JACKSONVILLE TRANSIT

radical skyway salvation show

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:25:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 01:33:00 +0000

19 FLEW OVER THE

CUCKOO'S NEST

The City of Jacksonville received top honors from the Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA) for its 2030 Mobility Plan. The APA’s Executive Committee will present the city with the Award of Excellence in the Best Practices category at an awards ceremony in Palm Beach.

The 2030 Mobility Plan is an innovative response to the 2009 revisions to Florida’s Growth Management laws. It is a long-range plan that links land use and transportation, establishing a tiered mobility fee system. The Plan establishes acceptable levels of service for transportation on city roadways, sidewalks, railways and bike paths.

The plan actually reduces the cost of new development compared to the old system, and it guides development toward infill projects where little or no fee would be assessed.

The plan is about a fair "concurrency" system, and integrating transportation and land use development for fiscally sustainable growth patterns. The mobility fee serves as the funding source to implement these concepts. With Jacksonville's revenue sources shrinking every year, the mobility fee provides the city with a fair path to invest in itself, stimulating job creation, quality of life enhancements, and economic growth in the process.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

First the cost of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) was calculated which we'll call item 'A'. Step two was time consuming, but it ascertained the typical VMT within each of mobility district, item 'B'. Finally the projected daily vehicle trips generated by the new development project 'C' are calculated, the equation looks like this:

INSANITY: Doing the same thing

over and over again and expecting

different results.

 Jacksonville is one of the nation's leaders in market rate multifamily construction, infill continues in Riverside and more development pops up around St. Johns Town Center and River City Marketplace every day. But these market rate economic positives are not enough for some, especially when the public could be hoodwinked into paying for developer created sprawl.

The North Florida Builders Association has 'worked with' city councilman Richard Clark to have the citizens of the city pay for all infrastructure improvements effectively subsidizing developers from the public purse. Despite community opposition, Councilman Richard Clark has filed a bill in favor of the City of Jacksonville implementing a 3-year tax increase in the form of a mobility fee moratorium.

Lobbyists have been hired, and false claims and accusations are flying hot and heavy. One councilman claiming during the first moratorium we only lost $3 Million dollars that could have gone to improvements, but he added you can't do anything with $3 million. What he didn't say is those waivers have now past the $5 million dollar mark, and will likely top out somewhere around $27 million dollars. Ah, but what can be done with just $27 million?

They have claimed the Mobility Fee is just to fund a couple of bike trails, and that the entire fee would be consumed by just 3 projects. None of which is true.

The builders have produced this graphic to 'prove' their impoverished condition to the city council

OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST

WE GO

What they didn't say to our 19 member city council is that a full 40% of the projects the builders association has identified as 'endangered' by the fee wouldn't need to pay a dime, but it appears our politicians are drinking the cool aid. It also appears that the fear tactics may have fooled Television NEWS 4 by this slight of hand. The builders are asking us for a 30 million dollar a year tax increase, and that increase is only going to grow.

Ennis Davis (co-author of the Mobility Plan) recently said "A full blown moratorium that basically subsidizes nationwide expansions of 7-11, Waffle House, and Family Dollar. Our overall annual city budget hovers around $2 billion. How on earth can it make sense in anyone's view that a company which enjoyed $77 billion in sales globally last year can't open in Jacksonville because we require them to cover their negative impact." Jacksonville isn't so big or so important that we will suddenly attracts hundreds of new businesses because of a token discount on our dirt, but you can bet if we looked more like Palm Beach and less like Philips Highway we'd have the luxury of picking and choosing.

Absolutely any national company desiring to locate in Jacksonville has already got a line item in their expansion plans to cover any 'impact fees'.

A HUGE HIDDEN TAX INCREASE

CLOKED AS A FEE

MORATORIUM 'FOR' DEVELOPMENT

Imagine the moratorium passes for 3 more years, and imagine during that amount of time we get no more or no less waivers of the mobility fee then the total amount of waivers during the first year 'trial moratorium.' This is how it cooks down:

Value of waivers issued for the past one-year moratorium - $27,000,000 one year.

Total value of waivers to be issued for 3 more years (assuming no changes +/- in our rate of growth) - $27,000,000 x 3 years =

$81,000,000 million dollars.

Add all four moratorium years together and you get - $108,000,000 million dollars.

Take $108,000,000 and divide by the current city population - 822,000

ANSWER - $131.38. This represents an infrastructure tax to every man, woman and child in the city of $131.38, or $2,102.08 for a family of 4, for four years, which means we get a four year tax increase of $525.52 per year for our average family just to provide needed infrastructure.

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

metrojacksonville.com

Mr. Ennis Davis

Mr. Bill Killingsworth

19 Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 22:59:00 +0000

AUTOMOBILES -V- THE ECONOMY

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 03:04:00 +0000

More money for constructing new roads sounds good superficially, since road expansion is necessary to keep up with the growing population, and no one likes driving in increasingly congested traffic. But it is not as simple as that. We're talking about brand new 4 lane highways right through the middle of virgin pine forest lands. So will federal (TIGER) Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, grants spent on new road construction in Jacksonville make a difference? They will, but you aren't going to like it. Think transportation and mass transits role in the growth of our city, think of it as a choice. A recent study in the Tischler Report was published on metrojacksonville.com, found that Florida taxpayers pay $1.39-2.45 for every tax dollar paid by a new development. However new development within our urbanized areas actually costs less because the infrastructure is already in place.

Land designated as “residential” is legally entitled to roads, schools, drinking water, sewer, police, fire, playgrounds, and all the other infrastructure components that make a community.

The taxes (and impact fees) paid on the new development do not cover the costs for providing it with basic infrastructure and services. The difference is paid by the rest of the community. Because new development does not pay its way, most local governments in Florida are financially upside down.

Existing neighborhoods subsidize new residential development

It is possible to build a conventional railroad on existing right of ways for $4,000,000 per mile (accor ding to Archer Western). According to Florida Department of Transportation a three lane urban arterial road with two travel lanes, and a center turn lane will cost $3,774,078.45 per mile, excluding drainage, water, sewer, electric and other services which must follow it. A 3 lane highway for the purposes of this study because that is the capacity of a single track railroad. FDOT goes on to post this highway project disclaimer:

Costs of intersections/interchanges/structures over 20 feet, preliminary engineering, right of way, and construction engineering inspection are not included. The cost per centerline mile figures are based on statewide average's. They are not to be used for Work Program estimating because they are not job specific.

I am not against suburban or rural development as long as Impact fees and taxes on the home or business owners covers 100% of the cost of the sprawl, plus a contribution toward future maintenance. In other words sustainable.

While the previous argument has little to do with the cost of mass transit, it does make the point that we've been going in the wrong direction, with what amounts to a developer ponzi scheme. Eventually as development reaches further into the countryside the expenses become too much to bear and the whole economy collapses, note the current economic conditions. Red hot sprawling development outran our ability to sustain it and the key expense in new development is the automobile. If we learn to internalize our new developments and build on what is already in place we will be able to continuously improve our financial conditions. And to build internally, within the urbanized areas we are talking about mass transit.

SUNSET LIMITED, A SIMPLE SOLUTION

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 02:13:00 +0000

The eastern leg of the Sunset limited was fatally flawed in three ways. Some of the stations and their locations were terrible. Making a 90 degree turn from east-west to north-south at Jacksonville was an expensive waste of Amtrak's resources. Scheduling and frequency was deplorable for virtually all of the 'new' cities along it's route.

I'll use the example of a department store. Imagine we built a 100,000 square foot store, with locations in each of the towns served by the eastern Sunset Limited. Next we make a decision based on a handful of nocturnal customers to open our store 3 days a week from midnight until 5 am. How long do you think we'd last?

Running a daily, daylight train over this former Gulf Wind Route from New Orleans to Jacksonville would serve this market much better then the overnight schedule ever did. Amtrak proved it could run a coast to coast train, but the actual numbers making the trip beyond New Orleans in either direction was minuscule. A daylight train could serve as a second New Orleans - New York train through it's connections in Jacksonville.

Extending the Palmetto train into Florida south of Jacksonville would offer connections to lower Florida,. Jacksonville is now planning a downtown train station with a large enough rail side to handle of the switching plus commuter rail.

GOOD REASONS TO KILL FLORIDA HIGH SPEED RAIL

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 19:54:00 +0000

Symbolic of the crash of Florida's High Speed Rail project, as predicted in this blog, the photo is of the recent Chinese HSR crash. First HSR wreck ever unless we get to count Florida.

Just came across another professionals article on High Speed Rail, and why he, like John Mica and myself agrees that the Florida HSR plan was a train wreck waiting to happen. The funniest part of all of this is the same old group of players who brought down America's vast electric railroad, interurban and streetcar line network is at it again. This just stresses the fact that the first HSR rail line MUST be a smashing success. It was that success or failure that had me communicate to the governor to kill it.

Quote

How to salvage Obama’s high-speed rail ‘disaster’
Former Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt calls the rail plan — target of a coordinated attack by the Right — “a complete catastrophe,” and tells where the nation should focus.

Author:
Philip Langdon

With segments of the rail plan now cancelled in Florida, Ohio, and Wisconsin, and with some federal funding revoked by Congressional Republicans this month, Babbitt thinks we must approach rail planning much more strategically than the Obama administration did.

Of the president’s stated aim — provision of high-speed rail service to 80 percent of the American population in 25 years — Babbitt declared, “It’s fantasy.”

In his view, the Obama plan suffers from these critical flaws:

• Routes were poorly chosen. The Orlando-to-Tampa line — 84 miles mostly in an Interstate highway corridor — would have run from one city that’s “not a model of transit” to another city with the same transit deficiency. Said Babbitt: “Frankly, it’s not surprising that the governor of Florida [when offered 90 percent of the funds to construct the line] turned it down.”

• Goals were defined vaguely. They were not hammered out through extensive discussion and political brokering — activities essential, in Babbitt’s judgment, to the program’s success.

• “The president didn’t help his visionary statement by holding up the transcontinental railroad as a model.” One-hundred-forty million acres were distributed to railroads through that post-Civil War enterprise, which led to the Crédit Mobilier scandal — “one of the largest government-sponsored fraudulent ventures of all time.”

NOTE: In the Federal Application there is a question, "why build this project?" One of the several reasons given was: "because its fun." The route was bad, the station locations worse, ridership numbers ridiculous and it would take that train longer to travel from Tampa to Miami then a regular Amtrak train at 90 mph on a more direct route. Makes you wonder if any of those planners ever drove Alligator Alley? Does anyone besides me smell a mouse in all of this?

Quote

Resistance from the Right

Ambitious rail plans have been subjected to a fierce campaign of disparagement in recent months. The Heritage Foundation, the Cato Institute, and the Reason Foundation have worked particularly hard to defeat the Obama rail plan, Todorovich told the gathering of about 30 journalists from around the country.

For companies that profit from the highway system and automobile-reliant means of transportation, the libertarian or conservative foundations have proven to be useful torch-bearers. SourceWatch, part of the Center for Media and Democracy, reports that Ford Motor, General Motors, DaimlerChrysler, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell Oil, and the Western States Petroleum Association have been among the donors to the Reason Foundation. David H. Koch of Koch Industries, once described by the Center for Public Integrity as "the biggest oil company you have never heard of," is a Reason trustee.

SourceWatch says Chevron, ExxonMobil, and the auto-maker Honda have been among Heritage’s contributors, though corporate donations to Heritage are small when compared than those made by individuals and foundations. Over the years, Heritages backers in the foundation world have included the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and three Scaife foundations.

Cato, founded by Edward H. Crane and Charles Koch, has over the years received donations from corporate supporters including the American Petroleum Institute, ExxonMobil, General Motors, Honda North America, Toyota, Volkswagen of America, and Wal-Mart Stores, according to SourceWatch.

NOTE: Jacksonville's streetcar system (AND 45 OTHERS) was sold out by Motor Transit which was a subsidiary of National City Lines which was a subsidiary of: Firestone Tire, Standard Oil of California (now Chevron Corporation), Phillips Petroleum (now part of ConocoPhillips), General Motors, Mack Trucks.

Quote

Nonetheless, Todorovich thinks rail projects can gain considerable support from the populace and some of it from Republicans who hold elective office. After the new governor of Florida, Rick Scott, rejected $2.4 billion in federal funds for the Orlando-Tampa rail route, 24 states, including 11 with Republican governors, applied for portions of the money that Florida gave up.

Quote

In the case of interstate highways, “Babbitt maintained, the only way we got clarity was through federal legislation,” and that’s the only way to nail down a high-speed program for the Eastern seaboard

NOTE: Remember the Federal plan to extend the Northeast Corridor to FLORIDA. So in the broader meaning of this is SOUTHEAST HIGH SPEED RAIL, and Jacksonville will benefit first.

Quote

Like Babbitt and like Rep. John Mica, the Florida Republican who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Todorovich thinks “we ought to invest first in the places with the greatest ridership ... the greatest chance of success.”

That strategy favors the Northeast Corridor, which has been the subject of three recent studies — a Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Master Plan prepared in May 2010 by representatives of 12 states, Amtrak, and other entities; a separate Amtrak design report; and a University of Pennsylvania study that was presented to no less than Vice President Joseph Biden.

Quote

On the bright side, she noted that Rep. Mica has been bringing members of his committee — some of whom represent rural areas — to urban locales to improve their understanding of passenger rail networks and the places they serve. Babbitt’s proposal for a Northeast-focused federal rail act is “a great idea,” she said, adding that it “would have to be matched by federal funding.”

To obtain the maximum benefits from better rail service, “there needs to be a concerted strategy around stations,” Todorovich said. “It works best in center cities.”

NOTE: Which is why Orlando's location would have failed. In this country rail travel tends to be regional and is usually a choice between a drive or a train. So most of your passenger base must come from the area around the stations, and that includes travelers who are staying temporarily in the area. If a family wants to go from Orlando to Tampa it's a choice of driving or train, flying plays no real part in the decision process and if the train is troublesome to get to they'll drive. Orlando already has the PERFECT HSR station and it's found on Church Street.

Quote

NOTE: The saddest part of this story is the FACT that a direct railroad line has existed between Tampa Union Station and Miami which if rebuilt to 90 mph standards would beat the socks off of a bullet train between the same two cities. Florida was in the wrong place, with the wrong train and that cost us the ball game.

So SORRY for Orlando-Tampa-Miami, but its time for us to reopen Jacksonville Terminal and get ready for it, because buddy, it's headed our way. Florida's most powerful politicians seem to understand that if you are going to sell ice cubes to Eskimos, you'll have to do it one cube at a time.

All quotes in this post are from: http://newurbannetwork.com/article/how-salvage-obama%E2%80%99s-high-speed-rail-%E2%80%98disaster%E2%80%99-14561

WHY FLORIDA HIGH SPEED RAIL WILL FAIL - PART II

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 04:14:00 +0000

BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE

Will Florida's High Speed Rail efforts crash THIS hard? Let's just say if they don't make some radical adjustments and trash the assumption that Orlando has to be the hub of a massive "hub and spokes railroad," then THIS IS where it is heading.

It's easy to spot the Northeast climb of the HSR route as it pulls away from Tampa, that's a heck of a way to get pointed Southeast.

Even if the entire project for Florida High Speed Rail, gets the blessing of the Federal Department of Transportation, and 100% financing, it is headed for a crash that might well bring down the whole industry.

Reason number 5 is not anyone's opinion about riders or ridership, it is however a story written in geography and no one short of The All Mighty could fix it. In one scenario (alternative "A") the train will run from Tampa, Northeast to Orlando, then with about a 10 degree turn, continue East to Melbourne (Space Coast Beaches). From Melbourne the new railroad turns 90 degrees South, and would likely hug some combination of the I-95 or Florida East Coast right-of-way, all the way through Fort Pierce - West Palm Beach - Ft. Lauderdale to Miami. Certainly no other route in the history of Florida, has ever served so many people in such a short stage length. Population is good, high speed is good, new railroads are good, so why does this one stand out as a bad plan?

To get to the answer one needs only to study the alternative routes from Orlando Southward to Miami. The Second Alternative "B" would turn South at the Orlando International Airport and roughly follow the historic Florida East Coast Railways Kissimmee River Valley line along or near the Florida Turnpike Alignment all the way to West Palm Beach - Ft. Lauderdale to Miami. This is the shortest of the current planned routes from Tampa to Miami via Orlando, but it sacrifices virtually every village, town and city on the East Coast of the State, North of West Palm Beach, to accomplish it's goal, and still maintains what is for all practical purposes a 100 degree turn, a "Fatal Corner" in the middle of the railroad system.

Alternative "C" would be the slowest schedule from Orlando to Miami, but the cheapest build, following the CSX Railroad. Running from St. Petersburg - Tampa - Auburndale - Orlando International Airport, as well as a line from Alburndale southeast to Lake Wales - Sebring - West Palm Beach - Ft. Lauderdale, and Miami. It would eliminate the need for Tampa/St. Petersburg trains to pass through Disney World - Orange County Convention Center and Orlando international Airport, before heading to the lower East Coast and Miami. So ironically the slowest option for Orlando, would be the fastest option for the Tampa Bay communities, but the hard place seems to be missing all of the Beach Communities North of West Palm Beach.

So Far the only map that makes ANY sense, is this largely ignored 2008, ICE Train Plan

4 rail lines into Orlando and they still miss the direct connection with Jacksonville, not to mention the line of the center of the State running virtually from Miami to LAKE CITY, guess it's comforting to know Tallahassee has a sense of humor.

It's a crazy curse to plan under but the bottom line for Florida is, by ignoring the historic travel patterns and trying to make Orlando into a railroad cross roads that it never was, has put us in a unique position. We can either build the fastest route and skip most of the cities, or, we can build through most of the cities and lose the fast train.

Due to the Fatal Corner, a high speed train that rips along at 120 mph, is still going to consume all of 4:00 hours between St. Petersburg and Miami, and 2:30 hours between Orlando and Miami alone. Since this is travel time the dwell time in the stations would have to be added in to any schedule. Leaving St. Petersburg by train, stations would be initially located in Tampa, Lakeland, Disney World, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando International Airport, Melbourne, Ft. Pierce, West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, and Miami. Dwell times of just 2 minutes per station average would add another 20 minutes to the through schedule. A schedule of 4 hours and 20 minutes between end points via the fastest train in America can be easily trumped by a 1968 Volkswagen Micro-Bus full or hippies at 4:00 hours even, on I-75. This is easy math, because the hippies in that micro-bus won't be traveling 120 miles Northeast to go Southeast of Tampa/St. Petersburg.

The Bus, Greyhound, La Cubana or Southeastern starts looking better and better as Florida's number one "Alternative."

Add in a fare of around $70 dollars for an end to end ticket, plus car rental, taxi or bus fare at the other end, and keeping with the Micro-Bus starts to look better and better. The time/dollar economics doesn't get any better with a simple Tampa/St. Petersubrg - Orlando trip either, because for $30 bucks, one is still going to have to get to Orlando from "Orlando!" By the time that taxi rolls to a stop in Winter Park, Maitland or Sanford, that lone Amtrak train will be half way to Jacksonville, making the entire system, either route option A, B, or C.

The last public transportation alternative seems a mockery of the states so-called "showcase HSR system." Bottom line? $25 dollars and a Greyhound ticket will get you there faster, and Greyhound has Wi-Fi!

Stay tuned as we move on to part 3 of this series, and look at Florida's surface travel patterns, historic railroad routes and gateways, as well as Southeast High Speed Rail. Only in Part III of "WHY FLORIDA HIGH SPEED RAIL WILL FAIL."

WHY FLORIDA HIGH SPEED RAIL WILL FAIL! (PART 1) Reprint

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:53:00 +0000

BIG MISTAKE, BIG, HUGE!
PART ONE

Perhaps I'm not the most loved transportation guy in this State, but I refuse to label a clearly flawed project as a winner. Florida High Speed Rail (AS PLANNED JAN 2010) is a disaster waiting to happen. There are several reasons for this, that if corrected, would find me as the systems biggest advocate. But as promised a week ago, this article will detail why Florida High Speed Rail will fail.

REASON NUMBER ONE/ORLANDO/THE ORLANDO STATION LOCATION:
The current route completely ignores Orlando and it's sprawling metropolitan area. Stretching from Deland on the north to Kissimmee on the south, over 60 miles of lineal city.

So the high speed rail planners have the railroad from Tampa, down the center of Interstate 4, to Disney World, then curving South to the Orange County Convention Center and the planned system hub which focuses on the Orlando International Airport.

Anyone that has ever had the displeasure of driving or using transit to the Orlando Airport can tell you that shortly after inventing the "Iron Maiden," and "The Rack," both ancient torture devices were replaced by Orlando's Beach Line Turnpike, Orange Blossom Trail, Highway's 436, 17-92, I-4, and the East-West Expressway. In short, the airport using the facilities of the former McCoy Air Force Base, is in one of those proverbial impossible locations, with no clear access from any point in the city. This access problem alone should scrap the current plans. Calculate at least one full hour to drive from any point in the city to the Airport to catch a train.

REASON NUMBER TWO/TAMPA/IGNORING A STATION AND ITS CONNECTIONS:
Tampa. Some years ago, Florida bowed to pressure from the Tampa Bay area communities to buy the former Tampa Union Station (TUS), which sits just above the downtown on Nebraska Avenue. This classic station from the early 1900's is a compact head-house design with what were once 10 tracks and covered platforms. Amtrak still serves the station coming in from the east between I-4 and the Cross Town Expressway.

So in their infinite wisdom, the HSR Authority, has decided a new station in the middle of a Expressway Interchange, about a dozen blocks northwest is the place for a "new" train station. This choice makes no sense at all considering the infrastructure is already in place at TUS, already connected to Amtrak and HART, and already paid for.

REASON NUMBER THREE/IGNORING VITAL RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE:
As the entire current project plan avoids current rail infrastructure, one cannot help but wonder if our highway centric planners in Tampa's USF/CUTR (a highway think tank that influences all Florida transportation decisions and is decidedly anti-rail) or FDOT in Tallahassee, have planned to fail? Distance from infrastructure that works, regardless of age or opinion, just for the sake of new and shinny is irresponsible in the 33Rd degree.

REASON NUMBER FOUR/THE REAL SPRAWL RAIL:
Last but certainly not least is the routing of the entire system on I-4, then claiming it will help curb sprawl. This is a simple diversion of the truth and Tallahassee knows it. I-4 is as much as 10 miles NORTH of every community from Orlando to Tampa. While these are certainly not large cities, they have in effect filled in to make up a megalopolis. The High Speed Rail will miss Kissimmee, Davenport, Haines City, Winter Haven, Auburndale, Winston, Plant City, Dover and Mango, as well as the aforementioned Tampa Union Station/Transportation Center site.

The claim of convenient transportation just doesn't stand close scrutiny. Convenient for what? Tampa? The HSR plan misses the connections at TUS and the urbanized core making Tampa rather unlikely to break ridership records. Lakeland? Hardly, does Lakeland even have bus service that far north? Walking from the HSR to downtown in a tropical thunderstorm should be appealing. Disney? AH HA! PERFECT! How did that happen? Someone please tell me which rail dependent residents live in Disney World besides a very rich mouse? Orange County Convention Center at International Drive? Besides serving the occasional Conventioneers this station will also serve Wet and Wild, with Sea World, The Holy Land and Universal just a few miles down the road. Orlando Airport? As we've already seen, no locals are going to waste an hour driving out to OIA to catch a train that would take one hour to get to Tampa, making a two hour trip out of a ONE HOUR and 28 MINUTE CAR RIDE. Not to mention airport parking fee's and rental cars in Tampa, plus rail fare.

Consider that every single community along the route, will have developers quickly buy up and pave the several miles between the current town limits and I-4/HSR. They will consume thousands of acres of fragile, water short, Florida land, and their customers will demand their own stations, slowing the whole system down to a fast Amtrak-like pace. The ability of our state to set up more mindless sprawl in the name of the most environmentally friendly mode of transportation, borders on criminal.

So in part one we have seen that High Speed Rail, planned by the boys and girls at one of the most rail hostile places on earth, is a washout. Tune in later when we bring you MORE reasons why $9 Billion dollars later, this train will fail to arrive.

amtrak
high speed rail
passenger rail
public transport
rail
transportation
green logistics

VIDEO, Passengers on the Florida East Coast

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 18:14:00 +0000

PARADISE REGAINED

http://www.fecrwy.com/home.aspx

In November 2009 a train consisting of the private rail cars of the American Association Private Cars Owners , rolled down the Florida East Coast Ry, on a tour! After the death of it's founder, Henry M. Flagler, the FEC skidded in and out of a bankruptcy that lasted until the 1960's. 25% of all revenue was from the huge fleet of passenger trains, and passenger trains represented 75% of the roads traffic.

Sadly, the anti-public, union busting, maverick railroad, was known over the next 20 years as the little railroad with a big stick. Constantly improving and raking in profits with renewed energy in freight traffic, the railroad had no time for pleasure. ANYONE caught on FEC property would be immediately escorted to the nearest exit, and any delay would result in arrest, on the spot. No pictures, no passengers, no railroad fans, no buildings, no nonsense, high returns, and more "NO TRESSPASSING," signs then . Good Business? Maybe, but so much ill will was garnered that when the company joined the Rail America family, the public was shocked at the friendly reception. It was time for a change.

Suddenly the FEC RY is flirting with the passenger business, and is working with the Florida Department of Transportation, Amtrak and the east coast communities, to create a new East Coast Corridor. Test trains and private cars, something unheard of only a few years ago are again becoming common. It appears that the axe has been buried and the railroad is back as the Speedway To America's Playground.

rail
florida east coast
city

FLORIDA HIGH SPEED RAIL

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 03:49:00 +0000

JACKSONVILLE AT HIGH SPEED... 1947 Style

Southern Railway in 1947, heading our way through Tennessee and Georgia. After breakfast we'll be rolling past the 15 platforms, and 32 tracks, of the great Jacksonville Terminal. In those days 7 railroad lines, and 4 major railroad carriers, met at the downtown station. Today, 6 lines and 4 major railroad carriers still do!

In 2009 Florida has finally made the leap to establish passenger trains throughout our state once again. Sadly these same people are putting a huge amount of energy and effort into a largely useless High Speed Rail plan. If Florida would just look back a few years, they would find that we have been there and done that already. Does Tallahassee even understand that Jacksonville is the railroad hub of Florida? Why are they focusing on Orlando and Mickey Mouse? Why would they promote a hub and spokes railroad system, when nothing like that has ever worked on the ground before? Sometimes your blogger wishes for those simpler times of 1947.

amtrak
high speed rail
passenger rail
public transport
rail
transportation
green logistics

SPRAWL RAIL, Blessing or Curse?

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:41:00 +0000

Downtown Maitland Florida, before Sunrail, we have to be reminded of where the downtown and railroad station were. One of the highest dollar residential area's North of Orlando, it's easy to see the center of the town no longer plays a major role in the midst of miles of planned communities. If Sunrail is to cause development to happen, it will be in downtown Maitland, Lake Mary, Longwood, Altamonte Springs, Etc.. If Sunrail can bring the development back to it's historic center, ending sprawl, I say, "Bring it on."

SPRAWLRAIL?

Does that term send nightmare visions of Los Angeles type sprawl extending for endless miles caused by a railroad? If not, your not getting the message that is being sold by the supporters of Florida High Speed Rail. They want us all to believe that the recent deal with CSX for Orlando's long awaited Commuter "SUNRAIL" Project will promote sprawl, with virtually no riders. The claim has been that somehow Sunrail is a secret deal with developers. Let's look at those claims based on some easy facts.

Sure the Sunrail line WILL spur more development, there are already plans as well as construction all along the route.

BINGO, Along it, not 5 miles away from it. Commuter Rail creates dense concentrations of urban life centered around stations. Commuter Rail development will include urban, in town type Publix, Walmart, and such, but rarely if ever does it cause auto dependent plaza style sprawl in outlaying area's. The reason for this is found in the very concept itself, by nature Commuter Rail allows one to PARK the family gas guzzler, and ride. Commuter Rail certainly doesn't encourage more automobile use.

The people who live in auto dependent suburban areas, will no longer have to crowd the lone Interstate. Their trips will have the option of being greatly shortened and in many cases eliminated. Autos will pour out of the suburban tracts and into park and ride lots where their owners will take the train.

Without those automobiles people must stay centered on the stations or the concept of centrally located mass transit. Any developers who ignore this unwritten rule of nearness, will fail. Trust me, developers will follow Sunrail, but they are smart enough to realize every mile from the station equals less and less sales.

Typical Commuter Rail downtown revival in Layton City, Utah, Note where the development is taking place. In addition to the new Station, Utah DOT is also doing a study for a proposed Interchange that would be built near the Station. Layton City has designated the area as a Redevelopment Project Area and is focusing on bringing new business to the area and revitalizing existing infrastructure. There is a lot of interest in Old Downtown and the area is poised to become a major attraction along the Commuter Rail Line.

Commuter rail will force Florida into one more revelation, in Orlando or in Jacksonville, wherever we add connections, the state is about to discover that hourly bus operations are not service, they are mere accommodations. Just one more urbanest change that is headed our way like an oncoming train.

The Sunrail Train will run from Downtown to Downtown, just like Amtrak

A good friend recently listed reasons NOT to live on the Central Florida Corridor today:

1. Highly inaccessible.
2. Cheap tract home development.
3. Limited commercial base.
4. Lack of diversity and culture.
5. No industrial base.
6. Cheap looking architecture.
7. Not walkable.

Will Sunrail make this worse? Not a chance. These homes aren't going to go away, and their communities long past the rural stage are suffering from the inside out. The more central one locates in these cities, the worse the transportation dilemma and maze becomes. So the older builds are all in the "downtown's," and the newer homes and shops just keep piling on the parameter. The downtown area's become less functional with each new band of outlaying development.

The premise that Sunrail will encourage more of such irresponsible development is completely false. Sunrail will run on the CSX tracks, and what is today's CSX Railroad, was there over 100 years ago. What this means to the communities on line is anywhere there is a downtown, there and only there, will one find the train. So since it will focus all eyes back on the city centers, all Sunrail development will be in the sectors that have long been ignored and even become blighted. Sunrail won't cause Sprawl, in fact when that 5:00 o:clock whistle blows, those trains will stand ready to take you home, to the DOWNTOWN of your choice.

The Orlando CSX deal, will make this dream a reality for not just Central Florida, but for Tampa, and best of all, Jacksonville. This scene in Dallas, shows their remanfactured RDC cars in action, roumor has it they have made contact with us for these very cars.

In the next article, we shall examine a true ill conceived "Sprawl Rail Plan," one so bad that it can only lead to disaster. Taking the negatives and blaming them on Sunrail is a smoke screen, so tune in as we tackle, "Why Florida's High Speed Rail Plan is an Oncoming Train Wreck."

rail transit
bus transit
amtrak
brt
city of jacksonville

Welcome Ray LaHood

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 03:40:00 +0000

NEW READER WELCOMED

Jacksonville Transit wishes to welcome our newest reader, Mr. Ray LaHood, United States Secretary of Transportation. Hopefully the Secretary will see some of the hip shooting posts that deal with sensitive subjects like Florida's disastrous HSR plan, from the view point of a pro-rail, pro-mass transit, pseudo retired consultant. He'll also read of Amtrak's apocalyptic Florida rail system, and interstate connections,or lack of the same, as opposed to our historic travel patterns. Jacksonville, and it's heavy need for Port Rail, LRT, Streetcars, Commuter Rail, Skyway Extension, and even connecting BRT, Bus, and new concept Express Bus services, are all here too. "New Concept Bus?" Yes, he'll read it here because this is the only place it exists, so far.

The harsh critiques of Jacksonville's so called Transportation Center are spilled out across the screen throughout the blog, with much, much, more to come. So Mr. Secretary, check your diplomacy at the door, sit back, and enjoy some pointed sharp shooting blogging, who knows, perhaps you'll comment sometime?

The Florida Mystery

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:40:00 +0000

ARE NEANDERTHALS PLANNING FLORIDA'S FUTURE?

Traffic counts, road money down in Palm Beach Count
By Paul Quinlan
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer:
"In the next few years, the road program is not going to be able to build very many roads," said County Engineer George Webb. "But at the same time, if we don't have people moving in, we're not going to be that deficient."

As the number of drivers falls, service along the existing road network has improved. Only 2 percent of county roads are performing below their designed level of service, Webb said."

RAIL! Railroad track never has to be widened. Further if Palm Beach County is at a build out state so that only 2% of the roads are performing below expectations, then one would think we would be putting our focus on Rail and Tri-Rail. Our cities, Jacksonville, Miami, West Palm Beach, Tampa, Orlando, TALLAHASSEE, and our State Leaders, have proved to be mental Neanderthals, in a sea of transportation brilliance.

California, New York, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, even Oklahoma, are so far ahead of us we can't find them on radar. But we beg for Billions to build HSR from the Orlando Airport to an amusement park to a freeway interchange in Tampa. This poorly planned "Rat Rail" project coupled with a failure to properly fund Tri-Rail is going to cost all of us dearly.

Florida already has Amtrak Service, though we have allowed even that to decline from 12 trains daily to 4. We stood by to build a trail on the key West Palm Beach cut-off, between Auburndale, and Wildwood, and didn't say a word when Amtrak itself was fighting budget cutters in eliminating all service to Ocala, and Gainesville. We HAVE Amtrak, logic would dictate that the national rail passenger corporation be the tool with which to reach more for less.

Somewhere there must be a reward for this reckless behavior. Perhaps another 10 lanes? All of us have heard the expression "Tax and Spend," well maybe we are getting what we've asked for, my friends, welcome to the world of "Cut and Chop."

Jacksonville International and the Worlds Ugliest Airport Entrance

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:56:00 +0000

"FLYING COYOTE UGLY"

Welcome to Jacksonville, third most populous city on America's east coast. As you leave our medium size airport, note it's beauty, the mosaic on the floor, or the incredible ceiling over the ticketing area. The airport itself is an art gallery, and there is special arts exhibit halls off of the main terminal, as you enjoy soft piano jazz from one of our local artists. Okay, so it's not Disney World, but it's REAL, cosmopolitan, and a beautiful way to start a business or pleasure trip to our city.

Exiting the terminal area, on board AIR JTA, or an automobile, is likewise a pleasant experience for the eyes. To the right a large freight terminal, and a bit farther down to your left, a welcoming hotel. Finally the one-way expressway, meets up with the opposing lanes, making the roadway seem more complete. Here and there yellow, and blackjack pine trees, dot the landscape around some of the large structures of our International Trade Zone.

So far so good, where the lanes merge looking east toward I-95

It's not until one passes that trade zone that you start to notice a change. Maybe the changing view is due to clutter, or perhaps it's age, but as it becomes a boulevard, and approaches Interstate 95, toward downtown, it has all of the charm of a western Oklahoma prairie highway, after a dust storm.

Heading up the ramp, this thing is obviously ancient, one can almost envision Spanish Conquistadores, marching up the road. Sparse vegetation could hardly pass for landscaping, and the black pasture mud puddles, could be crayfish farms.One might start to wonder, "Is this a welcome mat, or a 1960's K-Mart parking lot." All that is missing from this scene is the smell of stale popcorn. Isn't this a part of Florida? America's playground? Isn't this a major modern city? "Oh, I get it, it's all a joke and the GEICO Cavemen are about to show up as hitchers with backpacks and cardboard signs in hand."
A more typical Jacksonville night on the Northbank, Downtown

The Wright Flyer, a sculpture, but not in our forest

Leaving town after a business trip, football game, or vacation, is worse, even if one misses the confusion of Duval Road, and the actual Airport Exit. Finding the airport exit is a thrill in and of itself. A hairpin turn that would do justice to the roads in Yosemite, and you BETTER be going 25 mph, or you might meet John Muir, out in the trees. Trees? Yes, but not just trees, the center of that loop hasn't seen attention since 1963. The old expression, "don't let the door hit you in the nether regions as you go out," takes on a whole new meaning when trash, unmowed grass, weeds, and vines, seem to slap at your vehicle as you pass. Don't worry, at least the terminal is breathtaking, we designed it that way hoping you'd forget the coyote ugly interchange.

Reaching for altitude? The Park of Light, Medellin, Colombia

We could play with our colored lights again
as in this scene in China

Come on Jacksonville, time to pull your heads out, this thing needs attention and it needs it now. Even if there are not funds to reconstruct the whole junction, perhaps coins could be found for pavement overlays, paint, a lawn service, and a few of those beautiful K-Mart garden center plants. That Yosemite like loop? I would imagine survival could be enhanced by brush cutting the whole area, even if you were to fly off into the forest, at least we could find your car. Where's our state-of-the-art signal lights, our signature NEON highlighting, and over I-95 and Duval - Airport Road, both locations could use our flood lighted J A C K S O N V I L L E, sign? Go for broke, bronze sculptures of famous local pilots, the first airmail plane, or scheduled airline service are cheap enough, why not? Anyone thinking our city doesn't have an aviation history, at least as cool as our railroad, and port heritage, I have a question for you. "Ever heard of the Blue Angels? Yeah, I thought so.

http://jacksonvilletransit.blogspot.com/
airports
travel
trains
airlines
urban transportation
urban planning
highways
nhtsa

Florida East Coast will roll out AMTRAK in 2.6 Years

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 23:28:00 +0000

MR. FLAGLERS LOVELY SPEEDWAY TO AMERICA'S PLAYGROUND WILL ROLL AGAIN!

1968, it was an overcast afternoon when train number 2, The Florida East Coast Local to Jacksonville, whistled through St. Augustine, for the last time. If memory serves me correctly it was running four hours late due to official farewells, speeches and crowds. When the big General Motors EMD E Unit rumbled past us on the St. Augustine station platform it seemed to be weeping. Maybe it was just the late hour playing shadows across the tracks, or the mars light rolling and sweeping back and forth over the line ahead, but there was a tangible air of finality for a man made object, that I had never felt before.

Those final miles, there were only two first class passengers, though the coach was full. The train usually only warranted a single locomotive and two cars. A coach, and a tavern lounge observation car. The later came from the FEC'S old East Coast Champion pool, and depending on direction was either the St. Lucie Sound, or the Lake Okeechobee. I always felt these two cars had such comfort and luxury, plus beverage service, that they easily warranted the extra couple of dollars they commanded. Just before Conductor Fields picked up his portable boarding stool, and waved us off, I finally climbed aboard. Making certain I was the last paying first class passenger on a Florida East Coast Train.

The miles clicked by way too fast, as we blew through San Marco, and past the abandoned South Jacksonville Station. In just a matter of seconds with bell ringing, we came alongside the platforms of Jacksonville Terminal. We came to a stop out around track 15 - 20 of 29 at the grand old station. My friend and I stayed behind and spoke with the aging conductor as he wiped his eyes and told us the rail fans had torn up his train in coach, and he gave each of us a set of headrest covers. We thanked him profusely and headed out the door, again myself making sure I was the last person to ever step off an FEC passenger train. We learned that this was a fact in the station, where they told us the Southbound train had arrived in Miami, an hour or two ahead of us.

Then came 2002, and a sudden urge by the State of Florida to restore service to the Florida East Coast. Insane as it seems, a region at least as populated as Portland - Seattle, Chicago - Milwaukee, Los Angeles - San Diego, had been caught up in Florida's unique highway only thinking for an eternity. I believe those in the know about railroads in Florida, were pinching ourselves that this most anti-rail state was doing something positive. But all the hype was for nothing, Bush slashed Amtrak's budget and rather then gain a new route, something our state had already funded, a freeze was put on the whole Amtrak network. Worse still, for "economics" we are told, Amtrak decided to leave the former "S" line down the center of the State, Waldo (Gaineville/UF) , Ocala, Wildwood and Dade City, and consolidate our only two remaining trains on the former Atlantic Coast Line, or "A" line of the CSX. Over on the Florida East Coast route, we were once again, abandoned.

Spin the clock forward and we have the new economic recovery package, and Florida wants it's share. The state dusted off their poorly planned high speed rail plan claiming that thousands of travelers will go from the Orlando Airport, to Disney, and hence to a freeway interchange in Tampa. Phase two would run from the Orlando Airport to Miami's new inter modal terminal. In the process, perhaps as a second thought, or perhaps to toss a bone to Jacksonville, the Florida East Coast train proposal suddenly reappeared on a "TRACK 2" application to the FRA.

The application applies for funds to raise the track speed for passenger trains to 90 mph, which on the FEC will involve mostly signal changes as the track is superb. In November of 2012, Amtrak will start splitting both the Silver Meteor and the Silver Star in Jacksonville. A section of both trains will run down the Florida East Coast, while another section runs to Tampa on the CSX. The state and Amtrak also want to establish 3 more trains daily between Jacksonville and Miami, on the FEC route, creating a new Amtrak corridor service, not unlike the "Local to Miami" and "Local to Jacksonville" of 1968.

There is no money in the application for reconstruction of the rail side of Jacksonville Terminal, but there are plans to see it restored. Right now it's a foot race between a lethargic Jacksonville government, very short on ideas and leadership, and a clique in Tallahassee, that has shifted a great deal of power from North to Central and South Florida. To do the station properly, the Convention Center built on that property needs to come down. This would leave only the original rail buildings, and the concourse of the Convention Center. The entire plan for the Transportation Authority's, "Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center," will easily fit into the space of the former Terminal and Railway Post Office location. Will anyone in city hall or Tallahassee have sense enough to pull it off? Only time will tell, if not we are prepared to scatter this project over 6 blocks of LaVilla, in downtown. Hardly a Transportation Center and more of a Transportation Neighborhood. Either way, the coals are in the fire, and there is no time to waste, Jacksonville either moves forward now, or surrenders it's rail supremacy to a lesser facility... and THAT would be a tragedy.

AMTRAK TO THE FLORIDA EAST COAST!

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 02:31:00 +0000

NOVEMBER 2012, IS THE TARGET DATE FOR THE FIRST PASSENGER TRAINS TO ROLL ON THE FLORIDA EAST COAST SINCE 1968.

From the Treasure Coast Palm comes this interesting quote:

In early October, the Florida Department of Transportation will apply for some $70 million to $100 million in federal economic stimulus funds to re-establish passenger rail service from Jacksonville to West Palm Beach.

Theoretically, the project could be given a green light by November, with funding documents in FDOT’s hands by December or January and construction beginning in early 2010, said Kim Delaney, growth management director for the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council.
Under that scenario, the golden spike could be driven and ribbons cut by October 2012, Delaney said.

“This project is already embedded in FDOT’s work schedule,” Delaney said. “There is a huge amount of work already underway,” ranging from preliminary engineering, right-of-way acquisition to environmental screening, she said.

On Monday, officials from Stuart, Martin County, two area planning organizations, FDOT and Amtrak met to begin amassing facts, figures and data in support of a Stuart Amtrak station near downtown.

There will be more on this exciting story in the near future. To read the complete article about the new Stuart Amtrak Station see: <http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2009/aug/31/no-headline---mc_amtrak/>

Another article with regards to Vero Beach, can be found at: <http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2009/aug/31/all-aboard-vero-beach-chooses-3-possible-sites/>

florida east coast
amtrak
commuter rail

When is a toy Better Then Real Life?

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 20:29:00 +0000

It had to happen sooner or later, but the world of model trains just got pushed over the top with an incredible model. This is not a modelers blog, nor is it the domain of model makers, toy boxes, and/or the National Model Railroad Association. But there is no denying that one of the newer importers of model trains, has hit a home run, and brought to life a brilliant, and historic, miniature of Jacksonville's, mechanical history. Broadway Limited Models, Paragon Series, is just now going into full production on an HO scale, Baldwin Centipede. Years ago, several local model railroaders made it a point to speak with a large group of manufacturer's about this rare but historic engine. We were promised that nobody, EVER, would attempt to put this monster diesel, into a miniature world. Not fully understanding such a statement, some of us felt that perhaps there was a slim chance in miniature. Certainly the market would be tiny, just 3 railroads owned them, and one of those was in Mexico. We all had to agree though, that building a model of the Centipede would truly be a one of a kind collectors engine.

This locomotive holds fantastic interest and memories in Florida, as the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, once had a fleet of them. At that time (Late 1940's) steam locomotives still reigned supreme. The railroads though had seen the economy's of the Diesel age, and the various locomotive builders couldn't keep up with their orders. . Baldwin Locomotive Works, in Eddystone, Pennsylvania, had one of the largest industrial plants in the world. Through two World Wars Baldwin, had churned out countless thousands of steam locomotives. Baldwin had been so busy with its fabrication of war materials that it almost "forgot" the development of a line of new diesel locomotives. This was a critical mistake that would see the ancient company shutter the doors in 1956. In the last half of the 1940's virtually every railroad was replacing steam, everyone was shopping. General Motors, through it's Electro-Motive Division, or EMD, had kicked off the contest back in the late 1930's, and now in these post war years, the little upstart was miles ahead. Alco had been the worlds largest builder only to find itself playing catch up with EMD. Alco, Lima, Hamilton, General Electric and Westinghouse, all struggled for a share of the booming market. Only Alco and General Electric had any success. Fairbanks Morse, came in with a complete catalog of diesel locomotive offerings, all were built based on their opposed piston, submarine engine, of war fame. Except for EMD, which survives today, only General Electric, is still in the game, while Alco, was the last of the early group to close.

When the time came to create a line of Baldwin Diesels, the company had something for everyone, plus a couple of secret weapons to spring upon the market. In those days Diesel Locomotives were often permanently coupled together in sets of 2, 3, or even 4. Had they had regular couplers, and been independent locomotives, none would have rated more then about 1,200 horsepower. (Most of today's engines are in the 3,000+ H.P. range.) About this same time, our very own Seaboard Air Line Railroad, was searching for a fast powerful engine that could handle its undulating profile between Richmond, and Jacksonville. Seaboard, ran right through the center of the area known as the Piedmont. When Baldwin was done explaining the concept for the worlds first high horsepower diesel locomotive, Seaboard, had it's specifications, and Baldwin, had a customer. In all 4 railroads jumped on the band wagon each ordering a small fleet of these giant, strange, exotic beasts. Union Pacific, with an order for a single unit canceled their order before delivery, the reason is lost to history. This left Baldwin with enough orders to build 3 fleets.

I consider myself fortunate to have had the experience of seeing one of these rare engines after they were moved to Jacksonville, to do battle with Central Florida's short steep grades. Your blogger remembers standing at a crossing sign, in an early morning fog, because I had heard a strange sounding air horn off in the distance. I was rewarded for my running up the block, as I began to see a gyro-mars light through the mist. Then with the urgency of an explosion, a huge baby-face (another nickname) locomotive burst from the fog, leading 7 beautiful Seaboard Passenger cars, North into a Jacksonville dawn. A witness to 600,000 pounds moving at 80 MPH, was something you wouldn't soon forget. I lived in Ortega at the time, and some of my friends, crew members on the nearby Atlantic Coast Line, told me the Seaboard, had a derailment somewhere that blocked it's mainline, and so the passenger train was detoured over the Atlantic Coast Line, that morning. I couldn't have been happier.

Baldwin produced the famous "Centipede" diesel locomotives during 1945-48, and sold them to three railroads (SAL, NdM, and PRR). The Centipedes were very large, 91 1/2 feet long, for single units as operated on SAL and NdM, and 183 feet long for semi-permanently coupled pairs as operated on the PRR. Each unit contained two 1500 horsepower diesel motors, so a pair contained four motors and totaled 6000 horsepower. Centipedes were heavy, totaling 1,200,000 pounds (1.2 million) for a pair, with more than 800,000 of those pounds carried by the 16 drivers. These spectacular diesel locomotives are a MUST-HAVE in miniature. The engine will perhaps sense the closeness of the Seaboard-Lackawanna Shops, out in West Jax. If trains had emotions, purchasing one of these models would be to bring it home. Perhaps in the curio cabinet, or over the mantle, the Centipede will draw mechanical, and historical interest, to your home for years to come. At least it will be the topic of wonderment until Broadway Limited models releases Baldwins other giant, the mother of all transfer locomotives.

Bravo, Broadway Limited Imports, thank you for having the courage to release this rare locomotive. Beautiful job Ladies and Gentlemen. You can reach Broadway Limited Imports at:

http://www.broadway-limited.com/paragon2baldwincentipede.aspx

May I Have Your Attention Please

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 21:38:00 +0000

Watch this unfolding story in the coming weeks, as we explore America's Logistics Center,

Jacksonville: Rail, Bus, Ship, Train, Plane, Riverboat, Taxi, Highway, Airship, Skyway, Streetcar

"More Plans, More Projects, More People, More Stars Upon Our Land..."

Yea old Transit Blogger in Jacksonville has been on the road, traveling the month away. I missed my readers and the fun I have when folks respond, some great friendships have come from this Transit Blog Experience. I'm sorry I had to be gone for an extended time but then again, I have a head full of new story's, comments and adventures ready to share.

So get ready as we dive into our second season... We just got the highball and our train is fixing to leave the station. So hang onto your hats gentle readers, this is going to be fun, adventurous, revealing, under cover, critiqued, and packaged for your consumption. Ready to Roll!

BOB aka: Ocklawaha

jta
amtrak

JACKSONVILLE AND AMTRAK, A City Speaks Out On Passenger Rail Routes

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 03:25:00 +0000

AMTRAK? EVER WONDER WHERE YOUR MARKET IS IN FLORIDA? HERE ARE RESULTS OF A RANDOM SURVEY OF 47 NON-RAILROAD, OR RAILFAN, FLORIDIANS THAT MIGHT HELP...

We took a look at the classic trains of Florida Past, and Present, then listed them by route by route. This was a long survey and we are quite happy to have had 47 people to volunteer their time to read through it and answer it as truthfully as possible. There were a few surprises but most of the answers were as exciting as the memory and imagination of the old railroad guy.

Routes: The train routes were given an identification based on some historic train or where possible a current Amtrak name. We then listed only the major destinations of all of the trains to give a good feel for the routes themselves. Everyone understood that there would be smaller intermediate stops enroute. Frankly, I wondered if the names or the routes or even the fact that they would not be "NON-STOP FLIGHTS" would play in a 2009 world. Not only did it play, I think many of these old routes are still considered solid gold by our City. Routes to the Carolinas, New York, Chicago, Cincinnati, and New Orleans all made a very strong showing. The Florida East Coast Ry. Corridor, nearly blew the survey away.

We then asked where they would prefer to catch a train in Jacksonville, again Jacksonville Terminal downtown was a hands down run away winner. However Orange Park/Yukon and a South Jacksonville station (both were once suburban way stations with passenger service) made a strong showing. Perhaps the citizens living in the most sprawled city in North America (largest in land mass) are begging Amtrak, JTA and FDOT to give us the benefit of multipule stops such as the Orlando area enjoys.

Schedules were questioned based on the age old, "Florida Passenger Train Curse." All trains run Southbound in the early AM, and all trains run Northbound in the early PM... I, for one, have always thought a couple of very late PM departures South from Jacksonville, with early AM arrivals in Tampa/Sarasota/Ft. Myers or St. Petersburg, as well as West Palm/Fort Lauderdale/Miami, would serve a strong market. I really didn't know how it would play for others to rock 100 years of tradition. One can only imagine my response to the peoples validation of my theorys.

The questions on the JTC (Jacksonville Transportation Center) aka: Jacksonville Terminal, are loaded as it is currently a far too small Convention Center. The old Headhouse of the 1919 Railroad Terminal dwarfs any other station built South of Washington D.C., but it sits vacant, used as an occasional "ballroom" for Conventioniers. The exhibit halls are new and take up most of the former railroad platforms with buildings and/or parking. If we attempt to build JTC with the Convention Center in the middle, it will scatter our station all over the LaVilla neighborhood. If we move the Convention Center to larger and more desireable locations in the center of downtown's waterfront, then transportation can reclaim all of the land that was once in use.

The questions of "Interface" with the City have to do with multi-modal connections. Our Monorail, and Bus System, plus any future Streetcars, Light Rail, Commuter Rail, Bus Rapid Transit, and Water Taxis. Again we wanted to hear from those with zero background in this type of venture to see what the casual resident would say. I think many will be amazed at just how savvy these citizens really are.

The last set of questions put the JTC or Jacksonville Terminal back to something of it's original form. We asked how much, where, when, what, how, who and why and again, honors go to these intrepid residents that hung in and gave intelligent answers to the questions.

Finally something of a joke. Our question about "The Lakelander" as a certain Mr. Davis, urban planner is known. "Ocklawaha", as Mr. Mann, your blogger, and former railroad consultant, is known in various civic forums and events. We knew there was local name recognition and wondered if all of these 5,000 + storys in all forms of media had given anyone a sense of who we are and what we'd love to do?

It was never intended to sound like hollow bragging, but the public themselves spoke loud and clear much to our delighted surprise.

THE SOUTH WIND LIVING UP TO HER NAME

ROUTE / TRAIN NAME / ROUTE DESCRIPTION

Total votes out of a possible 47/(percent of all totals combined)/Percent out of a possible 100%.

ROUTE> The Tidewater Route: Jax-Savannah-Fayetteville-Suffolk-Portsmouth/Norfolk
13 (1.6%) 27%
ROUTE> The Carolina Special Route: Jax-Savannah-Columbia-Charlotte-Washington-New York
27 (3.3%) 57%
ROUTE> Silver Meteor Route: Jax-Savannah-Columbia-Raleigh-Richmond-Washington-New York
28 (3.5%) 59%
ROUTE> Champion Route: Jax-Savannah-Fayetteville-Richmond-Washington-New york
20 (2.5%) 42%
ROUTE> KCY-FL Special Route: Jax-Jessup-Hazelhurst-Macon-Atlanta-Chattanooga-Nashville-St. Louis-KCY
19 (2.3%) 40%
ROUTE> Dixie Route: Jax-Waycross-Fitzgerald-Macon-Atlanta-Chattanooga-Nashville-Louisville-Chicago
24 (3%) 51%
ROUTE> Royal Palm Route: Jax-Valdosta-Cordelle-Macon-Atlanta-Chattanooga-Knoxville-Cincinnati-Chicago/Detriot/Cleveland
21 (2.6%) 44%
ROUTE> City of Miami Route: Jax-Valdosta-Albany-Columbus-Birmingham-Memphis-St.Louis/Chicago
13 (1.6%)nb b 27%
ROUTE> South Wind Route: Jax-Waycross-Valdosta-Dothan-Montgomery-Birmingham-Nashville-Louisville-Chicago
12 (1.5%) 25%
ROUTE> Gulf Wind Route: Jax-Tallahassee-Pensacola-Mobile-Biloxi-New Orleans-(Los Angeles)
31 (3.8%) 65%
ROUTE> The Gulf Coast Special Route: Jax-Baldwin-Starke-Alachua-Gainesville
17 (2.1%) 36%
ROUTE> West Coast Champion Route: Jax-Palatka-Orlando-Lakeland-Tampa-Clearwater-St. Pete
22 (2.7%) 46%
ROUTE> The Meteor Route: Jax-Waldo-Wildwood-Auburndale-Winter Haven-Sebring-West Palm-Miami
16 (2%) 34%
ROUTE> The Sunniland Route> Jax-Waldo-Wildwood-Lakeland-Arcadia-Ft. Myers-Naples
9 (1.1%) 19%
ROUTE> The Palmland Route: Jax-Waldo-Wildwood-Lakeland-Tampa-Sarasota-Venice
11 (1.4%) 23%
ROUTE> East Coast Champion Route: Jax-Palatka-Orlando-Auburndale-Winter Haven-Sebring-West Palm-Miami
19 (2.3%) 40%
ROUTE> H. M. Flagler Route: Jax-St. Augustine-Daytona Beach-Melbourne-Ft. Pierce-West Palm-Miami
37 (4.6%) 78%

THE OBSERVATION CAR ROYAL STREET BRINGS UP THE MARKER LIGHTS ON THE ROYAL PALM

---------------------------------
I'd Prefer to catch the train at the current Amtrak Station
1 (0.1%) 2%
I'd prefer to catch the train at the Jacksonville Terminal Downtown
46 (5.7%) 97%
I'd prefer to catch the train in South Jacksonville
9 (1.1%) 19%
I'd prefer to catch the train in Baldwin
2 (0.2%) 4%
I'd prefer to catch the train in Orange Park/Yukon
10 (1.2%) 21%
---------------------------------

All schedules should be Southbound in the AM and Northbound in the PM
3 (0.4%) 6%
All schedules should run in both directions throughout the daylight hours
11 (1.4%) 23%
All schedules should run in both directions both daylight and overnight
33 (4.1%) 70%
--------------------------------
JTC>I like the JTA Jacksonville Transportation Center just like it is planned
6 (0.7%) 12%
JTC>I would like to see the Convention Center moved and a more condensed Transporation Center built
35 (4.3%) 74%
JTC>If the Convention Center can't be moved, we should redesign the Transportation Center for more compactness
15 (1.9%) 31%
--------------------------------

INTERFACE> JTA should hub city buses, BRT and Express Bus services to meet Amtrak trains
29 (3.6%) 61%
INTERFACE> JTA Should expand the Skyway Downtown to better distribute the passengers from the trains
29 (3.6%) 61%
INTERFACE> JTA should run much longer hours, even 24/7 on main trunk routes as soon as the trains start rolling
22 (2.7%) 46%
INTERFACE> I believe JTA's Commuter Rail and Streetcar lines will benefit from the groundwork provided by Amtrak and Regional Rail
43 (5.3%) 91%
INTERFACE> I don't think Amtrak will mean a thing to JTA ridership, even if we become a major hub again.
2 (0.2%) 4%

THE DIXIE FLYER ARRIVES IN NASHVILLE
-------------------------------
TERMINAL PLANS> JTA/FDOT plan 3 tracks at our downtown station, I think that's more then enough
3 (0.4%) 6%
TERMINAL PLANS> JTA and FDOT plan 3 tracks at our station, I feel it is wholly inadequate
12 (1.5%) 25%
TERMINAL PLANS> JTA and FDOT plan 3 tracks at our station and I fear they foolishly plan to give the hub to Orlando or Sanford
22 (2.7%) 46%
TERMINAL PLANS> I believe a complete Railroad Terminal with all of the sundry support is a requirement in Jacksonville
28 (3.5%) 59%
TERMINAL PLANS> I think Jacksonville and JTA should be at the forefront of the efforts to improve rail services in NE Florida and South Georgia
41 (5.1%) 87%
TERMINAL PLANS> I would support the idea of a multi-city/multi-state coalition led by Jacksonville to push rail passenger service
35 (4.3%) 74%
TERMINAL PLANS> Should The Lakelander and Ocklawaha be appointed to lead the Jacksonville Rail Task Force?
33 (4.1%) 70%

SEABOARD PAUSES AT BAY PINES, FLORIDA IN BETTER DAYS

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florida east coast
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JTA'S BRT TRUNK LINE NIGHTMARE COMES TRUE IN MIAMI

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:02:00 +0000

So Jacksonville, has bought the Bus Rapid Transit sales pitch, hook, line, and sinker. For over a year I have been raving on about BRT being nothing more then a cafe of advanced "bus think". The parade of supposed success story's keeps changing:

Pittsburgh
Cleveland
Boston
Santiago De Chile
Curitiba Brasil
Los Angeles El Monte busway
Bogota...etc...

Who are these people? Gentle Reader, these are the same highway boys that scrapped the nations streetcars and interurban's in favor of buses. Go figure, the rail industry has 7 large companies and dozens of small shortline businesses, but most private passenger traffic died in 1971 as Amtrak took over. The industry has ZERO real interest in running our government trains on their tracks unless there is a huge incentive in plant expansion.

Otherwise there are some 70 odd cities with at least a mile or two of streetcar or interurban tracks in North America. Most of these operations are less the 20 years old. While thousands of communities cashiered the streetcars in favor of supposedly "flexible bus transit."

States including Florida, once had laws on the book that every able bodied male MUST serve a week or so each year working on roads. Those same roads were largely paid for with railroad tax money. Once the roadways reached the point of saturation, most Americans shifted their loyalty to automobiles. So when the evil streetcar holocaust snatched the big trolleys from nearly every town on the continent, nobody seemed to care. So how loaded are the dice for the rail proponents such as this blog? Glad you asked:

State and Federal Highways, aka: roads and bridges, are in endless expansion within finite space. Tax Payers that support highways should look for the same return on investment that Airlines, buses or Amtrak gets. But we all know THAT won't happen.

In Jacksonville the same highway boys rolled out a 26 mile "Bus Rapid Transit" plan that in reality was a BILLION DOLLAR road project. The mantra went up from JTA that "highway=cheap", "rail=bad". So this blog, along with metrojacksonville.com, jaxoutloud.com, urbanjacksonville.com, started exposing this true boondoggle for what it's really worth. "Just like rail only cheaper..." Only someone forgot to look up the word CHEAPER in the dictionary:

CHEAPER
brassy: tastelessly showy; "a flash car"; "a flashy ring"; "garish colors"; "a gaudy costume"; "loud sport shirts"; "a meretricious yet stylish book"; "tawdry ornaments"
bum: of very poor quality; flimsy; embarrassingly stingy
The term derives from the Latin miser, meaning "poor" or "wretched," comparable to the modern word "miserable"Low and/or reduced in price; Of poor quality; Of little worth

So what are the folks at JTA and Miami-Dade REALLY selling us? Let's try that slogan again and insert the meaning of the word into our sentence:

"BRT - Just like rail only wretched, of poor quality and little worth."
"BRT - Just like rail only flimsy, gaudy and embarrassingly stingy."

Ever wonder where the billions of development promised by BRT really happen. Everyone knows the meaning of "cheaper" and none of them are going to plunk down $100 million on a new office tower without fixed, permanent transit.

So are we surprised that Miami-Dade is taking a "perfect example" of BRT built on a former railroad from Miami to Kendall and a converting it to toll road? No! A BRT system that was to show all of Florida just how much better BRT is then rail. So now with the railroad long gone, and the busway empty of either buses or passengers we see our State going even farther backwards.

So our lessons for the day:

BRT should NEVER be built where rail is already in place.
BRT does not live up to its claim to be "As good as rail."
BRT does tend to live down to the word cheap.
Commuter Rail or Light Rail would have been more attractive in the first place
Once the rail is gone, we may never see it again in any given corridor.
Once the BRT is gone, all we have to show for our $ Billions are a few more highway lane miles and a collection of newer buses.

Those example BRT models? Let's see if this is just a Florida ghost or a true fleecing of the flock.

Cleveland - The Euclid corridor claims millions in development and nearly every cent is socialized federal, state and local offices and the BRT has fallen short in every survey, Light Rail may soon replace the mega bucks spent on this "system."
1978 – Pittsburgh's South Busway, projected to carry 35,000 weekday rider-trips, actually attracted only 20,000 rider-trips initially, and that level has now dropped to about 14,500, less than pre-busway ridership in the affected corridor. Meanwhile, a parallel LRT upgrade has attracted approximately fifty percent more passengers.[Source: Port Authority Transit data]
Boston - The highly vaunted "Silver Line BRT" will not be expanded in fact it's roadway was the most expensive piece of highway work in history, rail will take it from here on.
Santiago De Chile - IF you manage to get on a bus, be ready to duck flying bricks (you can feel the hate for this BRT in the air) and of course they're now building a Subway.
Curitiba Brasil - These folks claimed the worlds most successful BRT operation, they even got the bus traffic to move at 12 mph. Now they are quickly building a rail system.
1973 – The El Monte Busway in suburban Los Angeles, installed on a former interurban railway alignment in the median of I-10, has been moderately successful, peaking with a ridership of about 30,000 per day. However, influential planners, highway engineers, and political leaders, perceiving unused capacity between the buses, in the 1980s opened the facility up to use by car pools. With the buses now delayed by "HOV" automobile traffic, ridership has dropped to about 20,000, a reduction of 33 percent. Meanwhile, a commuter rail line constructed by California down the middle of the "BRT" alignment, implemented to speed person-movement in the corridor, has been quite successful - consistently gaining ridership. [Source: LACMTA data]
Bogota - Ever imagine 350 North Americans packed into a single bus? Bogota with 5 rail lines going to waste, is holding tight to BRT in the hopes they can still sell it to stupid Americans. Just imagine what they could do with a series of 8 car push-pull commuter trains, but if your not into riots, military police or sardines, better steer clear of this system. It's so good in fact that it's ILLEGAL for a US/EEUU citizen to ride it!

"BRT" - You Can Build it ... But Will They Come?
Light Rail Progress – Updated December 2002

Proponents of "BRT" (so-called "Bus Rapid Transit"), including the US Federal Transit Administration, assume that, service characteristics (like access time, total travel time, and cost) being equal, the ability of "BRT" service to attract riders is equivalent to that of LRT (light rail transit). Accordingly, the FTA mandates that in ridership forecasting models – such as those commonly used in Major investment Studies for federally funded new starts – bus and rail modes must be treated as virtually indistinguishable to passengers. in fact, speculative ridership models sometimes assign higher trip projections to a "BRT" system alternative, on the basis of input assumptions of supposed bus "flexibility", such as neighborhood access, "seamless", transfer-free trips, express services leapfrogging around local services, etc.

But do these theoretical projections jibe with reality? The empirical evidence would appear to suggest otherwise.
Altogether, analysis has shown that, for new starts installed in corridors serving the core areas of US cities, "BRT" busways have attracted only one-third of the rider-trips estimated for them by FTA-approved modelling. LRT has attracted 122 percent. The palpable effect of this is that, on most new LRT systems, parking lots are jammed, and riders are crowding on trains; in contrast, typical new "BRT" systems may experience modest increases in ridership, but certainly not the avalanche of passengers seen on LRT.

Denver's new LRT extension was overwhelmed with passengers, a Denver Business Journal reporter assured readers that "Packed light-rail cars, overflowing parking lots and passengers left behind on station platforms aren't unique to the Regional Transportation District's new Southwest light-rail line." On the contrary, "They are scenes repeated around the country as people flock to new rail transit lines in numbers far beyond initial projections."[Source: Denver Business Journal 26 January 2001]

Now this from the Miami Herald, "Oh the Humanity," looks like someone figured out how to build another turnpike with FTA mass transit funds.

South Miami-Dade Busway may give way to cars

Officials plan to vote on a controversial plan to convert South Miami-Dade's Busway into a highway with toll express lanes.

A proposed plan would convert the South Miami-Dade Busway into -- among other alternatives -- a four-lane highway with express toll lanes where private vehicles would share the road with buses.

BY ALFONSO CHARDY
achardy@MiamiHerald.com
For years, motorists in South Miami-Dade have longed to drive on the two-lane bus road on the west side of the chronically congested South Dixie Highway.
Now they might get their wish if county commissioners and other local elected officials approve a proposed plan to convert the Busway into -- among other alternatives -- a four-lane highway with express toll lanes where private vehicles would share the road with buses. The revenue would then be used to fund the cash-strapped county transit agency.
The July 23 vote by commissioners and mayors who are members of the Miami-Dade Metropolitan Planning Organization would enable the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority to obtain a detailed study on ways to convert the Busway.
It would bring dramatic change to the Dadeland-to-Florida City roadway, which was built to encourage motorists to take buses that travel more quickly because they benefit from green-light priority at intersections.
But the strategy didn't work out well because Miami-Dade Transit was never able to operate many buses on the roadway. Currently, between 10 to 27 buses per hour during rush periods serving some 20,000 passengers per day use the Busway. At times the north-south roadway is practically empty.
Transit advocates now fear that modifying the Busway to allow private vehicles would further discourage commuters from using public transportation and reward solo drivers.
DIFFERING VIEWS
Katy Sorenson, a county commissioner and MPO member, provided a hint of the looming controversy when at last month's MPO meeting she urged fellow board members not to take actions that would steer people away from public transit.
''When the issue was brought up a year ago, I had some reservations, because undermining transit is the last thing I would want to do,'' she said. ``This would not necessarily undermine transit and it could provide a funding mechanism for transit. But I want to make sure that in this effort, transit is priority one and secondarily congestion relief.''
Commissioner Carlos Gimenez, also an MPO member, suggested he was more interested in relieving congestion even if that means allowing private vehicles on a bus-exclusive roadway.
''I would support moving forward,'' Gimenez said, alluding to the coming vote on the conversion study. ``If it competes with Miami-Dade Transit, so be it.''
The majority of members at the May 28 meeting seemed to support the conversion study, but not all 22 members were present.
OPTIONS
Three possible conversion alternatives were outlined to MPO members in May by an MPO staffer who said the options would be analyzed more in-depth in the Busway study.
Alternatives described by Larry Foutz, the MPO's transportation systems manager, included:
• Leaving the Busway as is, but allowing private vehicles to use it by paying a toll that would be deducted electronically via SunPass accounts.
• Adding one or two lanes, plus flyover bridges at certain or all intersections to ensure faster travel times for buses and toll-paying private vehicles.
• Building a four-lane elevated highway, moving traffic at expressway speeds along a totally rebuilt Busway from Mowry Drive in Homestead to the Dadeland South Metrorail station in Kendall.
Making no changes to the roadway and adding toll-paying traffic would cost almost nothing, Foutz said, but the option would only allow no more than 5,000 vehicles per day to use the facility and would likely slow the buses.
The other alternatives would add more vehicles to the roadway and range in cost from $228 million to $1.8 billion.
The most expensive, what Foutz called the ''Taj Mahal'' of the options, would be the elevated expressway-style alternative.
Under any option, Foutz said, toll rates would be relatively high because officials want to keep demand as low as possible to maintain fast travel times.
TOLL RATES
Tolls, in anticipated 2030 dollars, would range from $11.25 to $12.75 for travel from one end of the Busway to the other.
Depending on the toll rate and number of toll-paying vehicles, revenue would range between $11 million and $37 million per year.
The Busway was built along an old Florida East Coast railroad corridor that the Florida Department of Transportation acquired in 1988. Subsequently, the right-of-way ownership was transferred to Miami-Dade County.

fdot
bus rapid transit
jacksonville streetcar
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jta

HOW TO: Kill your parking meters, employ Parking Enforcment, and pay for TRANSIT

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:46:00 +0000

Many Sunbelt cities share the same plague. We have gone from dense compact streetcar communities, to sprawled auto scale suburbia. This disease has eaten away the historic fabric of our downtown's, collapsed real estate values, and relegated transit to a poor persons accommodation. To fight the early compact parking famine, meters were installed to give the city some control over parking abuse and to raise much needed income for city improvement projects. This phenomenon almost without fail killed the downtown retail, restaurant and club trades. It sent the shoppers scurrying for the suburbs where they had acres of free parking and well lit, heated or air conditioned shopping comforts.

To fight this trend, some cities, Jacksonville, one of the leaders among them, started a program to raze old buildings and install new multi-level parking garages. The meters stayed at the curbs, and the income kept rolling in, but the ratios of expense to income grew worse with each multimillion dollar garage. The garages had another effect on downtown, they stole away the office workers that previously had walked to and from their posh work stations by making the auto-office connection seamless. Transit agencies, most all centered around the central city were no match
for what now seemed an automotive slam dunk play.

Something funny happened on the way to autotopia, holes Begin to appear in downtown's all across the nation. Big holes, whole blocks swallowed by vacant lots, cheap parking, and pay by the hour vendors. While some Cities retained their close in streetcar business districts, the core was rotting from the inside out. The dearth of people and falling prices, plus the homeless that moved in on the vacant land now caused even more low or zero income people to flood the formerly prosperous meccas.

Jacksonville is VERY luck to have held fast to it's close in streetcar developments such as San Marco, San Jose, Springfield, Riverside, Avondale, 5-Points, St. Nicholas, A. Phillip Randolph, Fairfax, Murray Hill, Durkeeville (Historic home of the American Negro League Baseball Teams), Moncrief as well as Park and King. But as the City core became more and more a bland cement wall or glass towered giants, the doors along the street became fewer and fewer. Sprawl looking to escape the homelessness, poverty, and illusion of unsafe conditions, leapfrogged the old Streetcar neighborhoods and dove into suburban sprawl.

How does Jacksonville stack up to other cities? How do we look compared to your town? Imagine a booming Sunbelt City with the above core conditions sprawling over 860 square miles. That my friends is our City, and I wouldn't try walking to your corner grocer or hardware store unless your down for some brutal miles.

I'd like to offer a solution that might at first take, seem over simplistic. Trust me, in application it is simple, but the results will be invigorating.

To set the stage for this conversion we must first get an audit of all available parking in the core of the central city, at least everything covered by metered parking. On the one hand we want to know EVERY garage space, or surface parking space in the city, their count, occupancy rates, and any available space. Next we need an audit of the meters on a block by block, street by street, and east side, west side, north and south side, total average monthly income per block per side.
Step three is to take the garages and surface lots, and assign each of them a territory, naturally the 900 car garage is going to have a larger territory then a 230 car surface lot. The Territory's should be balanced so that each covers a percentage of the metered spaces.

The parking meters are then and forever removed and replaced by hourly, parking restrictions. These parking restrictions can flex according to local need. The average income per metered space is directly transferred as a fee to the surrounding garage or surface lot, again according to usage and revenue. Meters that average $3 dollars per day will obviously transfer more fees within their district then an area where meters average .25 cents per day.

So far we've explored how to retain both the income and hourly parking enforcement as well as remove the meters, making downtown more people friendly.

This opens a door to add a small percentage to all of these fees, depending on the total amounts transferred, anywhere from a few percent, to a solid 33%, could be tacked onto the former METER income. To prevent a tax revolt, it wouldn't be fair to arbitrarily zap the former parking spaces with a fee increase based on the spaces former income. This revenue which could amount to several thousands of dollars daily over and above the money needed to keep parking enforcement intact, would go directly into the construction or reconstruction of Streetcars, LRT, Trolley Bus, and any other fixed guideway transit.

The final incentive for this is beyond even the recovery of our downtown retail marketplaces, it's all of the above, urban cores that beg work, play, and live.
The personal incentive is as easy, anyone not wanting to see their monthly parking space rental go from $35.00 a month (yes, over building has cause very low prices in the Sunbelt - but these numbers are examples only) to perhaps $50.00 a month, will be offered a month long transit pass as a new choice rider, at a discounted $40.00 a month. This is an incentive that could continue as long as they use transit or if it proves extremely popular, it could have a time limit on it.

So what did this plan do?

Got rid of the meters
Retained all of the income
Added a fee for transit to build fixed route transit
Retained all parking enforcement employees
Slight garage parking fee increase
Gives the city more oversight into parking construction
Builds incentives to return retail, work, play, live, downtown

Invites new Choice Riders to try Mass Transit

It's way past due, lets do something today.
Robert Mann: Jacksonville Transit Blog

FLORIDA HIGH SPEED RAIL - Brain Dead In Florida

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Tue, 26 May 2009 21:02:00 +0000

Last week I had the fortune to attend the FRA/Amtrak and High Speed Rail dog and pony show.

The event was held at (of all places) the Orlando International Airport Marriott. They billed this as part show, part workshop, and explained it would take the whole afternoon. The only two from Northeast Florida, were a metrojacksonville.com writer and your intrepid Jacksonville blogger. Since the Orlando Airport is nearly impossible to get at from Orlando, we rode together, via automobile, over interstates suffering from a solid week of pouring tropical rain.

The room designed for perhaps 150 persons must have had all of 300 packed into it. It was a Who's Who of Florida Transportation, with just about anybody and everybody from law makers, FRA and Amtrak officials to county planners, TOD developers and city transit agencies.

We heard all about some $8 Billion dollars that was up for grabs and that we alone were near the top of the list. Window dressing, I bet every City on the tour hears the same line. They explained some pretty basic stuff like "What is a Train", "How Florida HSR in the middle of I-4 will help stop sprawl", and enlightened us with news such as "We already have 4 distinct Amtrak Routes in Florida." (Guess that must mean the demand is now there for 3400 trains a day). Oh the 4 distinct Amtrak Routes? Hold on to your chair, I'm not kidding here; the Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Auto Train and the SUNSET LIMITED! Say what? Apparently no one in Tallahassee realizes that the Sunset Limited no longer runs into Florida, and probably never will again. Oh it will come back someday but it will be a Florida - New Orleans service likely under the old "Gulf Wind" name. Frankly when I stopped laughing, I wondered why they hadn't named the Champion, Miamian, Palmetto, Silver Palm, South Wind or Floridian.

The gist of the whole show is this is what we have in our hands (money), and here are a few of our ideas. After that it was we'd like to hear your ideas. Amtrak made a presentation that they'd love to give Florida a California Corridor type service but the State would have to help pay for it, or at least beg for it. Fat Chance.

The "our ideas," part was just as "government lame" as the first part. We sat at tables and answered vague questions such as. "If you had billions to build HSR what should it look like in 2 years, 10 years, 30 years, and how would you measure success..." Uh, sorry y'all but if I had Billions of dollars I'd be in Cartagena.

One interesting thing did come about at my table, where I became the "Table Captain". Doc Dockery was in my group. For those who don't know Doc, he is the man almost single handily responsible for the Florida Overland Express (FOX) HSR project. He even financed the issue to get it on the ballot a few years back, only to have JEB Bush find a way to kill it.

I told Doc I don't like the idea of using I-4 as it will encourage more sprawl, nobody lives on I-4. When that thing was built FDOT bought up the countryside and managed to build it between Orlando and Tampa with not a thing in between but MICKEY MOUSE. So towns building North from the old railroad mainlines, current Amtrak routes, will have to build several miles out to meet the new train. When I explained my second problem with the route of choice, running from Orlando Airport to Tampa's Airport, and how far anyone in Orlando would have to drive to just get to the train, Doc told me, "That's where a major Light Rail Project will have to fill in..."

I started humming the M I C K E Y M O U S E song and everyone had a good laugh.

At first it looked like Doc wasn't going to agree with the rest of the table that Amtrak Corridor service MUST come first so we can build toward HSR ridership. It was more of a "Just build it and they will come," mindset. I can't see success in that plan, in a state built by the passenger train, and one that has completely turned it's back on rail, to the point of hostility, it just won't happen. The Cascade Corridor, California Corridors, North East Corridor all started off with frequent fast Amtrak services, then up graded into faster and faster , and even more and more services.

With the problems of the whole state solved, I really only have one huge complaint. Where the hell was Jacksonville? JTA had it's planners showing people around downtown, while the upper brass was hearing the mayor talk about fountains, and park space downtown. While all of that might have been important, was it $8 Billion dollars worth of important? Does Jacksonville realize why they are not on the Florida Corridor map? The Secretary of Transportation, warmly greeted me and said, Bob, all Jacksonville has to do is ask to be included. Images of thousands of travelers coming down the Southeast Corridor, arriving in Jacksonville, and then taking a bicycle to Orlando, in order to board FOX. Then it dawned on me, we're still Brain Dead in Florida.

amtrak
florida high speed rail
southeastern high speed rail corridors
fdot

BIRTH OF A NEW LIVABLE CITY!

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Fri, 08 May 2009 01:39:00 +0000

A BLUEPRINT FOR JACKSONVILLE

"America's Most Wanted"

Joint feature story on jacksonvilletransit.blogspot.com

and Metro Jacksonville, metrojacksonville.com

http://jacksonvilletransit.blogspot.com/search/label/Jacksonville%20Terminal

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/

Could This Be, "America's Most Wanted?"

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Mon, 04 May 2009 16:35:00 +0000

REMAKING THE CITY WITH RAIL - IN ONE SIMPLE PLAN
MANY COMPLEX PROBLEMS AND ONE SIMPLE SOLUTION

PORT AUTHORITY
Imagine the fastest growing port in the world, surrounded by 3 major railroads, 4 shortline's and 45 railroad headquarters, being captive to ONE carrier. Certainly one rail carrier is a deal killer for many major shipping companies who may be interested in getting in on the action. Imagine directors of the booming port, non railroaders all, thinking the solution is another time killing railroad yard. With a finite amount of money in the city, state and federal pot, how does one fix it?

AIRPORT AUTHORITY
Imagine a solid middle tier International Airport, with highway only access, and captive to regular transit buses which run on hourly headway's only during certain hours. At the other end of these bus routes sits the third largest city on America's East coast. How do one increase not only the air traffic but make the ground transportation more frequent and much more attractive?

TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY
Finally, imagine one of America's largest cities, a bus fleet that ranks third in a most popular state, and an expressway system through the central city that is going into major construction until 2017. How do the white and blue collar hordes make their daily trek through this morass of endless construction, when the rush hour within the various parts of the metro is already ranked as number 1, 5 and 8 in the state. Imagine this place where drivers tolerate approximately 66 Million hours a year, sitting in traffic. So after the crash of the Orlando Commuter Rail deal(Sunrail), how does one fix this?

INTERCITY RAIL PASSENGER SERVICE
Imagine a one time worlds busiest railroad station, stripped of it's trains, former glory and converted into a Convention Center, albeit with with railroad tracks that pass through within a few feet of it. Another factor for consideration is the current Amtrak Station which is wholly inadequate for the currently planned passenger train services. Poorly located, at the end of an alley in the far Northwest edge of the City and hardly in a welcoming setting, between a truck line yard, a junk yard, and almost under a highway overpass. Jacksonville will never regain it's position as the rail passenger hub of the Southeast without coming home to downtown.

CONVENTION CENTER
A major City, a big, huge, national trade city, chock full of industries, highways, rail terminals, warehouses, docks, port terminals, airports and even mega cargo airports, and they build a convention center more suited to Greenville, South Carolina; Mobile, Alabama; or Savannah, Georgia. Size must not have been a consideration because with well under 90,000 square feet, the Convention Center is only good for local party's and home, gun and antique shows. Know anyone that needs a new lawn mower? lawn chair? BBQ grill? Have we got the facility for you to show your products, just don't bring all of them.

Of course this article is about Jacksonville, Florida, which bills itself correctly as "America's Logistics Center." Yet through all of this dysfunction, the city marches on, looking for, and perhaps finding, a one - size - fits - all solution to every sarcasm I just wrote.

You must understand, with one foot in South Georgia, or Mayberry RFD, and the other planted firmly in the finance and industrial might of Florida, NASA, and the remarkable beaches, we often move at a slower pace. Our location alone seems to propel us forward at times when our politics seem a little too "Dukes of Hazard," to join the modern world. As a Sunbelt City with a world class port, home of the PGA, unspoiled beaches, cutting edge medical facilities, and a Skyline split by a navigable river arguably one of the most beautiful in the world. Add to that a City that constantly scores at the top of business, transportation, and livability articles and surveys. I have faith that we are starting to see the light. Our destiny, to become a first tier international city, sometimes in spite of ourselves.

LET'S LOOK AT 5 STEPS TO A SOLUTION:

I. The Port
A. In transportation 101 everyone learns that in order for a port to compete, it simply can't afford to become captive to a single trunk line railroad.

B. Also in the same class, we should have learned that railroad yards are old technology, time killing wastelands where cars go to sit idle, losing money for their owners. Granted a small facility simply for the pick up and consolidation of outbound traffic may make perfect sense, but anyone with a vision of another "Rice Yard," the massive Waycross, Georgia facility, get it out of your heads.

C. So the City, State and/or Federal Government is going to have to purchase the railroad tracks all along our waterfront. This would include the entire former Seaboard, Fernandina and Jacksonville, Subdivision, from Export Yard near downtown, through Springfield Yard, over the Trout River. All trackage as far as Yulee, or even beyond Kingsland, where the old Seaboard Mainline was cut in South Georgia. This should also include both CSX and NS lines from Grand Crossing, Moncrief and Simpson Yards on the city's far west side.

D. The lease back option would seem to be the answer here. The entire municipally owned railroad would then be leased to one of America's many shortline operators. Shortline's shine in freight service and would be much more customer driven. Light, quick, clean, frequent, and efficient operations that would still deliver the cars to the CSX, JTA and NS interchanges and probably shave the days it currently takes for a car to get across town, down to a few hours.

Rails everywhere but the Airport and Free Trade Zone

2. The Airport:
A. Freight to the JTA interchanges? Yes, in this plan the JTA would own two railroad lines with it's own (not a lessee) operations. One of these would be a new branch line railroad that would follow the Airport Road, from the tracks near North Main, through the international trade zone and right into the airport facility. Depending on the layout of the airport terminal, it could serve any form of rail passenger equipment with a possibility of turning it on a circus or balloon track.
B. The fact that it would punch through the free trade zone, already home to many large companies would be just another opportunity to pay the construction bonds.

3. The Transportation Authority
A. Certainly with the death of the Sunrail project in Orlando, and the impending crash of Tri-Rail in Miami, which has not been funded anywhere close to it's needs, this would need to be a carefully laid out plan. Our transportation authority would construct the line into the International Airport (JAX) on the North, and rebuild the entire former "S" line from Jacksonville Terminal to a connection with the freshly purchased Norfolk Southern track into Springfield Yard. Here it would join the former Seaboard Airline for a straight shot over the trout river and into our port, airport, Nassau County, Yulee or even South Georgia.
B. A extra benefit of buying and upgrading these lines is security for our future, Amtrak, soon enough, and when the time comes for some serious High Speed Rail. This will likely be the route chosen, as historically it was considerably shorter between Savannah, and Jacksonville, then the former Atlantic Coast Line which is the current CSX.

C. Between the Jacksonville Terminal and Springfield yard JTA would have the benefit of a short passenger rail route from the station, to Shand's, Swisher, 21ST street, Panama Park, Dunn Av., Airport Road, Airport. The shortline lessee would be able to access these tracks to reach an interchange with the Florida East Coast Ry, at the Jacksonville Terminal.

D. The entire JTA North Commuter Rail line could then be placed in operation without the need for special or expensive deals with CSX or any other railroad. A fleet of RDC cars or Flexliner Trains would go into service as quick as stations and park and ride lots could be completed. This would be as close to a turn key deal as any city - railroad has ever had. Simple, own the track, draw lease income from the same track, pay for the Commuter Rail with freight, 100% in house.

*********************************************************

A usless section of the old track or roadbed is strung between Maxwell House and Gateway Mall

The Electric 7 - A sidebar on a side track.
"The Electric 7" would be an operation independent of the above railroads would still make use of old railroad track and/or right-of-way, as a light streetcar transit line. While it would cross the "S" it would not have any operation on the new terminal trackage.

There would also be reconstruction of the "S" line northward into Gateway Shopping District and south toward A. Phillip Randolph or Beaver Streets. However these lines would be reserved for rapid streetcar using vintage or replica equipment. A single crossing of the JTA freight-commuter trackage would be required just south of the MLK Expressway.

From a usless old railroad blight through East Jax., Springfield, Brentwood to Gateway Mall, to a beautiful historic Electric Parkway shaped roughly like the number "7". Thus the new moniker: "THE ELECTRIC 7"

********************************************************

Since a "cave" expedition into the old pedestrian tunnels under the stations old rail yard everyone wants to find the entry. This was it back when it was in it's final hours. Since then a wall of glass doors runs horizontally across this scene about where the two gentlemen are walking. Sadly this area was filled with debris and from the wall to where the photographer is standing is paved over.

4. Intercity Rail Passenger Service
A. Amtrak has several plans, including a 5 train system on each of Florida's intra-state lines. This fast regional service would apparently include the CSX "S" line South, The CSX "A" line South, and the Florida East Coast Mainline South. There are also designs to return the Sunset limited/Gulf Wind route with promised better service, perhaps also a 5 train gulf coast shuttle. North of Jacksonville we have several lines each toward Atlanta, Charlotte, Norfolk, Montgomery, Birmingham, Memphis, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, and many more attractive locations or route combinations. So we are going to get the trains, the question is what are we going to do with them. Meanwhile, we should be at the vortex of every Amtrak service summit meeting in the South, and boy, do we have a place to host them.

B. In order to capture the lions share of the servicing of these trains Jaxson's need to realize the economies of breaking down trains and forwarding them to both coasts of lower Florida. Cars bound for the West being switched out, or cars on originating or terminating trains being cleaned, fueled, iced, catered, laundered. So the bottom line? When 6,500 cups of coffee are loaded on a single dining car, would you like a piece of that action? We simply must return Amtrak to the City Core and move the convention center as soon as possible. Every day we wait the more attractive Sanford, or Orlando, or Tampa, become as THE terminal for Amtrak Florida.

C. In this proposal, we go back to the recommendation of the US DOT back in 1983-85 when a national study of "Transportation Centers" was completed. It clearly stated Jacksonville Terminal needs to be reopened as a railroad and multi-modal station, with no less then 12 tracks.

D. Florida's changing politics has shifted the balance of power to Central and South Florida and suddenly the state DOT is proposing a 3 track station below the flood plain of McCoys Creek. The reasoning behind this is the Park/Lee Street Viaduct was rebuilt about 25 years ago and a bridge that once cleared 10-15 tracks now only clears two. FDOT in their infinite wisdom has suggested the 300,000 Cubic Yards of fill be removed from the old yards, which will take out the remaining pedestrian tunnels and put the whole yard below the flood plain, even if it grows to be more then 3 tracks. Jacksonville needs to grab this bull by the horn and drag FDOT, JTA or any other agency kicking and screaming to force the rebuilding of the Lee/Park street viaduct to a level that provides for 23.5 feet of clearance on top of the historic tunnels and fill. Then force the issue of getting our full compliment of no less then 8 tracks and four platforms, plus a private car track that could hold and service office cars from any of our 45 headquartered railroads. Under no condition should anything be built in the old flood plain, and the FEC should be brought back up to grade, with the tunnel access restored below it.

5. The Convention Center
A. This building by the City's own accounting is woefully short on space and poorly located away from the downtown venues, hotels and clubs. As the main exhibit hall was build behind the great 1919 railroad depot, it covers all of the area once occupied by the stub tracks, and part of that once occupied by the through tracks. In fact all of the stations original 32 tracks are gone, with this building and it's parking lot to the west, covering about 20 of them. We could still squeeze in some 10/12 tracks for Amtrak and the Florida East Coast without moving the exhibit hall, but since the hall is a white elephant and something the city itself regrets, we should get it out of the way of the transportation business. If we could salvage the new east - west concourse area, and perhaps 1/4 - 1/3 of the northern end of the exhibit hall building, it could be easily recycled into facilities for intercity buses. This would put the JTA offices and bus station to the west in the former Railroad Post Office site. Amtrak, would have the restored yard south of the 1919 Head house Station, and the restored 1890's station would become a plaza/park area focused on preservation and history.

B. There has been some discussion on moving the Convention Center down to the waterfront near the Hyatt, Jacksonville Landing, or on the Southbank. Anywhere it goes, it should be larger, and if that requires it to be vertical, then lets do it. The station would be connected to any new convention center on the northbank by our Skyway Monorail System and the planned Vintage Streetcars of the Jacksonville Traction Company and JTA.

In summary, with a single solution, spun around the rails, our city would have:

A new Convention Center
A "new" Amtrak Terminal
Many more Amtrak trains then at the present time
Control the servicing of all Amtrak trains entering the State, catering, laundry, fuel, etc.
A new Bus/Skyway/Streetcar Terminal at Transportation Center
Transportation Center Parking Garage
New JTA Office Building
Commuter Rail Service through the heart of the historic City
Commuter Rail Rapid Transit into the Jacksonville International Airport
Streetcar lines from Gateway Plaza to Stadium to Jacksonville Terminal and beyond
A Port that has neutral access to 3 major rail carriers, including the FEC
Direct Rail freight access to our JIA International Trade Zone
A method to pay for the entire package via freight revenue and/or lease back

So there it is folks, we change the face and the future of our City with one simple rail project.

marine transport
train
green logistics
public private partnership
rail

As Our Train Takes Off and Our Airplane Accelerates Down The Track...

noreply@blogger.com (Bob) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 05:20:00 +0000

F - T - S

Let me coin a new phrase here, "Flying Train Syndrome," or FTS for short. By now your probably wondering just what the heck the old blogger is up to, Flying Trains indeed. I would beg your attention to a relatively new phenomena. There is a knee jerk reaction to the new funding of Amtrak and the many State and Local governments that want to get in on the action.

Reading newspaper blogs, it seems that the long silent peasantry has scummed to FTS and their mad as hell. The trouble is we have one or two whole generations who have grown to adulthood with a skeletal rail passenger system that could hardly be called a network. Certainly one train a day, or even tri-weekly, on only one out of 4 or 5 possible mainlines is a far cry from what Arlo Guthrie experienced before the hit single "Riding on the City of New Orleans." I really want us as a Transportation Rich Community and America's Logistics Center, to end the confusion over what rail is and what it can do. Hurry along as we look at some of these FTS blog comments, our plane is leaving the station.

After a positive article on Jacksonville Commuter Rail, this comment:

"YAWN, that is the easy way out of saying the proof is in the site, somewhere, just because someone told me it was true....well it must be true. Nah, don't drink the Kool-aid, look around you and see if rail works ANYWHERE in the State of Florida and if it is successful, meaning profitable."

Response:

This little sarcastic treat comes from the same gentleman that described Amtrak Trains as just one step above bus travel.

Obviously, our friend has either done very little travel aboard Greyhound, Trailways, Jefferson or other intercity Bus Companies, or hasn't been aboard a train since 1932. The gist of his argument is profit, in fact the entire gauge of success in his mind is making cash money.

This ignores a primary fact in Transportation, a space - time - and public service continuum. In terms of space a rail passenger uses about 5' square feet of space to travel anywhere on the continent. The same person driving an automobile takes up some 85' square feet of space. There could be an argument made that because of the compactness of a train with 200 passengers aboard, it would quickly leapfrog the same 200 passengers in automobiles. This line of cars on the highway would stretch for 3.21 miles. The same load of passengers on the train could be condensed to 1,000' feet, or something just short of 1/5 of a mile. As the world population expands we are growing short on space that can be endlessly covered in asphalt and concrete.

The strongest argument is that rail travel is the most efficient and fuel wise system of transport known to man with the possible sole exception being Zeppelins! So the question becomes how much fuel do we save by train travel? How many acres are still green because of train travel? More pointedly, just how much money did our State Highway System "make" last year? I haven't seen anyone arguing that our airports should be abandoned due to a lack of profit, in fact they would be quick to tell you that the airport brings a city prestige and recognition.

Sorry folks then the measure being used is not a level field at best and at worst it is a type of Mass Transit Snobbery or as someone recently put it, Mass Transit Racism. Amtrak seems the easiest target and this nonsense has flown around the country for nearly 40 years. That trains don't fly is no excuse to abandon the technology. FTS?

From a news Blog Q and A:

"Are we (Jacksonville) ready for light rail, rail, etc.?" And if the answer is no (and in general I think it is), then we'd better put it on the back burner; and if the answer is an undeniable unmistakable strong yes, then build it! We can't just build something and hope that it's a success. I can't even tell (someone help me with this), whether there is a strong, sure public/commuter demand for rail in Jacksonville (is the public ready?).

Response:

When is a City, County or State "ready" for rail? Must we reach gridlock on our highways and air before we commit any silver to the rails? In this case Jacksonville is called out by name and that makes this an interesting comment. Jacksonville is the largest city in the nation without a rail transit system, either in population, MSA or land mass. We are told we are far to spread out for rail to work, yet rail works just fine in Los Angeles. Then we are told we don't have the density for rail, yet when we checked the US Census Bureau we discovered we land right in the middle of all cities that already have rail in terms of density. So are we ready? The East Coast Corridor web site just published a study that shows: Jacksonville, Miami and Tampa, drivers waste 200 Million hours a year in traffic. So how does the unknown Giant of Jacksonville rank with the well known cities of Florida, check out our MSA Counties. Oh the humanity:

JACKSONVILLE MSA COUNTIES:

Clay Commute: 33.4 min Statewide rank: 1
Putnam Commute: 30.6 min Statewide rank: 4
Nassau Commute: 28.2 min Statewide rank: 8
St. Johns Commute: 25 min Statewide rank: 19
Duval 23.1 min 25
Flagler 22.9 min 27
Source: Census Bureau 2006 American Community Survey

I think this answers our questions quite well, I'm waiting for that train, streetcar or zeppelin, but wouldn't that be sort of like Flying Amtrak?

From an Online Discussion:

"Anyone seen empty buses? When the buses are filled, demand is there for rail, till then, keep dreaming the dream!"

Response:

This is clearly a statement written in ignorance. Any thinking person could reason that a bus that is filled to capacity during the rush hours may be running light in off-peak hours. Even during the peak, bus passenger loadings may fill and empty at several points along the same route, thus not even this is an indicator of demand. Certainly the guy that wants profit in all things would pull out his hair if we were to buy big buses for rush hour and little buses for off-peak times. Frankly with the numbers posted on commute times, we are way behind the curve on getting rail up and running. This would then allow us to redeploy buses that must make the long traffic snarled trek from outlaying areas to the central or satellite city cores. Once this was done the buses would generally run at right angles to the most congested roads and transfer their inbound or outbound loads to strategically placed rail stations. Meanwhile new Heritage Streetcars and the Skyway, Jacksonville's tiny monorail system, completed just another 3 - 5 miles in several directions would serve as a complete distributor in the urban center.

From the Leading E-News:

"Does slower transportation really appeal to the masses? The only way for trains to get back in the mix is to get faster. It's easier to just hop in the car if it's a short trip, and it's faster to fly.Now, if you had a train that could get from here to WPB or ATL in 2 hours, THAT would shake things up and spark interest."

Response:

This is the ultimate case of Flying Train Syndrome. Airline style, point to point, non-stop jet set travel has caused the masses to ignore the booming markets of the smaller and medium size towns and cities. Today in California a trip from Fresno to Bishop is likely to be via Los Angeles. A trip from Wilmington, Deleware to Norfolk, Virginia, via New York City and likewise a trip from Jacksonville to Daytona Beach by way of Atlanta. What the train does is FLY THROUGH not over the country. If taking time to see what is in between isn't going to match your schedule so be it, but try and tell a resident of Ocala, St. Augustine, Macclenny or Palatka, that because you want to experience "fly over country," your needs are superior to theirs. Within the route of a single passenger train, there may be many micro-corridors hidden within the fabric of that single stretch of trackage. As a nation we can no longer afford the fuelish luxury of flying 500 miles to get 100 miles down the track, when this happens, it's train time. Flying Trains Indeed!