WHY FLORIDA HIGH SPEED RAIL WILL FAIL - PART II

BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE

Will Florida's High Speed Rail efforts crash THIS hard? Let's just say if they don't make some radical adjustments and trash the assumption that Orlando has to be the hub of a massive "hub and spokes railroad," then THIS IS where it is heading.

It's easy to spot the Northeast climb of the HSR route as it pulls away from Tampa, that's a heck of a way to get pointed Southeast.

Even if the entire project for Florida High Speed Rail, gets the blessing of the Federal Department of Transportation, and 100% financing, it is headed for a crash that might well bring down the whole industry.

Reason number 5 is not anyone's opinion about riders or ridership, it is however a story written in geography and no one short of The All Mighty could fix it. In one scenario (alternative "A") the train will run from Tampa, Northeast to Orlando, then with about a 10 degree turn, continue East to Melbourne (Space Coast Beaches). From Melbourne the new railroad turns 90 degrees South, and would likely hug some combination of the I-95 or Florida East Coast right-of-way, all the way through Fort Pierce - West Palm Beach - Ft. Lauderdale to Miami. Certainly no other route in the history of Florida, has ever served so many people in such a short stage length. Population is good, high speed is good, new railroads are good, so why does this one stand out as a bad plan?

To get to the answer one needs only to study the alternative routes from Orlando Southward to Miami. The Second Alternative "B" would turn South at the Orlando International Airport and roughly follow the historic Florida East Coast Railways Kissimmee River Valley line along or near the Florida Turnpike Alignment all the way to West Palm Beach - Ft. Lauderdale to Miami. This is the shortest of the current planned routes from Tampa to Miami via Orlando, but it sacrifices virtually every village, town and city on the East Coast of the State, North of West Palm Beach, to accomplish it's goal, and still maintains what is for all practical purposes a 100 degree turn, a "Fatal Corner" in the middle of the railroad system.

Alternative "C" would be the slowest schedule from Orlando to Miami, but the cheapest build, following the CSX Railroad. Running from St. Petersburg - Tampa - Auburndale - Orlando International Airport, as well as a line from Alburndale southeast to Lake Wales - Sebring - West Palm Beach - Ft. Lauderdale, and Miami. It would eliminate the need for Tampa/St. Petersburg trains to pass through Disney World - Orange County Convention Center and Orlando international Airport, before heading to the lower East Coast and Miami. So ironically the slowest option for Orlando, would be the fastest option for the Tampa Bay communities, but the hard place seems to be missing all of the Beach Communities North of West Palm Beach.

So Far the only map that makes ANY sense, is this largely ignored 2008, ICE Train Plan

4 rail lines into Orlando and they still miss the direct connection with Jacksonville, not to mention the line of the center of the State running virtually from Miami to LAKE CITY, guess it's comforting to know Tallahassee has a sense of humor.

It's a crazy curse to plan under but the bottom line for Florida is, by ignoring the historic travel patterns and trying to make Orlando into a railroad cross roads that it never was, has put us in a unique position. We can either build the fastest route and skip most of the cities, or, we can build through most of the cities and lose the fast train.

Due to the Fatal Corner, a high speed train that rips along at 120 mph, is still going to consume all of 4:00 hours between St. Petersburg and Miami, and 2:30 hours between Orlando and Miami alone. Since this is travel time the dwell time in the stations would have to be added in to any schedule. Leaving St. Petersburg by train, stations would be initially located in Tampa, Lakeland, Disney World, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando International Airport, Melbourne, Ft. Pierce, West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, and Miami. Dwell times of just 2 minutes per station average would add another 20 minutes to the through schedule. A schedule of 4 hours and 20 minutes between end points via the fastest train in America can be easily trumped by a 1968 Volkswagen Micro-Bus full or hippies at 4:00 hours even, on I-75. This is easy math, because the hippies in that micro-bus won't be traveling 120 miles Northeast to go Southeast of Tampa/St. Petersburg.

The Bus, Greyhound, La Cubana or Southeastern starts looking better and better as Florida's number one "Alternative."

Add in a fare of around $70 dollars for an end to end ticket, plus car rental, taxi or bus fare at the other end, and keeping with the Micro-Bus starts to look better and better. The time/dollar economics doesn't get any better with a simple Tampa/St. Petersubrg - Orlando trip either, because for $30 bucks, one is still going to have to get to Orlando from "Orlando!" By the time that taxi rolls to a stop in Winter Park, Maitland or Sanford, that lone Amtrak train will be half way to Jacksonville, making the entire system, either route option A, B, or C.

The last public transportation alternative seems a mockery of the states so-called "showcase HSR system." Bottom line? $25 dollars and a Greyhound ticket will get you there faster, and Greyhound has Wi-Fi!

Stay tuned as we move on to part 3 of this series, and look at Florida's surface travel patterns, historic railroad routes and gateways, as well as Southeast High Speed Rail. Only in Part III of "WHY FLORIDA HIGH SPEED RAIL WILL FAIL."

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Florida East Coast will roll out AMTRAK in 2.6 Years

MR. FLAGLERS LOVELY SPEEDWAY TO AMERICA'S PLAYGROUND WILL ROLL AGAIN!

1968, it was an overcast afternoon when train number 2, The Florida East Coast Local to Jacksonville, whistled through St. Augustine, for the last time. If memory serves me correctly it was running four hours late due to official farewells, speeches and crowds. When the big General Motors EMD E Unit rumbled past us on the St. Augustine station platform it seemed to be weeping. Maybe it was just the late hour playing shadows across the tracks, or the mars light rolling and sweeping back and forth over the line ahead, but there was a tangible air of finality for a man made object, that I had never felt before.

Those final miles, there were only two first class passengers, though the coach was full. The train usually only warranted a single locomotive and two cars. A coach, and a tavern lounge observation car. The later came from the FEC'S old East Coast Champion pool, and depending on direction was either the St. Lucie Sound, or the Lake Okeechobee. I always felt these two cars had such comfort and luxury, plus beverage service, that they easily warranted the extra couple of dollars they commanded. Just before Conductor Fields picked up his portable boarding stool, and waved us off, I finally climbed aboard. Making certain I was the last paying first class passenger on a Florida East Coast Train.

The miles clicked by way too fast, as we blew through San Marco, and past the abandoned South Jacksonville Station. In just a matter of seconds with bell ringing, we came alongside the platforms of Jacksonville Terminal. We came to a stop out around track 15 - 20 of 29 at the grand old station. My friend and I stayed behind and spoke with the aging conductor as he wiped his eyes and told us the rail fans had torn up his train in coach, and he gave each of us a set of headrest covers. We thanked him profusely and headed out the door, again myself making sure I was the last person to ever step off an FEC passenger train. We learned that this was a fact in the station, where they told us the Southbound train had arrived in Miami, an hour or two ahead of us.

Then came 2002, and a sudden urge by the State of Florida to restore service to the Florida East Coast. Insane as it seems, a region at least as populated as Portland - Seattle, Chicago - Milwaukee, Los Angeles - San Diego, had been caught up in Florida's unique highway only thinking for an eternity. I believe those in the know about railroads in Florida, were pinching ourselves that this most anti-rail state was doing something positive. But all the hype was for nothing, Bush slashed Amtrak's budget and rather then gain a new route, something our state had already funded, a freeze was put on the whole Amtrak network. Worse still, for "economics" we are told, Amtrak decided to leave the former "S" line down the center of the State, Waldo (Gaineville/UF) , Ocala, Wildwood and Dade City, and consolidate our only two remaining trains on the former Atlantic Coast Line, or "A" line of the CSX. Over on the Florida East Coast route, we were once again, abandoned.

Spin the clock forward and we have the new economic recovery package, and Florida wants it's share. The state dusted off their poorly planned high speed rail plan claiming that thousands of travelers will go from the Orlando Airport, to Disney, and hence to a freeway interchange in Tampa. Phase two would run from the Orlando Airport to Miami's new inter modal terminal. In the process, perhaps as a second thought, or perhaps to toss a bone to Jacksonville, the Florida East Coast train proposal suddenly reappeared on a "TRACK 2" application to the FRA.

The application applies for funds to raise the track speed for passenger trains to 90 mph, which on the FEC will involve mostly signal changes as the track is superb. In November of 2012, Amtrak will start splitting both the Silver Meteor and the Silver Star in Jacksonville. A section of both trains will run down the Florida East Coast, while another section runs to Tampa on the CSX. The state and Amtrak also want to establish 3 more trains daily between Jacksonville and Miami, on the FEC route, creating a new Amtrak corridor service, not unlike the "Local to Miami" and "Local to Jacksonville" of 1968.

There is no money in the application for reconstruction of the rail side of Jacksonville Terminal, but there are plans to see it restored. Right now it's a foot race between a lethargic Jacksonville government, very short on ideas and leadership, and a clique in Tallahassee, that has shifted a great deal of power from North to Central and South Florida. To do the station properly, the Convention Center built on that property needs to come down. This would leave only the original rail buildings, and the concourse of the Convention Center. The entire plan for the Transportation Authority's, "Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center," will easily fit into the space of the former Terminal and Railway Post Office location. Will anyone in city hall or Tallahassee have sense enough to pull it off? Only time will tell, if not we are prepared to scatter this project over 6 blocks of LaVilla, in downtown. Hardly a Transportation Center and more of a Transportation Neighborhood. Either way, the coals are in the fire, and there is no time to waste, Jacksonville either moves forward now, or surrenders it's rail supremacy to a lesser facility... and THAT would be a tragedy.

JACKSONVILLE AND AMTRAK, A City Speaks Out On Passenger Rail Routes

AMTRAK? EVER WONDER WHERE YOUR MARKET IS IN FLORIDA? HERE ARE RESULTS OF A RANDOM SURVEY OF 47 NON-RAILROAD, OR RAILFAN, FLORIDIANS THAT MIGHT HELP...

We took a look at the classic trains of Florida Past, and Present, then listed them by route by route. This was a long survey and we are quite happy to have had 47 people to volunteer their time to read through it and answer it as truthfully as possible. There were a few surprises but most of the answers were as exciting as the memory and imagination of the old railroad guy.

Routes: The train routes were given an identification based on some historic train or where possible a current Amtrak name. We then listed only the major destinations of all of the trains to give a good feel for the routes themselves. Everyone understood that there would be smaller intermediate stops enroute. Frankly, I wondered if the names or the routes or even the fact that they would not be "NON-STOP FLIGHTS" would play in a 2009 world. Not only did it play, I think many of these old routes are still considered solid gold by our City. Routes to the Carolinas, New York, Chicago, Cincinnati, and New Orleans all made a very strong showing. The Florida East Coast Ry. Corridor, nearly blew the survey away.

We then asked where they would prefer to catch a train in Jacksonville, again Jacksonville Terminal downtown was a hands down run away winner. However Orange Park/Yukon and a South Jacksonville station (both were once suburban way stations with passenger service) made a strong showing. Perhaps the citizens living in the most sprawled city in North America (largest in land mass) are begging Amtrak, JTA and FDOT to give us the benefit of multipule stops such as the Orlando area enjoys.

Schedules were questioned based on the age old, "Florida Passenger Train Curse." All trains run Southbound in the early AM, and all trains run Northbound in the early PM... I, for one, have always thought a couple of very late PM departures South from Jacksonville, with early AM arrivals in Tampa/Sarasota/Ft. Myers or St. Petersburg, as well as West Palm/Fort Lauderdale/Miami, would serve a strong market. I really didn't know how it would play for others to rock 100 years of tradition. One can only imagine my response to the peoples validation of my theorys.

The questions on the JTC (Jacksonville Transportation Center) aka: Jacksonville Terminal, are loaded as it is currently a far too small Convention Center. The old Headhouse of the 1919 Railroad Terminal dwarfs any other station built South of Washington D.C., but it sits vacant, used as an occasional "ballroom" for Conventioniers. The exhibit halls are new and take up most of the former railroad platforms with buildings and/or parking. If we attempt to build JTC with the Convention Center in the middle, it will scatter our station all over the LaVilla neighborhood. If we move the Convention Center to larger and more desireable locations in the center of downtown's waterfront, then transportation can reclaim all of the land that was once in use.

The questions of "Interface" with the City have to do with multi-modal connections. Our Monorail, and Bus System, plus any future Streetcars, Light Rail, Commuter Rail, Bus Rapid Transit, and Water Taxis. Again we wanted to hear from those with zero background in this type of venture to see what the casual resident would say. I think many will be amazed at just how savvy these citizens really are.

The last set of questions put the JTC or Jacksonville Terminal back to something of it's original form. We asked how much, where, when, what, how, who and why and again, honors go to these intrepid residents that hung in and gave intelligent answers to the questions.

Finally something of a joke. Our question about "The Lakelander" as a certain Mr. Davis, urban planner is known. "Ocklawaha", as Mr. Mann, your blogger, and former railroad consultant, is known in various civic forums and events. We knew there was local name recognition and wondered if all of these 5,000 + storys in all forms of media had given anyone a sense of who we are and what we'd love to do?

It was never intended to sound like hollow bragging, but the public themselves spoke loud and clear much to our delighted surprise.

THE SOUTH WIND LIVING UP TO HER NAME

ROUTE / TRAIN NAME / ROUTE DESCRIPTION

Total votes out of a possible 47/(percent of all totals combined)/Percent out of a possible 100%.

ROUTE> The Tidewater Route: Jax-Savannah-Fayetteville-Suffolk-Portsmouth/Norfolk
13 (1.6%) 27%
ROUTE> The Carolina Special Route: Jax-Savannah-Columbia-Charlotte-Washington-New York
27 (3.3%) 57%
ROUTE> Silver Meteor Route: Jax-Savannah-Columbia-Raleigh-Richmond-Washington-New York
28 (3.5%) 59%
ROUTE> Champion Route: Jax-Savannah-Fayetteville-Richmond-Washington-New york
20 (2.5%) 42%
ROUTE> KCY-FL Special Route: Jax-Jessup-Hazelhurst-Macon-Atlanta-Chattanooga-Nashville-St. Louis-KCY
19 (2.3%) 40%
ROUTE> Dixie Route: Jax-Waycross-Fitzgerald-Macon-Atlanta-Chattanooga-Nashville-Louisville-Chicago
24 (3%) 51%
ROUTE> Royal Palm Route: Jax-Valdosta-Cordelle-Macon-Atlanta-Chattanooga-Knoxville-Cincinnati-Chicago/Detriot/Cleveland
21 (2.6%) 44%
ROUTE> City of Miami Route: Jax-Valdosta-Albany-Columbus-Birmingham-Memphis-St.Louis/Chicago
13 (1.6%)nb b 27%
ROUTE> South Wind Route: Jax-Waycross-Valdosta-Dothan-Montgomery-Birmingham-Nashville-Louisville-Chicago
12 (1.5%) 25%
ROUTE> Gulf Wind Route: Jax-Tallahassee-Pensacola-Mobile-Biloxi-New Orleans-(Los Angeles)
31 (3.8%) 65%
ROUTE> The Gulf Coast Special Route: Jax-Baldwin-Starke-Alachua-Gainesville
17 (2.1%) 36%
ROUTE> West Coast Champion Route: Jax-Palatka-Orlando-Lakeland-Tampa-Clearwater-St. Pete
22 (2.7%) 46%
ROUTE> The Meteor Route: Jax-Waldo-Wildwood-Auburndale-Winter Haven-Sebring-West Palm-Miami
16 (2%) 34%
ROUTE> The Sunniland Route> Jax-Waldo-Wildwood-Lakeland-Arcadia-Ft. Myers-Naples
9 (1.1%) 19%
ROUTE> The Palmland Route: Jax-Waldo-Wildwood-Lakeland-Tampa-Sarasota-Venice
11 (1.4%) 23%
ROUTE> East Coast Champion Route: Jax-Palatka-Orlando-Auburndale-Winter Haven-Sebring-West Palm-Miami
19 (2.3%) 40%
ROUTE> H. M. Flagler Route: Jax-St. Augustine-Daytona Beach-Melbourne-Ft. Pierce-West Palm-Miami
37 (4.6%) 78%

THE OBSERVATION CAR ROYAL STREET BRINGS UP THE MARKER LIGHTS ON THE ROYAL PALM

---------------------------------
I'd Prefer to catch the train at the current Amtrak Station
1 (0.1%) 2%
I'd prefer to catch the train at the Jacksonville Terminal Downtown
46 (5.7%) 97%
I'd prefer to catch the train in South Jacksonville
9 (1.1%) 19%
I'd prefer to catch the train in Baldwin
2 (0.2%) 4%
I'd prefer to catch the train in Orange Park/Yukon
10 (1.2%) 21%
---------------------------------

All schedules should be Southbound in the AM and Northbound in the PM
3 (0.4%) 6%
All schedules should run in both directions throughout the daylight hours
11 (1.4%) 23%
All schedules should run in both directions both daylight and overnight
33 (4.1%) 70%
--------------------------------
JTC>I like the JTA Jacksonville Transportation Center just like it is planned
6 (0.7%) 12%
JTC>I would like to see the Convention Center moved and a more condensed Transporation Center built
35 (4.3%) 74%
JTC>If the Convention Center can't be moved, we should redesign the Transportation Center for more compactness
15 (1.9%) 31%
--------------------------------

INTERFACE> JTA should hub city buses, BRT and Express Bus services to meet Amtrak trains
29 (3.6%) 61%
INTERFACE> JTA Should expand the Skyway Downtown to better distribute the passengers from the trains
29 (3.6%) 61%
INTERFACE> JTA should run much longer hours, even 24/7 on main trunk routes as soon as the trains start rolling
22 (2.7%) 46%
INTERFACE> I believe JTA's Commuter Rail and Streetcar lines will benefit from the groundwork provided by Amtrak and Regional Rail
43 (5.3%) 91%
INTERFACE> I don't think Amtrak will mean a thing to JTA ridership, even if we become a major hub again.
2 (0.2%) 4%

THE DIXIE FLYER ARRIVES IN NASHVILLE
-------------------------------
TERMINAL PLANS> JTA/FDOT plan 3 tracks at our downtown station, I think that's more then enough
3 (0.4%) 6%
TERMINAL PLANS> JTA and FDOT plan 3 tracks at our station, I feel it is wholly inadequate
12 (1.5%) 25%
TERMINAL PLANS> JTA and FDOT plan 3 tracks at our station and I fear they foolishly plan to give the hub to Orlando or Sanford
22 (2.7%) 46%
TERMINAL PLANS> I believe a complete Railroad Terminal with all of the sundry support is a requirement in Jacksonville
28 (3.5%) 59%
TERMINAL PLANS> I think Jacksonville and JTA should be at the forefront of the efforts to improve rail services in NE Florida and South Georgia
41 (5.1%) 87%
TERMINAL PLANS> I would support the idea of a multi-city/multi-state coalition led by Jacksonville to push rail passenger service
35 (4.3%) 74%
TERMINAL PLANS> Should The Lakelander and Ocklawaha be appointed to lead the Jacksonville Rail Task Force?
33 (4.1%) 70%

SEABOARD PAUSES AT BAY PINES, FLORIDA IN BETTER DAYS

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HOW TO: Kill your parking meters, employ Parking Enforcment, and pay for TRANSIT

Many Sunbelt cities share the same plague. We have gone from dense compact streetcar communities, to sprawled auto scale suburbia. This disease has eaten away the historic fabric of our downtown's, collapsed real estate values, and relegated transit to a poor persons accommodation. To fight the early compact parking famine, meters were installed to give the city some control over parking abuse and to raise much needed income for city improvement projects. This phenomenon almost without fail killed the downtown retail, restaurant and club trades. It sent the shoppers scurrying for the suburbs where they had acres of free parking and well lit, heated or air conditioned shopping comforts.

To fight this trend, some cities, Jacksonville, one of the leaders among them, started a program to raze old buildings and install new multi-level parking garages. The meters stayed at the curbs, and the income kept rolling in, but the ratios of expense to income grew worse with each multimillion dollar garage. The garages had another effect on downtown, they stole away the office workers that previously had walked to and from their posh work stations by making the auto-office connection seamless. Transit agencies, most all centered around the central city were no match
for what now seemed an automotive slam dunk play.

Something funny happened on the way to autotopia, holes Begin to appear in downtown's all across the nation. Big holes, whole blocks swallowed by vacant lots, cheap parking, and pay by the hour vendors. While some Cities retained their close in streetcar business districts, the core was rotting from the inside out. The dearth of people and falling prices, plus the homeless that moved in on the vacant land now caused even more low or zero income people to flood the formerly prosperous meccas.

Jacksonville is VERY luck to have held fast to it's close in streetcar developments such as San Marco, San Jose, Springfield, Riverside, Avondale, 5-Points, St. Nicholas, A. Phillip Randolph, Fairfax, Murray Hill, Durkeeville (Historic home of the American Negro League Baseball Teams), Moncrief as well as Park and King. But as the City core became more and more a bland cement wall or glass towered giants, the doors along the street became fewer and fewer. Sprawl looking to escape the homelessness, poverty, and illusion of unsafe conditions, leapfrogged the old Streetcar neighborhoods and dove into suburban sprawl.

How does Jacksonville stack up to other cities? How do we look compared to your town? Imagine a booming Sunbelt City with the above core conditions sprawling over 860 square miles. That my friends is our City, and I wouldn't try walking to your corner grocer or hardware store unless your down for some brutal miles.



I'd like to offer a solution that might at first take, seem over simplistic. Trust me, in application it is simple, but the results will be invigorating.

To set the stage for this conversion we must first get an audit of all available parking in the core of the central city, at least everything covered by metered parking. On the one hand we want to know EVERY garage space, or surface parking space in the city, their count, occupancy rates, and any available space. Next we need an audit of the meters on a block by block, street by street, and east side, west side, north and south side, total average monthly income per block per side.
Step three is to take the garages and surface lots, and assign each of them a territory, naturally the 900 car garage is going to have a larger territory then a 230 car surface lot. The Territory's should be balanced so that each covers a percentage of the metered spaces.

The parking meters are then and forever removed and replaced by hourly, parking restrictions. These parking restrictions can flex according to local need. The average income per metered space is directly transferred as a fee to the surrounding garage or surface lot, again according to usage and revenue. Meters that average $3 dollars per day will obviously transfer more fees within their district then an area where meters average .25 cents per day.



So far we've explored how to retain both the income and hourly parking enforcement as well as remove the meters, making downtown more people friendly.

This opens a door to add a small percentage to all of these fees, depending on the total amounts transferred, anywhere from a few percent, to a solid 33%, could be tacked onto the former METER income. To prevent a tax revolt, it wouldn't be fair to arbitrarily zap the former parking spaces with a fee increase based on the spaces former income. This revenue which could amount to several thousands of dollars daily over and above the money needed to keep parking enforcement intact, would go directly into the construction or reconstruction of Streetcars, LRT, Trolley Bus, and any other fixed guideway transit.

The final incentive for this is beyond even the recovery of our downtown retail marketplaces, it's all of the above, urban cores that beg work, play, and live.
The personal incentive is as easy, anyone not wanting to see their monthly parking space rental go from $35.00 a month (yes, over building has cause very low prices in the Sunbelt - but these numbers are examples only) to perhaps $50.00 a month, will be offered a month long transit pass as a new choice rider, at a discounted $40.00 a month. This is an incentive that could continue as long as they use transit or if it proves extremely popular, it could have a time limit on it.

So what did this plan do?

Got rid of the meters
Retained all of the income
Added a fee for transit to build fixed route transit
Retained all parking enforcement employees
Slight garage parking fee increase
Gives the city more oversight into parking construction
Builds incentives to return retail, work, play, live, downtown

Invites new Choice Riders to try Mass Transit

It's way past due, lets do something today.

Robert Mann: Jacksonville Transit Blog

BIRTH OF A NEW LIVABLE CITY!

A BLUEPRINT FOR JACKSONVILLE

"America's Most Wanted"

Joint feature story on jacksonvilletransit.blogspot.com

and Metro Jacksonville, metrojacksonville.com

http://jacksonvilletransit.blogspot.com/search/label/Jacksonville%20Terminal

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/

Could This Be, "America's Most Wanted?"

REMAKING THE CITY WITH RAIL - IN ONE SIMPLE PLAN
MANY COMPLEX PROBLEMS AND ONE SIMPLE SOLUTION

PORT AUTHORITY
Imagine the fastest growing port in the world, surrounded by 3 major railroads, 4 shortline's and 45 railroad headquarters, being captive to ONE carrier. Certainly one rail carrier is a deal killer for many major shipping companies who may be interested in getting in on the action. Imagine directors of the booming port, non railroaders all, thinking the solution is another time killing railroad yard. With a finite amount of money in the city, state and federal pot, how does one fix it?

AIRPORT AUTHORITY
Imagine a solid middle tier International Airport, with highway only access, and captive to regular transit buses which run on hourly headway's only during certain hours. At the other end of these bus routes sits the third largest city on America's East coast. How do one increase not only the air traffic but make the ground transportation more frequent and much more attractive?

TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY
Finally, imagine one of America's largest cities, a bus fleet that ranks third in a most popular state, and an expressway system through the central city that is going into major construction until 2017. How do the white and blue collar hordes make their daily trek through this morass of endless construction, when the rush hour within the various parts of the metro is already ranked as number 1, 5 and 8 in the state. Imagine this place where drivers tolerate approximately 66 Million hours a year, sitting in traffic. So after the crash of the Orlando Commuter Rail deal(Sunrail), how does one fix this?



INTERCITY RAIL PASSENGER SERVICE
Imagine a one time worlds busiest railroad station, stripped of it's trains, former glory and converted into a Convention Center, albeit with with railroad tracks that pass through within a few feet of it. Another factor for consideration is the current Amtrak Station which is wholly inadequate for the currently planned passenger train services. Poorly located, at the end of an alley in the far Northwest edge of the City and hardly in a welcoming setting, between a truck line yard, a junk yard, and almost under a highway overpass. Jacksonville will never regain it's position as the rail passenger hub of the Southeast without coming home to downtown.

CONVENTION CENTER
A major City, a big, huge, national trade city, chock full of industries, highways, rail terminals, warehouses, docks, port terminals, airports and even mega cargo airports, and they build a convention center more suited to Greenville, South Carolina; Mobile, Alabama; or Savannah, Georgia. Size must not have been a consideration because with well under 90,000 square feet, the Convention Center is only good for local party's and home, gun and antique shows. Know anyone that needs a new lawn mower? lawn chair? BBQ grill? Have we got the facility for you to show your products, just don't bring all of them.

Of course this article is about Jacksonville, Florida, which bills itself correctly as "America's Logistics Center." Yet through all of this dysfunction, the city marches on, looking for, and perhaps finding, a one - size - fits - all solution to every sarcasm I just wrote.

You must understand, with one foot in South Georgia, or Mayberry RFD, and the other planted firmly in the finance and industrial might of Florida, NASA, and the remarkable beaches, we often move at a slower pace. Our location alone seems to propel us forward at times when our politics seem a little too "Dukes of Hazard," to join the modern world. As a Sunbelt City with a world class port, home of the PGA, unspoiled beaches, cutting edge medical facilities, and a Skyline split by a navigable river arguably one of the most beautiful in the world. Add to that a City that constantly scores at the top of business, transportation, and livability articles and surveys. I have faith that we are starting to see the light. Our destiny, to become a first tier international city, sometimes in spite of ourselves.

LET'S LOOK AT 5 STEPS TO A SOLUTION:

I. The Port
A. In transportation 101 everyone learns that in order for a port to compete, it simply can't afford to become captive to a single trunk line railroad.

B. Also in the same class, we should have learned that railroad yards are old technology, time killing wastelands where cars go to sit idle, losing money for their owners. Granted a small facility simply for the pick up and consolidation of outbound traffic may make perfect sense, but anyone with a vision of another "Rice Yard," the massive Waycross, Georgia facility, get it out of your heads.

C. So the City, State and/or Federal Government is going to have to purchase the railroad tracks all along our waterfront. This would include the entire former Seaboard, Fernandina and Jacksonville, Subdivision, from Export Yard near downtown, through Springfield Yard, over the Trout River. All trackage as far as Yulee, or even beyond Kingsland, where the old Seaboard Mainline was cut in South Georgia. This should also include both CSX and NS lines from Grand Crossing, Moncrief and Simpson Yards on the city's far west side.

D. The lease back option would seem to be the answer here. The entire municipally owned railroad would then be leased to one of America's many shortline operators. Shortline's shine in freight service and would be much more customer driven. Light, quick, clean, frequent, and efficient operations that would still deliver the cars to the CSX, JTA and NS interchanges and probably shave the days it currently takes for a car to get across town, down to a few hours.

Rails everywhere but the Airport and Free Trade Zone

2. The Airport:
A. Freight to the JTA interchanges? Yes, in this plan the JTA would own two railroad lines with it's own (not a lessee) operations. One of these would be a new branch line railroad that would follow the Airport Road, from the tracks near North Main, through the international trade zone and right into the airport facility. Depending on the layout of the airport terminal, it could serve any form of rail passenger equipment with a possibility of turning it on a circus or balloon track.
B. The fact that it would punch through the free trade zone, already home to many large companies would be just another opportunity to pay the construction bonds.

3. The Transportation Authority
A. Certainly with the death of the Sunrail project in Orlando, and the impending crash of Tri-Rail in Miami, which has not been funded anywhere close to it's needs, this would need to be a carefully laid out plan. Our transportation authority would construct the line into the International Airport (JAX) on the North, and rebuild the entire former "S" line from Jacksonville Terminal to a connection with the freshly purchased Norfolk Southern track into Springfield Yard. Here it would join the former Seaboard Airline for a straight shot over the trout river and into our port, airport, Nassau County, Yulee or even South Georgia.
B. A extra benefit of buying and upgrading these lines is security for our future, Amtrak, soon enough, and when the time comes for some serious High Speed Rail. This will likely be the route chosen, as historically it was considerably shorter between Savannah, and Jacksonville, then the former Atlantic Coast Line which is the current CSX.

C. Between the Jacksonville Terminal and Springfield yard JTA would have the benefit of a short passenger rail route from the station, to Shand's, Swisher, 21ST street, Panama Park, Dunn Av., Airport Road, Airport. The shortline lessee would be able to access these tracks to reach an interchange with the Florida East Coast Ry, at the Jacksonville Terminal.

D. The entire JTA North Commuter Rail line could then be placed in operation without the need for special or expensive deals with CSX or any other railroad. A fleet of RDC cars or Flexliner Trains would go into service as quick as stations and park and ride lots could be completed. This would be as close to a turn key deal as any city - railroad has ever had. Simple, own the track, draw lease income from the same track, pay for the Commuter Rail with freight, 100% in house.

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A usless section of the old track or roadbed is strung between Maxwell House and Gateway Mall

The Electric 7 - A sidebar on a side track.
"The Electric 7" would be an operation independent of the above railroads would still make use of old railroad track and/or right-of-way, as a light streetcar transit line. While it would cross the "S" it would not have any operation on the new terminal trackage.

There would also be reconstruction of the "S" line northward into Gateway Shopping District and south toward A. Phillip Randolph or Beaver Streets. However these lines would be reserved for rapid streetcar using vintage or replica equipment. A single crossing of the JTA freight-commuter trackage would be required just south of the MLK Expressway.

From a usless old railroad blight through East Jax., Springfield, Brentwood to Gateway Mall, to a beautiful historic Electric Parkway shaped roughly like the number "7". Thus the new moniker: "THE ELECTRIC 7"

********************************************************

Since a "cave" expedition into the old pedestrian tunnels under the stations old rail yard everyone wants to find the entry. This was it back when it was in it's final hours. Since then a wall of glass doors runs horizontally across this scene about where the two gentlemen are walking. Sadly this area was filled with debris and from the wall to where the photographer is standing is paved over.

4. Intercity Rail Passenger Service
A. Amtrak has several plans, including a 5 train system on each of Florida's intra-state lines. This fast regional service would apparently include the CSX "S" line South, The CSX "A" line South, and the Florida East Coast Mainline South. There are also designs to return the Sunset limited/Gulf Wind route with promised better service, perhaps also a 5 train gulf coast shuttle. North of Jacksonville we have several lines each toward Atlanta, Charlotte, Norfolk, Montgomery, Birmingham, Memphis, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, and many more attractive locations or route combinations. So we are going to get the trains, the question is what are we going to do with them. Meanwhile, we should be at the vortex of every Amtrak service summit meeting in the South, and boy, do we have a place to host them.

B. In order to capture the lions share of the servicing of these trains Jaxson's need to realize the economies of breaking down trains and forwarding them to both coasts of lower Florida. Cars bound for the West being switched out, or cars on originating or terminating trains being cleaned, fueled, iced, catered, laundered. So the bottom line? When 6,500 cups of coffee are loaded on a single dining car, would you like a piece of that action? We simply must return Amtrak to the City Core and move the convention center as soon as possible. Every day we wait the more attractive Sanford, or Orlando, or Tampa, become as THE terminal for Amtrak Florida.

C. In this proposal, we go back to the recommendation of the US DOT back in 1983-85 when a national study of "Transportation Centers" was completed. It clearly stated Jacksonville Terminal needs to be reopened as a railroad and multi-modal station, with no less then 12 tracks.

D. Florida's changing politics has shifted the balance of power to Central and South Florida and suddenly the state DOT is proposing a 3 track station below the flood plain of McCoys Creek. The reasoning behind this is the Park/Lee Street Viaduct was rebuilt about 25 years ago and a bridge that once cleared 10-15 tracks now only clears two. FDOT in their infinite wisdom has suggested the 300,000 Cubic Yards of fill be removed from the old yards, which will take out the remaining pedestrian tunnels and put the whole yard below the flood plain, even if it grows to be more then 3 tracks. Jacksonville needs to grab this bull by the horn and drag FDOT, JTA or any other agency kicking and screaming to force the rebuilding of the Lee/Park street viaduct to a level that provides for 23.5 feet of clearance on top of the historic tunnels and fill. Then force the issue of getting our full compliment of no less then 8 tracks and four platforms, plus a private car track that could hold and service office cars from any of our 45 headquartered railroads. Under no condition should anything be built in the old flood plain, and the FEC should be brought back up to grade, with the tunnel access restored below it.

5. The Convention Center
A. This building by the City's own accounting is woefully short on space and poorly located away from the downtown venues, hotels and clubs. As the main exhibit hall was build behind the great 1919 railroad depot, it covers all of the area once occupied by the stub tracks, and part of that once occupied by the through tracks. In fact all of the stations original 32 tracks are gone, with this building and it's parking lot to the west, covering about 20 of them. We could still squeeze in some 10/12 tracks for Amtrak and the Florida East Coast without moving the exhibit hall, but since the hall is a white elephant and something the city itself regrets, we should get it out of the way of the transportation business. If we could salvage the new east - west concourse area, and perhaps 1/4 - 1/3 of the northern end of the exhibit hall building, it could be easily recycled into facilities for intercity buses. This would put the JTA offices and bus station to the west in the former Railroad Post Office site. Amtrak, would have the restored yard south of the 1919 Head house Station, and the restored 1890's station would become a plaza/park area focused on preservation and history.

B. There has been some discussion on moving the Convention Center down to the waterfront near the Hyatt, Jacksonville Landing, or on the Southbank. Anywhere it goes, it should be larger, and if that requires it to be vertical, then lets do it. The station would be connected to any new convention center on the northbank by our Skyway Monorail System and the planned Vintage Streetcars of the Jacksonville Traction Company and JTA.

In summary, with a single solution, spun around the rails, our city would have:

A new Convention Center
A "new" Amtrak Terminal
Many more Amtrak trains then at the present time
Control the servicing of all Amtrak trains entering the State, catering, laundry, fuel, etc.
A new Bus/Skyway/Streetcar Terminal at Transportation Center
Transportation Center Parking Garage
New JTA Office Building
Commuter Rail Service through the heart of the historic City
Commuter Rail Rapid Transit into the Jacksonville International Airport
Streetcar lines from Gateway Plaza to Stadium to Jacksonville Terminal and beyond
A Port that has neutral access to 3 major rail carriers, including the FEC
Direct Rail freight access to our JIA International Trade Zone
A method to pay for the entire package via freight revenue and/or lease back

So there it is folks, we change the face and the future of our City with one simple rail project.

marine transport
train
green logistics
public private partnership
rail

JACKSONVILLE AND FLORIDA BLOW THE STIMULUS

Photo Credit: MetroJacksonville.com

"UP IN SMOKE"

"Kind of grabs youby the boo-boo, don't it?"

Stimulus? President Obama? Mass Transit? Sorry Florida, but our state is so out of touch that we completely blew this opportunity. Leading the charge is the "Jacksonville Stimulus List". Lot's of ditches to dig, some drain pipes, paint and a few more miles of sprawling roadways is what we want. Jacksonville, and Florida, in absolute ignorance of the vividly apparent intent of the legislation. SPRAWL CITY, the Nation's largest in land area, is expected to top 3.2 Million persons within the next 40 years. One has to wonder if JTA or City Hall have any plans for transit in this future megalopolis with bus headway's closer then every 45 minutes?

What about our other plans? Jacksonville has a host of juicy new plans and drawings for a comprehensive regional transportation system. A mix of Bus, Bus Rapid Transit, Streetcars, Light Rail Transit, Commuter Rail and our Skyway (Monorail).

Recent meetings have solidified the BRT starter line through Springfield north past Gateway Mall and out Lem Turner Road all the way to the I-295 Beltway.

Recent TV shows have given us a look at the exciting return of Jacksonville's once famous streetcar lines. Routes have been generalized and only the process of naming streets, environment impact and track laying stand in our way.

Light Rail Transit lines, which is to say, an electric streetcar type vehicle of a slightly larger size and much faster, have surprisingly shown up in some of the previously "certain" BRT corridors.

Commuter Rail? Oh, we are simply an agreement in Tallahassee with CSX or a deal between Tallahassee and Amtrak to kick one of our 4 commuter lines into being. Over 90 miles of plans have been drawn up.

Our Skyway has been our poor stepchild long enough, now with this package we have the chance to move it to the Stadium on Bay Street, Across and into the FCCJ Campus in the North side, Into Riverside, and on to San Marco at Atlantic. Oh sure some of these plans are old, but we have them in hand, we own the right-of-way, we have the trains... How long would it really take for a team of engineers to recheck those plans and stamp them approved?

Jacksonville indeed has a bright future if we follow our dreams and take action, using the full advantage of the stimulus package or the one that may follow this first effort.

"Hey, man...

am I driving okay?

I thinkwe're parked, man.

I thinkwe're parked, man.

Oh, shit."

From Green Car Congress:

Responding to a question from a city councilwoman about transportation and infrastructure in the stimulus bill during a town hall forum in Ft. Myers, Florida, President Obama said that the days of just building sprawl are over.


From a transcript provided by Transportation for America:

Not only do we need to rebuild our roads, our bridges, our ports, our levies, our dams, but we also have to plan for the future. This is the same example of turning crisis into opportunity…Now, look, this is America. We always had the best infrastructure. We were always willing to invest in the future. Governor Crist mentioned Abraham Lincoln. In the middle of the Civil War, in the midst of all this danger and peril, what did he do? He helped move the intercontinental railroad. He helped start land grant colleges. He understood that even when you’re in the middle of crisis, you’ve got to keep your eye on the future. So transportation is not just fixing our old transportation systems but its also imaging new transportation systems.

That’s why I’d like to see high speed rail where it can be constructed. That’s why I would like to invest in mass transit because potentially that’s energy efficient and I think people are alot more open now to thinking regionally in terms of how we plan our transportation infrastructure. The days where we’re just building sprawl forever, those days are over. I think that Republicans, Democrats, everybody recognizes that that’s not a smart way to build communities. So we should be using this money to help spur this kind of innovative thinking when it comes to transportation. That will make a big difference.

Does this mean we will get our dream transit in Jacksonville? It CERTAINLY DOES MEAN that if ask, we would receive in this area. With typical vision of our current mayor and transit authority, we didn't bother! NOT ONE CENT REQUESTED FOR TRANSIT OF ANY KIND. Not only us, but for the most part the entire State of Florida failed miserably. So while we have put out the hand for ditches and culverts and paint, we haven't done a damn thing to build up a developable cosmopolitan infrastructure. An infrastructure that no doubt would have created thousands of new jobs in a vibrant and livable city.

"This will mellow you out, man.

What is this, man?

Just take them.

Hey, don't take those, man.

What?

I almost gave you the wrong shit, man.

I already took them, man.

Ho ho ho ho!

What do you mean ho ho ho ho?

Wow, man!

What was that shit, man?

You just ate the most acid

I've ever seen anybody eat in my life.

I never had no acid before, man.

I hope you're not busy for about a month."

Excerpts from Cheech and Chongs Screenplay "Up In Smoke" (A survivors guide to Jacksonville)

Jacksonville Development
Mayor John Peyton
Amtrak
Railroad Hub
Florida Rail Passenger Corridor
Florida Chamber of Commerce
Mark Wilson CEO FLCofC
Florida Transportation
FDOT
JTA
Jacksonville Chamber Of Commerce