The Silver Rail Blog

The issue of the present lack of a viable connection between Florida's planned high speed rail system and SunRail continues to make news in the Orlando area, Central Florida News 13 reports.

--Jackson McQuigg

As Leo King in the Jacksonville Examiner writes, ridership on Amtrak's long-distance trains is up.

This article also mentions the changes which Amtrak is planning to the Los Angeles-New Orleans portion of the Sunset Limited route. How these changes might impact the restoration of New Orleans-Florida service in the future are of concern to FCRP.

--Jackson McQuigg 

Floridians aren't the only ones seeking the return of New Orleans-Florida Amtrak service.

The New Orleans City Council continues to advocate for its return, as well: http://www.wdsu.com/news/22790347/detail.html

--Jackson McQuigg

Florida's rail advocates have much more work to do in order to make high speed rail a reality, as the St. Petersburg Times reports:

http://www.tampabay.com/news/transportation/masstransit/high-speed-rail-still-has-many-challenges-to-overcome-supporters-say/1077505

--Jackson McQuigg

The lack of connectivity between SunRail, and high speed rail got a lot of attention at the U.S. High Speed Rail Association's conference in Orlando this week.

Here is one example of the coverage this issue received. 

Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty is applying pressure to FDOT to change the plans so that they will include connectivity between the systems.

FCRP supports Mayor Crotty's efforts.

--Jackson McQuigg

Here is a letter FCRP wrote to Orange County Mayor Richard Crotty who in a recent article (see blog few stories back) aired his concerns for the lack of connectivity between HSR and SunRail.

March 1, 2010

The Honorable Richard Crotty

Mayor

Orange County, Florida
201 S. Rosalind Ave., 5th Floor
Orlando, FL  32801

Dear Mayor Crotty,

I read with interest your comments in the Orlando Sentinel item “Scramble is On to Link SunRail, Fast RailundefinedWhy No Plan?” (Orlando Sentinel, February 17).  

Your perspective is shared by our members in Central Florida. Without true connectivity between SunRail and high speed rail, both systems would be less likely to succeed. Indeed, it would be like building an Interstate highway with only one on /off ramp.

Our organization, the Florida Coalition of Rail Passengers (FCRP) was formed in 1983

to preserve and to improve passenger rail service for Floridians and visitors to our state. We’ve advocated for both SunRail and the high speed system, but think that the failure to link the two is a major oversight.

Incidentally, we also think a lack of connectivity between the high speed system and the Amtrak services which serve our state is a major blunder.

Please let us know what our members can do to assist you in encouraging FDOT to create true connectivity (shared stationsundefinednot bus connections) between high speed rail and SunRail. You or your staff are welcome to telephone me at 727-515-3822.

Sincerely,

Stephen Sayles
President FCRP

The Orlando Sentinel updates the Amtrak-SunRail liability issue:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/os-amtrak-sunrail-liability-20100223,0,6707795.story

--Jackson McQuigg

Here is a story appearing in Bay News 9 that USF Polytechnic campus will be a stop along the corridor.

http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2010/2/24/586644.html

Stephen Sayles
President FCRP

In a letter to FDOT, Orange County, Florida, Mayor Rich Crotty is calling for a shared station between SunRail and the planned Tampa-Orlando HSR system:

http://wdbo.com/localnews/2010/02/crotty-says-connect-sunrail-to.html

Critics have cited the lack of connectivity between SunRail and Amtrak lines and the new high speed system in the current HSR plan.

At present, the only connections between the Tampa-Orlando high speed line and SunRail/Amtrak would be provided by transit buses.

Crotty's letter to FDOT can be found by clicking here.

--Jackson McQuigg

A Japanese company, among many others, is eager to build Florida's high speed rail network, a tampabay.com blog reports.

Read about the private sector interest in Florida's HSR system here. 

--Jackson McQuigg