Florida High Speed Rail

[USrail21]

There was a project to make Florida High Speed Rail from Tampa to Miami. Until stupid Florida Governor Rock Scott dumped ithttp://discuss.amtraktrains.com/public/style_emoticons/default/mad.gif. So it looks like high speed rail in Florida is doomed. But it isn't, How about a new plan on a high speed rail in Florida. it will run from Tampa or Jacksonville to Miami. The Jacksonville branch is because it is the largest city in Florida and so it could connect to Southeast High Speed Rail. The Stations from the Miami-Tampa Line will be Tampa, Lakeland, Orlando, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, then Miami. Jacksonville to Miami: Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Orlando, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, then Miami. Jacksonville, Lakeland, Tampa, West Palm Beach, and Fort Lauderdale will be the existing Amtrak Stations. Miami will be the future Miami Central Station, near Miami International Airport. Orlando will be a station Near Orlando International Airport Alongside Route 528. Daytona Beach will be a station above existing freight tracks at International Speedway Boulevard. Trains will look like the ICE3 High Speed Rail in Germany and will be 8 cars in length.

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/public/style_emoticons/default/cool.gif<- Thats the High Speed Rail I want. Yeah!

 

[NY Penn]

Unless you are Warren Buffett and you are willing to pay for this yourself, don't bother.

 

[Tracktwentynine]

I think Florida is definitely ripe for a good corridor service. Especially the FEC between Jacksonville and Miami. I'm not sure it's quite ready for high-speed rail. Florida needs to work on building a ridership constituency first. And they also need to forget about the flawed HSR project that died last year.

That being said, I object to the use of the "city-limit" population as a metric. Jacksonville is the largest *city* in Florida because it's annexed so much land. But it's only the fourth-largest *metropolitan area* in Florida. Metro size is a much better metric of size than city size is.

Now, back to what's important. The Georgia Tech - Virginia Tech game. (It's on, Ryan).

 

[Gratt]

I think Florida is definitely ripe for a good corridor service. Especially the FEC between Jacksonville and Miami. I'm not sure it's quite ready for high-speed rail. Florida needs to work on building a ridership constituency first. And they also need to forget about the flawed HSR project that died last year.

That being said, I object to the use of the "city-limit" population as a metric. Jacksonville is the largest *city* in Florida because it's annexed so much land. But it's only the fourth-largest *metropolitan area* in Florida. Metro size is a much better metric of size than city size is.

Now, back to what's important. The Georgia Tech - Virginia Tech game. (It's on, Ryan).

I second tracktwentynine. While it would have been great for Florida to build that HSR line. I think one thing we have learned is corridor service with upgrades has a better chance of public support and success. Look at the Midwest and the NEC it seems even with setbacks that is the path they are on first.

Step one get 2-3 trains each way on the FEC. Then talk about HSR.

 

[Anderson]

I think Florida is definitely ripe for a good corridor service. Especially the FEC between Jacksonville and Miami. I'm not sure it's quite ready for high-speed rail. Florida needs to work on building a ridership constituency first. And they also need to forget about the flawed HSR project that died last year.

That being said, I object to the use of the "city-limit" population as a metric. Jacksonville is the largest *city* in Florida because it's annexed so much land. But it's only the fourth-largest *metropolitan area* in Florida. Metro size is a much better metric of size than city size is.

Now, back to what's important. The Georgia Tech - Virginia Tech game. (It's on, Ryan).

I second tracktwentynine. While it would have been great for Florida to build that HSR line. I think one thing we have learned is corridor service with upgrades has a better chance of public support and success. Look at the Midwest and the NEC it seems even with setbacks that is the path they are on first.

Step one get 2-3 trains each way on the FEC. Then talk about HSR.

The two biggest runs in FL are JAX-MIA (which would probably end up being close to time-competitive with I-95 even if limited to 79 MPH, such are the traffic issues on the southern end of I-95 enough of the time) and JAX-ORL/TPA-MIA (which contains two major sub-markets coming out of the central part of the state). Now, for the big question: What would be the cost and effectiveness of getting a direct 110/125 MPH line between Orlando and the FEC somewhere (be it at Melbourne or near Daytona)? I ask because I think there are a lot of cities along the coast where you'd have Orlando-bound demand. Not that keeping some trains on the inland routes wouldn't be a good thing (and indeed, restoring service once or twice daily in the western part of the state should be a long-term goal), but not having a link there is leaving a lot of money on the table, I suspect.

 

[jis]

Now, for the big question: What would be the cost and effectiveness of getting a direct 110/125 MPH line between Orlando and the FEC somewhere (be it at Melbourne or near Daytona)? I ask because I think there are a lot of cities along the coast where you'd have Orlando-bound demand. Not that keeping some trains on the inland routes wouldn't be a good thing (and indeed, restoring service once or twice daily in the western part of the state should be a long-term goal), but not having a link there is leaving a lot of money on the table, I suspect.

The most practical Orlando to FEC connection would go neither to Daytona, nor to Melbourne. The most plausible alignment is along the Beechline Expressway (528) RoW to Cocoa where it can connect to FEC.