Rumor Higher Speed Rail from MCO to Disney World

[joelkfla]

Perhaps impacted residents in the hurricane zone will squeeze into the new Brightline trains to get out of town.

Currently, each train holds something in the area of 250 passengers. If the average family unit size is 3, that's about 80 fewer automobiles on the evacuation route per hour.

Train size is expected to increase as ridership increases.

 

[Lilofan]

Currently, each train holds something in the area of 250 passengers. If the average family unit size is 3, that's about 80 fewer automobiles on the evacuation route per hour.

Train size is expected to increase as ridership increases.

Who knows maybe as an option Brightline will step up and make their trains as a way for hurricane families to get out of town prior to a Cat 3/4 storm hitting the area.

 

[JoeCamel]

Currently, each train holds something in the area of 250 passengers. If the average family unit size is 3, that's about 80 fewer automobiles on the evacuation route per hour.

Train size is expected to increase as ridership increases.

And if they put all their rolling stock into it they could move a bunch more. Still insignificant in the 15 million that might need to move but they would want to move their assets north to protect them so why not make a buck doing it.

 

[joelkfla]

Who knows maybe as an option Brightline will step up and make their trains as a way for hurricane families to get out of town prior to a Cat 3/4 storm hitting the area.

Yes, I would hope so.

They're limited by the availability of rolling stock, and the trains are semi-permanently coupled, meaning cars have to be added in the maintenance shop (I don't know how long that takes.) But maybe they'll have one or 2 extra trains they could bring online, and they could also extend their operating hours if they have enough crew members to avoid violating work hours restrictions.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Hours of service rules typically get suspended during emergencies.

I’ve never heard of FRA hours of service rules being suspended. Have you?

 

[Bob Harlem]

Full rundown on the cocoa tunnel (which was completed under a month), including a drone shot through the tunnel toward the end.

 

[kpilcher]

I didn’t realise it was bombed.

MCO itself wasn’t bombed. Yet just a teeny bit northeast of there, a large bit of land was used for years as target practice. Mostly in and around WWII. It was called the PineCastle Jeep Range.

Urban sprawl happened. Hundreds of live bombs and rockets were found at/under Odyssey Middle School and at/under homes and yards in what is now mostly called the Lee Vista area (a couple of miles from my home, actually).

The Army Corps of Engineers spent a couple of years cleaning up what they could find in 2008-2010. In the midst of this cleanup, this Army quote stood out to me: "We're never going to be 100 percent sure. We're never going to give a 100 percent guarantee that the properties are clear."

There is still a live bombing range —also called Pine Castle — in the Ocala area.

 

[JoeCamel]

MCO itself wasn’t bombed. Yet just a teeny bit northeast of there, a large bit of land was used for years as target practice. Mostly in and around WWII. It was called the PineCastle Jeep Range.

Urban sprawl happened. Hundreds of live bombs and rockets were found at/under Odyssey Middle School and at/under homes and yards in what is now mostly called the Lee Vista area (a couple of miles from my home, actually).

The Army Corps of Engineers spent a couple of years cleaning up what they could find in 2008-2010. In the midst of this cleanup, this Army quote stood out to me: "We're never going to be 100 percent sure. We're never going to give a 100 percent guarantee that the properties are clear."

There is still a live bombing range —also called Pine Castle — in the Ocala area.

They still bomb the gopher tortoises near Avon Park down 27 towards Sebring. Still dig out bombs in London and Dresden ect after all this time, they will never get them all back

 

[Lilofan]

MCO itself wasn’t bombed. Yet just a teeny bit northeast of there, a large bit of land was used for years as target practice. Mostly in and around WWII. It was called the PineCastle Jeep Range.

Urban sprawl happened. Hundreds of live bombs and rockets were found at/under Odyssey Middle School and at/under homes and yards in what is now mostly called the Lee Vista area (a couple of miles from my home, actually).

The Army Corps of Engineers spent a couple of years cleaning up what they could find in 2008-2010. In the midst of this cleanup, this Army quote stood out to me: "We're never going to be 100 percent sure. We're never going to give a 100 percent guarantee that the properties are clear."

There is still a live bombing range —also called Pine Castle — in the Ocala area.

The Lee Vista area I think is where all those hotels, restaurants , condos and car dealers are at by MCO?

 

[JoeCamel]

The Lee Vista area I think is where all those hotels, restaurants , condos and car dealers are at by MCO?

Right, was the old Lee dairy farm, the cows never complained about the airplane noise

You heard of T.G.Lee products? Don't know how widespread it was

 

[kpilcher]

The Lee Vista area I think is where all those hotels, restaurants , condos and car dealers are at by MCO?

Same area. The houses are further East than the commercial development. That’s primarily Semoran-adjacent. Then there is an industrial / warehouse area. Then the homes start. Closer to the 417.

 

[Lilofan]

Same area. The houses are further East than the commercial development. That’s primarily Semoran-adjacent. Then there is an industrial / warehouse area. Then the homes start. Closer to the 417.

Better check what is underneath the ground before laying down the high-speed rail tracks!

 

[Lilofan]

Right, was the old Lee dairy farm, the cows never complained about the airplane noise

You heard of T.G.Lee products? Don't know how widespread it was

T.G.Lee chocolate milk went well with some Olde Dixie Fried Chicken on Orange Ave a few miles from downtown Orlando. It was a simple place with the chicken sign outside the place wearing the confederate flag.

 

[HarperRose]

You are saying last minute but to board up your house etc can't be done quickly, waiting hours in line to get gas, food, withdraw $$, etc. There are reasons why some go last minute.

I live in WI and even I know if you live in a hurricane prone area you're already supposed to have all that stuff ready. You shouldn't *need* to go to the store to get the necessities as a storm is approaching. It's all available right now, today, at local stores in prep for hurricane season.

 

[Lilofan]

I live in WI and even I know if you live in a hurricane prone area you're already supposed to have all that stuff ready. You shouldn't *need* to go to the store to get the necessities as a storm is approaching. It's all available right now, today, at local stores in prep for hurricane season.

Easier said than done. Most don't think that way .

 

[Goulle Fatouille]

But how many of those I-4 drivers would rather take a train and not have their vehicle at the destination? Neither Tampa not Orlando is like arriving in New York City where you don't need a car to get around. Even if you could cut a few minutes off of the trip, you add the expense of needing to Uber or take a taxi all over the place. Large numbers aren't commuting from Tampa to Orlando to stay at WDW or Universal on property for a few days.

As I recall, the first proposal for high speed rail between Orlando and Tampa was related to Tampa's bid to host the 2012 Olympics. Tampa did not have enough infrastructure to host the billions of guests that would arrive (and all try to eat lunch at Fuddruckers at the same time). By adding Orlando's infrastructure into the proposal, AND adding high speed rail to get guests back and forth quickly, they had a solution to insufficient lodging, insufficient rental car capacity and a massively clogged I-4. How that all escalated into constitutional amendments and such is still a mystery to me. I wasn't listening to the news all that much back then...
Perhaps it could be said that the intercity line would have solved the infrastructure problem and that making it high speed would entice guests to NOT be driving around Tampa during the games ??

 

[corran horn]

I live in WI and even I know if you live in a hurricane prone area you're already supposed to have all that stuff ready. You shouldn't *need* to go to the store to get the necessities as a storm is approaching. It's all available right now, today, at local stores in prep for hurricane season.

yet it happens every time. every. time.

 

[HarperRose]

Easier said than done. Most don't think that way .

It really isn't. You can go this weekend and get needed supplies to have on hand.

 

[JoeCamel]

It really isn't. You can go this weekend and get needed supplies to have on hand.

I was a boy scout and believed the "be prepared" slogan so I have plywood in the garage precut all the time. I can board the house in 2 - 3 hours with the tools and screws on hand. Generator tested and ready to go, some food put by but with generator and a well I'm good for a few weeks. Chainsaw to get out if need be and back in after it is over. I put this together over a lot of years but I do realize living in Florida is not IF but WHEN it will hit.

Still takes money to do it and to leave if necessary so I understand the 6 hour/200 mile drives during an evacuation. I have had 9 storms that were directed at me, thankfully none made a direct hit. Season is just 60 days away now....

 

[Lilofan]

I was a boy scout and believed the "be prepared" slogan so I have plywood in the garage precut all the time. I can board the house in 2 - 3 hours with the tools and screws on hand. Generator tested and ready to go, some food put by but with generator and a well I'm good for a few weeks. Chainsaw to get out if need be and back in after it is over. I put this together over a lot of years but I do realize living in Florida is not IF but WHEN it will hit.

Still takes money to do it and to leave if necessary so I understand the 6 hour/200 mile drives during an evacuation. I have had 9 storms that were directed at me, thankfully none made a direct hit. Season is just 60 days away now....

If you remember summer 2004 that was a stressful nightmare pre, during and post times. The aftermath of the price gouging contractors to fix their homes who many were at their mercy ..