Tampa Bay can learn from Orlando's failure with its SunRail commuter rail plan

[mtraininjax]

It sounds like you're trying to come up with every excuse in the book not to invest in alternative transit.

Lake - You said Florida was a strong partner. That may be, but there are MUCH stronger partners that help amtrak with its funds. Florida is not one of them.

Exploration and transportation of natural resources, which transportation uses to the tune of 2/3 of all natural resources used in the US, will create far more jobs than rail transportation, and what's more its needed now, whereas tri-rail is an example of how Floridians are shying away from such expensive propositions. Tuscon and its 297 million Light Rail system that follows 3.2 miles. That is a hard pill for most Floridians when they just lost their job, their cars, their houses, their lifestyle.

[tufsu1]

fine...how does $300 miilion for 3-4 miles of SR 9B sound....or how about $400+ million for a 1.5 mile connection between I-4 and the X-Town Expwy. in Tampa?

[thelakelander]

Mtraininjax, forgive me I'm kind of confused.  Enhancing existing rail corridors statewide with better track capacity also helps the transportation of natural resources and manufactured goods.  Partnering with Amtrak will allow the State to take advantage of federal transportation dollars not available to roads and other needs.  Anyway, you are right when it comes to Florida having to step up to the plate.  As said earlier, Amtrak wants to expand here.  Its going to be up to FDOT to decide if they want to go this route.

[FayeforCure]

Mtraininjax, forgive me I'm kind of confused.  Enhancing existing rail corridors statewide with better track capacity also helps the transportation of natural resources and manufactured goods.  Partnering with Amtrak will allow the State to take advantage of federal transportation dollars not available to roads and other needs.  Anyway, you are right when it comes to Florida having to step up to the plate.  As said earlier, Amtrak wants to expand here.  Its going to be up to FDOT to decide if they want to go this route.

It would help if we all write letters to Stephanie Kopelousos.

[thelakelander]

Faye, can you add Stephanie Kopelousos' contact information to this thread?

[Ocklawaha]

It came out of their own representative's mouth.

Lake - Are you trying out your pitch for our legislature in Tally on me? I don't buy it, especially when Amtrak is selling it and they have 1 train, the acela, that does very well and is respected for its service and reliability.

It looks pathetic to Amtrak when the peeps in Tally can't even pass the rail deal that was built with Orlando and CSX in mind. That plans pretty weak in Washington. Again, don't hold your breath for anthing soon.

Not quite accurate MTrain...

Other than Auto Train, the Palmetto leads all trains in cost recovery, with a 96% ratio. This ratio correctly excludes allocated system costs (such as corporate overhead) and depreciation.

Auto Train has a 121% ratio (that translates to profit), followed by the
Empire Builder at 76%, and the
Southwest Chief at 74%.

the lowest long distance train ratios are the Cardinal at 52%,
and the Sunset Limited at 33%.

The common factor of the two lowest ratios is both trains are tri-weekly trains. The Empire Builder contributes over $5,000 per coach per day of revenue, and the Sunset Limited coach daily revenue is $1,990; again a victim of tri-weekly service.

The operating ratio on I-795 (9-B) will be exactly what it is on Beach Blvd, A1A, Main St, Roosevelt, Philips highway, Normandy or Dunn Avenues.  ZERO. Not a penny of cost recovery.

I know you've said you support a train to Atlanta, and the new "Sunset" will probably be the new "Gulf Wind" as I predicted.

Y'all may be surprised to know the North East Corridor trains DO NOT do as well in cost recovery as has been widely published over the years. In fact they are out-performed by many long distance routes, depending on the accounting method used.

OCKLAWAHA

[mtraininjax]

I would like to see a link to those numbers, please.