HSR Coming to FLA, AKA "See I told you so"

unkadug

unkadug

Follower of "Saget"The Cult
While the title of the thread leaves something to be desired, I am looking forward to this.

I can't wait for the panhandle extension. It certainly would make MY commute to WDW shorter!

And at only 2.5 B it's a bargain considering Disney is spending 1.5 B on RFID . :lookaroun
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
I'll believe this when I see it running. But it is looking good ... and I do think that's a good thing for the state of Florida ... and Disney too.

We need to get off our dependence of driving (or attempting to while texting and Twittering and talking).

One of the most pleasant aspects about being in Europe is the easy, fast, efficient and safe rail systems. And there you go from country to country, not simply from city to city or state to state.

Really hope this happens.
 
wm49rs

wm49rs

A naughty bit o' crumpet
Premium Member
jt04 said:
I agree only if it makes financial sense. Europe and Japan are very different from the USA in many ways. Not the least of which are the distances between cities. It may be that we find the automobile is far more efficient than HSR. But, as I said, this will be a great test case. If it is viable, industry will step in and make it happen in cooperation with the government. And that is as it should be.

*steps off soap box*
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The distance between Paris and London is what, 200 miles? That's less than half the distance between Washington D.C. and Boston, for which there's already a HSR established. The distance between Tokyo and Kyoto, where a "bullet" train is in use, is also less. So distance shouldn't be a gauge for success. Now, I will grant you the financial support and subsidies that these governments provide is different than here in the US, but between the various levels of government and private industry, there's no reason HSR couldn't be an affordable option for travel throughout this land.
 
wm49rs

wm49rs

A naughty bit o' crumpet
Premium Member
WDW1974 said:
I'll believe this when I see it running. But it is looking good ... and I do think that's a good thing for the state of Florida ... and Disney too.

We need to get off our dependence of driving (or attempting to while texting and Twittering and talking).

One of the most pleasant aspects about being in Europe is the easy, fast, efficient and safe rail systems. And there you go from country to country, not simply from city to city or state to state.

Really hope this happens.
Click to expand...

I'd rather travel on an HSR on modern rails than travel over a 50 year-old bridge in need of structural repairs any day of the week......
 
jt04

jt04

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
wm49rs said:
The distance between Paris and London is what, 200 miles? That's less than half the distance between Washington D.C. and Boston, for which there's already a HSR established. The distance between Tokyo and Kyoto, where a "bullet" train is in use, is also less. So distance shouldn't be a gauge for success. Now, I will grant you the financial support and subsidies that these governments provide is different than here in the US, but between the various levels of government and private industry, there's no reason HSR couldn't be an affordable option for travel throughout this land.
Click to expand...

It's all the smaller segments of mass transit (busses, intracity, intercity) that make the whole work.

Any US system will largely compete in moderate city to city connections that are too far for easy car travel but too close for air connections. The european system took decades and decades to build. That said, there are applications where HSR are needed in the US and are financially practcal. Starting with central Florida. :D
 
Wilt Dasney

Wilt Dasney

Well-Known Member
wm49rs said:
We once had a strong relationship with the railroad before the advent of the V8 and semi. It would be nice to see us return a little to those roots.....
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Don't forget the interstate highway system. Eisenhower made it a lot easier to drive from New York to LA, but I think a big reason this country is less tied to efficient, convenient public transit than developed Europe and Asia is our massive ribbon of freeways and interstates (and the sheer size of this country...I don't think you can discount that entirely).

The romantic in me hopes that high speed rail does help make traveling by train in vogue again: A return to the past with a 21st-century flavor.
 
Wilt Dasney

Wilt Dasney

Well-Known Member
jt04 said:
Any US system will largely compete in moderate city to city connections that are too far for easy car travel but too close for air connections.
Click to expand...
It's not inconceivable to me that high speed trains could become more desirable than air travel on moderate distance routes, even routes that are already served by air.
 
EPCOT Explorer

EPCOT Explorer

New Member
It's Fun to Be Free...To Be On The Move....

Yes, our world has indeed become a World of Motion. We have engineered marvels that take us swiftly over land and sea, through the air, and into space itself. And still bolder and better ideas are yet to come. Ideas that will fulfill our age old dream to be free. Free in mind. Free in spirit. Free to follow the distant star of our ancestors to a brighter tomorrow.

:D
 
jt04

jt04

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
SirGoofy said:
Sounds great. Hopefully there will be stops at the "competition" as well.
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Here is how I think it will be in the long run. MCO to the convention center station with private monorail connections available to Sea World and Universal.

Continuing to WDW where Disney will create bus connections around property and maybe one day an expanded on property monorail line.

Continuing to Lakeland's station which will have a shuttle service to Legoland.

Continuing to Tampa Airport with shuttle service availale to the Busch Gardens area.

I-4 will be deserted.
 
EPCOT Explorer

EPCOT Explorer

New Member
jt04 said:
Here is how I think it will be in the long run. MCO to the convention center station with private monorail connections available to Sea World and Universal.

Continuing to WDW where Disney will create bus connections around property and maybe one day an expanded on property monorail line.

Continuing to Lakeland's station which will have a shuttle service to Legoland.

Continuing to Tampa Airport with shuttle service availale to the Busch Gardens area.

I-4 will be deserted.
Click to expand...




I'm starting to think that you make these large, alarmist, blanket statements just to get everyone in a tizzy. :rolleyes:


That will never happen. :lol:
 
SirGoofy

SirGoofy

Member
jt04 said:
Here is how I think it will be in the long run. MCO to the convention center station with private monorail connections available to Sea World and Universal.

Continuing to WDW where Disney will create bus connections around property and maybe one day an expanded on property monorail line.

Continuing to Lakeland's station which will have a shuttle service to Legoland.

Continuing to Tampa Airport with shuttle service availale to the Busch Gardens area.
Click to expand...

I can definitely see that, which would be great!
 
ChrisFL

ChrisFL

Premium Member
jt04 said:
Here is how I think it will be in the long run. MCO to the convention center station with private monorail connections available to Sea World and Universal.

Continuing to WDW where Disney will create bus connections around property and maybe one day an expanded on property monorail line.

Continuing to Lakeland's station which will have a shuttle service to Legoland.

Continuing to Tampa Airport with shuttle service availale to the Busch Gardens area.

I-4 will be deserted.
Click to expand...

The thing is, I-4 won't need to be deserted...if this takes up even 20-30% of traffic from I-4 it will help traffic flow, specifically in the main Orlando and Tampa downtown areas.

The key to this is the other infrastructure around. Disney obviously has theirs, the Airport, International Drive, but for those trying to get to other places, will it be better to try to take a taxi or bus once they arrive at one of the stations? That is the question.
 

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