Orlando High Speed Rail IS DEFINITE

[jt04]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-high-speed-money-20101209,0,4465776.story


Sometimes I'm right.

 

[SeaCastle]

In the end of your last thread, didn't you take a 180 and say that it definitely wasn't happening? This was after the midterm elections, if I remember correctly.

 

[stphnbogert]

Yeah but with Rick Scott going into office he might cancel the project. He opposes the idea of it.

 

[jt04]

In the end of your last thread, didn't you take a 180 and say that it definitely wasn't happening? This was after the midterm elections, if I remember correctly.

To avoid such revisionism I multi-quoted myself and bumped that thread. Thanks for asking.

Yeah but with Rick Scott going into office he might cancel the project. He opposes the idea of it.

That was before the feds came up with the vast bulk of the funding. He wants to be the 'jobs' govenor. This now seems like too sweet a deal for him to pass on I think. I think of this project as Florida's version of the Hoover Dam or Golden Gate bridge. As I have said many times, I think it is a great real world test of the viability of high speed rail. If it works you may see private industry step in to build similar systems just as they are doing now with space launches/services.

 

[JimboJones123]

Could these replace monorail and busses around property?

 

[jt04]

Could these replace monorail and busses around property?

No, initially this will only replace the Disney shuttle to MCO. Disney will always maintain some sort of internal bus network on property so as not to be to reliant on any one system for its transportation requirements IMO.

The new High Speed rail will make one stop on property. Then, I'd guess, busses will depart to individual resorts or to the parks if guests prefer that option.

 

[rangerbob]

I hope it flops and goes and stays in the RED like Tri-Rail did in Ft. Lauderdale. The ridership is so low it has been in the red since day one. I know that I won't be using it to goto Tampa. I'd prefer to use my van and get to where I want to go and not have to rely on other transportation when I get there.

 

[Krack]

Definite
-adjective

1. clearly defined; exact; explicit
2. having precise limits or boundaries
3. known for certain; sure
4. kinda, maybe, might happen if the Governor changes his mind and kicks in $300 million (see Governor Chris Christie)

 

[jt04]

Definite
-adjective

1. clearly defined; exact; explicit
2. having precise limits or boundaries
3. known for certain; sure
4. kinda, maybe, might happen if the Governor changes his mind and kicks in $300 million (see Governor Chris Christie)

He was on the fence before he got this latest infusion of cash. I'm rather certain this is what he was holding out for. I will be stunned if this does not seal the deal. Personally I don't think the Federal Government would have made this announcement if the deal had not already received the Govenors approval. We are talking thousands of jobs here while KSC winds down shuttle operations.

 

[SeaCastle]

It is dead. The leak of the announcement from shortly before the election was proof that ultimately the money being spread around for these projects was first and foremost a vote buying scheme. It utterly failed that in many places, especially in Florida.

I am of the opinion the feds should fund the entire cost of the MCO to Tampa Airport HSR. This could and would be a perfect test bed to once and for all prove or disprove the viability of HSR in the states. If the federal government is not willing to finance the entire project than I think we can assume they know it is a waste of money and would expose the folly of HSR in the age of air travel.

Fortunately, soon to be Govenor Scott recognizes that this project will place too much of a burden on the tax payers of Florida and he has no desire to turn Florida into a fiscal disaster zone in the manner Cali has.

Of course there may be another option for California. So many businesses will soon be leaving California that all that highway gridlock may just magically disappear and HSR will no longer be needed there either.

To avoid such revisionism I multi-quoted myself and bumped that thread. Thanks for asking.

Care to explain this post that you conveniently left out of your thread bump?

 

[jt04]

Care to explain this post that you conveniently left out of your thread bump?

See post #9 above. The deal was dead unless the feds funded it, or at least the vast majority of it. :shrug:

Two states gave up their funding and that money was redirected to Florida. My last post in that thread makes the same point as the quote above. I did not see the need to post the point twice. :shrug:

 

[trr1]

No, initially this will only replace the Disney shuttle to MCO. Disney will always maintain some sort of internal bus network on property so as not to be to reliant on any one system for its transportation requirements IMO.

The new High Speed rail will make one stop on property. Then, I'd guess, busses will depart to individual resorts or to the parks if guests prefer that option.

what about the shuttles to Port Canaveral?

 

[mickey2008.1]

Just give us the 30 minute DME! Less transfers than with high speeed rail, and for what, 10 minutes?:shrug:

 

[lazyboy97o]

It will only be definite when it is actually open to the public.

 

[daguru]

How many times have we voted on this, like two or three times... They just re-word the proposal on the ballot so the vote changes each time, if it doesn't get axed by the Gov (which happened one already)... I agree, I will believe it when I see it!

 

[raven]

No, initially this will only replace the Disney shuttle to MCO.

Are you talking about Magical Express? Because it will not replace it.

 

[jt04]

what about the shuttles to Port Canaveral?

That would be a perfect use for the surplus of busses they will find themselves with as the HSR gets going.

Just give us the 30 minute DME! Less transfers than with high speeed rail, and for what, 10 minutes?:shrug:

Actually it is often much more than 30 minutes. The DME does not go to a single resort and it can take much longer from when you access your airport transportation to when you actually arrive at your resort. Especially if traffic is backed up on I-4.

Are you talking about Magical Express? Because it will not replace it.

In a sense you are right. The difference being is that I think the ME will run from the new train depot on property to a specific resort, DTD or one of the theme parks. At least for the first few years. Perhaps a more futuristic application will be available at some point to move people from the trains to destinations around the resort.

 

[raven]

In a sense you are right. The difference being is that I think the ME will run from the new train depot on property to a specific resort, DTD or one of the theme parks. At least for the first few years. Perhaps a more futuristic application will be available at some point to move people from the trains to destinations around the resort.

A property-wide People Mover sounds like a perfect fit to me.

 

[jt04]

A property-wide People Mover sounds like a perfect fit to me.

Keep an eye on the PRT at Heathrow. If that works out I think it might also work at WDW. I have figured out how it could be applied at WDW.

Eisner hinted at just such a thing a few years ago so I know they have talked about it. How awesome would it be to get off the plane, jump on the HSR to WDW and then step onto your own personal transport that delivers you right to your resort (or any other resort on property you might choose). Meanwhile all your baggage is being delivered to your room without you having to claim it.

Now that is magical!

 

[TimeTrip]

If the federal government is not willing to finance the entire project than I think we can assume they know it is a waste of money and would expose the folly of HSR in the age of air travel.

Do you still think this is the case? $342 mill has suddenly changed your tune? That is only 12% of the project cost of the whole project. What is it about getting a further 12% of the fixed cost that suddenly makes it seem that its not a waste of money? The long-term costs are still there, and the gov't isn't stepping up to fund that at all.