Promoting passenger trains as a transportation alternative in Florida since 1983. We are citizens who advocate for Amtrak, commuter rail, intercity rail and transit for Florida's future.
From The Infrastructurist:
http://www.infrastructurist.com/2011/03/17/will-amtrak-get-private-competition-in-the-northeast-corridor/
--Jackson McQuigg
From the Tampa Tribune:
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2011/mar/17/171145/amtrak-ridership-up-nationally-but-down-in-tampa/
According to the St. Petersburg Times and the blog TheHill.com, Florida DOT's Nazih Haddad is leaving for a new job at Qatar Railways.
http://thehill.com/blogs/transportation-report/railroads/149609-florida-rail-director-leaves-for-qatar
In a move that has "stunned" Rep. John Mica, today Governor Rick Scott postponed a decision on whether or not to fund SunRail.
Read more in the Orlando Sentinel:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/os-sunrail-decision-delayed-20110311,0,4880846.story
Has passenger rail become a partisan issue?
Slate Magazine thinks so.
Read their article "Off the Rails:Why Do Conservatives Hate Trains So Much?": http://www.slate.com/id/2287539/
Comments welcomed.
Here's a fresh, nonpartisan take. Trains are a good idea regardless of who you voted for in the last election!
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2011/03/cant_i_just_be_pro-transportat.html
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2011/mar/08/081437/downtown-tampa-rally-to-protest-scotts-budget-cuts/
Apparently, Florida spent $110 million in Federal grants for high speed rail.
Now that Governor Scott has terminated the project, those funds will have to be repaid.
From the Florida Times-Union:
http://jacksonville.com/news/florida/2011-03-07/story/nelson-florida-may-have-pay-not-building-high-speed-rail
It's as simple a matter as profit and loss to Governor Scott. He won't support Amtrak service over the Florida East Coast Railway unless there is a "return" to taxpayers.
From The Stuart News:
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/mar/06/gov-rick-scott-talks-about-jobs-amtrak-and/
From the Palm Beach Post:
http://www.postonpolitics.com/2011/03/nelson-tosses-hail-mary-for-hi-speed-rail/
Florida Coalition of Rail Passengers, P.O. Box 30154, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33420 www.fcrprail.org