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Orlando High Speed Rail IS DEFINITE
- Thread starter jt04
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rkelly42
Well-Known Member
This is really to bad for the people of Orlando and Tampa, and for those traveling between the two. Also feel for all those people who will not get jobs as a result of the rail line. On another note I am sure that there are good reasons for not going ahead with it, the goverment usually puts stipulations on funding of projects and if it didnt live up to expectations and Florida had to pay back 3 billion, that is huge.
Buried20KLeague
Well-Known Member
:lookaroun
CDavid
Well-Known Member
This wasn't unexpected. There were some major problems with the design and implementation of the Florida high-speed rail proposal, and even with construction costs covered the state would have ultimately been obligated to pay the annual operating loss.
However, nobody should doubt the need for improved and expanded passenger rail service in the sunshine state. Florida may yet go forward with "conventional" passenger rail service (79 mph, maybe 90 eventually) between Jacksonville and Miami along Florida's east coast.
However, nobody should doubt the need for improved and expanded passenger rail service in the sunshine state. Florida may yet go forward with "conventional" passenger rail service (79 mph, maybe 90 eventually) between Jacksonville and Miami along Florida's east coast.
flavious27
Well-Known Member
Biden's plugs are going to pop out when he hears about this.
So the money now goes to Illinois and California. Yippe.
The deficits will now go even higher and higher and higher. :dazzle:
Edit: Except Florida's deficit that is. I have confidence the new Govenor did his homework and this is the best choice. Glad I helped get him elected.
Some of the reasons he stated he canceled it are just wrong. I haven't seen an estimated that the FHS would have carried more passengers than acela along with comparing the two is wrong because acela is 5x times longer. Though the total passenger count for the NE corridor is 5x as much of the estimate on fhs's website.
I also don't know how cost overruns will be more than the total cost of the line, most of the line on flat land in the middle of a highway. The cost overruns in other projects happen when land has to be shaped and tunnels need to be built.
The biigest problem I have with the fhs is that it would not be directly connected to the rest of the other high speed rail lines in the country.
s8film40
Well-Known Member
While I would have enjoyed riding this for the novelty of it I think the Governor made a very wise move in canceling it. The rail line would have served no real practical purpose, other than providing transportation for WDW guests to and from the airport. I went to one of the presentations for the line and looking at the chart it would have taken about an hour or more to go between Orlando and Tampa. The only difference from driving would have been that the rail line would cost more than the cost of gas to drive, and then leave you stranded with no transportation networks in either city. I think this project would have definitely failed, and reading that if that had happened that FL would have to return the federal money only makes this decision better.
JEANYLASER
Well-Known Member
it's going to happend to cancel the Orlando High Speed I hope not! Please tell me so i won't get confused!
Let's try to keep it nonpolitical, as difficult as that may be.
FWIW, I've been hearing a variation of this theme ever since I moved to FL 30 years ago. I'll believe it when I see it.
But we did get the People Mover here in Jacksonville, despite all of the naysayers, because it was expected to revitalize downtown, ease traffic, and make us a major convention center. Didn't quite work out that way.
FWIW, I've been hearing a variation of this theme ever since I moved to FL 30 years ago. I'll believe it when I see it.
But we did get the People Mover here in Jacksonville, despite all of the naysayers, because it was expected to revitalize downtown, ease traffic, and make us a major convention center. Didn't quite work out that way.
fillerup
Well-Known Member
it's going to happend to cancel the Orlando High Speed I hope not! Please tell me so i won't get confused!
No offense, but I think I need an interpreter for this one.
If you're referring to Central Florida commuter rail (Sunrail) as opposed to the HSR to Tampa, then that one is still under review. But I'm inclined to think it will go forward, in spite of some serious flaws.
Pete C
Active Member
I don't think it will have any impact on the people living in Tampa and Orlando, other than the loss of jobs by cancelling it. At over $20 each direction, nobody could ever afford to ride this thing on a regular basis. With driving to the station, parking, waiting for the train, waiting at each stop, and then probably having to take a bus once you get to your destination I bet driving is faster anyway...seriously, it's like how much time would this even save?? Also, locals would never want to take the bus once they got to the other side. To most Floridians, riding the bus is equivalent to using food stamps. SunRail maybe, but bus...not happening. Certainly not for people that could afford to ride the HSR. It just makes no sense for locals. It would only be for tourists that have no cars, and mostly for Disney and the convention center.
For the record...I am disappointed, because I was thinking big picture. I would have much rather seen this line starting with Orlando - Miami, not Tampa. At least with Miami we would be linking two of the world's top tourism destinations. Tampa doesn't fit in with that.
You got that right. It has been one of the biggest wastes of money in this city's history.Let's try to keep it nonpolitical, as difficult as that may be.
FWIW, I've been hearing a variation of this theme ever since I moved to FL 30 years ago. I'll believe it when I see it.
But we did get the People Mover here in Jacksonville, despite all of the naysayers, because it was expected to revitalize downtown, ease traffic, and make us a major convention center. Didn't quite work out that way.
Like I said earlier HSR has free puppy written all over it. If the ridership was not there we would be stuck flipping the bill to keep it running.
imagineer boy
Well-Known Member
I guess its not so DEFINATE anymore. :lol:
JEANYLASER
Well-Known Member
thanks for the alot info!
SMRT-1
Active Member
you might as well lock it then.
s8film40
Well-Known Member
I have to agree. Any discussion at all about the High Speed Rail line is in itself political discussion.
WorldKey
Member
I totally agree - I have never understood this proposal. Where was the data to say that massive amounts of people are commuting between Tampa and Orlando. There may be congestion problems in towards these cities but this is not the answer.
I live in the St. Louis area and they are planning high speed between Chicago and St. Louis. Everyone here knows that it is a waste of money. The existing trains are rarely full and are subsidized by Amtrak (your tax dollars).
These trains that they are propsing as 'high speed' would make the people of Europe laugh. The top speed is not anything like the bullet trains of Europe. I have read that we are talking about top speeds of maybe 100 mph which doesn't shave enough time off to have a massive increase in ridership.
Horizonsfan
Well-Known Member
The Interstate and other roads would have that written on them as well. All forms of transport are a huge bill for the public. Anyone who tells you otherwise isn't looking at all aspects.
The problem with rail, is that we need to pay for modernization of a system that has languished since commercial air travel took off (no pun intended) in the middle of the last century. Road and air travel haven't had this problem* as they've enjoy plenty of modernization $$s during that same time.
You will be stuck footing the bill on HSR, just like your currently stuck footing the bill for your highways, interstates, roads, airports, etc. It's not necessarily bad or good, just the way it is.
Even with the funding they've received, many local and state roads are still in an inadequate state.
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