It isn't just Tampa, Lakeland and Okeechobee who are losing from Amtrak's planned July 6 Silver Service cuts.
While Tampa, Lakeland and Okeechobee will be losing daily train service, all other stations in Florida will be losing HALF of their Amtrak service as both the Silver Star and the Silver Meteor are being cut.
Check out the list of cities which will lose 50% of their service:
1. Jacksonville
2. Palatka
3. DeLand
4. Winter Park
5. Orlando
6. Winter Haven
7. Kissimmee
8. Sebring
9. West Palm Beach
10. Delray Beach
11. Deerfield Beach
12. Ft. Lauderdale
13. Hollywood
14. Miami
15. Tampa (train service cut to tri-weekly)
16. Lakeland (train service cut to tri-weekly)
17. Okeechobee (train service cut to tri-weekly)
In a letter to Congress, Amtrak CEO William Flynn stated that cuts to long distance trains would begin in October. Yet, the cuts to the Silver Service trains are taking place beginning July 6--even though ridership is increasing on these trains!
Don't let these temporary cuts become permanent!
Enough is enough! Contact our elected officials today!
- To contact Senator Marco Rubio, click here.
- To contact Senator Rick Scott, click here.
- To locate and contact your Member of Congress, click here.
It will also be helpful to contact your local elected officials, Chambers of Commerce, Visitors and Convention Bureaus, and Governor Ron DeSantis.
We all remember the "temporary" cuts to the New Orleans-Florida service, which remains "temporarily suspended" due to Hurricane Katrina. Let's not let a repeat happen with the Silver Service.
Time to mobilize!
--Steve Sayles and Jackson McQuigg