Should daylight Service be restored to Tampa

[battalion51]

I really think it's a shame that Tampa and the West coast of Florida don't have daylight service. What do you guys think should be done?

 

[Viewliner]

All of those are very good options but I said a Split in JAX with one via TPA and one via ORL, because it would increase the frequency on both, with 4 NYP-JAX trains and 5 NYP-MIA trains. Would the train run the Palmetto's (which would of course become the Silver Palm) route through the Carolinas or the Silver Stars?

 

[battalion51]

Well it would depend on what train it combines with. In theory the Star would be the better and easier move. It's better that way Tampa has access to both the Florence side and the Southern Pines Side. It is also easier as the hours that it would run in/out of Miami are a little more sane than those of the Meteor's, as the run to Tampa adds about an hour to the trip.

 

[Amfleet]

Well I would go with Viewliner and start up a new trains from New York to Miami. The train can split in Tampa with one section going to Orlando and the other Miami. This could even be done with the Silver Plam(etto) if the sechedule was a little later.

 

[AlanB]

Well I voted for the split in JAX to both ORL and TPA, however that's only because I can only vote once.

In reality what I'd like to see is would be a combination of two of the choices. First off I think that not only should there be a split for the Tampa train, I think that all of the current Silver Service trains should split as per the plan outlined when they were considering using the FEC east coast tracks. This also means that they need to complete the FEC project.

On top of that I'd also like to see a fourth train added to the Silver Service, which would also be split at JAX. This would allow for multiple choices for passengers heading to Florida. Now I fully realize that we don't at present have the equipment to support this train, but I do believe that the demand would be there for it.

Of course I'd also like to see at least one, if not two trains from Chicago to Florida too. This would also help to increase service within the State of Florida.

 

[Viewliner]

Well I voted for the split in JAX to both ORL and TPA, however that's only because I can only vote once.
In reality what I'd like to see is would be a combination of two of the choices.  First off I think that not only should there be a split for the Tampa train, I think that all of the current Silver Service trains should split as per the plan outlined when they were considering using the FEC east coast tracks.  This also means that they need to complete the FEC project.

On top of that I'd also like to see a fourth train added to the Silver Service, which would also be split at JAX.  This would allow for multiple choices for passengers heading to Florida.  Now I fully realize that we don't at present have the equipment to support this train, but I do believe that the demand would be there for it.

Of course I'd also like to see at least one, if not two trains from Chicago to Florida too.  This would also help to increase service within the State of Florida.  

I agree, there should be Chicago-Florida Service (Floridian), as well as daily Sunset Limited service. The one problem I have with the FEC is you lose your ORL-MIA service. I'd rather see a Forth train for FEC (Silver Comet or Everglades, yes I'm aware Silver Comet ran to Alabama, but it would fit in with the Silver Service) with a TPA split, a Fifth Splitting either ORL/MIA and TPA/MIA, or some other proposal. Or, rather than a 5th train, the Existing Silver Service trains could split in ORL or JAX, for me ideally I'd have a split in ORL(SFD), with one to TPA and one to MIA.

 

[Superliner Diner]

It really matters what you do with the other two trains, whether the Florida East Coast service ever begins, and whether a maintenance base is opened in Tampa once more.

 

[battalion51]

Well one big thing that is going to have to happen for a maintence base in TPA is the re-establishment of a crew base in TPA. If that happens, the MIA crew base may go away. Another possibility is that when HSR gets underway Amtrak and HSR may be able to share a maintence facility. There are talks that would have the Orlando side for HSR having a facility in Sanford. Sanford would also likely house the new Orlando Commuter rail facilities.

 

[Superliner Diner]

I have to say that being one who travels to and from the Tampa Bay area on an annual basis, I would definitely support the return of daylight service to Tampa. The marginal calling times of the Palmetto (former and hopefully future Silver Palm) are horrible, especially considering that retirees like to go to bed early and sleep late. Thus the normal northbound departure after 10 PM just did not cut it, nor does the pre-7 AM arrival of the southbound.

The current alternative, taking one of the other two Silver Service trains, the Silver Meteor or Silver Star, involves a bumpy, monotonous, two-hour bus ride along I-4 to or from Orlando. Orlando is quite a busy destination in itself, and having some passengers using the station to transfer between train and bus, or vice versa, just adds to the confusion around train times.

While I strongly believe that daytime service also has to be preserved at Orlando (think of the kids!), which would eliminate the possibility of designating the Star or Meteor as the "Tampa" train under the current operating mode, the best alternative to all this would then point to the planned splitting of all trains in Jacksonville, along with the start of service along the FEC route. The plans I once saw did call for two trips to Miami via the FEC, one via Orlando to Miami, one via Orlando to Tampa, and one via Wildwood to Tampa and Miami.

And yes, adding a daily Sunset Limited and a Chicago train to the mix could only help Florida service with more options, turning some city pairs into true corridors.

I hope some of these exciting changes become reality soon!

 

[AlanB]

Last chance to vote while this poll remains on the front page. I'm unpinning it today since it's been up for two weeks.