger rail service over an existing rail corridor and transportation right-of-way between Miami and Orlando.

In a letter today to Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) Jo Ellen Darcy, Mica followed up on discussions with the Corps in Washington and Jacksonville about shrinking the approval schedule and expediting the private sector rail project.

“With the right-of-way already in place there is no reason to drag this out,” Mica said.  “This should not be a bureaucratic process.  Imagine the government actually acting quickly to put people to work, expand private investment in a billion-dollar infrastructure project, and get cars off our congested highways.”

Mica recently met with Corps of Engineers officials to discuss fast forwarding the required environmental reviews that will allow the project to proceed, and work on a plan that could bring the route into service by early 2015.  Mica expects the Corps’ environmental review and permitting process to be completed within 12 months, since the planned route travels over an existing rail right-of-way and other existing transportation corridors.

The “All Aboard Florida” passenger rail project sponsored by Florida East Coast Industries will provide frequent service between Orlando and Miami. The 230-mile distance will be covered in approximately three hours at speeds of up to 110 mph.

“Hopefully we can fast forward this private sector passenger rail project that will not cost the taxpayers a penny,” added Mica, who chairs the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.  “Restoring passenger rail service along this historic corridor will bring an economic boost to Florida’s East Coast and the Orlando area, and will do so without any federal grants and without leaving Florida taxpayers on the hook.”

[yapp1850]

Orlando International Airport may soon be connected to Miami by rail, according to a release from the airport. In discussions held at the June meeting of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, the board was asked to consider a request by Florida East Coast Industries (FECI) to develop the first passenger rail service from Orlando International to Miami by 2015.

The board approved the request and authorized the executive director to develop an agreement with FECI to provide commercial passenger rail service to Orlando International Airport's Intermodal Facility to be presented to the aviation authority board.

Privately-owned FECI plans to add approximately 40 miles of new track that will link Orlando to the company's 200 miles of rail infrastructure already in place. The passenger rail service will be called All Aboard Florida.

"We view the potential opportunity as positive news because it follows our master and strategic plans. The addition of rail, which has always been viewed as significant, will make Orlando International Airport truly an intermodal gateway," says Phil Brown, executive director of Orlando International Airport.

The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, which operates Orlando International Airport, already has invested in infrastructure for a station that could accommodate up to four rail systems. In discussing the integration of rail Brown explained, "We have planned our intermodal facility in a central location to service both the north and the future south terminal and All Aboard Florida is vying to be the first rail system to operate from it."

The station as proposed would incorporate the airport's design concept of The Orlando Experienceâ,,¢ with the prevailing use of light, water, gardens and open spaces for meetings and retail concessions.

In addition to other proposed community rail systems, including SunRail, the airport's plans include an automated people mover that would provide passengers direct access from the current North Terminal to future expansion, including additional aircraft gates to the South. SunRail will be Central Florida's first commuter rail line connecting four counties and spanning 61.5 miles including a future connection to Orlando International Airport.

According to FECI, All Aboard Florida will create jobs and stimulate local economies. The company estimates the project will create about 6,000 construction jobs and 1,000 permanent jobs for Florida workers.

[thelakelander]

I guess this puts an end to the debate over whether this train will be going into downtown Orlando instead of OIA.

[Ocklawaha]

According to my source within FECI (a top exec) that decision hasn't been made yet. What the news release says is the airport WILL have a station, (DUH!) and someday Sunrail, Amtrak, SEHSR, pogo sticks etc... will service it. This does not say a word about OIA being the main terminal.

If it is, they will sacrifice over 50% of the local market to the super slab for the same reasons that a flying train from OIA to a parking garage in Tampa wouldn't have collected local fares. If I live 23 minutes from the airport (average for the metro area) and have to waste another 20 minutes hunting a parking space and getting to the rail side terminal, I've lost 43 minutes before I step on the 'ALL ABOARD' train. Not to mention that I'm in hock for a $19 a day for parking that I could avoid by 1. driving to Cocoa, Miami, etc... or 2. parking at a lighted Sunrail lot.

They may or may not make this mistake, but if they do, you can bet they'll quickly be looking for a cure, (think: Sanford - Sunrail/Auto-Train and Hialeah - Amtrak's major passenger car shops both of which can do contract work) somewhere more central in the metro. I don't think a Sunrail connection to feed the system will function as it does in other states simply because the peasantry of Florida is 'transit-ignorant.' Not saying EVERY train needs to go downtown, but I could see a situation where every other train goes on into Orlando and the other into Tampa. The entire trip needs to be seamless.

OCKLAWAHA

[thelakelander]

According to my source within FECI (a top exec) that decision hasn't been made yet. What the news release says is the airport WILL have a station, (DUH!) and someday Sunrail, Amtrak, SEHSR, pogo sticks etc... will service it. This does not say a word about OIA being the main terminal.

Everything discussed to date details a limited number of stations.  If Miami-Dade County with +2.5 million residents will only have on station, there's little chance that a smaller Orlando market will have two.  The ultimate key will be connectivity with other modes of transportation.

If it is, they will sacrifice over 50% of the local market to the super slab for the same reasons that a flying train from OIA to a parking garage in Tampa wouldn't have collected local fares. If I live 23 minutes from the airport (average for the metro area) and have to waste another 20 minutes hunting a parking space and getting to the rail side terminal, I've lost 43 minutes before I step on the 'ALL ABOARD' train. Not to mention that I'm in hock for a $19 a day for parking that I could avoid by 1. driving to Cocoa, Miami, etc... or 2. parking at a lighted Sunrail lot.

The Orlando MSA has 2.2 million residents.  However, it attracts nearly 50 million tourist a year.  In addition 35 million flew in or out of OIA last year.  The last two are clustered miles south of DT Orlando.  My gut tells me they'll sacrifice a few local residents (who will still have access to Sunrail, which will connect with OIA and FECI) to cater to the 50 million who are visiting with pockets full of money to blow.

[Tacachale]

I'd expect that any statewide connectivity project including Orlando will primarily consider travelers, rather than the highly spread out local population, as has always been the pattern.

[Ocklawaha]

Lake that's only 875,000 annual passengers at 5% of OIA's traffic. 5% is pretty much a national average for transit usage. Amtrak carries 1,076,472 in or out of Florida stations for boardings of 538,236 with just two slow trains.

They must abandon 'end point thinking' if they want to be successful. Trains don't operate between Orlando and Miami as aircraft do, trains operate between Orlando and Cocoa, Orlando and West Palm Beach, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale and Orlando and Miami.

I even think the old Sligh Avenue Amtrak station is in a poor location. They need to seriously look at the Lynx Station with the addition of several tracks and a pedestrian subway or bridge, or the same thing at the historic Church Street Station. Turn Sligh Avenue into the mother of all commuter rail stations.

[thelakelander]

^I agree.  However "Orlando" in terms of potential ridership numbers has drifted significantly to the south since the year the rat opened for business.  Luckily, Sunrail will be integrated into the system.

[tufsu1]

According to my source within FECI (a top exec) that decision hasn't been made yet. What the news release says is the airport WILL have a station, (DUH!) and someday Sunrail, Amtrak, SEHSR, pogo sticks etc... will service it. This does not say a word about OIA being the main terminal.

you're dreaming if yiou think there will be another station in downtown Orlando

[Ocklawaha]

^I agree.  However "Orlando" in terms of potential ridership numbers has drifted significantly to the south since the year the rat opened for business.  Luckily, Sunrail will be integrated into the system.

LAKE, No doubt that will help, provided they get Sunrail into the station by the time the FECI trains roll. They'll eventually come around to service Orlando proper, just as you can expect that in time, Fort Pierce, Stuart, Boca Raton, etc... will come online.

TUFSU, you gotta ask yourself how much a big interchange on I-95 and a 6 lane boulevard costs, how many small towns does 95 pass near that have that interchange? There are more drivers in this then anyone in the public knows, and the push for rail will come with a powerful political pull for stations.

While there is a big effort to call this 'private HSR', it's more like Public-Private HSR. A whitewashed, Republican palatable, 'ALL PRIVATE ENTERPRISE TRAIN,' that friend John Mica and Rick Scott, can use not only in 2014, but in Washington, against Amtrak funding. It's not revenge they're after... it's a reckoning...

[spuwho]

Orlando International Airport may soon be connected to Miami by rail, according to a release from the airport. In discussions held at the June meeting of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, the board was asked to consider a request by Florida East Coast Industries (FECI) to develop the first passenger rail service from Orlando International to Miami by 2015.

The board approved the request and authorized the executive director to develop an agreement with FECI to provide commercial passenger rail service to Orlando International Airport's Intermodal Facility to be presented to the aviation authority board.

Privately-owned FECI plans to add approximately 40 miles of new track that will link Orlando to the company's 200 miles of rail infrastructure already in place. The passenger rail service will be called All Aboard Florida.

"We view the potential opportunity as positive news because it follows our master and strategic plans. The addition of rail, which has always been viewed as significant, will make Orlando International Airport truly an intermodal gateway," says Phil Brown, executive director of Orlando International Airport.

The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, which operates Orlando International Airport, already has invested in infrastructure for a station that could accommodate up to four rail systems. In discussing the integration of rail Brown explained, "We have planned our intermodal facility in a central location to service both the north and the future south terminal and All Aboard Florida is vying to be the first rail system to operate from it."

The station as proposed would incorporate the airport's design concept of The Orlando Experienceâ,,¢ with the prevailing use of light, water, gardens and open spaces for meetings and retail concessions.

In addition to other proposed community rail systems, including SunRail, the airport's plans include an automated people mover that would provide passengers direct access from the current North Terminal to future expansion, including additional aircraft gates to the South. SunRail will be Central Florida's first commuter rail line connecting four counties and spanning 61.5 miles including a future connection to Orlando International Airport.

According to FECI, All Aboard Florida will create jobs and stimulate local economies. The company estimates the project will create about 6,000 construction jobs and 1,000 permanent jobs for Florida workers.

Kudos to Yapp for digging on the reports. Beats the speculation all the time.

[tufsu1]

TUFSU, you gotta ask yourself how much a big interchange on I-95 and a 6 lane boulevard costs, how many small towns does 95 pass near that have that interchange? There are more drivers in this then anyone in the public knows, and the push for rail will come with a powerful political pull for stations.

that's all fine and good....but please, the road building lobby is far more powerful in this state than almost any other lobby group....and that won't change anytime soon

take a look at what FDOT Secretary Prasad told the Orlando Sentinel editorial board the other day and then tell me you're encouraged.

Ridership studies on rail transportation have always underperformed … The actual ridership is always less.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-06-20/opinion/os-ed-front-center-prasad-062012-20120619_1_commuter-rail-ridership-studies-high-speed-rail